Under Study

Practice Makes Perfect #3

by Cassie Mint

He’s a famous director. Older, handsome and so smart.

And he stares like he wants to eat me alive...

Don’t ask me to explain it, because it makes zero sense to me. Franz Moser is surely the hottest man alive, while I’m the hottest mess on Kephart campus. Truly, I’m surprised I can tie my own shoelaces some days.

I’m not even a big deal in the show he’s directing. I’m playing Juliet’s understudy, a role that comes with no glory, and yet Mr Moser can’t seem to keep his eyes off me.

When I walk in a room, he stares. When I leave, he follows. And when I’m cold, he drapes me in his sweater.

Is this seriously happening? Is the gorgeous older director falling for the curvy college student?

Or am I caught up in my own daydreams?

Under Study is a short and steamy instalove story, starring a smitten older man and the sweet college student he can’t get enough of.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Novella, College, Age Gap Romance

67 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2024

About the author

Cassie writes outrageous, OTT insta-love with tons of sugar and steam. She loves cookie dough, summer barbecues, and her gorgeous cat Missy.

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Reviews

[Viv “BookVixen” Gutierrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

when stern meets shy

OOoof, this was so good!

This author never lets me down! She always brings the swoon with a stern hero who melts for his One—while conveying longing and yearning and tension.

And I freakin loved how possessive the hero was in this one; she was HIS and his alone.

Safe. Hero’s past isn’t mentioned AT ALL, doesn’t come off as a manwhore. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. No OW/OM, no cheating or sharing or abuse. HEA with epilogue years out

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is just something about theatre kids that I can't handle. A lil bit because I was almost a theatre kid once, and my god, we were all obnoxious lil shits.

Another reason, I can't take them seriously. Not that I'm looking down on those professionals, I respect them. It's just them college kids. Idk.

Also. It was so boring. I love the first book in the series (it was a 5 stars) and comparing that to this, is very concerning.

[Oriana Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylvie is a theater major and their newest play is Romeo and Juliet and it's being directed by the famous director Franz. Franz sees Sylvie and is instantly obsessed. These two fall hard for each other while rehearsing for the play. The hot older director is smitten with his woman and nothing and nobody can stop him from claiming his woman. Instalove, age gap, student/teacher (not really teacher ), sweet, steamy, romantic and safe with a sweet HEA and no drama😍😍😍😍

[Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and smutty insta love romance 😍

[Kate Russo ❦ (Rina Kent’s Version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love me a silver Fox with an accent oh my my my. I love how they had the secret but not so secret relationship like everyone knew they had the hots for each other and I loved that.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, but it sort of creeped me too. Some of Cassie mints older heroes don't work for me and this is one of them

[atomickitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I needed a distraction before i dive into the war in ACOWAR and it did its job.

It was a nice & very quick read but somehow not my fave from Cassie Mint.

But I'm rounding it up since it got my interest and I liked the characters and the steam was ok.

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. Franz is a famous director of plays, and Sylvie is in her final college production, Romeo & Juliet of course. This was short and sweet with lots of theater fun thrown in.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine. Not a knockout and a little lacking in pining.

[*CJ* · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Under study” is the story of Sylvie and Franz.

May December romance between director/ understudy with Romeo and Juliet play in the background; some drama and HEA

Safe
3/5

[LK · Rating 3 out of 5]

s h e l v e s :
age gap
alpha
angsty
college
curvy heroine
foreign hero (austrian)
instalove
mutual pining
new adult
ott
possessive
protective
smitten boi
teacher (ish)
virgin
wife her up

k i n k s :
no condom
spanking
tss

e n d e a r m e n t s :
♥︎ Liebe (german for love)
♥︎ sweetheart

e n d i n g :
HEA + a baby 💕

🔥
Fuck, I just want to pull Sylvie into my lap and pet her until she squirms.

♥︎

Mine.

Need to touch her.

Need to taste her.

Need to feel her squirm and writhe.

♥︎

She comes silently, one hand clapped over her mouth, her eyes locked on mine the whole time. She’s a work of art.

♥︎

I press a finger inside her, teasing her nerve endings and coaxing her to soften…

My fingers are glossy as I pump them between her legs.

