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The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl
Not yet published
Expected 13 Jan 26From #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy and USA Today bestselling author Sierra Simone comes a brand-new college town raunch-com about a sexy single dad professor and a feisty law school grad turned nanny in this steamy tale of Academic Affairs…
Class is in session.
Maddie Kowalczk is ready to be a bad girl. When the rookie lecturer lands at Astra University, she’s looking to start fresh after a messy breakup. But her first night in town takes a twist when she bumps into Bram Loe—a reserved but incredibly handsome single dad she (not so accidentally) stole a parking spot from earlier that day. The unspoken chemistry as he locks eyes with her while she gets a birthday spanking at a local bar is hotter than a Bunsen burner at full flame.
Bram is looking for a break from his hectic life as an ecology professor and dad to rambunctious twins and a busy teenager. So when his college friend’s divorce celebration brings him face-to-face with the same delectable brat who stole his parking spot, he’s ready for a night to remember. But the next morning, Bram’s world turns upside down (and that’s not just the hangover talking). His new nanny? None other than Maddie, who also happens to be the new poli-sci adjunct at the university where he teaches.
Maddie is desperate and broke, so when Bram offers her a raise and the chance to set some ground rules, she can’t say no. As the two settle into their new roles, the normally unruffled Bram finds that no one riles him up like Maddie does, which is a problem when every argument feels like foreplay. Of course, Bram is an educator first and foremost, and he very quickly finds he can’t resist the temptation of instructing Maddie in the fundamentals of being a good girl.
And it turns out Maddie’s a hands-on learner…
TROPES
Single DadNanny x BossNew Adult Romance
Class is in session.
Maddie Kowalczk is ready to be a bad girl. When the rookie lecturer lands at Astra University, she’s looking to start fresh after a messy breakup. But her first night in town takes a twist when she bumps into Bram Loe—a reserved but incredibly handsome single dad she (not so accidentally) stole a parking spot from earlier that day. The unspoken chemistry as he locks eyes with her while she gets a birthday spanking at a local bar is hotter than a Bunsen burner at full flame.
Bram is looking for a break from his hectic life as an ecology professor and dad to rambunctious twins and a busy teenager. So when his college friend’s divorce celebration brings him face-to-face with the same delectable brat who stole his parking spot, he’s ready for a night to remember. But the next morning, Bram’s world turns upside down (and that’s not just the hangover talking). His new nanny? None other than Maddie, who also happens to be the new poli-sci adjunct at the university where he teaches.
Maddie is desperate and broke, so when Bram offers her a raise and the chance to set some ground rules, she can’t say no. As the two settle into their new roles, the normally unruffled Bram finds that no one riles him up like Maddie does, which is a problem when every argument feels like foreplay. Of course, Bram is an educator first and foremost, and he very quickly finds he can’t resist the temptation of instructing Maddie in the fundamentals of being a good girl.
And it turns out Maddie’s a hands-on learner…
TROPES
Single DadNanny x BossNew Adult Romance
Unknown Binding
Expected publication January 13, 2026
76 people are currently reading
8137 people want to read
About the author
Julie Murphy
43 books6,751 followersJulie Murphy lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her and her cats who tolerate her. After several wonderful years in the library world, Julie now writes full-time.
When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.
She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.
When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.
She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
November 19, 2025
3.75 stars
The sex was hot, the rest was a bit of a mess. But in a fun, chaotic way!
So it wasn’t bad, it was just a lot. There was so much going on, it was a bit overwhelming and definitely too much for my taste.
Maybe I went into it with the wrong expectations, I’m not sure. But after reading the synopsis, I thought the main focus would be on the „she wants to be a good girl, and he’s dying to teach her” part of it all. And don’t worry, the smut is a big part of the story. However, I would say that all the other plot lines took up just as much time, if not more.
Because in between fucking, we delved into Maddie's job at the university and all the issues that came along with that, her money struggles, her past relationship, her suddenly considering running for office, Bram's kids and their adventures, as well as all his friends and their many issues.
Don’t get me wrong, I really (mostly) enjoyed all these characters. They were well written, interesting, they fit nicely into the story, but we spent too much time on them for my liking.
Like why did I have to read a whole chapter about his friend's unexpected fourth pregnancy and the thus ensuing emergency friend group meeting where said friend whined about it..
I’m guessing the friends are going to get their own books, so I get why they were so involved, but it could’ve been toned down a bit.
Overall I think it was a bit chaotic but still well written and quite hot.
I had a good time ✌️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
The sex was hot, the rest was a bit of a mess. But in a fun, chaotic way!
So it wasn’t bad, it was just a lot. There was so much going on, it was a bit overwhelming and definitely too much for my taste.
Maybe I went into it with the wrong expectations, I’m not sure. But after reading the synopsis, I thought the main focus would be on the „she wants to be a good girl, and he’s dying to teach her” part of it all. And don’t worry, the smut is a big part of the story. However, I would say that all the other plot lines took up just as much time, if not more.
Because in between fucking, we delved into Maddie's job at the university and all the issues that came along with that, her money struggles, her past relationship, her suddenly considering running for office, Bram's kids and their adventures, as well as all his friends and their many issues.
Don’t get me wrong, I really (mostly) enjoyed all these characters. They were well written, interesting, they fit nicely into the story, but we spent too much time on them for my liking.
Like why did I have to read a whole chapter about his friend's unexpected fourth pregnancy and the thus ensuing emergency friend group meeting where said friend whined about it..
I’m guessing the friends are going to get their own books, so I get why they were so involved, but it could’ve been toned down a bit.
Overall I think it was a bit chaotic but still well written and quite hot.
I had a good time ✌️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2025
3.5 / 5 Stars
Look, I had wanted to just turn my brain off and read some spice but then I remembered that I, in fact, overanalyze and overthink everything so here I am, writing a dissertation about this book instead 😂. Overall, I think I ended up enjoying the non-spice aspects of this book more than the spice. There was a lot to like about the books, even though it felt long at times. In “Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl,” Maddie is getting a new start in Kansas as an adjunct poli sci professor after a really shitty breakup. A one night stand with a hot, tall, single dad is a delightful way to start her new life. Except when she shows up to her nannying gig the next day and said dad is her employer. Bram (I think pronounced like it rhymes with ham) is an ecology professor at the same university as Maddie and he is desperate for help while his ex-wife is away on a research trip. Maddie is broke, so even though it is exceptionally complicated, she stays on as the childcare provider while also teaching in the building next to Bram. The sexual tension? Thicker than molasses all while Bram and Maddie have to navigate their complex relationship, Maddie’s bratty behavior, and Bram teaching Maddy how to be a good girl.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🫦 Single dad x nanny
🪴 Age gap (26F / 35M)
🫦 Academia setting
🪴 Down bad, possessive, and obsessed with plants MMC
🫦 Plus-size FMC rep
🪴 Spice and kink
🫦 Strong friendships and found family
🪴 Queer normative world
I found the characters to be surprisingly three dimensional and fully formed people. When spice is so front and center in books, I find that characterization can be put on the back burner, but Maddie and Bram both had very built out personalities and backstories. Maddie struggled with money, her mom’s mental health condition, and her ex’s horrible behavior. Bram has had a tough upbringing when his parents passed away and then had to be the responsible one from a young age as a teenage father. Those backstories really informed their dynamics (Bram is unrufflable and Maddy loves to get a rise out of him. Maddy doesn’t want to rely on anyone and Bram gets joy out of taking care of people), including their sexual dynamics, in a way that felt layered and nuanced.
I also thought the portrayal of Maddy as a plus sized woman was really well done. As a plus sized person myself, I like that Bram was obsessed with Maddy and that Maddy had a lot of self-confidence in herself but we didn’t just glaze over how fatphobic the world is. I find that sometimes with plus sized representation, there isn’t a ton of focus on how shitty the world can be and for me, pretending it doesn’t exist just makes me feel more alone (though I can understand why others wouldn’t want to read it and would like to get that escape). For example, this book used the term “fat” in a completely neutral way and in a derogatory way, which felt right because both things are currently true in our world. I liked that it didn’t shy away from those realities.
The only characteristic that felt slightly off was Maddie’s storyline about running for Congress. We learn that Maddie helped run campaigns in high school and college and that her ex comes from a political dynasty, but because the focus was so much more on the latter (her ex and how his aspirations caused her to dim her light and lose herself), her potential desire to go into office felt more like a plot device to create tension (you can’t run for office when you are sleeping with your employer – or maybe you should if you’re a man) instead of a genuine personality trait. And that just felt kind of off from the rest of the book.
The prose was really well written and I LOOOOVE footnotes in a book (it makes sense and fits well when the book is set in an academic setting), but reading a contemporary romance that is over 400 pages should be illegal. I can tolerate it when it is sci-fi or fantasy because there is a big world to build, but baby, we are in modern day Kansa. And it did feel long at times especially in the middle. The prologue was also slightly confusing but it makes way more sense after you read the book.
