This cover and title caught my eye immediately. This is a cute read. Tropes include single parent, age difference, slow-burn, friends to lovers. The slow development of their relationship was well paced. A cute, enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced audiobook version of this book.

Textbook Romance is my third book from Kristen Bailey (after 5 Gold Rings and SexEd), and it reinforced for me that this is an author I will keep picking up over and over again. Bailey's sense of humor hits just right in this age gap, 2nd change, and complicated family romance.

I loved Zoe and Jack's dynamic. From a "let's just have benefits and not get too serious" arrangement to a slow-growing friendship and love for one another, they showed so much support for each other as Jack figured out what to do with his life and Zoe figured out how to live her life post marriage. On paper, they didn't seem like a good fit, but in reality, they brought out the best in each other.

I liked that the ending wasn't a neat little bow but actually required more work, more growth, and more compromise than we are used to in a romance. Well done once again Kristen Bailey.

This was such a fun listen about learning to love after infidelity in marriage. I do think it would have been better if there were two narrators because it was difficult to get into both characters with the same narrator voicing both.

I enjoyed the dynamic and connection that was built between Jack and Zoe; although the age gap portion was brought up way too many times.

Loved this book, but that’s no surprise since I have enjoyed everything that I’ve listened to by this author!

Zoe and Jack’s romance is a slowww burn, but so heartwarming and emotional at the same time.

Zoe is in a different relationship at the beginning of this story, but that quickly dissolves and you see her meet Jack and watch their friendship bloom.

The fact that they started as friends and turned into more gave this story so much depth.

This narrator was new to me and did a good job bringing this story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for the advanced listeners copy.

# Textbook Romance

“Textbook Romance" by Kristen Bailey begins with Zoe finding out that her husband of many years has been cheating on her while she's at a friend's wedding. Jack happens to be there, too, and helps her get home. A few months later Zoe returns to school as a math teacher and Jack is thrust back into her life because he has taken a job as a substitute teacher.

Now, about half of the way through reading I looked up the author and realized that this is technically the second book in a series. Two of the side characters in this book were the main characters in the first, “Sex Ed". If you happen to make the same mistake I did, it's still a great read and there's nothing that I feel I was missing by not reading the first.

I almost DNF’d this because the combination of infidelity and Zoe having teenagers dealing with the fallout was a difficult topic. But I'm glad I kept with it. The relationship between Zoe and her two kids is real and loving. Jack is such a wholesome love interest. The narrator also did a fantastic job with the dual POV.

I recommend this book to someone who wants to read a romance centered around two adults who are just living their lives and enjoys a mild to medium level of spice.

I absolutely adored this book. Zoe and Jack meet at mutual friends wedding. There is instant chemistry, but Jack realizes that she is a married mom, so he backs off. Months later Jack takes a job as substitute teacher and end up at the school Zoe teaches at. Zoe is now separated from her husband and sparks are flying.

This was a wonderful rom-com. Kristen Bailey has the best banter, and fills her books with British wit. Zoe, Jack and their friends are so wonderful. You really root for them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the advanced listener copy. Narrator Abigail Hardiman does a great job narrating. This book is an absolute delight. I highly recommend it.

Zoe and Jack’s story is full of fun moments but deep, tough one. They will make you cry and laugh, and swoon over Jack’s heart and his way with Zoe. A love story that no one saw coming but that everyone agrees was meant to happen. The audiobook with Abigail Hardiman makes a great story even better.

Zoe had just discovered her husband was cheating on her at a wedding where she met soon-to-be coworker Jack. Over the next few months she went through the process of adjusting to life without her husband whilst having two teenagers to take care of.

I loved how Jack wanted her to see herself in a more positive light. He was almost fifteen years younger than her which was difficult for her to be okay with but he convinced her that having a fling of sorts could work. Her friends definitely helped 😂

Her kids were the sweetest teenagers. I expected them to give her a hard time after the separation from their father but they rallied around her.

It all came down to whether Jack would stay behind especially after he got a job offer that would take him out of the country for five years. I loved how it worked out.

I listened to the audio and enjoyed it. Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a literal gem. I LOVED James, he was so kind and sweet, the absolute epitome of the perfect book boyfriend, and he comes into Zoe’s life just when she needs him and it’s beautiful.

I loved the hijinx, the sweet moments together, the way she fell slowly for him. I loved their banter and their texts. This was a really really sweet book.

And the narrator was superb! I was hooked from the beginning, I loved her voice, and it was nice to listen to a book set in the UK with a voice that matched perfectly. Give this book a read, asap!