♥︎

“Stop wriggling. You’re going to make me—stop.”

Sylvie does not listen. If anything, she wriggles more, the beautiful brat, biting her plump lower lip. When I spank the side of her ass, the sound cracking through the quiet dressing room, Sylvie moans in shameless triumph.

A gush of wetness over the head of my cock tells me everything I need to know. My girl loved that. She likes me stern; likes me bossy.

♥︎

He lays siege to my body and makes me gasp and moan and whimper… he presses inside me like he owns me.

♥︎

…love when his teeth scrape my throat, and Franz snarls against my skin: “Come for me, Liebe. Come on my cock. Show me how sweet you can be.”

♥︎
“Yes,” he groans, his movements getting jerky. Sloppy. “Yes, that’s it. Christ, that’s it.”

The pleasure is so intense, it’s almost too much to bear. So much that I don’t notice Franz coming too at first, until the warmth of his come spills out of me onto the table below in a sticky drip, drip, drip.

Franz keeps thrusting anyway, pushing his seed deeper inside me. Muttering about how he loves me, how perfect I am, how I’m built for his cock, and how he’ll put me on my hands and knees every day and make me scream.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under Study bk 3 [Practice Makes Perfect]
These are novella's about the hero teaching the heroine some things and finding love along the way

Franz is a play director.. He loves working different plays and meeting new people.. So he was asked to put a play together from his friend that is a dean at the college so when he gets there and meets Sylvie that's when everything changed for him because he fell hard.. Working the play he had to try really hard to not think about Sylvie so know could see how possessive he was for her and also because he did not know if she felt the same way even when he found her looking over at his sometimes.. When she was running lines and he helped her that's when he seen that she feels the same way that he does which pushes him to make a move and tell her how he feels..

Sylvie is at college wanting to be an actress.. She loves plays and is also the under study for the plays that happen at her college.. She is shy, curvy and does not think anything would give her a second look for a lead role or in her personal life.. She is in her 20s and loves reading but also sometimes feels lost like no one can see the real her until she meets the Director Franz that's when everything changes for her because he shows her that she can do anything when she believes in herself which makes her fall hard for Franz

This book is packed full of:
⦁ Awesome characters
⦁ Play Director/under study-College student
⦁ Age Gap
⦁ Virgin Trope
⦁ Hero & Heroine are Sneaking around for a bit [but everyone kinda knows about them]
⦁ Some steam with open-door play [Behind the stage and in a dressing room]
⦁ Both have feelings for each other
⦁ Got to know each other though the play
⦁ Possessive Hero
⦁ Forced Proximity
⦁ Protective Hero
⦁ Hero will to anything for to his women
⦁ Love at first sight
⦁ Fast Read

I really liked the relationship between Franz and Sylvie because it was so sweet.. i am glad everything worked out..

[Katy Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylvie and Franz

For some reason every time I read this before I tried to rate it as five stars
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ but I got a “rating error” notice. Finally I can place my review.
So here’s my review started on 9/2024 & tweaked today 02/01/2025:
I love this series and just about anything that comes from the genius
🖊️pen/laptop 💻 of Cassie Mint. In this story, I really loved Juliet’s under study, her character took me back to my high school theatre days closing in on fifty years ago when I wore a similar period costume she described with straps crossing my chest and long skirted showing off my curves, and during that season I fell in love, briefly, with a fellow Thespian for the duration of that one play anyway, unrequited of course because as I realized when we met again at our 20th high school reunion that he had “come out” trailing his current “husband” behind him, still as “cute” as ever, lol. While I (married with 2 kids) had my (gorgeous, not “cute”) bearded cowboy mountain man lumberjack husband of four decades with me, surrounded by my classmates listening to our stories, and the snooty class princess was sitting alone, as in near us and at our table but not talking to anyone, but I didn’t mind, she never deined to lower herself to speak to me all those years ago either even though we played together in our neighborhood as children. This story caused me to look back on a magical time in my life and to thank my GOD and praise JESUS for my life then and since, for brief first loves, and lasting true love and my abundance of blessings in my lifetime including our two beautiful sons and our precious grandson. So far. Our younger son just got engaged!!!
Five stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ for Under Study, the entire Practice Makes Perfect series, and all the Kephart College collections by the awesome Cassie Mint.