Now for the spice. There was a lot of it – I think there were around 7ish scenes and the majority of them happened before we even crossed over into the second half of the book. Because Bram and Maddie had the one night stand at the very start, these two were horny for each other early and often. I would say that the majority of the spice scenes helped advance their relationship or established new wrinkles and details to their relationship but a few just felt repetitive. But I think the joy of reading open door romances is that you get to explore what you like within the safe environment of a book. While this brand of spice was not necessarily for me, I know that it will be hot, hot, hot for other folks. Also, I feel like dancing around what “good girl lessons” are does no one any good, so here is my attempt to give you a flavor of the spice so that you can decide if this is something you like or want to explore: brat / brat tamer (he does call her a “brat” like 40 times to which I say, “sir, you are a tenured professor. Let’s get you a thesaurus.”), a dash of praise kink (with the good girl and good boy of it all), spanking, possessiveness, and power play. I am sure there are others I missed but go forth and enjoy if this is your cup of tea.
Overall, the book was fun but long and spicy but sometimes repetitive. If you want to read about a grown man who is obsessed with plants and becomes obsessed with a curvy, strong willed woman, you might love this book.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
Publication Date: January 13, 2026
______________________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: I just want to dissociate and read some nanny x single dad spice. ✌️
Look, I had wanted to just turn my brain off and read some spice but then I remembered that I, in fact, overanalyze and overthink everything so here I am, writing a dissertation about this book instead 😂. Overall, I think I ended up enjoying the non-spice aspects of this book more than the spice. There was a lot to like about the books, even though it felt long at times. In “Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl,” Maddie is getting a new start in Kansas as an adjunct poli sci professor after a really shitty breakup. A one night stand with a hot, tall, single dad is a delightful way to start her new life. Except when she shows up to her nannying gig the next day and said dad is her employer. Bram (I think pronounced like it rhymes with ham) is an ecology professor at the same university as Maddie and he is desperate for help while his ex-wife is away on a research trip. Maddie is broke, so even though it is exceptionally complicated, she stays on as the childcare provider while also teaching in the building next to Bram. The sexual tension? Thicker than molasses all while Bram and Maddie have to navigate their complex relationship, Maddie’s bratty behavior, and Bram teaching Maddy how to be a good girl.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🫦 Single dad x nanny
🪴 Age gap (26F / 35M)
🫦 Academia setting
🪴 Down bad, possessive, and obsessed with plants MMC
🫦 Plus-size FMC rep
🪴 Spice and kink
🫦 Strong friendships and found family
🪴 Queer normative world
I found the characters to be surprisingly three dimensional and fully formed people. When spice is so front and center in books, I find that characterization can be put on the back burner, but Maddie and Bram both had very built out personalities and backstories. Maddie struggled with money, her mom’s mental health condition, and her ex’s horrible behavior. Bram has had a tough upbringing when his parents passed away and then had to be the responsible one from a young age as a teenage father. Those backstories really informed their dynamics (Bram is unrufflable and Maddy loves to get a rise out of him. Maddy doesn’t want to rely on anyone and Bram gets joy out of taking care of people), including their sexual dynamics, in a way that felt layered and nuanced.
I also thought the portrayal of Maddy as a plus sized woman was really well done. As a plus sized person myself, I like that Bram was obsessed with Maddy and that Maddy had a lot of self-confidence in herself but we didn’t just glaze over how fatphobic the world is. I find that sometimes with plus sized representation, there isn’t a ton of focus on how shitty the world can be and for me, pretending it doesn’t exist just makes me feel more alone (though I can understand why others wouldn’t want to read it and would like to get that escape). For example, this book used the term “fat” in a completely neutral way and in a derogatory way, which felt right because both things are currently true in our world. I liked that it didn’t shy away from those realities.
The only characteristic that felt slightly off was Maddie’s storyline about running for Congress. We learn that Maddie helped run campaigns in high school and college and that her ex comes from a political dynasty, but because the focus was so much more on the latter (her ex and how his aspirations caused her to dim her light and lose herself), her potential desire to go into office felt more like a plot device to create tension (you can’t run for office when you are sleeping with your employer – or maybe you should if you’re a man) instead of a genuine personality trait. And that just felt kind of off from the rest of the book.
The prose was really well written and I LOOOOVE footnotes in a book (it makes sense and fits well when the book is set in an academic setting), but reading a contemporary romance that is over 400 pages should be illegal. I can tolerate it when it is sci-fi or fantasy because there is a big world to build, but baby, we are in modern day Kansa. And it did feel long at times especially in the middle. The prologue was also slightly confusing but it makes way more sense after you read the book.
Now for the spice. There was a lot of it – I think there were around 7ish scenes and the majority of them happened before we even crossed over into the second half of the book. Because Bram and Maddie had the one night stand at the very start, these two were horny for each other early and often. I would say that the majority of the spice scenes helped advance their relationship or established new wrinkles and details to their relationship but a few just felt repetitive. But I think the joy of reading open door romances is that you get to explore what you like within the safe environment of a book. While this brand of spice was not necessarily for me, I know that it will be hot, hot, hot for other folks. Also, I feel like dancing around what “good girl lessons” are does no one any good, so here is my attempt to give you a flavor of the spice so that you can decide if this is something you like or want to explore: brat / brat tamer (he does call her a “brat” like 40 times to which I say, “sir, you are a tenured professor. Let’s get you a thesaurus.”), a dash of praise kink (with the good girl and good boy of it all), spanking, possessiveness, and power play. I am sure there are others I missed but go forth and enjoy if this is your cup of tea.
Overall, the book was fun but long and spicy but sometimes repetitive. If you want to read about a grown man who is obsessed with plants and becomes obsessed with a curvy, strong willed woman, you might love this book.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
Publication Date: January 13, 2026
______________________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: I just want to dissociate and read some nanny x single dad spice. ✌️
they-told-me-to-read-it
November 8, 2025
June 27, 2025
5⭐️ 3.5🌶️
GAHHHHHHH THIS WAS UTTER FUCKING PERFECTION!!!!!
GAHHHHHHH THIS WAS UTTER FUCKING PERFECTION!!!!!
October 14, 2025
Maddie + Bram
Maddie was just broken up with by her fiancé's 'people'.
She's not 'fit' to be a politician's wife.
That's why she's not in California anymore and that's also why she's now living in her car in Kansas while making enough money to rent an apartment.
Money is being made as a professor and a nanny in the afternoons.
Bram is the nanny part of the job. His ex wife is out of town for a couple of months so he needs help with his six year old twins.
Is it weird that he unknowingly had a one-night stand with his new nanny the night before?
Probably.
And she's also working at the same university as him.
Plus we're still super attracted to each other...
Let the fun times begin...
══════════════════
Well...that was ... adorable.
What you will notice is that it is very sexy. A bit kinkily baby-BDSM-ishly slightly cringily sillily sexy. But it was okay. It kinda fit the story.
But next to all the sexy moments we have so many other different things!
We have the sexy nerdy plants Professor with his adorable six year old twin girls and a 17 year old who wants to be school president just so that her ex won't get the job.
Then we have our just dumped plus sized heroine who is living in her car. She's a law student turned professor, but she's not sure if this is her future. She's dreaming of being a politician.
We have a big dog! (All my books need a dog!)
We have adorable and funny moments and of course all those erotic moments.
And now the best part of the book: the friend group! (Including his ex-wife and her new partner!)
Bram has an amazing friend group. They've been besties for decades now.
And since this is a series, I really hope that we get some of their stories.
Especially....drumroll.... LEO! Oh Em Gee!
Are you familiar with Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar books??
(if not - go read them now!)
I present you: Windsor Horne Lockwood III two point oh!
Leo Saint James! Chocolate Imperium Billionaire Heir of Leisure and (ex) highschool bully.
I need his book. His trilogy. His own tv show!
I really enjoyed reading this.
I think with all the 'things' in this book, it could've been a trilogy for Bram and Maddie alone. Which - who knows - might still happen - I'm only halfway through as I'm typing this. But I hope for Leo next!
FUNDAMENTALS OF BEING A GOOD GIRL was an adorable and funny and very sexy age gap professor single dad love story - READ IT!
Tiny little info: Maddie is the sister of Nolan (from Julie + Sierra's Christmas Notch series) who will have a little cameo here. You do not have to read those books to enjoy this one, but why not?
Another tiny thing. The review copy was very complicated to read - which is not the fault of the story or the authors - it was just almost unreadably formatted. The story has footnotes - which I loved, but they were all over the place and not at the bottom where they belong. I'm sure they will change that for ebook readers before the book comes out!
If you can't click the buy-links
from your phone - click ► HERE!
💜
💜
October 4, 2025
For me, this title was a bit mixed. I enjoy an academic setting and felt that the plot had a great start. However, it seemed like there was way more spicy parts than anything else. I have really loved Julie Murphy’s work in the past but realized now it was Young Adult and “clean” or closed door romance. Personally I am not a fan of the smut, and I usually skim past these parts. There was so much that I ended up reading the entire book in only 2 hours. If you like spicy books and a nanny trope you will probably really enjoy it!
