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It’s A Love Story
Long Story Short
A cosy, Autumnal academic rivals - to - lovers romance, full of dark academia vibes and bookish references
Meg Moore's life was all set out before her. A teaching job at a prestigious university, an even more prestigious professor boyfriend, and a cosy home with her beloved cat.
Then, all of a sudden, she is alone, pulling a single suitcase up a hill to a new University at the other end of the country, and taking a dusty attic room in exchange for teaching. At Ivy Grove, a campus solely dedicated to the study of literature, Meg should be moving on, but the ghosts of the past she's lost still hang over her.
But there's magic in the power of books, and with new students to teach, new friends to make, and a handsome, prickly Victorian Literature professor, Meg might be able to build a new life.
Meg Moore's life was all set out before her. A teaching job at a prestigious university, an even more prestigious professor boyfriend, and a cosy home with her beloved cat.
Then, all of a sudden, she is alone, pulling a single suitcase up a hill to a new University at the other end of the country, and taking a dusty attic room in exchange for teaching. At Ivy Grove, a campus solely dedicated to the study of literature, Meg should be moving on, but the ghosts of the past she's lost still hang over her.
But there's magic in the power of books, and with new students to teach, new friends to make, and a handsome, prickly Victorian Literature professor, Meg might be able to build a new life.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 30, 2024
2 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Cora Dalley
3 books12 followersCora Dalley is the author of sweet and spicy romance novels. She lives in London the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 4, 2024
"If I let myself become distracted by my attraction to someone again, I will just repeat the same thing I did before, which is how I ended up with a life that wasn't really my own."
When her life falls apart in front of her, Meg moves to the other side of the country to teach at a prestigious English University. However, upon getting there, she immediately butts heads with a fellow professor, Will. Adjusting to her new life forces Meg to discover new friends, and new things about herself.
After reading You're on Your Own Kid by Cora Dalley, I had high hopes for this book. And let me just say- Long Story Short met every one of them. This book was the perfect read for November. The dark academia vibes are perfect for the changing seasons. AND I loved reading Meg's lessons! I felt like I learned a few things while reading this book, which was really cool! I totally recommend this book to anyone looking for a cozy fall/winter read! 🍁❄️
When her life falls apart in front of her, Meg moves to the other side of the country to teach at a prestigious English University. However, upon getting there, she immediately butts heads with a fellow professor, Will. Adjusting to her new life forces Meg to discover new friends, and new things about herself.
After reading You're on Your Own Kid by Cora Dalley, I had high hopes for this book. And let me just say- Long Story Short met every one of them. This book was the perfect read for November. The dark academia vibes are perfect for the changing seasons. AND I loved reading Meg's lessons! I felt like I learned a few things while reading this book, which was really cool! I totally recommend this book to anyone looking for a cozy fall/winter read! 🍁❄️
November 29, 2024
✨A R C R E V I E W✨
Title: Long Story Short
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Thank you so much to Cora Dalley for the amazing opportunity of receiving this book! It was honestly such a pleasure to read this one! As always, my review is made of my own thoughts and opinions.
I absolutely loved this one! It did start off kind of slow, there was a lot of character building and setting the story for Meg and what she’d experienced before joining the staff at Ivy Grove so I completely understood that and it was definitely needed!
This is very different to what I’d normally read in terms of a romance. There was lots of dark academia vibes with the falling leaves being very cosy and atmospheric and perfect for November and even December with the changing of seasons mentioned.
This book is filled with lots of literature, which makes sense as Meg is a teacher and it was so special the way she taught and engaged with her students with such passion. It was a learning experience for myself as well which I really enjoyed!
I loved watching the progression of her relationship with Will, the hostility towards each other soon changed the closer they got and the more time they spent together. Especially with the fact they did a little bit of “fake dating” to help one of their friends get the guy he likes, it was all for a good cause and ended up not being so fake!