This was a sweet, yet heartbreaking (at times) story.

We open up with Zoe Swift at her friend's wedding. While there she meets a handsome younger man sitting at her table, and has a conversation with him. That's it. She's married. She's not looking for anything else.

And then her world falls apart. Right in front of this beautiful stranger...when she gets a phone call from home. As he tries to work out what's happening, he gets her an Uber and accompanies her home, and then returns to the wedding.

Being as the world is a VERY SMALL place, when she returns to work after the summer break (she's a school teacher) she is shocked to find this beautiful stranger in her company, as he has just accepted a position as a substitute teacher.

As Zoe tries to navigate her new life, with her teenagers, she finds that her mind keeps drifting back to Jack Damon. As she learns more and more about him, she begins to really care for him. And as time goes on, they seem to really be crushing on each other...

I'm going to end my rambling there, as I don't want to give anything away...
BUT...I WANT TO MEET JACK DAMON!!
And his nephews...and brother...and friends.

Zoe will end up having to make some very tough choices and we're not sure how things are going to turn out...but thankfully she has some good friends, and a great sister to lean on when times get tough. (Not to mention her tough as nails daughter, and her sweet, devoted son...)

3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 for me, rounded up to 4!

Thanks to #NetGalley, #DreamscapeSelect and #StromPublishing for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
**** The book releases on 7/29/24 ****

#TextbookRomance by #KristenBailey and narrated beautifully by #AbigailHardiman.

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Honestly, this was cute.

I liked them as a couple, and the circumstances of their meeting was an interesting way of setting up the relationship and its evolution.

I found the awkward texting and misunderstandings to be comical and the narrator did a phenomenal job with the tone. I found myself giggling and rooting for them.

I enjoyed that the resolution for two people at VERY different life stages wasn’t one of them giving up their dreams, or changing their dreams.

I do wish that they would not have ended up together at the end. I think that it would have kept the significance of their relationship but aligned better with their circumstances, although I recognize that is not the HEA you look for in romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you author Kristen Bailey, Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Tropes:
Age gap - Older female ✔️
Workplace romance ✔️
Single parent ✔️
Slow burn ✔️
Enemies (more so frenemies) to lovers ✔️
Guy gets the girl ✔️

Textbook Romance is a cutesy romcom that will have you rooting for the main characters from the very beginning. Zoe Smith is a middle-aged mom of 2 teenagers and a math teacher, who meets free spirited Jack Damon at a friend’s wedding, just as her life gets turned upside down. She returns to school after summer break and learns that she’ll be seeing Jack often, as he’s now a substitute teacher at the school she teaches at, inserting slow burn here.

The dual POV narrative adds to the overall story line as we get both Zoe and Jack’s thoughts (which are even better during the 🌶️ parts). I “ugh”ed out loud at some of the build-up and then also fist bumped the air during my drive home from work when they finally 🍆. Jack and Mia, seeing how bad their friends both needed this answer how perfect they were for one another (and how bad they wanted one another!) and playing match maker was the icing on the cake. Zoe deserves this; I mean, any person who was left in the dirt after their cheating spouse blind sided them deserves love and happiness.

“I’m so certain that what I feel for her is love. I’m so certain that this is something worth sticking around for.” (cue my water works here)

At first I was sad that Jack left to take the opportunity for him to grow in his career, which means he’s across the world and leaving Zoe behind, but then I reminded myself that he himself needed that to grow and be a better person. He didn’t feel good enough, he felt like a drifter, no permanent job - and to have the story finished off with Zoe AND the kids going to visit him made me swoon. They’ve grown while they were apart and then end up together, and all is right in the world.

Overall, Textbook Romance will remind you of watching your favourite romcom or reading your favourite fun romance author, with that butterfly kicking your feet feeling! Even though I listened to this via audiobook, I know the physical copy would be just as great (especially with Zoe and Jack’s dual POV!). It had me laughing and also had me crying, and had me wanting more of their story (in a good way). There’s fun banter back and forth, British slang, and is wonderfully written as it showcases just how difficult it is when a marriage ends, children are involved, and a new relationship begins 🤍

Ah, this one had such a fun premise I was excited for but just fell flat for me. I struggled to connect with the characters or understand their full connection. The narrator did a great job and I enjoyed listening to her, but this one wasn't for me.

Textbook Romance follows friends Zoe and Jack on a friends-to-lovers journey. Zoe and Jack meet at a wedding when Zoe’s life falls apart. She finds out her husband is cheating on her and Jack helps her get home to her kids.