[Whit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book – it’s in the same universe as CM’s other Kephart college books.

Our FMC Sylvie is a young woman attending Kephart college, who loves the theatre and acting, but she’s always the understudy – not the leading lady.

She’s a bit shy and doesn’t have a lot of friends, but she loves acting and has been chosen as the understudy for Juliet in the Shakespeare production at her school.

The head of the production is our MMC, Franz, who’s a known Austrian theatre director in London doing his friend, the school’s dean, a favour helping out with the show.

The chemistry between Sylvie and Franz is so very strong, that even though they “sneak around” everyone kinda knows that something is going on.

There are some problems though; the age difference, he’s her “teacher” and, last but not least, the distance (he lives in London).

Will they find a way? READ IT!!

It’s a short book around 60’ish pages, but very much worth a read!

- Younger f/older m
- Virgin F
- No concrete description or mention of experience for our M
- Takes place at the same location as the other Kephart books, but it’s not part of the series
- Safe book (no violence of any kind, no sharing, no bullying)
- No OW or OM

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Practice Makes Perfect series featuring the fast-paced sweet age-gap, insta-love, obsessed male romance between Franz and Sylvie. Sylvie is attending Kephart College she loves acting and theatre but she's never the leading lady she's always the understudy. Now the school is doing a production of Romeo and Juliet and once again our shy young thespian has been chosen as Juliet's understudy. The director of the play Franz is a famous theatre director in London who's doing a favor for his friend the dean of the college helping out with the play. When Franz and Sylvie first meet they fall in love with each other instantly and the chemistry between them is palpable. Still there are obstacles that they have to overcome such as their age difference and the distance (he does live in London after all)if they want any chance of a HEA.To find out you really need to read this fast-paced sweet,age-gap, insta-love,obsessed
male romance to see what happens. I would recommend reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[lf · Rating 5 out of 5]

"... sneaking around together is fun as he!!"

Under Study is the third book in the Practice Makes Perfect series and it continues the teacher/student forbidden trope. Sylvie is in her last year as a drama major at Klephart University. The drama department is putting on their final play of the year, Romeo and Juliet, and have the famous Austrian director Franz Moser as a their guest director. Sylvie is the understudy for the the leading lady part and also has background parts. When Franz and Sylvie met for the first time there was a lightening bolt that hit them both. As the rehearsals progress their feelings only get stronger for each other, and his obsession becomes blinding and all consuming. But will they ever be able to be together or are they destined for a dramatic final act like the play?
I enjoyed this compelling story that is charming, engaging and OTT. You can feel the crackling of electricity between the characters as they figure out just what they each want and how to get it.

[kymagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylvie (h22), an understudy in a college production of "Romeo and Juliet," feels overlooked in her minor role, as she keeps scoring the role of understudy, but never actually getting the lead. As she navigates the rehearsal process, Sylvie finds herself increasingly drawn to Franz (H44), the famous and older guest director, and she can't ignore the intense chemistry she shares with him, who, despite their professional setting, shows her unexpected warmth and attention. Their connection grows through rehearsals, with Franz offering encouragement and subtle gestures that hint at deeper feelings, ultimately leading to steamy moments that challenge the boundaries of their roles. As things heat up between the two and the production wraps up, Sylvie is uncertain about her place in his life due to their age gap and his life halfway around the world. Hot and steamy instalove age gap romance with a side of angst.

[Keilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wasn’t my favorite book and tbh I may not read it again. For being a short book the build up was rather slow and some of their conversations are a bit awkward. Franz and Silvie have a lot of chemistry. It just takes a while to get to it. Some of the scenes seemed tossed in out of nowhere. Him following her outside when he gave them a break was a bit obvious especially as he was trying not to show how much he liked her. I don’t know. Maybe I’m dissatisfied because the other books made it seem like this was an enemies to lovers story which is my jam and then when it came out it ended up being an older man younger woman story which I find less interesting.

