4 Romance Books Set in Academia | Part 1
If you enjoyed the set-up of The Love Hypothesis, you might enjoy these novels.
This week’s round-up centers around one of my all-time favorite themes in a romance novel: an academic setting. I didn’t realize how utterly gleeful this setting makes me until I read The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, one of my top ten favorite books, and one that seriously altered my brain chemistry. There is just something so alluring about two academics finding love on a school campus. It’s sweet, charged, and juicy all at once. Plus, it easily plays into so many different tropes, like forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and in some cases, forbidden romance. I figured what better time to talk about books set in academia than the start of a new school year?
Ultimately, I wish this list of books could have been longer. Other than The Love Hypothesis, I haven’t come close to finding another book set on a campus that checks all my boxes — and I’ve done a lot of research over the years! Maybe this elusiveness is precisely why it remains one of my favorite themes. I’m personally not into a teacher-student vibe, but rather a story that toes that line without fully crossing it — i.e. professor and grad student from different departments. Part 1 of this round-up focuses on characters who are teachers or faculty members. Part 2 will focus on students!
Play for Me by Libby Hubscher
They’re boarding school faculty members who must work and live together.
The interesting plot, deeply romantic storytelling, and immersive setting make this my favorite book from Libby. If you’re looking for a book to get you in the mood for fall, this one is it with its New England boarding school backdrop. The niche professions of the characters and the twist on the forced proximity trope make for a really unique story and help set it apart. I couldn’t put it down when I was reading it!
A struggling professional athletic trainer trades her MBL job for one at a boarding school where she meets an equally struggling professional pianist. At odds at first, the two realize they have more in common than they think as they spend more time together. It’s a slow burn, grumpy/sunshine story with some swoony moments.
Beginner’s Luck by Kate Clayborn
She’s a scientist, he’s the corporate recruiter trying to poach her.
Kate Clayborn is one of my favorite authors for her effortless writing. Her prose is simple yet somehow still packed with feeling. I’ve called her work “quiet” in the past — there’s nothing particularly attention-grabbing about it, but the emotions sneak up and gut-punch you. This particular story is a comfort read of the best kind: it’s sweet and wholesome with characters you want to root for. The story does take place primarily off school grounds, but the main character is a woman in STEM and her university job plays a big role in the plot.
In the story, things take a turn in a scientist’s quiet and steady life when a charming recruiter shows up at her lab to convince her to work for his company. She’s not budging and he’s sticking around town for awhile hoping to get the job done. But the more time they spend together, the more they start to fall for each other.
Falling for My Enemy by Claire Kingsley
They’re professional rivals forced to conduct research together.
I was deep down a Reddit rabbit hole when I discovered a recommendation for this book. My romance taste and Reddit’s are not the most compatible (another topic we will definitely be diving into another time), but the Goodreads rating convinced me to read it and I’m glad I did! It’s a very traditional romance novel in the sense that it’s deliberately fluffy and entirely predictable. It might not be getting any praise for its fresh premise or exceptional prose, but it’s an engaging read with great romantic tension. I will be thinking about a certain copy room scene for awhile.
Two psychology academics conducting similar scientific research must work together in this enemies-to-lovers story. Things are tense since she’s the biggest, and most vocal, opponent of his theory, but get even more tense when they discover that they’re insanely attracted to each other. The hate-lust is entertaining in this one.
Rock Bottom Girl by Lucy Score
Two former classmates reconnect as teachers working at their old high school.
I know I already recommended this book as a romance novel for beginners, but considering it’s one of my top ten favorite books, I’ll never stop singing its praises. It’s the ultimate feel-good book with hilarious antics and satisfying character growth. It’s like the adult version of a coming-of-age story — Netflix needs to turn this book into a movie immediately!
The story takes place over the course of a school year as the main character is forced to move back home after losing her job and her boyfriend and reluctantly takes a temporary teaching position at her old high school. Her and another teacher, a guy she went to high school with, strike up a deal to help each other out. There’s a “meet-puke” as Lucy calls it, a makeover, some fake dating, and a cast of delightful side characters.
Two more books I’ve read that take place prominently in academia are The Unbalanced Equation by H.L. Macfarlane (read my review) and My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren. They didn’t make this list because they didn’t receive four stars from me, but wanted to note them in case they speak to you!