December 21, 2025
This book has some of my least favorite tropes in it and yet Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy effortlessly pulled me in. EFFORTLESSLY. FROM PAGE ONE.
Age gap: yes, I’m one of the few romance readers who doesn’t care for age gap relationships but I really enjoyed it here. Bram is stable, which Maddie needs after her years of turbulence. And Maddie provides a new perspective for Bram, who is set in his ways and needs a good shaking up.
Boss/nanny & professor/student (sort of): again, not a trope I go for but Bram and Maddie made me care. The power dynamic is only “used” (if that’s the right word) with consent during sexy times - the rest of their relationship is on even footing and with mutual respect.
Knowing the boys of INK, I knew Maddie would be a sassy bitch and I wasn’t disappointed. I really enjoyed hearing from Bram’s perspective: he isn’t just a one-dimension daddy dom with a thing for women ten years younger than him. He falls first. He pines. He wants the whole relationship package. Their character arcs weave together but they both do the work.
I was skeptical about reading a book with these tropes - but if Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone write it, imma read it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone, and Avon Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Age gap: yes, I’m one of the few romance readers who doesn’t care for age gap relationships but I really enjoyed it here. Bram is stable, which Maddie needs after her years of turbulence. And Maddie provides a new perspective for Bram, who is set in his ways and needs a good shaking up.
Boss/nanny & professor/student (sort of): again, not a trope I go for but Bram and Maddie made me care. The power dynamic is only “used” (if that’s the right word) with consent during sexy times - the rest of their relationship is on even footing and with mutual respect.
Knowing the boys of INK, I knew Maddie would be a sassy bitch and I wasn’t disappointed. I really enjoyed hearing from Bram’s perspective: he isn’t just a one-dimension daddy dom with a thing for women ten years younger than him. He falls first. He pines. He wants the whole relationship package. Their character arcs weave together but they both do the work.
I was skeptical about reading a book with these tropes - but if Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone write it, imma read it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone, and Avon Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2025
It was an immediate yes when I saw the cover and title combination. It was a “now I’m running” when I saw this was nanny x single dad PLUS coworkers in an academic setting. You couldn’t curate a better line up for me.
From the first few pages I knew this was going to be hilarious, raw, witty and extra spicy. I was correct. Add in the thoughtful and hilarious footnotes throughout the book and it was a win for me.
Though there were some inconsistencies and pacing things here and there that took me a bit out of the story, I really appreciated the depth, range and intelligence given to the characters in what could have been a one dimensional story. Everyone, even the silly side characters, felt alive. It gave an authentic and grounded feel to a genre (or even specific tropes) that can sometimes leave you feeling a bit like… but where was the heart and soul?
And the spice? Well, those moments were worth the read alone. (Props for a plus size characters and an appropriate age gap!)
This is my first time reading either author and I have to say I wouldn’t mind searching through either backlogs now when I need something witty, light and of course spicy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
From the first few pages I knew this was going to be hilarious, raw, witty and extra spicy. I was correct. Add in the thoughtful and hilarious footnotes throughout the book and it was a win for me.
Though there were some inconsistencies and pacing things here and there that took me a bit out of the story, I really appreciated the depth, range and intelligence given to the characters in what could have been a one dimensional story. Everyone, even the silly side characters, felt alive. It gave an authentic and grounded feel to a genre (or even specific tropes) that can sometimes leave you feeling a bit like… but where was the heart and soul?
And the spice? Well, those moments were worth the read alone. (Props for a plus size characters and an appropriate age gap!)
This is my first time reading either author and I have to say I wouldn’t mind searching through either backlogs now when I need something witty, light and of course spicy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2025
It is with great pride and honour that I enthusiastically induct the newest member of the Pathetically Down Bad™ Association, by unanimous vote, Professor Bram Loe! 🎉
Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl is, at its core, a damn fun read. It is spicy, lively, and has just enough academia for it to be a solid setting and core element of the characters' relationships and development, but not too much that it resurrects the latent trauma of anyone who survived academia by the skin of their teeth and has the loans to prove it.
Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone are truly a dynamic duo. Their writing styles blend well and are infused with so much personality and humor that the result is this spirited type of prose that complements the story so well.
Let's get into the stars of the show. Maddie Kowalczk is fierce and feisty in a plump package. She is a woman unleashed. After being stifled and twisted into being good, she is ready to be bad, bad, bad. Bram Loe is EXACTLY who his name suggests. The human embodiment of cool, calm, and collected. I love that Bram centeredness is the yin to Maddie's bold yang. These two complemented each other so well, and their romance is marked by patience, courtesy, and unconditional support, which I loved. (And yes, down and dirty attraction of course.)
This book is far more than just scandalous tropes in an academic setting. The characters have depth and identity. Their lives are thoroughly and thoughtfully constructed. Their stories are meaningful and relatable. I adored them. Honourable mention to Bram's innumerable quotable moments. I usually try to avoid pulling quotes from ARCs, but let me say... the MOUTH on this man! Bram is 10/10, chef's kiss. (Chapter 21 had me SICK I loved it so much.)
My only critique is that the story was, at times, a little discombobulated. There is a decent amount of well-fleshed side characters, footnotes, and tangential thoughts that left me a little lost, like being in the middle of the party where you only know one person and can't find them. To argue against my own opinion, though, I can see this being done intentionally to speak to the history and closeness of the Andromeda Club, as well as being just a unique trait of the Murphy/Simone blended prose.
I can't wait to get more from this duo! I promise to be such a good girl if it means we get more of this friend group! Coughcough Junie and Leo next pretty please cough cough.
Thank you to Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl is, at its core, a damn fun read. It is spicy, lively, and has just enough academia for it to be a solid setting and core element of the characters' relationships and development, but not too much that it resurrects the latent trauma of anyone who survived academia by the skin of their teeth and has the loans to prove it.
Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone are truly a dynamic duo. Their writing styles blend well and are infused with so much personality and humor that the result is this spirited type of prose that complements the story so well.
Let's get into the stars of the show. Maddie Kowalczk is fierce and feisty in a plump package. She is a woman unleashed. After being stifled and twisted into being good, she is ready to be bad, bad, bad. Bram Loe is EXACTLY who his name suggests. The human embodiment of cool, calm, and collected. I love that Bram centeredness is the yin to Maddie's bold yang. These two complemented each other so well, and their romance is marked by patience, courtesy, and unconditional support, which I loved. (And yes, down and dirty attraction of course.)
This book is far more than just scandalous tropes in an academic setting. The characters have depth and identity. Their lives are thoroughly and thoughtfully constructed. Their stories are meaningful and relatable. I adored them. Honourable mention to Bram's innumerable quotable moments. I usually try to avoid pulling quotes from ARCs, but let me say... the MOUTH on this man! Bram is 10/10, chef's kiss. (Chapter 21 had me SICK I loved it so much.)
My only critique is that the story was, at times, a little discombobulated. There is a decent amount of well-fleshed side characters, footnotes, and tangential thoughts that left me a little lost, like being in the middle of the party where you only know one person and can't find them. To argue against my own opinion, though, I can see this being done intentionally to speak to the history and closeness of the Andromeda Club, as well as being just a unique trait of the Murphy/Simone blended prose.
I can't wait to get more from this duo! I promise to be such a good girl if it means we get more of this friend group! Coughcough Junie and Leo next pretty please cough cough.
Thank you to Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
October 3, 2025
My GOD. How can I inject this book into my bloodstream?? I will be thinking about Bram and Maddie for WEEKS, if not months. This was a delicious surprise of an ARC, and I’ll be going back through both authors’ backlogs looking for this high. This was such a fun combination of coworkers, also single dad/nanny that I ate up every bit of this book.
The writing style of both authors combined gives readers such witty, spicy, and hilarious dialogue between not only the two MCs, but the entire cast of characters. Not only do you love both Maddie and Bram, but the Andromeda friend group, Bram’s Ex-Wife, the kids, and Maddie’s friends are all so well rounded and developed. Every scene was well paced, and while the third act break-up/drama had me internally screaming, I LOVED the reunion.
All top notch and well done. I will be RAVING about this book for months.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publishers, and authors for the ARC.
The writing style of both authors combined gives readers such witty, spicy, and hilarious dialogue between not only the two MCs, but the entire cast of characters. Not only do you love both Maddie and Bram, but the Andromeda friend group, Bram’s Ex-Wife, the kids, and Maddie’s friends are all so well rounded and developed. Every scene was well paced, and while the third act break-up/drama had me internally screaming, I LOVED the reunion.
All top notch and well done. I will be RAVING about this book for months.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publishers, and authors for the ARC.
October 13, 2025
4 ⭐️
3.5 🌶
**ARC read on NetGalley**
"Learning yourself isnt something you have to do alone" SWOOOOON.
Maddie is a California transplant who moves to Kansas after a, "he broke up with me on a post-it" type of moment. Not exactly that, so don't worry that's not a spoiler. She is ready for a fresh start with no help and finds herself in situations none of us would want to be in. Luxuries stripped and this FMC takes it all in stride. She has some of the better character growth in the book.
