The Other Side

by A.J. Wynn

At the prestigious Montgomery Prep, history teacher Violet Price is an outsider, haunted by a dark past, just trying to survive. Enter Chance Harper, the enigmatic new English instructor whose privilege clashes with Violet’s gritty reality. When students begin to meet suspicious ends, a chilling connection emerges between the ill-fated teens and a decades-old mystery, leaving Violet entangled in a web of deceit and desire.

Forced to work together to investigate, Violet and Chance must navigate the labyrinth of secrets at Montgomery as they struggle to reconcile their differences in the shadow of the chemistry sizzling between them. Will Violet and Chance unravel the truth, against all odds, or be torn apart in the process?

The Other Side is a standalone dark academia mystery romance with spice. HEA guaranteed. Mature readers only.

Genres: Romance, Dark Academia, Mystery, Forbidden Romance, Thriller, Suspense, Adult

395 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

AJ Wynn is a Southern California-based author who works in marketing professionally, but whose true passion lies in writing. Weaving captivating stories with romance, mystery, fantasy, and much more allows AJ to express her creativity and serves as a canvas for her boundless imagination. When not immersed in the world of words, AJ is an avid reader, book dragon, and interior decorating enthusiast. Her favorite cozy days are accompanied by a fresh cup of coffee and her faithful canine sidekick.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, loved this book! I finished it in one evening because I could not put it down.

The Other Side is everything you could want in a dark academia romance - a gripping murder mystery that will keep you guessing, an atmosphere full of suspense, and a slow burn forbidden romance between two teachers at an elite prep school.

The chemistry between Violet and Chance is undeniable from the very beginning! Their interactions were just as addictive as the murder mystery. As they dig deeper into the school’s dark past, their attraction smolders. Chance is a complete golden retriever and he is top tier book boyfriend material.

The elite prep school setting layered with mystery and suspense created the perfect balance of intrigue and depth to make this an absolute page-turner! If you’re a fan of dark academia romance with amazing character chemistry and an expertly paced plot, The Other Side is a must read!

[The Sewist's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐
1.5🌶️
Tropes: dark academia, one bed, cinnamon roll MMC, rich MMC/poor FMC, slow burn, anxiety rep, murder mystery, forbidden relationship


The Other Side is a single POV murder mystery told from the perspective of Violet, who was hired a year ago to teach at the prestigious Montgomery Prep. She meets Chance at a bar when he saves her from being drugged. Their attraction is instant but when she realizes he’s the new English teacher at Montgomery, she gets angry and refuses to give into her feelings. However, they end up teaming up to solve the mystery of one of her former students who went missing last year and it gets harder and harder for her to fight her interest in him.


It took me a little bit to get into this book but once I got past 25% or so I started to enjoy it. The beginning did not grab me- Violet was just such an angry character which made sense but it felt overwhelming. I really loved Chance’s character too and the way he never gave up on Violet. The mystery aspect I thought was well done. One of my two guesses as to whodunnit was right! Plus the one bed trope is my personal kryptonite. Along with that I really appreciated the complex/difficult relationship Violet has with her mom.


I do recommend this book, just make sure you’re ready for the slow/angry beginning.




✨ Trigger warnings that might be spoilers ✨
Death, CSA, SA, Suicide

[d_uhreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love?!

Mystery.
Spice.
Phenomenal Writing.
Chance.

I love a light, dark academia when written well, and this sure was.

Fast-paced, great character development, and many fan your face moments.

[Krishnanjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and the writing is awesome. The book is atmospheric and perfect for the fall season. Also there are certain parts I felt could be better . The rivalry between the MMC and FMC in the beginning was not as good as I expected it to be. And also the book picked up on the missing case of the student after almost 100 pages, which didn't hook me to the story initially. Despite this I consider this book as a good one as the plot of the book is really good. I also liked the way the author described the events and scenary in the book as it transports one into the world while reading.

[Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chemistry and tension between our MC and FMC were perfect. Both Chance and Violet were teachers, so we have a little forbidden work romance going on. Seeing them work together to discover and unveil the mystery of the disappearance of students was fun to witness.