A few months later Jack gets a job at a school and it’s the school where Zoe works. Their chemistry is immediately undeniable. There is a large age gap between the two and Zoe has two children making her very hesitant to pursue anything with Jack.

This is a story about two good people who refuse to be selfish. Both Zoe and Jack continue to put the other first which makes their friends-to-lovers story such a slow burn. I liked watching their relationship grow and getting to know both characters.

I just found myself getting frustrated by the age gap. She is in her early forties and Jack is in his late twenties. The double standard of it just kept bothering me. There was a scene where people out in public were rude to Zoe about it but no one would care if it was reversed. It was just something that agitated me but not the fault of the book.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and while normally I do not have issues with the narration I did have some problems with Abigail Hardiman here. This is a dual POV book which can be challenging for a single narrator but it seemed like she didn’t even try to distinguish who was who. Many times I found myself forgetting which POV was currently narrating.

This is definitely a book to check out if you are looking for a romance that is far from being textbook.

Loved this Story of Zoe and Jack, yes I didn't see it going the way it did from the beginning and that is what I loved. She was jilted and happened to loose almost everything in the process but her kids where definitely her safe haven and kept her busy and Loved. The audiobook was great since I Love listening to books, but when the narrator keeps the same voice for every single character it seemed kinda weird. Because in all honesty I didn't know who was the kid and who was the adult. But I was highly entertained otherwise.

This was a solid 4 star read!

While the cover and the description will lead you to believe this is a “rom-com,” this one leans more on the heavier side than a “com.”

Forty-three year old Zoe’s husband cheated on her with her best friend. Now her life is upside down, and she’s trying to hold herself together for her teenage kids. Her self-esteem has taken a huge hit and she’s bruised to the core emotionally.

Enter twenty-nine year old Jack, who befriends her and helps her re-discover just how amazing she is. With some experience at helping others deal with the heavy emotional stuff life throws at them, he’s exactly the right friend for Zoe at the right time… right?

I loved the dual POV in this story, and the fact that Zoe and Jack were so well-developed. I think my only criticism is the insta-love on Jack’s end, as I think it didn’t feel as believable as everything else in the story, but I can overlook it because of how much I enjoyed everything else.

If you loved The Idea of You, want to read about an older heroine, and can’t figure out what emoji’s mean these days… this one is a MUST read.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read Textbook Romance. I’m a teacher so I always love a book set at a school, but I’m always leary if it’s going to be realistic. Textbook Romance was not far-fetched, and it was actually quite funny! I was apprehensive about the age gap between Jack and Zoey. I still think 14 years is too big of a gap, but it was addressed and the book ended perfectly. There was just enough romance, and I appreciated there was so other topics and conversations.

3.8
Everything is fine and even moderately fun, but the people are a smidge too perfect, and, perhaps more importantly, nothing actually happens?

I was super excited for this book, but it fell flat for me rather quickly. I didn't really connect with the writing style, and the plot was bland and dragged in spots. I don't feel like there was enough tension and wasn't compelled to keep going because I had to know what happened. I did finish the book; it just took multiple sittings.

Some things I liked:
* Zoe is an excellent mother. I loved how she met her kids on their level instead of asking them to meet her. She also acknowledged that, even though Brian's betrayal crushed her, it hurt her children just as much, if not more. It was refreshing to see that her children came first, always.
* Zoe being a teacher made perfect sense. Besides her scenes with her kids, her scenes with her students were some of the best.
* The side characters added much needed relief to the story, even if almost all of their interactions were dialogue heavy.

Some things I didn't like:
* How much Zoe harped on their age difference. I understand it's a huge change in her life, but she continuously commented on their ages. And, at times, she seemed to patronize Jack for his age, even though it's not like his age is something he can control.
* There was significantly more tell than show which led me to not feel as connected to the characters. We didn't get to see or feel their connection; we're just told they like each other. We don't get to see the relationship progressing; we're just told they're having sex all the time and enjoy talking to one another. Insta-love is not my thing, but it was there, on Jack's part at least.
* The ending. What was that? I feel as though I missed some chapters to get to that point, and then there's this abrupt ending. I was left wanting more, but not in a good way.

I absolutely loved Sex Ed so I was hoping for a repeat performance. Maybe I am just comparing the two in a bit of an apples to oranges kind of way but this book was just not quite as funny or sexy. I did still enjoy it and I love a good story of finding yourself after your circumstances change. All the elements were there and this really is a solid story. Abigail Hardiman is a good narrator and really infuses emotions into some key moments. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select/Storm Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.