Bram Loe is a divorced professor of ecology with 3 daughters (one totally smart and awesome teen and 2 adorable twins who are polar opposites and stinking adorable!) Bram is in need a nanny, excuse me, "childcare provider," to help out while the mother is out of town. They have one of those co-parenting relationships you wish every divorced couple could have. Honestly, it's model adult behavior. Bram is delicious for lack of a better term. I genuinely thought this took place in the UK because of how the characters are written... but sure. Kansas it is. Bram has gone through it all and has the best outlook on his life. We could all learn a lot from a Bram mentality. And you just want to hump, i mean hug him!!!
Enter the meet cute
Bram and Maddie have all the makings of a hot anger bang at first site. It doesn't go down that way, but damn did I love how they started. After a drunken night of arguing over parkign spaces and debauchery, Bram phones in for a childcare provider. Who shows up on his doorstep? Maddie. And now, the fun starts... (will leave out the plot to avoid spoilers).
I definitely had some eyeroll moments.
Examples: Bringing up the electoral college VS popular vote discussion. Anyone who believes the US should elect our president by popular vote really needs to do some research on how that completely robs all of middle America from having a voice... ANYWAY.
Another annoyance; whats the point of both MCs being bisexual if nothing comes from it? Why mention it in 1 sentence each and then not provide some good scenes. Total waste. Then another surprise bisexual in the epilogue. Zero point to it. Not icking a yum by any means. Just came off as trying to be inclusive for the sake of it. Totally missed the mark IMO.
Biggest ick of them all.. F-A-T. Why on earth would our beloved, dreamy, sexy, and just downright swoonworthy MMC call Maddie fat in the beginning?! Multiple times Maddie calls herself fat and then in other chapters she's curvy. Either we are insulting the FMC using a flat out rude description, or we are embracing the whole "big is beautiful" thing. Pick a lane.
My absolute favorite... Junie and the entire Halloween party scene. That was solid gold. I truly hope that she gets a book because I will be all over it!!
Political BS aside, this was super enjoyable. The political stuff did almost make me DNF. I think there is a way to bring politics into reading without rubbing people beliefs the wrong way (New Camelot series, perfect example). Thankfully, I was able to ignore it and finish because this really was a solid 4 star read and I would absolutely recommend it to others who want a solid MMC who's a total golden retriever modern day hero. The spice in this... TOP NOTCH. It was perfection 👌 Have your wands (or whatever) charged.
3.5 🌶
**ARC read on NetGalley**
"Learning yourself isnt something you have to do alone" SWOOOOON.
Maddie is a California transplant who moves to Kansas after a, "he broke up with me on a post-it" type of moment. Not exactly that, so don't worry that's not a spoiler. She is ready for a fresh start with no help and finds herself in situations none of us would want to be in. Luxuries stripped and this FMC takes it all in stride. She has some of the better character growth in the book.
Bram Loe is a divorced professor of ecology with 3 daughters (one totally smart and awesome teen and 2 adorable twins who are polar opposites and stinking adorable!) Bram is in need a nanny, excuse me, "childcare provider," to help out while the mother is out of town. They have one of those co-parenting relationships you wish every divorced couple could have. Honestly, it's model adult behavior. Bram is delicious for lack of a better term. I genuinely thought this took place in the UK because of how the characters are written... but sure. Kansas it is. Bram has gone through it all and has the best outlook on his life. We could all learn a lot from a Bram mentality. And you just want to hump, i mean hug him!!!
Enter the meet cute
Bram and Maddie have all the makings of a hot anger bang at first site. It doesn't go down that way, but damn did I love how they started. After a drunken night of arguing over parkign spaces and debauchery, Bram phones in for a childcare provider. Who shows up on his doorstep? Maddie. And now, the fun starts... (will leave out the plot to avoid spoilers).
I definitely had some eyeroll moments.
Examples: Bringing up the electoral college VS popular vote discussion. Anyone who believes the US should elect our president by popular vote really needs to do some research on how that completely robs all of middle America from having a voice... ANYWAY.
Another annoyance; whats the point of both MCs being bisexual if nothing comes from it? Why mention it in 1 sentence each and then not provide some good scenes. Total waste. Then another surprise bisexual in the epilogue. Zero point to it. Not icking a yum by any means. Just came off as trying to be inclusive for the sake of it. Totally missed the mark IMO.
Biggest ick of them all.. F-A-T. Why on earth would our beloved, dreamy, sexy, and just downright swoonworthy MMC call Maddie fat in the beginning?! Multiple times Maddie calls herself fat and then in other chapters she's curvy. Either we are insulting the FMC using a flat out rude description, or we are embracing the whole "big is beautiful" thing. Pick a lane.
My absolute favorite... Junie and the entire Halloween party scene. That was solid gold. I truly hope that she gets a book because I will be all over it!!
Political BS aside, this was super enjoyable. The political stuff did almost make me DNF. I think there is a way to bring politics into reading without rubbing people beliefs the wrong way (New Camelot series, perfect example). Thankfully, I was able to ignore it and finish because this really was a solid 4 star read and I would absolutely recommend it to others who want a solid MMC who's a total golden retriever modern day hero. The spice in this... TOP NOTCH. It was perfection 👌 Have your wands (or whatever) charged.
December 9, 2025
Thank you to both authors and HarperCollins UK for giving me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Well. FUCK.
I don’t know what I thought Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl was going to be, but it absolutely was not this filthy, intoxicating, brain-melting experience. And yet. Here I am. Changed. Slightly unwell. Smiling.
First of all: HE’S. HER. BOSS.
Yes, I gasped.
Yes, I squealed.
Yes, I immediately buckled in.
This book is dripping in tension from the very first interaction. The kind where every glance feels illegal and every conversation hums with unspoken intent. And once the power exchange clicks into place? Game. Over. The soft dom/sub dynamic is handled with care, consent, and an absolutely lethal amount of chemistry.
And the dirty talk??? EXCUSE ME??? I had to put the book down. Multiple times. To stare at a wall. And rethink my life choices.
But what really got me is that this isn’t just horny for the sake of horny. There’s emotional depth here. Vulnerability. A very sincere exploration of control, trust, and wanting to be wanted in a specific, deliberate way. Watching these characters figure out what they need from each other was just as hot as it was intimate.
This book is confident. Unapologetic. Filthy. If you like your romance spicy, power-laced, consent-forward, and capable of making you inhale sharply in public… congratulations. This one’s for you.
Hot diggity damn. 🥵🔥
Well. FUCK.
I don’t know what I thought Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl was going to be, but it absolutely was not this filthy, intoxicating, brain-melting experience. And yet. Here I am. Changed. Slightly unwell. Smiling.
First of all: HE’S. HER. BOSS.
Yes, I gasped.
Yes, I squealed.
Yes, I immediately buckled in.
This book is dripping in tension from the very first interaction. The kind where every glance feels illegal and every conversation hums with unspoken intent. And once the power exchange clicks into place? Game. Over. The soft dom/sub dynamic is handled with care, consent, and an absolutely lethal amount of chemistry.
And the dirty talk??? EXCUSE ME??? I had to put the book down. Multiple times. To stare at a wall. And rethink my life choices.
But what really got me is that this isn’t just horny for the sake of horny. There’s emotional depth here. Vulnerability. A very sincere exploration of control, trust, and wanting to be wanted in a specific, deliberate way. Watching these characters figure out what they need from each other was just as hot as it was intimate.
This book is confident. Unapologetic. Filthy. If you like your romance spicy, power-laced, consent-forward, and capable of making you inhale sharply in public… congratulations. This one’s for you.
Hot diggity damn. 🥵🔥
October 4, 2025
I liked Maddie and Bram, each as their own character as well as a couple, but I was not really into the whole book.
The romance and the spice are nice, but everything else around it felt underwhelming to me. It was a bit messy, notably the side characters that were too many and aren’t properly introduced. Maybe they are from other books of the authors (?), but I hadn’t read those, and as a standalone book there were too many scenes where I kept wondering who’s who.
The political storyline for Maddie was the most interesting part, although I didn’t like that it was used as an obstacle to the MCs’ relationship, but even that wasn’t enough to keep me really interested. For most of the book I felt it lacked depth and was just a “by the way she is smart and will go into politics” statement rather than a true part of the story - then it became more but that was already too late in the book to turn it around. I do think it comes from an interesting perspective, that due to her circumstances Maddie needed to start from scratch and so naturally her rising towards success has to come later in her story, after she’s found her footing again and created a more solid platform to stand on, but the way it was executed didn’t work for me.
*I received an ARC of this book, this is my honest opinion*
The romance and the spice are nice, but everything else around it felt underwhelming to me. It was a bit messy, notably the side characters that were too many and aren’t properly introduced. Maybe they are from other books of the authors (?), but I hadn’t read those, and as a standalone book there were too many scenes where I kept wondering who’s who.