There was definitely an enhancement with the book due to all of the characters, watching them was so beautiful go on their own separate journeys and seeing Meg kind of orchestrate her help and guidance was so lovely! I loved watching her relationship with her students and the growth they go on makes you root for them too!
The ending was perfection and I am obsessed with the outcome for all of them (and for Nyx her cat!), it was well rounded for everyone. I loved that they all got their happy ending which they all deserved.
This was truly such a beautiful read I’d always recommend! Definitely perfect for the darker nights and getting all cosy under a blanket with a warm drink!
Long Story Short is available to read now and can be found on Kindle Unlimited!💙
You can also find my review on my Bookstagram account: _romanticallybookish_☺️
Title: Long Story Short
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Thank you so much to Cora Dalley for the amazing opportunity of receiving this book! It was honestly such a pleasure to read this one! As always, my review is made of my own thoughts and opinions.
I absolutely loved this one! It did start off kind of slow, there was a lot of character building and setting the story for Meg and what she’d experienced before joining the staff at Ivy Grove so I completely understood that and it was definitely needed!
This is very different to what I’d normally read in terms of a romance. There was lots of dark academia vibes with the falling leaves being very cosy and atmospheric and perfect for November and even December with the changing of seasons mentioned.
This book is filled with lots of literature, which makes sense as Meg is a teacher and it was so special the way she taught and engaged with her students with such passion. It was a learning experience for myself as well which I really enjoyed!
I loved watching the progression of her relationship with Will, the hostility towards each other soon changed the closer they got and the more time they spent together. Especially with the fact they did a little bit of “fake dating” to help one of their friends get the guy he likes, it was all for a good cause and ended up not being so fake!
There was definitely an enhancement with the book due to all of the characters, watching them was so beautiful go on their own separate journeys and seeing Meg kind of orchestrate her help and guidance was so lovely! I loved watching her relationship with her students and the growth they go on makes you root for them too!
The ending was perfection and I am obsessed with the outcome for all of them (and for Nyx her cat!), it was well rounded for everyone. I loved that they all got their happy ending which they all deserved.
This was truly such a beautiful read I’d always recommend! Definitely perfect for the darker nights and getting all cosy under a blanket with a warm drink!
Long Story Short is available to read now and can be found on Kindle Unlimited!💙
You can also find my review on my Bookstagram account: _romanticallybookish_☺️
November 8, 2024
"You deserve to live with someone who loves you." ~Will Evans
I was so excited when Cora announced this book, I loved You're On Your Own, Kid So I knew I would enjoy this!
Meg is a literary professor who starts at Ivy Grove in the middle of a team. She has to work hard to prove to herself that she deserves to be there and even harder to earn her student's respect.
It doesn't take long before her students are hooked on her lessons and discussions on the course she's running are gripping and thought through.
Cora hadn't revealed a lot about this book so I didn't know what to expect, and I'm glad I didn't. This book exceeded my expectations!
I've not read many dark academia novels but this was such a good one. I was intrigued from page one. Meg lives in the loft apartments at the school and there is a certain mystery about her home which I loved.
Ivy Grove sounds like a wonderful school and grounds, it's somewhere I wish was real so I could visit it.
The title being Long Story Short is so well thought through. The Taylor Swift song is the perfect son for this book!
I liked watching Meg, this woman who had been beaten down badly, slowly find herself as she opened up to people around her. Gaining friends and experiences that shape her into the brave woman we see at the end of the book. And the key part of Meg finding that woman is allowing herself to trust Will, and let him show her that he is there for her, he's not going to run off and she can trust him.
When Meg leaves her old life behind she also leaves behind her beloved cat Nyx, and she spends the whole book wishing she could go back and bring him with her. I spent the whole book falling in love with this cat that is mentioned once a chapter.
I like Cora's writing style, the way she writes these intense emotions with such detail makes the reader unable to stop reading.
Her characters always have an amazing depth and realistic feel to them, which I like.