The romance and spice were just the right amount. It wasn’t too much, and it wasn’t scarce, if that makes sense. As for the murder mystery aspect of the book, it was mysterious alright. They gave us a good amount of breadcrumbs. And that twist at the end, though! I just wish that we had more gripping mystery. (I’m a sucker for mystery.) But overall, I LOVED and ENJOYED this book. It was definitely a fun read.

If you are looking for a murder mystery with a side of romance and spice, then you should give this book a try. This book is definitely worth reading.

Giving it 4.5 ⭐️

[Maddy Freitas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first ever mystery romance, and honestly, I had such a great time with it! While I can’t say the mystery element totally captivated me, the romance between Violet and Chance more than made up for it. Their connection was the kind of cozy, slow-burn love story I absolutely adore. There was even a snowed in moment were they only available room at a hotel was the honeymoon suite...who doesn't love that?

I’ll admit, the mystery itself felt more like background noise for a lot of the book. I didn’t fully understand why Violet was so determined to solve it because her motivation felt a little thin, though Chance’s involvement made perfect sense. Still, I found myself not really caring about the mystery because I was so invested in their relationship.

From their banter to the forbidden-romance tension and all the little sweet moments in between, Violet and Chance completely stole the show. I especially loved their secret hideaway in the teachers’ building, because it gave the story a warm, intimate atmosphere that made me wish they’d explored the building together even more (especially after Chance discovered her hidden lounge!).

As for the mystery… I’ll give myself a little credit: I guessed the killer early on. After just a few interactions, something about them just clicked in my head. (Spoilers ahead!)

As soon as Jolene started acting snappy and overly possessive toward Violet, I had a gut feeling she’d turn out to be the culprit. It felt too convenient that she was so attached, and I suspected she might’ve gone to the school herself. When Violet never mentioned that connection, I was sure it was something being hidden. I also noticed Jolene’s absence in scenes with Chance, which practically screamed “jealousy twist” to me, and sure enough, the reveal about her wanting Violet all to herself came true. When the headmaster was revealed to be grooming students, I also immediately knew that Jolene was one of them because what kind of weirdo just does as their told and stays all day for some prick?

What did surprise me was the darker turn near the end when the headmaster’s grooming storyline and Jolene’s involvement in the other girls’ deaths. I didn't guess the connection between the twins at all. Things really ramped up around the 85% mark, and that’s when the mystery finally felt important and tied into the emotional stakes of the story.

I originally picked this up because I saw the ARC signup for book 2, Second Chance Christmas (and I actually received some PR mail for it, so of course I had to start from the beginning!). Even though this could technically be read as a standalone, I’m really glad I started with The Other Side.

If you’re looking for a romance-first mystery with heart, heat, and a touch of danger, this is a great pick. It’s not about the twisty plot as much as it is about two teachers finding love in the most unexpected circumstances, and for me, that’s exactly what made it work.

Overall: 4 stars. Now on to Last Chance Christmas!

[Callie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I devoured this book. The chemistry and tension between our two main characters was perfect. I mean they are both teachers so a little forbidden office romance is always kind of hot. But more so, seeing them work together to uncover the mystery of the students disappearing or being *unalived* was fun to watch unfold.

While the romance was hot, the mystery aspect was what really kept me steam rolling through this book. There were a perfect amount of breadcrumbs. And of course there is always at least one twist. At the end, I was definitely surprised! I love being surprised!

Extra note, I love when the idea behind the a book title finally clicks and you get that “AHA” moment.

If you are looking for something fast paced and maybe something dark but not TOO dark. With some fun and spicy times. Then this should definitely be added to your list this fall!

[Kelsey Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I owe this book a standing ovation. It definitely got me out of my fantasy spiral and made me fall in love with dark academia. The suspense and mystery were top tier, and the characters were amazing. The twists and turns were completely unexpected (and I’m usually not easily surprised) and the way she builds the story to a climax is chefs kiss. You will NOT be sorry if you pick this up out of curiosity… don’t let the ambiguous cover fool you. This is a rich story with suspense and romance and humor all tied up with a bow.