If you like Cassie Mint and enjoy her books then this one is on brand to her way of writing. While it may not be my fave it may be yours so I’d say give it a try.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ms. Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylvie is 22 and a student at Kephart College and participates in the school plays. Unfortunately, she always ends up being the under study for the lead female roles. This time they are doing Romeo and Juliet and Sylvie is the under study for Juliet. She has a crush on their older, handsome, guest director.

Franz Moser is the director. He is doing the play as a favor to his old friend who is the Dean of the college. Despite being twice Sylvie’s age, he is attracted to her.

They are a cute couple. Sylvie doesn’t think she is cute enough and will always be second best. Franz is worried about the age difference and whether or not Sylvie could truly like an older guy. This story was easy to read and the time flew by reading it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[JujuReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Age gap and I don’t think is that well as the other two
-It’s a big play but they only meet once in five days? (Since he hasn’t seen her in 5 days)
-The scripted kiss was a good touch - loved it
-I think the other books resulted better bc there was no gossip, that’s a fundamental part in uni but in a book this small it never gets resolved the way it should
-I don’t think the other books if they were more open and included more of uni people would have a problem but this one was the wrong one to be so ‘public’ and this was the one to be more secretive (at least there was no 3 act breakup and every student was aboard their relationship)
-She is the backup of the leading student (playing Juliet) and guess what? At the last moment she has to go and sure it’s great but it’s always like that 🙄

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Under Study. Sylvie never gets the lead roll, maybe she isn’t cut out to be the lead. Maybe her crush on the director is hiding her back. Franz is so handsome and older, mature nut she wants him so bad. Franz can’t get Sylvie out if his mind. He needs her, wants her, and will do anything for her. Everyone knows how he feels except for Sylvie. He needs to show her his mich he wants her. This is a short and sweet story, and I loved the characters. He’s older and wiser, she young and inexperienced. I would definitely recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franz is a big time director directing the college play Romeo and Juliet as a favor to the Dean of the college. Sylvia is the understudy for Juliet, and as Sylvia always says: always the understudy but never the star. But Franz sees Sylvia as the star of his life even tho he’s years older than her. Will these two come together and make their own play. This is a steamy read, lots of action and a wonderful HEA. I loved it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[casvec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast and steamy age gap romance that pulls at your heart and singes the pages.

Franz is a guest director at the college. Sylvie is good, but it seems only so much as the under study. When Franz sees Sylvie he knows he should stay away, but the connection is strong.

Great tale and an amazing afternoon escape.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Franz and Sylvie

As someone who loves everything Cassie Mint writes, this book was cute and spicy. Franz and Sylvie go around in circles the first few weeks. They don't know what to do or say with their attraction. Their connection is off the charts. I loved how he knew they were meant to be together from the very beginning. I liked their story. It kept me entertained and I wanted to learn more. However, I felt there was something missing. I don't know. They are good though.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have yet to read a book about theatre and now that I have I want more. This book is so sweet and spicy. Falling in love fast with the director, you would think that’s a catastrophe waiting to happen. I just loved everything about this story!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet tale of an older man and a younger woman who meet and are instantly attracted to each other. The dialogue, the stolen glances, the descriptions of the “audience” to their attraction is wonderful. Great read that you don’t want it to end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franz is a famous director on his latest job hes drawn intantly to Sylvie, a student understudy. their steamy glances soon turn into more but can Franz prove to Sylvie this is more than a fling? well written steamy age gap, quick romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This age gap romance drew me in and had me captivated with Franz and Sylvie. She is the understudy for the school's play "Romeo and Juliet". Franz takes one look at Sylvie, and he knows she is the woman for him. Will he and Sylvie make it to a happily ever after.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is set in Kephart College during rehearsals for a production of Romeo and Juliet. Sylvie has an embarrassing crush on the older, famous guest director, Franz Moser.

I enjoyed reading Sylvie and Franz's story in this sweet and steamy novella.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylvie has landed the understudy role for Juliet, she feels that she has been overlooked. She is drawn to the the director of the play, Franz Moser, he is older but so hot. Franz tries not show how Sylvie affects him, but she seems to be the only one that does not notice.

This is a short and steamy read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.