I loved Meg's characteristics, she had been through so much and was scared about things from her past, but she didn't let that stop her from finding friends, falling in love with her job, and opening up to Will.
Will wasn't afraid to step up for Meg when he realised she needed it. He listened, understood her fears, and showed her that he was different and she could trust him.
I loved Meg's friendship with Olivia and Musa. They took her under their wing and showed her what true friends are like.
Cora has written another wonderful romance, I can't wait for more from her.
I'm giving Long Story Short a spice rating of 🌶️ 🌶️.
If you are a fan of
🍁Autumnal
🍁Academic rivals-to-lovers
🍁Set on a campus devoted to literature
🍁Dark academia vibes
🍁Bookish references
🍁Spicy scenes
Then I really recommend checking Cora's book out.
I was so excited when Cora announced this book, I loved You're On Your Own, Kid So I knew I would enjoy this!
Meg is a literary professor who starts at Ivy Grove in the middle of a team. She has to work hard to prove to herself that she deserves to be there and even harder to earn her student's respect.
It doesn't take long before her students are hooked on her lessons and discussions on the course she's running are gripping and thought through.
Cora hadn't revealed a lot about this book so I didn't know what to expect, and I'm glad I didn't. This book exceeded my expectations!
I've not read many dark academia novels but this was such a good one. I was intrigued from page one. Meg lives in the loft apartments at the school and there is a certain mystery about her home which I loved.
Ivy Grove sounds like a wonderful school and grounds, it's somewhere I wish was real so I could visit it.
The title being Long Story Short is so well thought through. The Taylor Swift song is the perfect son for this book!
I liked watching Meg, this woman who had been beaten down badly, slowly find herself as she opened up to people around her. Gaining friends and experiences that shape her into the brave woman we see at the end of the book. And the key part of Meg finding that woman is allowing herself to trust Will, and let him show her that he is there for her, he's not going to run off and she can trust him.
When Meg leaves her old life behind she also leaves behind her beloved cat Nyx, and she spends the whole book wishing she could go back and bring him with her. I spent the whole book falling in love with this cat that is mentioned once a chapter.
I like Cora's writing style, the way she writes these intense emotions with such detail makes the reader unable to stop reading.
Her characters always have an amazing depth and realistic feel to them, which I like.
I loved Meg's characteristics, she had been through so much and was scared about things from her past, but she didn't let that stop her from finding friends, falling in love with her job, and opening up to Will.
Will wasn't afraid to step up for Meg when he realised she needed it. He listened, understood her fears, and showed her that he was different and she could trust him.
I loved Meg's friendship with Olivia and Musa. They took her under their wing and showed her what true friends are like.
Cora has written another wonderful romance, I can't wait for more from her.
I'm giving Long Story Short a spice rating of 🌶️ 🌶️.
If you are a fan of
🍁Autumnal
🍁Academic rivals-to-lovers
🍁Set on a campus devoted to literature
🍁Dark academia vibes
🍁Bookish references
🍁Spicy scenes
Then I really recommend checking Cora's book out.
November 15, 2024
4.5⭐️
This book was very beautiful and lighthearted. This book is very information heavy at times and spends a lot of time describing and setting the scene. But you definitely feel like you get a very clear picture painted of the way the characters look and the scenes in which they exist in. I love that the characters in the book explore similar themes to the ones they are teaching their students in the academic setting of this book. We see a beautiful journey of personal growth, healing and heartwarming friendship. The end had me all sorts of teary and concluded in a way that allowed the story to end but to know it doesn't end there. I'm really excited I was given the opportunity to read the ARC of this book.
This book was very beautiful and lighthearted. This book is very information heavy at times and spends a lot of time describing and setting the scene. But you definitely feel like you get a very clear picture painted of the way the characters look and the scenes in which they exist in. I love that the characters in the book explore similar themes to the ones they are teaching their students in the academic setting of this book. We see a beautiful journey of personal growth, healing and heartwarming friendship. The end had me all sorts of teary and concluded in a way that allowed the story to end but to know it doesn't end there. I'm really excited I was given the opportunity to read the ARC of this book.