[leena.reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the Behind the Pages, Booksirens and the author for allowing me access to this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Genre: Mystery Romance
Format: ARC Ebook
Pages: 354
Spice: 1.5 🌶️
POV: First POV
S/S: standalone
Check trigger warnings for any book.

I don’t usually read this genre, mystery romance, but this book makes me want to read more of it.

We follow Violet as she starts her second year teaching at an esteemed boarding school, after the disappearance of one of the students, Daniel. It seems like she’s the only one to believe that he didn’t run away and that something fishy is going on.

Now introducing, Chance, a handsome new teacher who gets infatuated with Violet. She keeps him at arm’s length as she cares about her job and staff relationships aren’t permitted.

Somehow they get intertwined together and start looking into the mysterious missing students. Only their investigation brings them closer, up to the point where their closeness gets them into trouble, but not the kind they expected.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing is enjoyable, the characters have some depth to them, although the side characters don’t. This really is a mystery romance, it is a romance first and foremost. At times, the mystery aspect is forgotten altogether to make room for the romance. Which I didn’t mind, all that much.

I’ll say that I guessed the secret / the twist pretty quickly into the book, and I was hoping I was wrong to be surprised but I wasn’t. So, on the mystery side, a bit weak in my opinion.

But let’s be honest, I continued reading this book for Violet and Chance. A relationship where they have so much respect for each other ughhh

I really liked the author’s writing, so I’d love to give their backlog a look!

Leena - Leena.reader review - @leena.reader on tiktok and instagram

[Emilee Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Montgomery Prep is a prestigious private school located in rural Maine. Violet Price’s dark past prevented her from fitting in with the older faculty. When Chance Harper shows up with his enthusiastic personality and rich boy privilege, Violet is quick to clash with Chance. When students start disappearing and meet horrible ends, Violet and Chance work together to try and solve the decades long case that seemed to be tied to the most recent disappearance. The Other Side is where the mysteries lay to be discovered. Will Chance and Violet be able to work out their feelings and relationship to be together or will their opposite pasts keep them apart?

I have begun to really love suspenseful romances and this book just hit the spot. With it being spooky season, this was the perfect book to read during the season. I will be honest and say I had my guess somewhat right but also wrong. You’ll have to read the book to see what I mean. Some tropes include: bar meet cute, forced proximity, sleuth/detective work, opposites attract, poor girl x rich boy, workplace romance and forbidden romance. Some TWs: m*rder, su*cide, mentions of gr00ming, sexual explicit content, death of a parent (FMC), parental issues (MMC, mostly with the dad), mentions of cheating (not between MCs) and probably a few others I’m forgetting. Some TWs are listed in the beginning of the book so check those before starting. As always, reach out to the author if you have any questions on the trope and just take of yourself.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spice: 1

Tropes:
workplace romance
one bed
dark academia
secret identity
murder mystery
First Person POV

The Other Side was a mix of dark academia meets cozy mystery meets romance for me. I enjoyed it. With mysteries, I always like to try to figure out "who done it" before the answer is revealed... It's like a game, how quickly can I can it, was I right, or was I way off. It's what makes mysteries fun for me lol. In The Other Side, I had my suspicions on who the murderer was, but AJ Wynn made it fun and tried to throw me off the scent. I have to say, I was fooled lol. Which always makes for a good read.

Violet teaches at the prestigious Montgomery Prep Academy where a student went missing. The police say he's run away but Violet is suspicious and believes foul play was involved. New teacher Chance Harper confides in Violet that he too believes the police has the facts wrong and the two of them set out to uncover the truth. Along the way, the encounter old cold cases and a bit of romance. Will the find out what really happened behind closed doors of Montgomery Prep?

I enjoyed Violet and I adored Chance. I think AJ Wynn wrote Violet perfectly for the baggage she carries and the trauma she still holds. I love how Chance was patient with Violet and allowed her the time to decide how/when things would progress between the two of them. Looking forward to the next book!

[Carsen Smithwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all I’m feeling so GOOEY after this one! I literally hugged the book as soon as I finished it because I ended up loving it so much.