The political storyline for Maddie was the most interesting part, although I didn’t like that it was used as an obstacle to the MCs’ relationship, but even that wasn’t enough to keep me really interested. For most of the book I felt it lacked depth and was just a “by the way she is smart and will go into politics” statement rather than a true part of the story - then it became more but that was already too late in the book to turn it around. I do think it comes from an interesting perspective, that due to her circumstances Maddie needed to start from scratch and so naturally her rising towards success has to come later in her story, after she’s found her footing again and created a more solid platform to stand on, but the way it was executed didn’t work for me.
*I received an ARC of this book, this is my honest opinion*
November 14, 2025
Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone are a delight. I adored the Christmas Notch series and was sad to say goodbye to that small town in Vermont. But hello, Mount Astra, where we’re introduced to new professor Maddie and Professor Daddy Bram, her one night hookup/new coworker/new boss for her nannying job on the side.
Let me tell you, I loved every minute of this chaos. Maddy and Bram’s chemistry was hot from the start. Bram’s friends in the Andromeda Club are hilarious. And we even have some updates on our friends from Christmas Notch.
With Julie and Sierra’s hilarious storytelling, and Sierra’s five-alarm spice, this writing duo is only getting better. I hope they keep delighting us for a long time!
Let me tell you, I loved every minute of this chaos. Maddy and Bram’s chemistry was hot from the start. Bram’s friends in the Andromeda Club are hilarious. And we even have some updates on our friends from Christmas Notch.
With Julie and Sierra’s hilarious storytelling, and Sierra’s five-alarm spice, this writing duo is only getting better. I hope they keep delighting us for a long time!
dnf
December 20, 2025DNF @47%
Coming into this story, I felt like I was 2 steps behind. There were inside jokes and references I didn’t understand. As a reader, I don’t like feeling on the outs. It’s just not my preference. The characters also didn’t feel like real people to me. Everyone’s personalities were exaggerated to the point that they felt like caricatures. I also didn’t care about the main romance or… anything happening really. I think this is the last time I try these authors together. It just doesn’t work for me.
Coming into this story, I felt like I was 2 steps behind. There were inside jokes and references I didn’t understand. As a reader, I don’t like feeling on the outs. It’s just not my preference. The characters also didn’t feel like real people to me. Everyone’s personalities were exaggerated to the point that they felt like caricatures. I also didn’t care about the main romance or… anything happening really. I think this is the last time I try these authors together. It just doesn’t work for me.
Want to read
September 29, 2025
Single Dad/Nanny with a plus size FMC???? This already sounds sensational
October 31, 2025
two things that i will always eat up: when the man is irrevocably obsessed and down bad for the woman, and a loving, quirky, and hilarious found family. and that’s exactly what was delivered in this steamy, bighearted romcom.
November 10, 2025
Way more boring than a book with this title, cover, edges, synopsis, etc. should be. It was just not anywhere close to as fun as I thought it would be, and I'm glad to be done reading it. Also, definitely did not put the "com" in raunch-com whatsoever.
to-be-read-kindle-owned
September 27, 2025I can't wait to delve into this arc. It sounds so good and I enjoy both of the authors so much!
October 26, 2025
I love Sierra Simone so I had high hopes for this but it did not deliver 😞
The writing felt like rocky terrain. The prologue was in neither main characters POV and it was super confusing. We also weren’t present for their initial meet up and literal one night stand that sets the stage for the entire book? But then we are told about it through the book and I didn’t like that.. why were we reading a chapter in another’s characters POV instead of being with them? Very lust driven in general after that which again felt odd since we weren’t there when they met :/
The FMC had the personality of a roach.. I really didn’t like her. I liked Bram, but what I didn’t like was mentioning he was bisexual and never got to explore but making this an MF book… idkk…Book could have hit super hard if it was MM though.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
The writing felt like rocky terrain. The prologue was in neither main characters POV and it was super confusing. We also weren’t present for their initial meet up and literal one night stand that sets the stage for the entire book? But then we are told about it through the book and I didn’t like that.. why were we reading a chapter in another’s characters POV instead of being with them? Very lust driven in general after that which again felt odd since we weren’t there when they met :/
The FMC had the personality of a roach.. I really didn’t like her. I liked Bram, but what I didn’t like was mentioning he was bisexual and never got to explore but making this an MF book… idkk…Book could have hit super hard if it was MM though.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2025
Thank you NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager
Maddie arrives at Astra University ready for a fresh start, only to spark instant (and very heated) chemistry with Bram, the single-dad professor she accidentally tangled with on her first night.
When she unexpectedly becomes his kids’ new nanny and his colleague their tension turns into a battle of wills neither of them can resist.
I really didn’t enjoy this book. Within the first chapter the FMC is called fat, and the way it was written just didn’t sit right with me it felt judgmental rather than empowering, and it instantly pulled me out of the story. From there, the pacing never found its footing; it jumped from trope to trope to trope without any real cohesion. I’m all for fun, chaotic romance plots, but this one just felt messy and overstuffed. Overall, it was a no for me.
Maddie arrives at Astra University ready for a fresh start, only to spark instant (and very heated) chemistry with Bram, the single-dad professor she accidentally tangled with on her first night.
When she unexpectedly becomes his kids’ new nanny and his colleague their tension turns into a battle of wills neither of them can resist.
I really didn’t enjoy this book. Within the first chapter the FMC is called fat, and the way it was written just didn’t sit right with me it felt judgmental rather than empowering, and it instantly pulled me out of the story. From there, the pacing never found its footing; it jumped from trope to trope to trope without any real cohesion. I’m all for fun, chaotic romance plots, but this one just felt messy and overstuffed. Overall, it was a no for me.
November 9, 2025
i continue to be the sunk cost fallacy’s worst nightmare bc i made 78% of the way through this and just did not feel any desire to complete it at all
i didn’t hate it entirely, i actually really initially enjoyed the beginning like the intro being done from a side character’s POV (even though it took me till the end of the chapter to realize what was going on…) unfortunately that was the best and most seamless integration of the side characters throughout the entire book…
for some reason every side character was described in such a vague (kinda villain-y??) way that I felt like pinning down their characterization wasn’t even worth it as an endeavor bc there was absolutely no reason for any of them to be taking up so much space in the book while contributing absolutely nothing (except what i assumed was meant to be banter but truthfully i understood maybe 40% of the references being made in the whole book and none made me laugh - I mean I completed undergrad but maybe I’m simply not smart enough to understand the humor?) idk at some point I just got so irritated that the book I was currently reading wasn’t even all that invested in its own characters story as much as it was invested in potentially dropping hints that these other characters might get their own book!!!
on to bram and maddie, who were both truly Fine! i think the peak of their connection fizzled out for me after the third random ahh use of “good girl” like i get it their dynamic was supposed to be sexy and at times it was (when they were purely having sex) but truly every lead up & non sexual conversation they had gave me nothing to swoon over despite how much the narrative is struggling to give them conflicts to discuss & hash out?? i am not at all usually one of the people who wishes for LESS smut if i believe the couple is actually exploring their connection but i did feel like maybe bram and maddie peaked too early
also random but i almost feel like the “good girl” uses wouldn’t have bothered me as much if it wasn’t also in the title like cmon…
my final pet peeve and a small but mighty reason i shouldve known this wasn’t going to ultimately be for me was the trope i’m gonna start referring to as “bisexual in name only” trope which both bram and maddie unfortunately suffered from but that usually serves as a blinking red flag to me of a potentially underdeveloped character - i’m not policing the way bisexuality is portrayed in *ultimately mf* romances but it definitely makes me sigh when it’s kind of only brought up in passing to be like “wow wish i could makeout w someone rn - a him or her!” like alright yeah sure
that being said things that tricked me into reading this for much longer than i should’ve: maddie’s teaching journey was so fascinating to me and I really kinda think the story could’ve been narrowed down tremendously to just that bc the whole nanny thing only really worked for the spicy scenes and outside of that, felt so forced and odd along with the kind of feminist narrative (like the scene where bram comes home to maddie and the kids and calls her a good girl for like taking care of them or something idk like ok sure man…), it was one of the better & more realistic depictions of academia that i’ve read and i felt soo horrible for maddie that im pretty sure i was just reading to see how that wrapped up (and then after a while i realized it simply wasnt worth it to sit through more of bram’s thoughts going “how did i end up with this sexy adjunct in my lap?” like that specifically was quite cringey to me)
(after some time has passed) i do think a large part of why i don’t think this fully feels well rounded is that realistically, i would hope that maddie at least would in text grapple with the care labor dynamic between her and bram like sure she loves the kids but theres no point where she really reflects on the fact that theyre both academics but she’s doing silent labor that essentially “lets him thrive” WHILE actively kinda having a bad time esp at the start like that would have been a great source of tension from her POV that could be expected (also considering bram is mr i’m so smart, i actually would’ve preferred if his character was framed more by that as well! like the knowledge that she works with him is treated more like what it is textually meant to be - an inconvenience to their budding relationship but its so strange that a large part of the book is also maddie actively struggling with teaching (and ig wanting to do politics) but the huge glaring amount of care labor she’s doing - mind you for another female academic to continue Her work- is like completely brushed over in place of like his friends joking about her being his nanny and him blushing and going guysss nooo then later literally admitting he likes that nanny fantasy so like ???) idk theres just a much more compelling way that all could have been shaped and it was not at all that and in fact made me really upset bc these characters conceptually could have explored a lot within the framework we’re given (academia, politics) even if it was just as means of bulking up their characterization instead of whatever was going on with their bram’s friend group taking main stage
i do have to add that the writing was a strong part of why i continued reading as well so perhaps if none of this is a dealbreaker, this book might be more your speed!
