Here's the thing: parts of this book I really enjoyed and found to be quite charming! Others, not so much. While having chapter be a new character was interesting to me, it was a bummer that some characters ended up making me want to put the book down due to boredom compared to others whose chapters were really engaging. I just wanted more from this book, but in the end I liked it as a whole.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC!

Don't let the goodreads star review scare you off! Jennifer typically writes YA and this is her intro into adult fiction and I think she did a fantastic job. It's a wonderful sneak peak into the world of educators and other school staff. It was a warm and heartwarming. I like an academic setting, and if you do too, then I recommend you give this one a whirl!

When you were a student you wondered what went on in your teachers lives. Well this book delves into those lives and what it's like navigating the parents of the students. I enjoyed the ensemble of cast and how each educator loved teaching their students.

Thank you for the advance copy #NetGalley

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu!

This book was such a sharp, entertaining read! It perfectly captures the drama, politics, and unspoken tensions of academia, with characters that feel so real—flawed, witty, and sometimes a little messy. The writing is smart and engaging, balancing humor with deeper themes about power, ambition, and the personal cost of professional life. If you love stories that dive into workplace dynamics with a mix of satire and heart, this one is a must-read!

This book had me cracking up. Definitely appealed to me as a teacher. Well portrayed. A little bit of a slow start in the beginning. I only wish I had someone to read it with.

This was a cute slice of life story following teachers and administrators at this one school we follow a bunch of different POVs. I thought the writing was entertaining it kept me engaged but I think it might have resonated more if I worked in the education system even so I still really enjoyed this book and thought the characters were well fleshed out for as short of a time we spent with each of them.i would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

As an educator I really related to this book! I loved every single chapter highlighting the different members of staff. From the school nurse, to the English Department, to the custodian, every person had a story worth listening to.

Mr. Lehrer, a former teacher at Baldwin High School, and now a substitute there, is found dead in the faculty lounge by a new, young teacher. In his will he requested his ashes to be spread in the school courtyard. His story (and impromptu funeral) is the catalyst and the thread connecting other teachers' stories, and memories, and highlights some of the struggles each person faces in the building. Taking place during the course of a school year this book made me laugh, but it's also a thought-provoking look at what teachers deal with every day.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

a lighthearted celebration of finding your people. perfect for anyone who's felt the joys of community and the warm sense of belonging that accompanies.

equally humorous yet real, this book also made me appreciate all of my years of public school and all of the educators and teachers that made an impact on my life.

The Faculty Lounge gets the reader into the heads of a Texas school's teachers and administrators. As someone outside of this world, I appreciated the insight. While I liked that the characters were flawed, I was also a bit bummed by some of their actions and the lack of exploring the poor decisions. Still, the writing was good.

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu presents an intriguing exploration of the lives of teachers and the often hidden struggles they face behind the classroom doors. The novel follows a group of educators who navigate their personal and professional challenges, touching on themes like ambition, burnout, and the complicated nature of work relationships. Mathieu’s writing is sharp, and she does a good job of portraying the pressures that come with the teaching profession, along with the emotional weight of balancing personal desires and responsibilities.

However, while the book has strong potential, I found some aspects of the narrative a bit lacking. The pacing is uneven, and certain plotlines feel underdeveloped. While the characters are interesting, they often feel more like caricatures than fully fleshed-out people, and I struggled to connect with them on a deeper level. Some of the conflicts felt a little forced or predictable, which detracted from the impact of the story.

That said, The Faculty Lounge does offer an insightful look into the world of educators, and there are moments of genuine emotional resonance. It’s a thought-provoking read, but with more depth in the character development and plot, it could have been even more compelling.

The Faculty Lounge is a smart, satirical take on life in a high school setting. Mathieu’s sharp humor and keen observations on the world of education make this a fun, thought-provoking read.

The Faculty Lounge is an enjoyable novel. I would consider it a character study of sorts that gives the audience a glimpse into the outside lives of high school teachers in one Texas school. Filled with humor, the book is a workplace novel set over one academic year. The cast of characters, love their jobs for the most part, educating young minds and trying to make a difference in the world; but with any occupation there are aspects they would rather gloss over as well.