I was so invested in Violet and Chance and couldn’t help but root for them. (Also… Chance has definitely been added to my list of book boyfriends.) Taking a forbidden romance and adding a nice slow burn to it made it almost impossible to put this book down. But what really stuck out to me was the mystery aspect of the book. I was in the main characters shoes the whole time, trying to figure out the secrets and lies along with them. I honestly wasn’t expecting the twists and surprises, making it so much more fun to read. My jaw also DROPPED once the connection was made to the title of the book!

AJ really did a remarkable job with this novel, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop thinking about this story. If you’re looking for a fast paced, spooky, and a lil bit of a spicy read, then I definitely recommend adding The Other Side to your tbr.

[Cait Waksler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Side tells the story of Violet Price, a new young professor at Montgomery Prep, an elite boarding school with a history of missing students that are written off as runaways. When an unforgettable new English professor, Chance Harper, joins the faculty, despite all her best efforts, Violet can’t resist Chance’s charm or the urge to join forces with Chance find out what happened to the “runaway” students. With a dark academia setting and all the elements for a mysterious romance, The Other Side is a suspenseful, sexy page turner that I couldn’t put down.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

AJ…omg…. I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this before the release!💗

Golden retriever-black cat, mystery romance, enemies to friends to lovers, dark academia

This was SO GOOD!!!!

Chance is my new book boyfriend and he deserves the title 😍😍🥰🥰🫠🫠🫠

Love the character growth for chance and Violet. My heart broke for both of them 💔❤️‍🩹

Loved this book so much! Thank you AJ for writing this 😍🖤💗

Book releases Oct 1st!!!!! Go preorder it now!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[L.L. Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazon, GoodReads and Instagram Headline: Step aside, Ezra Fitz. There’s a new (and better) English teacher in town.



REVIEW

I received an ARC copy of this book and this is my unbiased review of AJ Wynn’s The Other Side. 


I thought Willowbrooke was perfect. But this… this is a work of art. I just love everything about it, especially Chase.

[Makayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this! It kept me interested the whole time with the mystery, and the romance. I related to Violet in a lot of ways, so this will always hold a special place close to my heart. I definitely wouldn't object to them having another mystery together set a bit out in the future.

[Makayla Samountry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not see that twist coming!!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5

[WorkingMomBookshelf Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up The Other Side while on the hunt for dark academia reads, especially those that mix academia with a disappearance mystery—and this one definitely intrigued me. The premise was promising, with older protagonists (teachers!) and a mysterious student disappearance. I dove in hopeful.

The good? I flew through it and genuinely wanted to reach the end. The setup of the murder case initially pulled me in, especially with the eerie disappearance that’s brushed off as a runaway situation. But after that… things fell flat.

Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with either the story or the characters. Violet, at 27, felt incredibly immature and selfish at times—definitely not the strongest FMC I’ve read. Chance had a bit more depth, but still didn’t leave much of an impression. Their romance felt repetitive, and Violet’s constant overthinking dragged the pace.

As for the investigation into the student's disappearance? It ended up taking up maybe 15% of the book. I was expecting far more twists, suspense, and complexity, but it was all pretty predictable. The writing style also felt more suited to a YA audience, which would’ve been totally fine had the characters actually been teens.

Overall, The Other Side had great potential, and while it was a quick and mildly engaging read, it just didn’t deliver the depth or darkness I was hoping for.

[Secretlittlelibreria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generously received this ARC via BookSirens 😊.

This story gripped me for the first 1/2 of the book. Someone else said it reads like a diary and I haven’t been able to think of a better way to describe it. There were parts of the story where the first line(s) of the chapter summarized and gave away the surprise element so by the end of the book I wished the stakes had been higher and that those elements hadn’t been given away so I could be on the edge of my seat for more of it. The mystery and the twist at the end were all set up pretty well, but it fell a bit short for me as far as the suspense aspect of it goes.

The romance aspect was done pretty well. Who doesn’t love a forbidden romance, forced proximity slow burn? I enjoyed it overall, though there was something missing for me for me to fully fall in love with the FMC and MMC.