November 11, 2024
I’ll be honest. I struggled through the first four chapters of this book. It was story building. But not from the past, just from where we start. It’s a lot of emotions and observations in the first several chapters until we finally get to meet and start interacting with the rest of the characters in the book.
All in all it was good. Slow to start but once you get to the interpersonal connections it gets much better
All in all it was good. Slow to start but once you get to the interpersonal connections it gets much better
April 1, 2025
The first couple of chapters are a little slow, but an otherwise easy read. I was picturing Durham as the setting, with lots of hills and old buildings, which made me nostalgic for my university time!
December 31, 2024
Wow I loved reading this book.
I was hooked from the beginning and loved the storyline.
Can’t wait to read what you write next Cora 😃
I was hooked from the beginning and loved the storyline.
Can’t wait to read what you write next Cora 😃
November 20, 2024
Thank you to Cora Dalley for giving me a copy to review. My opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this story. I don't read many books set in the UK, but I enjoyed the setting of a university in Yorkshire.
Meg and Will were adorable, and I enjoyed the side characters like Musa and Olivia. It has made me want to read the Brontes and Jane Austen's books.
I enjoyed this story. I don't read many books set in the UK, but I enjoyed the setting of a university in Yorkshire.
Meg and Will were adorable, and I enjoyed the side characters like Musa and Olivia. It has made me want to read the Brontes and Jane Austen's books.
December 2, 2024
This book was honestly so so cute and got me in my feels so much 😭 Meg and Will are so cute together especially the part where they first meet each other in that cafe! I really liked the bond the friendship group has. It’s how everyone gets along with one another and the playfulness between them all just melts my heart 🥲 Meg truly deserves the love from the people that treats her right despite the past she had.
I love how the book was based on the author’s experience studying in York and I don’t live that far from York but reading this book makes me want to be part of the uni life there😅
Also, can’t forget about the play scene, I think that part got really emotional and touching for me as seeing the bond between professor and students was just so sweet 🥰 AND Nyx!! I really predicted what would happen but when it did happen I nearly cried 🥺
This was quite a short read but it was a very cute romance story between two teachers ☺️
If you’re up for a quick romance read, I would recommend this.
I love how the book was based on the author’s experience studying in York and I don’t live that far from York but reading this book makes me want to be part of the uni life there😅
Also, can’t forget about the play scene, I think that part got really emotional and touching for me as seeing the bond between professor and students was just so sweet 🥰 AND Nyx!! I really predicted what would happen but when it did happen I nearly cried 🥺
This was quite a short read but it was a very cute romance story between two teachers ☺️
If you’re up for a quick romance read, I would recommend this.
December 30, 2024
Book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥(some explicit scenes some mentions)
Plot: 💫💫💫💫💫
World-Building: 🍁🍁🍁🍁
Description: 💐💐💐
This book was fun I loved how fleshed out the characters were especially the side characters they just had so much depth! It has a lot of great reference to literature (as they are two literature professors) so you really feel like you are in the scene.
It was very descriptive writing style and felt like a bit too info heavy in some places but still such a enjoyable read.
Would recommend to anyone wanted academia vibes with a lot of literature reference and figuring yourself out romance.
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥(some explicit scenes some mentions)
Plot: 💫💫💫💫💫
World-Building: 🍁🍁🍁🍁
Description: 💐💐💐
This book was fun I loved how fleshed out the characters were especially the side characters they just had so much depth! It has a lot of great reference to literature (as they are two literature professors) so you really feel like you are in the scene.
It was very descriptive writing style and felt like a bit too info heavy in some places but still such a enjoyable read.
Would recommend to anyone wanted academia vibes with a lot of literature reference and figuring yourself out romance.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews