Learning Curves

De: Rachel Lacey

Narrado por: Quinn Riley

From the author of Stars Collide and Cover Story comes a steamy will-they-won’t-they romance about a bright young teacher reconnecting with the jaded professor she once pined for.

For Audrey Lind, working with clay still evokes memories of her favorite professor. The woman’s zeal for art history ignited Audrey’s own academic career—and her tweed blazers and British accent kindled her first female crush. After fate brings Audrey back to Northshire University to teach, she’s thrilled to be working alongside her former mentor, but the grumpy woman she encounters upon her return is nothing like the dynamo she remembers.

Divorce and a stalling career have turned Dr. Michelle Thompson bitter and guarded. When Audrey swoops in to teach the Women in Art class Michelle’s been pitching for years, she longs to hate her. But her young rival is too kind, too enthusiastic, too irresistible. And her passion for life slowly reawakens Michelle’s own.

Wary of age gaps and workplace politics, they suppress their smoldering attraction—until one wine-filled night at the pottery wheel puts their romantic truce to the test. Will they keep things on the tenure track or risk it all for love?

©2025 Rachel Bates. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Fans of slow burns, sexy tweed, and queer sincerity will love this couple.”—Publishers Weekly

Solid communication skills, we love non-useless lesbians

*not totally a lesbian

Cute story with good communication, likable main characters and eventually a decent amount of spice.

Bold and simmering

I enjoyed the story and the satisfying results of the building tension between Audrey and Michelle. I wish the author would have gone a little further in the story. It was too easy and then a twist was thrown in toward the end. Some endings were still loose. Thoroughly enjoyed it though!

absolutely a must

this book was superb. what a beautiful story that was well told. It had heat, spice, heartfelt moments with tears or smiles and a HEA. Quinn Riley was top notch, truly amazing. I personally would have loved to have a bit more with them as a couple interacting with each of their family's. Again it's what I would ask for, basically its such a great story I didn't want it to end!

Work of Art!!!

So enjoyed the build up
The crush
The let down
The attraction that built into the relationship anyone would wish for.
I need a sequel!!! Want more!

It Stands Up to All the Hype

OK - It was everything I'd hoped it would be, I think. If you haven't seen the 2 pieces of arts that Rachel has posted, you should. It helps set the mood for this book perfectly. And based on those pictures, this book really lived up to my expectations. And Shittake mushrooms - you can FEEEL the tug at the heart going on in this story. There’s some brutal truth-telling and a level of honesty going on. You find vulnerabilities where you least expect them. If you like really exploring someone's life work through a book, Rachel does it best here. I thought of Indigo: Storm by Adrian J Smith when I thought of about what books really color a character and their life's work like this. Also if you enjoyed the MC's dynamic in this book, add "A Lesson in Love" bu Harper Bliss into your TBR pile. And Quinn Riley did a STELLAR job narrating this book for BOTH characters. ugh!!! So good.

5 stars!

Riley & Lacey are the dynamic duo! I LOVED this story, loved the characters.. just a really great book.

*and no 3rd act breakup which was ((chef's kiss))

Fun and sexy

Lovely sapphic romance involving two smart, loving characters who communicate well. Pretty spicy too, love the epilogue

Love love love!!

Just an absolutely lovely story! Not overly angsty or unrealistic and the spicy moments were just right. Even though the story spanned longer, it was a perfect read to kick off autumn

Loved this book

This was an excellent book with loveable MC. Narration with Quinn Riley was the best. She is my favorite narrator.

Audio > ebook

3.5⭐️ 3🌶️ 5🎧

This is such a sweet love story about two women professors, the challenges they face, and past wounds they heal. While a sweet story, for some reason it didn’t hit me in the feels like I like my books too. They were both pinning for each for most of the book, but I didn’t feel chemistry like I had hoped I would in the early pages. I didn’t feel the chemistry until about 50% during the pottery lesson, and then it was only ever there when they were intimate. This book is written in 3rd person POV, maybe that is the reason…🤷🏼‍♀️

Audrey had Michelle as a professor when she was getting her education degree and had a crush on her while she was in her class. Michelle was married at the time and Audrey looked up to her as a lesbian woman in education. Now that Audrey is a professor and colleague of Michelle, who is newly divorced, they become friends trying to bring change to the University. Michelle has a lot of wounds to heal from her toxic marriage, and I loved how Audrey was supportive of her healing.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake Publishing for an advanced copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review, I enjoyed the read, but I don’t see myself re-reading or pushing others to read asap.

I also listened to this book, narrated by Quinn Riley, through Read & Listen on Kindle Unlimited. Quinn did a great job switching between characters, I never questioned whose perspective I was listening to. I would recommend the audiobook over the eBook, it made a big difference on how much I enjoyed this story.