thank you so much to netgalley and avon for this arc to review!
i didn’t hate it entirely, i actually really initially enjoyed the beginning like the intro being done from a side character’s POV (even though it took me till the end of the chapter to realize what was going on…) unfortunately that was the best and most seamless integration of the side characters throughout the entire book…
for some reason every side character was described in such a vague (kinda villain-y??) way that I felt like pinning down their characterization wasn’t even worth it as an endeavor bc there was absolutely no reason for any of them to be taking up so much space in the book while contributing absolutely nothing (except what i assumed was meant to be banter but truthfully i understood maybe 40% of the references being made in the whole book and none made me laugh - I mean I completed undergrad but maybe I’m simply not smart enough to understand the humor?) idk at some point I just got so irritated that the book I was currently reading wasn’t even all that invested in its own characters story as much as it was invested in potentially dropping hints that these other characters might get their own book!!!
on to bram and maddie, who were both truly Fine! i think the peak of their connection fizzled out for me after the third random ahh use of “good girl” like i get it their dynamic was supposed to be sexy and at times it was (when they were purely having sex) but truly every lead up & non sexual conversation they had gave me nothing to swoon over despite how much the narrative is struggling to give them conflicts to discuss & hash out?? i am not at all usually one of the people who wishes for LESS smut if i believe the couple is actually exploring their connection but i did feel like maybe bram and maddie peaked too early
also random but i almost feel like the “good girl” uses wouldn’t have bothered me as much if it wasn’t also in the title like cmon…
my final pet peeve and a small but mighty reason i shouldve known this wasn’t going to ultimately be for me was the trope i’m gonna start referring to as “bisexual in name only” trope which both bram and maddie unfortunately suffered from but that usually serves as a blinking red flag to me of a potentially underdeveloped character - i’m not policing the way bisexuality is portrayed in *ultimately mf* romances but it definitely makes me sigh when it’s kind of only brought up in passing to be like “wow wish i could makeout w someone rn - a him or her!” like alright yeah sure
that being said things that tricked me into reading this for much longer than i should’ve: maddie’s teaching journey was so fascinating to me and I really kinda think the story could’ve been narrowed down tremendously to just that bc the whole nanny thing only really worked for the spicy scenes and outside of that, felt so forced and odd along with the kind of feminist narrative (like the scene where bram comes home to maddie and the kids and calls her a good girl for like taking care of them or something idk like ok sure man…), it was one of the better & more realistic depictions of academia that i’ve read and i felt soo horrible for maddie that im pretty sure i was just reading to see how that wrapped up (and then after a while i realized it simply wasnt worth it to sit through more of bram’s thoughts going “how did i end up with this sexy adjunct in my lap?” like that specifically was quite cringey to me)
(after some time has passed) i do think a large part of why i don’t think this fully feels well rounded is that realistically, i would hope that maddie at least would in text grapple with the care labor dynamic between her and bram like sure she loves the kids but theres no point where she really reflects on the fact that theyre both academics but she’s doing silent labor that essentially “lets him thrive” WHILE actively kinda having a bad time esp at the start like that would have been a great source of tension from her POV that could be expected (also considering bram is mr i’m so smart, i actually would’ve preferred if his character was framed more by that as well! like the knowledge that she works with him is treated more like what it is textually meant to be - an inconvenience to their budding relationship but its so strange that a large part of the book is also maddie actively struggling with teaching (and ig wanting to do politics) but the huge glaring amount of care labor she’s doing - mind you for another female academic to continue Her work- is like completely brushed over in place of like his friends joking about her being his nanny and him blushing and going guysss nooo then later literally admitting he likes that nanny fantasy so like ???) idk theres just a much more compelling way that all could have been shaped and it was not at all that and in fact made me really upset bc these characters conceptually could have explored a lot within the framework we’re given (academia, politics) even if it was just as means of bulking up their characterization instead of whatever was going on with their bram’s friend group taking main stage
i do have to add that the writing was a strong part of why i continued reading as well so perhaps if none of this is a dealbreaker, this book might be more your speed!
thank you so much to netgalley and avon for this arc to review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2025
Okay, I REALLY loved this book. Honestly, I didn’t expect anything less from Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (Saint is one of my favorite books EVER), but still, this one surprised me in the best way. It’s technically a single dad/nanny romance, but calling it just that doesn’t do it justice. This book has heart, humor, spice, and some heavier themes woven in, and it all works together so well.
Bram and Maddie’s chemistry is unreal. From the very beginning, you can just feel it, but what makes this book special is that it’s not only about them falling for each other; it’s about who they are individually and how their personal journeys overlap. Maddie absolutely shines in this story, and the way she connects with Bram’s three daughters made me melt. Every scene with them together felt so genuine and gave me all the warm fuzzies. Maddie had the best one liners and life lessons (especially when it came to Fern, Bram’s oldest daughter).
And Bram? Don’t even get me started. He’s THAT GUY, if you know what I mean and honestly, maybe my favorite Sierra MMC yet (so sorry to my fave guy, Aiden Bell). He gives so much of himself and doesn’t think he deserves anything in return, which just broke me in the best way. I smiled, I cried, and yes, I kicked my feet and giggled more than once. He’s such a complex character, and the way his vulnerabilities came through while still being such a strong, grounding presence… ugh. Perfection.
I also have to shout out the side characters, because wow! They really made this story even better. Veronica Balentine totally gave me Jennifer Barkley (Parks & Rec) vibes, which cracked me up. Not only Bram’s three girls who were some of the best kid characters I have read, but also the adults: Leo, Junie, Alessandro, Joey, Nolan, Bee, Sloane, and Lucien… these characters were all so fleshed out that I was basically begging for spin offs before I finished the book. Please, universe, give me Leo and Junie’s story next. And Sloane and Lucien (is this a nod to Lucy Score’s Things We Left Behind? Because if so, YES!). I’ll take them all!
The spice? Oh, it’s there. Sierra Simone did her kinky thing, and it was hot, but what I loved was that it never felt like smut for the sake of smut. The intimate moments always tied back to the bigger story and to Bram and Maddie’s emotional connection. By the end, when Bram does that thing for Maddie (no spoilers, but if you know, you know), I was crying, smiling, and trying to hold myself together. True king behavior.
What makes this book stand out for me is how perfectly Julie and Sierra’s voices blend. Together, they nailed it with kinky spice, the well written plot and one liners and life lessons, and a bunch of really fun chaos. This is a rom com that’s actually funny, incredibly sexy, and still manages to get you right in the feels.
I really adored this book. It’s fun, it’s filthy, it’s full of feels, and it left me desperate for more in this world. Definitely one of my favorite romances of the year!
Now, where’s my Leo Saint James book?
Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone, and Avon for the eARC of this book.
Bram and Maddie’s chemistry is unreal. From the very beginning, you can just feel it, but what makes this book special is that it’s not only about them falling for each other; it’s about who they are individually and how their personal journeys overlap. Maddie absolutely shines in this story, and the way she connects with Bram’s three daughters made me melt. Every scene with them together felt so genuine and gave me all the warm fuzzies. Maddie had the best one liners and life lessons (especially when it came to Fern, Bram’s oldest daughter).
And Bram? Don’t even get me started. He’s THAT GUY, if you know what I mean and honestly, maybe my favorite Sierra MMC yet (so sorry to my fave guy, Aiden Bell). He gives so much of himself and doesn’t think he deserves anything in return, which just broke me in the best way. I smiled, I cried, and yes, I kicked my feet and giggled more than once. He’s such a complex character, and the way his vulnerabilities came through while still being such a strong, grounding presence… ugh. Perfection.
I also have to shout out the side characters, because wow! They really made this story even better. Veronica Balentine totally gave me Jennifer Barkley (Parks & Rec) vibes, which cracked me up. Not only Bram’s three girls who were some of the best kid characters I have read, but also the adults: Leo, Junie, Alessandro, Joey, Nolan, Bee, Sloane, and Lucien… these characters were all so fleshed out that I was basically begging for spin offs before I finished the book. Please, universe, give me Leo and Junie’s story next. And Sloane and Lucien (is this a nod to Lucy Score’s Things We Left Behind? Because if so, YES!). I’ll take them all!
The spice? Oh, it’s there. Sierra Simone did her kinky thing, and it was hot, but what I loved was that it never felt like smut for the sake of smut. The intimate moments always tied back to the bigger story and to Bram and Maddie’s emotional connection. By the end, when Bram does that thing for Maddie (no spoilers, but if you know, you know), I was crying, smiling, and trying to hold myself together. True king behavior.
