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megwoman25's review against another edition
3.0
MM Romance
Professor/Student
3 Stars ⭐️
I really liked book one in this series but it’s all been downhill from there. Book two bored me and while I loved the sample of this book and the blurb made it seem to be a bit angsty, it lacked the emotion I need to feel when reading a teacher/student book. I need there to be consequences or at least the anxiety of them getting caught, something to enforce the taboo nature of their relationship and this book just didn’t do that. Donovan cared about being Parker’s teacher for all of 5 minutes and while I liked Parker being the one who took charge, I just didn’t connect with either main character.
My biggest issue though was that I didn’t feel like this book belonged in this series. The first two books are in email/letter format for most of the book and despite my issues with book two, that feature alone makes this series special. This book had a few emails between them when Parker was submitting his homework assignments and then some texting between them but based on that blurb, I expected that letter to be integrated into the book somewhere and it wasn’t. It wasn’t even a letter but dialogue spoken between them near the end of this book and I just felt cheated somehow. I didn’t need this to be super angsty but it was just kind of blah for the trope and that affected my overall mood while reading this.
All that said, I loved Marcos even though he kind of drove me crazy at times and despite hating Chance for what he did to Ethan in book two, I know I am going to read book 4. It’s like I just can’t help myself.
Professor/Student
3 Stars ⭐️
I really liked book one in this series but it’s all been downhill from there. Book two bored me and while I loved the sample of this book and the blurb made it seem to be a bit angsty, it lacked the emotion I need to feel when reading a teacher/student book. I need there to be consequences or at least the anxiety of them getting caught, something to enforce the taboo nature of their relationship and this book just didn’t do that. Donovan cared about being Parker’s teacher for all of 5 minutes and while I liked Parker being the one who took charge, I just didn’t connect with either main character.
My biggest issue though was that I didn’t feel like this book belonged in this series. The first two books are in email/letter format for most of the book and despite my issues with book two, that feature alone makes this series special. This book had a few emails between them when Parker was submitting his homework assignments and then some texting between them but based on that blurb, I expected that letter to be integrated into the book somewhere and it wasn’t. It wasn’t even a letter but dialogue spoken between them near the end of this book and I just felt cheated somehow. I didn’t need this to be super angsty but it was just kind of blah for the trope and that affected my overall mood while reading this.
All that said, I loved Marcos even though he kind of drove me crazy at times and despite hating Chance for what he did to Ethan in book two, I know I am going to read book 4. It’s like I just can’t help myself.
xeleanorx's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
elfflame's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ltcreads40's review against another edition
5.0
I am seriously in love with this series. All of the characters have so much heart and love to give and they are all friendly. Van and Parker's story had a lot of patience as Van was dipping his feet into a world he only dreamed about. Parker for his part had so much love to give and so much patience with Van. I loved their happily ever after and I so hope Marcos is next. I love him!
ityamom's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
its_peachykawa's review against another edition
3.0
Dear Mr. Brody was a 288-pages long grocery list or statement of account contract notice that you read not because you wanted to, but because you had to. To be fair, the writing style was actually pretty decent compared to most m|m romance novels I’ve read, and I don’t want any readers to underestimate this compliment. It was pretty decent . But that’s about the extent to which I will praise the book. The characters were too nice —the type of nice that you wouldn’t believe in real life but is through and through on fiction—they weren’t well-developed, and most of all none of them were interesting enough to keep my attention. The book failed to deliver my expectations of it; I thought it would be a gritty, dubious, somewhat abusive/toxic (because of the power dynamics of the teacher-student relationship), and unforbidden/illegal relationship between the two main characters, but it was actually very vanilla . The third act of the book was nonsensical; the characters were too accepting and considerate of each other for them to even have conflicts, and a lot of things just went there way. There were good points sprinkled throughout the story such as representation of queer and transgender, but they were barely surface level without any in-depth analysis or spotlight for the characters represented from these communities. All in all, it was nice —a three star nice rating.
Spoiler
(i.e., Van’s parents, Lanie, and most of the side characters were not homophobic, in fact they were all accepting that it became tedious to hear them talk about love and acceptance and being who you are when it’s not that easy in real life, Van did not get fired or even a serious confrontation with the Dean of the College, and Parker’s issue and trauma was resolved quickly).thegoodgirl_library's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
javalenciaph's review against another edition
5.0
Note: An ARC was provided by the author.
Finding an author who writes well isn't as difficult a feat nowadays, not with the influx of indie authors who dare to buck the system and self-publish. Putting stories that you've invested so much time and thought into out into the world takes courage, and I tip my hat to storytellers who publish their books without the usual machinery of big name publishers. But there's that rare breed of author, the ones who seem to do no wrong, creating stories that aren't formulaic, taking creative risks by not going the hearts-and-flowers route but still guaranteeing a happy ending for their readers. A.M. Johnson belongs to that very group, as evidenced with each book of hers that I've had the privilege of reading. Latest case in point: the third standalone in her much beloved For Him series.