I can see someone who is just beginning to dive into the dark academia genre, and enjoys slow burn romance, low stakes mysteries, enjoying this book. I enjoyed the opportunity to read this ARC for free and leave my honest review 🤍

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book! First and foremost, the vibes were great for this book. The setting felt like Maxton Hall meets Wednesday - academia with a bit of mystery and romance mixed together. The story was easy to follow and I liked the characters a lot. It was great to see how Violet worked through her trust issues and I liked how patient Chance was with her. They seem like a pair who will last beyond the final page of the book. The mystery was interesting, and though I did see the twist coming, I don’t think it was an obvious one. The writing was pretty good, including the spice! There wasn’t a ton of spice but it was placed well and contributed to the story in a way that made sense. The pacing was a little inconsistent, the dialogue felt stilted at times, and I hoped for more with the end, but I’m always so impressed by authors who are brave enough to self publish and I’m looking forward to whatever the author writes next!

[Lianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I almost DNFed at 44%, but I truly hate leaving things unfinished. I skim read a bunch to see if I would enjoy the plot or characters more once the romance or action started to pick up. Unfortunately this novel just didn’t do it for me. There was a lot of telling, everything was so explicitly stated that it made every aspect of this book fall flat for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters or their romance or the setting or the mystery. The high stakes things meant to build the suspense just didn’t feel high stakes at all. The characters also felt weirdly juvenile to me, like there was no way they were in their late 20s/early 30s.

[Cyanne_TheBibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25 ✨️

Favourite lines:

"There were no guarantees in life. There were no guarantees that love would last, but we were also not guaranteed there would be another tomorrow to try again."

"You don’t have to worry about me.” “I’ll always worry about the girl I love,”


My Review:

Montgomery Prep is basically the school for the super privileged... the elite of the elite. And then you have Violet Price. She's from a lower-class background, the youngest history teacher there, someone who can't help noticing all the strange things happening around her.She already feels out of place among the staff, and the class difference definitely doesn't help.

Then comes Chance Harper, the one person determined to break through the walls Violet has built for almost a decade. He's annoyingly gentle, patient, and just... too understanding. Total green forest. But Violet can't ignore the fact that something about him feels a bit off and mysterious.

On top of that, she gets pulled into the chaos of a missing student case. Everyone else has brushed it off as a runaway, but Violet can't help feeling like there's more to the story. That's when she ends up in a fragile, uneasy alliance with Chance to figure out what really happened and in the process, even more strange things begin to surface at Montgomery.

Honestly, I loved how well the romance and mystery were balanced in this one. It's fast-paced and keeps you flipping pages, trying to guess what's going on right until the end. Things keep shifting, and you find yourself overthinking every possibility.

The atmosphere was so creepy at times - just the right amount to make you feel uneasy but hooked.

And the banter? So good. The forced proximity moments, the way Chance refuses to give up on Violet, and the way they work together... I found myself laughing more than once. I loved how the MMC falls so hard for a woman who is stubbornly trying to keep her heart locked away.

Overall, it's a solid mystery romance. I literally devoured it.


P.S. Thank you to the author for the free ebook! ♥️ Reading this was the perfect way to catch up on the story and characters before jumping into the novella - The Last Chance Christmas.

[Paloma Rodello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I review this book, I want to say thank you SO MUCH to A.J. Wynn for sending me a copy to read early. It releases on October 1st, so being able to read and review this book before its release was such a pleasure! I am so grateful for the opportunity!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I loved this book, truly. It was everything it was promised to be: a murder mystery, an enemies-to-lovers romance, complete with dark academia vibes. I knew all of this going into it, but I was so pleasantly surprised by everything from the writing, to the twist, to the romantic tension. Don’t get me wrong, I had high hopes, but this book really surpassed my expectations.

The dark academia of it all put me in such a fall mood. It’s such a good read for the season and I will definitely be seeking out reads similar to this as the season goes on.

I loved both of the MCs. The grumpy x sunshine trope was there, and I was so obsessed with Chase. He was sweet, funny, and charismatic. I also loved Violet and empathized with her guarded personality. Their chemistry was written so well that I felt myself blushing at times. The slow burn romance was enticing and rewarding.

I felt myself wishing this was part of a series! As good as it is as a standalone, I don’t feel ready to leave Violet and Chance behind. I became so connected to the characters and their relationship.