What makes this book stand out for me is how perfectly Julie and Sierra’s voices blend. Together, they nailed it with kinky spice, the well written plot and one liners and life lessons, and a bunch of really fun chaos. This is a rom com that’s actually funny, incredibly sexy, and still manages to get you right in the feels.
I really adored this book. It’s fun, it’s filthy, it’s full of feels, and it left me desperate for more in this world. Definitely one of my favorite romances of the year!
Now, where’s my Leo Saint James book?
Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone, and Avon for the eARC of this book.
December 7, 2025
It kills me not to be able to rate this higher. Sierra Simone is one of my favorite authors and I thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas Notch series, her previous collaboration with Julie Murphy. The plot was all over the place.
What worked:
-Footnotes!
-The friends in the Adromeda Club. I'm very interested in their eventual romances, especially Junie and Leo.
-Thanksgiving with Maddie's family: the cameos from Christmas Notch weren't necessary but it was fun to get updates on them
-Bram - a little too perfect but so dreamy
What didn't work:
-Professional ethics. Nanny-employer sexual relationship is forbidden by Maddie's employer. Just because they had a one night stand before she started working for him doesn't mean they're not beholden to that rule, nor do they ever explain why they should be an exception to the rule. They never disclose relationship to the college HR department either.
-Maddie going into politics was unearned and an unnecessary plot choice. This might be a personal preference as I'm not in the mood for this kind of subplot these days. However, I also thought it came out of nowhere. Does she actually want to be a politician and why? What is her platform? I also didn't buy her The fact that Maddie was made me think less of her.
- It just didn't feel good to read.
-I never understood why did Maddie stayed with Gentry for so many years. Her mom and brother didn't like him because of how she changed while she was with him and since they're close, I wanted to know more about how she negotiated that discrepancy and rationalized their relationship when he was so obviously the worst. She needed therapy more than she needed a relationship with Bram.
Characters: Maddie is a 26 year old fat bisexual white political science adjunct professor and nanny. Bram is a 35 year old bisexual white tenured ecology professor, gardener, and father. He has a 17 year old daughter named Fern and twins Letty and Berry. He is taking care of his ex-wife's dog Hester Prynne and the twins have a frog named Porcupine. This is set in Mount Astra, Kansas.
Content notes: past infidelity (FMC's ex-fiancé cheated), secondary character finalizes divorce from serial cheater husband, FMC is homeless (sleeping in car), past and present financial stress, student loan debt, professional ethics violation (nanny-employer sexual relationships; they don't disclose relationship to college HR), anti-sex work politician outed for sex worker solicitation and porn, sex worker stigma (countered), fatphobia, past fatshaming, past amicable divorce, dog illness, FMC's mother has bipolar disorder, vomit, past death of MMC's parents (car crash when he was a baby; raised by grandparents), past death of MMC's grandparents, past emotional neglect by caregiver grandparents, past death of FMC's father, past bullying, past teen pregnancy (MMC's girlfriend got pregnant at 18), unplanned pregnancy (secondary character), pregnant secondary character, on page sex, power exchange, praise kink, impact play, domestic discipline, professor-student role play, somnophilia, orgasm control, mutual masturbation, public sex, shower sex, alcohol, inebriation, excessive drinking, hangover, marijuana, gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide and addiction, reference to ex-fiancé's uncle's substance abuse
Disclosure: I received a free advance copy from Avon.
What worked:
-Footnotes!
-The friends in the Adromeda Club. I'm very interested in their eventual romances, especially Junie and Leo.
-Thanksgiving with Maddie's family: the cameos from Christmas Notch weren't necessary but it was fun to get updates on them
-Bram - a little too perfect but so dreamy
What didn't work:
-Professional ethics. Nanny-employer sexual relationship is forbidden by Maddie's employer. Just because they had a one night stand before she started working for him doesn't mean they're not beholden to that rule, nor do they ever explain why they should be an exception to the rule. They never disclose relationship to the college HR department either.
-Maddie going into politics was unearned and an unnecessary plot choice. This might be a personal preference as I'm not in the mood for this kind of subplot these days. However, I also thought it came out of nowhere. Does she actually want to be a politician and why? What is her platform? I also didn't buy her The fact that Maddie was made me think less of her.
- It just didn't feel good to read.
-I never understood why did Maddie stayed with Gentry for so many years. Her mom and brother didn't like him because of how she changed while she was with him and since they're close, I wanted to know more about how she negotiated that discrepancy and rationalized their relationship when he was so obviously the worst. She needed therapy more than she needed a relationship with Bram.
Characters: Maddie is a 26 year old fat bisexual white political science adjunct professor and nanny. Bram is a 35 year old bisexual white tenured ecology professor, gardener, and father. He has a 17 year old daughter named Fern and twins Letty and Berry. He is taking care of his ex-wife's dog Hester Prynne and the twins have a frog named Porcupine. This is set in Mount Astra, Kansas.
Content notes: past infidelity (FMC's ex-fiancé cheated), secondary character finalizes divorce from serial cheater husband, FMC is homeless (sleeping in car), past and present financial stress, student loan debt, professional ethics violation (nanny-employer sexual relationships; they don't disclose relationship to college HR), anti-sex work politician outed for sex worker solicitation and porn, sex worker stigma (countered), fatphobia, past fatshaming, past amicable divorce, dog illness, FMC's mother has bipolar disorder, vomit, past death of MMC's parents (car crash when he was a baby; raised by grandparents), past death of MMC's grandparents, past emotional neglect by caregiver grandparents, past death of FMC's father, past bullying, past teen pregnancy (MMC's girlfriend got pregnant at 18), unplanned pregnancy (secondary character), pregnant secondary character, on page sex, power exchange, praise kink, impact play, domestic discipline, professor-student role play, somnophilia, orgasm control, mutual masturbation, public sex, shower sex, alcohol, inebriation, excessive drinking, hangover, marijuana, gendered pejoratives, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide and addiction, reference to ex-fiancé's uncle's substance abuse
Disclosure: I received a free advance copy from Avon.
October 10, 2025
Okay, there were parts of this novel that I really liked, and some that I think could have been handled better. So hear me out.
First of all, I have to say the whole thing reads very smoothly – I finished it in a single day. It also includes footnotes, which are both funny and fitting given the academic setting.
What I possibly liked most about this novel is the characterization. Both Bram and Maddie come across as well-developed individuals with clear backgrounds and believable emotional arcs. Their chemistry feels natural, and their personal histories give the story more depth than the average romance. The secondary characters are also handled well. While there isn’t space to make them deeply complex, they still feel more fleshed out than usual. I appreciated that both main characters had close friends they could turn to.
Moving to the parts that didn’t work for me, I’m somewhat conflicted about how the premise of this book aligns with what it actually is. I mean, seeing the title and the cover, I expected something… less vanilla? There are some kinky elements in this book, but at the end of the day, it’s a very classical, and I would even say conservative, love story. Which isn’t an issue per se, but I think I was expecting something different. There is still a high level of spice, but some of those scenes don’t really contribute much and started to feel repetitive after a while. Some could easily have been cut, especially since the pacing in the middle section slows down significantly. Overall, I’d say this book has no business being over 400 pages long – there simply isn’t enough story to justify it.
Speaking of the plot, it was mostly fine, yet unsurprising. What didn’t work for me was the political career arc introduced for Maddie. It felt disconnected from her character and motivations. It came out of nowhere and seemed more like a plot device meant to create conflict with Bram rather than a natural extension of her personal journey.
All in all, the book gives us strong characters and places them in an interesting setting, but it stumbles when it comes to plot development and pacing. A solid three stars from me.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
First of all, I have to say the whole thing reads very smoothly – I finished it in a single day. It also includes footnotes, which are both funny and fitting given the academic setting.
What I possibly liked most about this novel is the characterization. Both Bram and Maddie come across as well-developed individuals with clear backgrounds and believable emotional arcs. Their chemistry feels natural, and their personal histories give the story more depth than the average romance. The secondary characters are also handled well. While there isn’t space to make them deeply complex, they still feel more fleshed out than usual. I appreciated that both main characters had close friends they could turn to.
Moving to the parts that didn’t work for me, I’m somewhat conflicted about how the premise of this book aligns with what it actually is. I mean, seeing the title and the cover, I expected something… less vanilla? There are some kinky elements in this book, but at the end of the day, it’s a very classical, and I would even say conservative, love story. Which isn’t an issue per se, but I think I was expecting something different. There is still a high level of spice, but some of those scenes don’t really contribute much and started to feel repetitive after a while. Some could easily have been cut, especially since the pacing in the middle section slows down significantly. Overall, I’d say this book has no business being over 400 pages long – there simply isn’t enough story to justify it.
Speaking of the plot, it was mostly fine, yet unsurprising. What didn’t work for me was the political career arc introduced for Maddie. It felt disconnected from her character and motivations. It came out of nowhere and seemed more like a plot device meant to create conflict with Bram rather than a natural extension of her personal journey.