Slapping the "teacher-student romance" label on Dear Mr. Brody would over-simplify what this novel is about. This is Parker Mills and Donovan Brody's story, and it's one that's been beautifully concocted and penned by the ceaselessly gifted A.M. Johnson. The former is a twenty-three-year-old military veteran focused on finishing his college degree; the latter is a thirty-three-year-old single father and literary agent with Lowe Literary working part-time as an adjunct professor teaching introductory creative writing. While Parker is out, he hid his sexuality for most of his time in the military for pressing reasons. On the other hand, Donovan always knew he was bisexual, but it wasn't something that he publicly acknowledged, going on to marry but still ending up divorced.
One of my favorite things about Parker and Donovan--and all of the author's main characters throughout all the books I've read from her--is how layered they are. Neither of them are these perfect humans who are bastions of positivity and grace. They act and react like normal individuals, so yes, they're flawed, but there's something about each of them that makes you want to cheer them on and has you believing that they are, indeed, worthy of that happily-ever-after that they're striving for. I admired these two on their own, but as a couple, my adoration was boundless. Add Donovan's ten-year-old daughter, Anne, to the mix, and I loved the family unit they were creating for themselves. And let's not forget the respective support systems these two had--Donovan's family and friends and Parker's best friend--all of whom loved and respected our twosome beyond measure.
With this new book, A.M. Johnson has left me in awe once again. Her writing is in a class all its own. She's delivered a love story that once again highlights that love is love is love, regardless of the characters involved--their sexuality, race, gender, circumstances, etc. Parker and Donovan went through personal trials prior to meeting each other that have led them to evolve into the people they are now. They had hurdles they needed to overcome, but while there were complications, what was simply natural between them was this palpable connection that refused to be denied. Johnson's ability to write emotive prose with so much heart is part and parcel of what makes me coming back for more. Parker and Donovan's story is her setting the bar yet again, and she doesn't seem to have any trouble at all surpassing it each and every time. Five-plus stars go to Dear Mr. Brody.
Finding an author who writes well isn't as difficult a feat nowadays, not with the influx of indie authors who dare to buck the system and self-publish. Putting stories that you've invested so much time and thought into out into the world takes courage, and I tip my hat to storytellers who publish their books without the usual machinery of big name publishers. But there's that rare breed of author, the ones who seem to do no wrong, creating stories that aren't formulaic, taking creative risks by not going the hearts-and-flowers route but still guaranteeing a happy ending for their readers. A.M. Johnson belongs to that very group, as evidenced with each book of hers that I've had the privilege of reading. Latest case in point: the third standalone in her much beloved For Him series.
Slapping the "teacher-student romance" label on Dear Mr. Brody would over-simplify what this novel is about. This is Parker Mills and Donovan Brody's story, and it's one that's been beautifully concocted and penned by the ceaselessly gifted A.M. Johnson. The former is a twenty-three-year-old military veteran focused on finishing his college degree; the latter is a thirty-three-year-old single father and literary agent with Lowe Literary working part-time as an adjunct professor teaching introductory creative writing. While Parker is out, he hid his sexuality for most of his time in the military for pressing reasons. On the other hand, Donovan always knew he was bisexual, but it wasn't something that he publicly acknowledged, going on to marry but still ending up divorced.
One of my favorite things about Parker and Donovan--and all of the author's main characters throughout all the books I've read from her--is how layered they are. Neither of them are these perfect humans who are bastions of positivity and grace. They act and react like normal individuals, so yes, they're flawed, but there's something about each of them that makes you want to cheer them on and has you believing that they are, indeed, worthy of that happily-ever-after that they're striving for. I admired these two on their own, but as a couple, my adoration was boundless. Add Donovan's ten-year-old daughter, Anne, to the mix, and I loved the family unit they were creating for themselves. And let's not forget the respective support systems these two had--Donovan's family and friends and Parker's best friend--all of whom loved and respected our twosome beyond measure.
With this new book, A.M. Johnson has left me in awe once again. Her writing is in a class all its own. She's delivered a love story that once again highlights that love is love is love, regardless of the characters involved--their sexuality, race, gender, circumstances, etc. Parker and Donovan went through personal trials prior to meeting each other that have led them to evolve into the people they are now. They had hurdles they needed to overcome, but while there were complications, what was simply natural between them was this palpable connection that refused to be denied. Johnson's ability to write emotive prose with so much heart is part and parcel of what makes me coming back for more. Parker and Donovan's story is her setting the bar yet again, and she doesn't seem to have any trouble at all surpassing it each and every time. Five-plus stars go to Dear Mr. Brody.