The twist and the mystery aspect were also done really well. There were times I thought I knew the answer to the questions asked but was thrown for a loop when the twist was revealed.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others. I thought it was so fun but also dealt with potentially sensitive topics in a serious way. I had so much fun reading this book and am so happy I did.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Again, thank you so so much to A.J. Wynn for giving me the chance to read and review The Other Side before its release on October 1st! I had such a great experience doing so and can’t wait for the release date!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨The Other Side✨

Oh man, did I enjoy this dark academia mystery romance! Not exactly in my wheelhouse without the fantasy but I’m so glad I leapt out of my comfort zone and got the honor of reading this gifted arc by AJ, because it was SO GOOD.

In TOS, we follow the first person POV of Violet, a struggling private school professor just trying to make ends meet. But something dark happens at the academy and Violet finds it difficult to let it go. And when a handsome new teacher comes on campus, Violet finds herself deepening herself into the “closed case”. Reluctantly allying with this new professor, Chance, we find ourselves knee deep in hidden identities, past and present disappearances, and a forbidden entanglement.

Violet is our grumpy black cat FMC. She struggles with her past and the poor relationships she’s had and fights tooth and nail against letting anyone in. Chance is our sunshine golden retriever MMC who is incorrigible and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. He’s thoughtful and a big proponent in the mental health rep within these pages. Together they get to decide whether they’ll allow the walls they’ve built around their heart continue to control them or finally give someone the trust enough to be in their corner.

I thoroughly loved this dark romance. The mystery was so fun. The romance was just SO GOOD. And I definitely smiled stupidly every time Chance was in the room. AJ did such a wonderful job and her writing allowed for an immersive and elegant experience. I ate this up in one day and I’m not ashamed.

Tropes you may find in TOS are forbidden love, reverse grumpy x sunshine, reluctant allies to lovers, workplace romance, one bed, forced proximity, mystery, slow burn, he gives her a nickname, mental health rep, spice 2.5/5, and a perfectly suspenseful and heartfelt ending.

This was such a good read. I’d definitely reread it and recommend it!

[neus.dreamybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about this book, it has banter, angst, mystery murders in an elitist academia, and a mysterious but dreamy MMC.

Violet arrived to Montgomery prep the previous year because of the natural death of the former history teacher but the mysteries started before graduation when Daniel Graham, a scholarship student, went missing. She thought he wasn't the typical boy running away but the police and the headmaster of the academy shout her down.

Just before starting the new school year Violet went with her friend Jolene, the headmaster's assistant, for drinks and there she met  a handsome and charming man who saved her of being drugged. She felt a chemistry she haven't felt in a long time, and their kiss that night was like fireworks.

The problem was when she discovers that Chance, the handsome man from the bar is the new English teacher at Montgomery prep so she can't be with him if she doesn't want to be fired.

I won't explain anything more about the plot because i'd like for you to read the book and discover and enjoy it as much as I did.

There are more mysteries than what happened to Daniel and why, and all that plot and plot twists will be taking place as long as we see how the "relationship" between Violet and Chance grow because Chance knows what he wants and that's Violet so he won't be less than charming and obsessed. It's a slow burn with open doors spice but this isn't a smut book so there are only a few spicy scenes.

This book is a standalone so there's no cliffhanger and we get their HEA and all the mysteries resolved by the end of the book.

- ARC read-

[Emma Tuckwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The other side by AJ Wynn

Violet Price, a history teacher at Montgomery Prep, is determined to discover what happened to a missing student while figuring out the new English teacher Chance Harper.

Violet is a super relatable FMC with an interesting backstory and flaws that make me relate to her in a way I haven't related to FMCs before, and Chance Harper is every girls dream book boyfriend, with just as heart breaking a backstory.

This book is a romantic mystery, a genre that I find can go one of two ways and luckily for me this was written so well.
I am not usually a 'Romance girly' but The slow burn romance had me hooked, The realistic vibe of not just diving head first for the hot guy was so refreshing and the spice was *chefs kiss* written so well.
I would give it a 2.5 or 3 out of 5 on the spiciness scale, not super modest but also not super erotica, it enhanced to romance of the story without dominating the genre.
The balance between romance and mystery was impeccable, providing the toe tapping romantic giggles but also keeping me entirely hooked in intrigued by the mysterious plot line.