All in all, the book gives us strong characters and places them in an interesting setting, but it stumbles when it comes to plot development and pacing. A solid three stars from me.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 27, 2025
If you thought you knew what Julie and Sierra were capable of before, no, I promise you that you did not. I really enjoyed the Christmas Notch series, because what’s not to love? Both Sierra and Julie are authors with fandoms that stand on their own feet, and I love both of them solo. But I was really excited when it was announced that this coproduction would be kinkier than what we’ve come to expect from this dynamic duo. But, y’all, this delivered more than mere impact play.
This man is an AUTISTIC DADDY DOM and I love him. I probably am him, so a wee bit of narcissism here. If you saw me crying because of the way this man gives of himself and doesn’t think he deserves it in return, no you didn’t. But really, what is it about a broken Sierra MMC that leaves me feeling validated? AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A ROMCOM. I am distinctly unwell.
Maddie and Bram are perfectly paired, and Maddie is the goodest good girl (please can I have my own Maddie???). Their chemistry was electric and the way that their flaws folded together for a complete couple was nothing short of magic.
I’m getting a Leo Saint James book, right? RIGHT?! And I’m shipping him with Junie! GIMME IT. I also need an Alessandro book to compare these beautifully spoiled rich boys. Okay, I’m just obsessed with every. Single. Side character. Sloane, I see you, too!
Anyway, this team up has everything you expect from a solo Sierra: elegant prose, sexy kink, and the fear that you might not get a happy ending. It’s official: Julie has been completely corrupted, and I, for one, am completely delighted to see it. I feel like I see Julie in the hilarity of compromising situations and plucky one-liners. This is our gals at their best, and I need more tout de suite!!!
This man is an AUTISTIC DADDY DOM and I love him. I probably am him, so a wee bit of narcissism here. If you saw me crying because of the way this man gives of himself and doesn’t think he deserves it in return, no you didn’t. But really, what is it about a broken Sierra MMC that leaves me feeling validated? AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A ROMCOM. I am distinctly unwell.
Maddie and Bram are perfectly paired, and Maddie is the goodest good girl (please can I have my own Maddie???). Their chemistry was electric and the way that their flaws folded together for a complete couple was nothing short of magic.
I’m getting a Leo Saint James book, right? RIGHT?! And I’m shipping him with Junie! GIMME IT. I also need an Alessandro book to compare these beautifully spoiled rich boys. Okay, I’m just obsessed with every. Single. Side character. Sloane, I see you, too!
Anyway, this team up has everything you expect from a solo Sierra: elegant prose, sexy kink, and the fear that you might not get a happy ending. It’s official: Julie has been completely corrupted, and I, for one, am completely delighted to see it. I feel like I see Julie in the hilarity of compromising situations and plucky one-liners. This is our gals at their best, and I need more tout de suite!!!
October 31, 2025
Dr. Bram Lowe is as straight and narrow as they come - professor, single dad, plant daddy, he has a quiet and well-regimented life. So when he ends up having a drunk one-night stand, he surprises himself but she was irresistible. So imagine his surprise when Maddie shows up at this door to apply for his nanny position. Turns out, Maddie is also an adjunct poli-sci instructor at the same college and, he later learns, living in her car having lost everything in her last breakup. That simply won’t do. She moves in, establishes a great relationship w his kids, they become a dad/nanny with benefits situation. So when she gets tapped for some big opportunities, she is warned off from being in any relationship with him because of some actions from his past. But whoops, they’re already in love.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was laugh-out-loud funny, deeply nerdy, and honestly kinda weird. For what is arguably smut, the writing and the story itself were well done. The whole political storyline felt weird and forced and is the reason for this one not being a 4⭐️ read.
My favorite part of this was that it was unapologetically nerdy. Also his friend group was pretty great - I loved their constant shenanigans and unapologetic intrusions into his life. There were a bit of Not in Love vibes here, especially with the friend group and the nerdiness.
🫡 Tropes deployed: single dad/nanny, one night stand to friends with bennies to lovers, plant daddy, found family
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was laugh-out-loud funny, deeply nerdy, and honestly kinda weird. For what is arguably smut, the writing and the story itself were well done. The whole political storyline felt weird and forced and is the reason for this one not being a 4⭐️ read.
My favorite part of this was that it was unapologetically nerdy. Also his friend group was pretty great - I loved their constant shenanigans and unapologetic intrusions into his life. There were a bit of Not in Love vibes here, especially with the friend group and the nerdiness.
🫡 Tropes deployed: single dad/nanny, one night stand to friends with bennies to lovers, plant daddy, found family
September 29, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved every second of this novel.
I went into Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl expecting a fun, steamy romance, but what I got was so much more. The character development in this book is honestly fantastic. Maddie’s growth throughout the story is written so thoughtfully, you really get to see her figure out who she is and what she wants, and it never feels rushed or forced. Bram isn’t just a one dimensional love interest either; his struggles as a dad, professor, and man trying to navigate complicated feelings made him feel incredibly real and layered.
What I loved most was how well the story itself was crafted. Every moment between Maddie and Bram had meaning, whether it was emotional, tense, or laugh-out-loud funny. The pacing was perfect, never dragging, but also never skipping over the deeper moments. By the end, I felt genuinely attached to these characters, like I’d lived alongside them for a while.
This book has heart, depth, spice, and just the right amount of chaos. Easily a 5-star read for me.
I loved every second of this novel.
I went into Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl expecting a fun, steamy romance, but what I got was so much more. The character development in this book is honestly fantastic. Maddie’s growth throughout the story is written so thoughtfully, you really get to see her figure out who she is and what she wants, and it never feels rushed or forced. Bram isn’t just a one dimensional love interest either; his struggles as a dad, professor, and man trying to navigate complicated feelings made him feel incredibly real and layered.
What I loved most was how well the story itself was crafted. Every moment between Maddie and Bram had meaning, whether it was emotional, tense, or laugh-out-loud funny. The pacing was perfect, never dragging, but also never skipping over the deeper moments. By the end, I felt genuinely attached to these characters, like I’d lived alongside them for a while.
This book has heart, depth, spice, and just the right amount of chaos. Easily a 5-star read for me.
December 2, 2025
I could not put this book down! I don't know how the authors managed to create such a fun book while still making me go through so many emotions.
I was a nervous going into this as there are some tropes I usually avoid (age gap, parenting, unequal power dynamics) but I am so glad I gave it a shot. I might even become a convert on a couple because they were so well done!
The best part of the book for me is the characters. These are people I want to know in real life and I am really hoping a few get spinoffs. I especially NEED to know what is going on with Leo and you-know-who and what will happen at the date auction.
I also really appreciate the many references sprinkled throughout the book, especially via footnote which is a unique touch. I never thought I would read about poop knife in a romance book but here we are.
If you're looking for a funny, perfectly spicy time with a touch of drama, this is the book for you.
Thank you to the publisher and authors for the ARC via NetGalley, all thoughts are my own.
I was a nervous going into this as there are some tropes I usually avoid (age gap, parenting, unequal power dynamics) but I am so glad I gave it a shot. I might even become a convert on a couple because they were so well done!
The best part of the book for me is the characters. These are people I want to know in real life and I am really hoping a few get spinoffs. I especially NEED to know what is going on with Leo and you-know-who and what will happen at the date auction.
I also really appreciate the many references sprinkled throughout the book, especially via footnote which is a unique touch. I never thought I would read about poop knife in a romance book but here we are.
If you're looking for a funny, perfectly spicy time with a touch of drama, this is the book for you.
Thank you to the publisher and authors for the ARC via NetGalley, all thoughts are my own.
October 5, 2025
Title: Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl
Author: Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone
What to expect:
*Boss x Nanny
*Single dad
*Good Girl lessons and rewards
Pros:
Another fabulous story from these two amazing authors! I loved that there was no drama or jealously from the ex-wife and the children’s mother. The lessons and rewards between the main characters were mind blowing. Who knew that “writing lines” could be so hot!!
Cons:
I was really hoping to see the FMC further her career in politics, I understand why the authors chose not to continue with that storyline but I will always push to see more progressive female politicians written into romance stories.
Safety:
No OW/OM drama. No jealousy. Third act breakup for around two weeks.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this title!
Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Maddie (FMC) & Bram (MMC)
Author: Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone
What to expect:
*Boss x Nanny
*Single dad
*Good Girl lessons and rewards
Pros:
Another fabulous story from these two amazing authors! I loved that there was no drama or jealously from the ex-wife and the children’s mother. The lessons and rewards between the main characters were mind blowing. Who knew that “writing lines” could be so hot!!
Cons:
I was really hoping to see the FMC further her career in politics, I understand why the authors chose not to continue with that storyline but I will always push to see more progressive female politicians written into romance stories.
Safety:
No OW/OM drama. No jealousy. Third act breakup for around two weeks.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this title!
Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Maddie (FMC) & Bram (MMC)
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