This is the first novel I have read by Jennifer Mathieu and I would be interested to see what her backlist was. Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the chance to read this novel.

I went into this book blindly so I was surprised to hear about a death in the first chapter. I'm a big thriller reader so I kept waiting for some kind of twist. However, it was a sweet ode to teachers daily life and the challenges they face at school. I enjoyed hearing the different perspectives throughout each chapter. Overall, I was entertained by this book and thought it had a sweet closure.

The Faculty Lounge is a unique take on school life, featuring a cast of warm and memorable characters. It all starts when an elderly substitute teacher is found dead in the faculty lounge. Life quickly returns to normal, but things take a wild turn when the teacher’s ashes are scattered on the school grounds. This sets off a year that’s a mix of wild, bizarre, tragic, mundane, beautiful, and humorous. Amidst the chaos and threats of punishment, the novel explores the lives of the adults involved. There’s a former punk band frontman turned middle-aged principal who’s fighting to keep his job against the school board; a no-nonsense school nurse who breaks the rules to help a student; and an English instructor who gets into trouble for a snarky email. Oh, and there’s even a teacher make-out session in a supply closet during a lockdown. As these characters navigate the ups and downs of this crazy school year, there’s the looming threat of what will happen to Baldwin High. At its core, this unconventional workplace novel is about the power of human connection and the joy of finding purpose in our daily routines.

If you’re looking for a captivating read, Jennifer Mathieu’s The Faculty Lounge is the perfect choice. It’s a heartwarming and humorous collection of stories set in a school community. You’ll find yourself rooting for the characters, even though each one only has a single chapter to tell their story.
Mathieu explores important themes like race, women’s rights, immigration, infidelity, sobriety, and power dynamics. She handles these topics with subtlety and powerful messages, but nothing is preachy or overt. Instead, the message is conveyed through the characters’ experiences and emotions.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s a wonderful reminder of the importance of kindness and how even small acts of kindness can have a profound impact on others.

Thank you Netgalley and Dutton for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
I’m supposed to feel bad for a dead guy who At 50 something kissed a 20 year old colleague in the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant without her consent? Bc he sent her a note that said “sowwy?” & Bc he was simply good at his job? That’s supposed to excuse that behavior? Yeah, no. Keep your tongue to yourself you freak.

The Faculty Lounge was obviously a book I was interested in (I requested an eARC, after all), but the level of love I had for this book genuinely took me by surprise! Teaching is a career that I was interested in when I was growing up, but never in a million years did I ever consider teaching high school. High School was an enjoyable experience for me, but you could not pay me enough to stand in front of a classroom full of high schoolers and try to instill a passion for a subject in them. All that to say: the only experience I have with teachers is when I was in school. I can’t speak to how true-to-life this is for real-life school staff, but I wouldn’t be surprised if many teachers were a lot like the teachers featured in this work. (How many times will I be saying ‘teacher’ in this review?)

The characters in The Faculty Lounge were all intriguing, quirky, and often endearing. I adored certain chapters more than others, but there wasn’t a single chapter that I found myself starting to skim or wanting to skip. Even the longer chapters held my attention well, which is sometimes hard. All the teachers and staff had unique stories and struggles, and I truly adored watching them get to know each other better or overcome struggles.

I cannot speak highly enough about this. It was warm, silly, messy, and even tear-inducing on an occasion or two. I loved pretty much every minute I spent reading it, and I wouldn’t hesitate to read another book by Jennifer Mathieu. I will most definitely be recommending this one to my teacher friends!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Jennifer Mathieu for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A series of humorous stories about Baldwin High School faculty. Cute, easy read. It was so much fun.

This was a quick, engaging read. It felt nostalgic, bringing up hidden memories from high school. I liked the different POVS.

I absolutely loved The Faculty Lounge! I am a retired educator, and the story about the workings of a high school rang so true. I appreciated the comments staff made about upper administration and high stakes testing! The book is filled with likeable and relatable characters. Great read!