I am a sucker for a good murder mystery, and this mystery had me running back to my kindle whenever life forced me to put it down. Giving me exactly the suspense and creepy vibes I needed to have me devouring pages at a time, if I could have sat and read all day I wound have finished it in one go.

Thank you AJ Wynn for getting me out of my reading slump and writing my first 5 star book of the year!

[Ené · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s nothing else more mysterious than the way you entered my heart.

I will start by saying, I don’t usually read mystery murders. It’s not that I dislike them, it’s more– I don’t actively search for it, so I don’t read much of it. But I did watch some with friends and I had fun. But this book has definitely made me want to reach out and look for more murder mysteries. Was such an amazing read.

The plot was amazing. It started off strong and it definitely ended strong. The buildup to the revelation was thrilling and definitely filled with suspense. What I did expect did not actually happen, though I still managed to catch a few things >:D Which I’m very proud of myself for doing. It didn’t diminish the experience, though, which is great!

Violet reminded me so much of Hermione (positive). She was smart, she was strong-willed, and cautious. She has a big heart but she’s afraid of being broken and abused again. I love her so much.

We all need a Chance, hehe pun intended (happy accident). He just seemed like such an amazing guy and he turned out to be a golden retriever, and I fell in love. A guy who wouldn’t give up on us and is wholly in adoration of us? Sign me up any time.

Their romance was beautiful. It was slow but very sweet. They took their time and I loved every minute of it. They helped each other in all the best ways.

Truly a wonderful book, super happy to have received a copy on BookSirens!

[Jaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am absolutely in love with this book. It is the perfect fall read. I was absolutely devouring the murder mystery and the romance that was blooming. I think this book may have just started a new love for dark academia for me. Aj Wynn's writing is wonderful and kept me hooked.

I feel like Violet is such a relatable character. She's tiny but mighty, and I love her. She's the new teacher at Montgomery Prep, and she is definitely the outcast. I admire she doesn't let that change who she is. She is also smart and sensing something wrong with this prestigious school.
Chance is our swoon worthy MMC. He's filled with Witty banter and charming remarks. Honestly, if I was Violet, I would have folded much sooner. He has made the ranks for a new favorite book boyfriend of mine. He had me grinning and kicking my feet. Violet and Chance were the perfect couple and complemented each other so well. Their chemistry and tension were just amazing. I'm obsessed with them.

Oh my god, that ending. It was so exhilarating and not what I expected at all. I was trying to figure out the mystery, and I thought i had it all figured out and then boom plot twist. I literally loved this so much it was such a great balance of mystery and romance. I also loved the depth the characters had to them and the self reflection Violet had about herself and her character development. This is definitely going down as a top favroite, and I love Aj Wynns writing. I can't wait to read more from her.

[Charity Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an enjoyable read! I devoured it in a day! Think Maxton Hall meets Gothikana sans the supernatural elements. It was atmospheric and seriously so perfect for the Fall season! I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone needing a good standalone with cozy vibes, swoon worthy romance, and exciting twists.

Tropes you’ll find here:
✨ Dark Academia
👀Mystery Romance
💕 Forced Proximity
🛏️ Only One Bed
🔥 Slow Burn
🤫 Mistaken & Secret Identity
🖤 Banter, Angst and Tension 🖤
He calls her his “muse” 😍
🐈‍⬛ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
FMC is 28 and MMC is 31! 😘 🙌🏻

Mini Blurb:
Violet and Chance are both teachers at Montgomery Prep. While fighting their undeniable chemistry (well, one of them fights it), they work together to discover the truth behind some mysterious incidents at the school.
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The push and pull between these two is perfection! I’m going to keep this review short since it is a standalone and the details are important to the overall story development. 🫶🏻 You’re gonna want to experience this sexy and thrilling ride for yourself! It’ll make you question and doubt everyone as you try to figure out who can actually be trusted in this story. Get out your magnifying glass and prepare to put your detective skills to the test! 🤣

Thank you to @ajwynnwrites and @behindthepagespa for the opportunity to read and review this! My thoughts are my own! 🖤