“Instigations,” is the sequel to Kiki Archer’s best-selling lesbian fiction novel, “But She Is My Student.”
Illicit affairs with happy endings. Do they really exist?
Miss Katherine Spicer, a well respected history teacher from Coldfield Comprehensive thinks so. Now in a committed relationship with her ex-student Freya, she feels she has it A thriving career, a wonderful girlfriend, and a fun-filled apartment shared with her very best friends. Previous insecurities are gently fading away and for the first time ever, she feels truly loved.
But will a chain of events, triggered by the deliberate and intentional actions of Freya’s new university acquaintance, see the downfall of their relationship? Has Kat got the strength to believe when Freya’s desire to stay strong is questioned?
“Instigations,” follows the ups and downs of all fast moving lesbian love affairs. From moving in, to moving on. A rollercoaster ride, full of emotion. Laugh out loud with the highs and cry in sorrow with the lows.
Lambda Literary Award finalist and Polari First Book Prize judge, Kiki Archer is the UK-based author of ten best-selling, award-winning novels.
Ranking highly on the Guardian newspaper’s Pride Power List and the Diva Pride Power List in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Kiki’s ‘chick-lit with a lady-loving twist’ has reached a mainstream audience now embracing stories with lesbian leads.
Kiki has won a SoSoGay Best Book Award, a National Indie Excellence Award, a Gold Global eBook Award, a Diva Literary Award and three Ultimate Planet Awards. She was a Distinguished Favourite in the New York Big Book Awards, a Distinguished Favourite in the Independent Press Awards, a Finalist in the NIEA Awards, a Finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards and has received two Honourable Mentions in the Rainbow Awards.
In 2018 Kiki won Best Author at the Waldorf’s star-studded Diva Awards.
In 2019 The Independent newspaper ranked Kiki #43 in their Top 100 celebrated LGBT+ people.
I wanted to enjoy this as much as I had But She is My Student, which tackled a delicate issue in a sensitive way. In Instigations, Kat and Freya are free to love each other, Freya is not Kat’s student anymore, she’s at university, studying to become a teacher herself.
I found some parts ridiculously funny, and smart, like when Kat, always the teacher, explains gaydar and how to reach multiple orgasms with the same gusto. I really enjoy the relationship between Kat and Freya, the angst (they’re both rather young still, 19 and 24), learning to trust and all that, even if it sometimes felt a tad artificial.
However, I didn’t like the comedic aspect so much, which I felt was often overt the top, almost crude, and didn’t mesh well with the rest of the story. It was okay in the first book but took too much importance in this one, and I can only take so many clichés.
Jessica Jeffries’ narration is impeccable, as usual.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I laughed, I cried, and I've even mastered a little jig of celebration. I know, you're laughing right now thinking it's only a book. But it isn't just a book. In the two book series you've come to know the characters intimately. You've been part of their lives through the ups and the downs. The book itself is really well written and worth every second you spend reading it. I've actually read it several times and now I think I should recommend it to everyone. I so want a third. Enjoy!
A good follow up but a trifle inevitable. It's almost in Book 2 angst has to be caused just to keep the story together - but that's not true (see Radclyffe).
OK, I know that the 2nd novel is meant to be as difficult as a 2nd album, but this appears to have been too easy.
It's very, very good. A* (again)
The first book will stay with me longer (the illicit thrill of the Teacher/Student relationship, vivid characterisations and the brightness of the prose), this is a truly excellent sequel, providing readers with a further fix for their Kat and Freya addiction.
Key points were:
1) the heat was turned up - I was able to extract an agreement from Mrs Mags that all of our future exam results will will be given this way - so I'm off to night school ;)
2) the funnies were as funny - including a "There's Something About Mary" moment
3) the cheesy social agony was a new high with Freya's parent channeling Hyacinth Bucket at her worst
4) the Ben and Lucy relationship goes in a direction that I hadn't expected and was major gear shift
Excellent follow-up, with a major issue and an outstanding question for me.
Issue - the book is way to short, we want/need more of Kat and Freya (am I sounding too needy - possibly, but the freshness and authenticity of setting and dialogue has completely blown me away).
Question - what's the story with Hannah Phag, with her flame etched moped, and why is she missing so many classes?
God, if only all schools and teachers were like this.
I hope that there are more projects in the works and that we see a new Kiki Archer book soon.
3 stars. Book one was better. The writing in this one was better but my overall enjoyment lacked. There was way too much time dedicated to Ben of all people and his story and I couldn’t muster up a fuck to give if you paid me so that was a wash. Then Kat and all of her insecurities drove me nuts and Freya’s friendship with Renee was inappropriate and I didn’t understand why she didn’t nip it in the bud sooner. It was all so frustrating. There were some good moments though, I enjoyed the Christmas dinner scene and I do think Freya and Kat are wonderful together when they pull their heads outs of their asses. It’s easy to root for their relationship but this one just wasn’t as fun for me as the first one. I did like how it all wrapped up though. The ending was very cute.
It was good to see the cracks in the “perfect” Kat Spicer and to see Freya’s adolescence. As I found in the first book I was forgetting how young both the lead characters were supposed to be.
At the end of 'But She is My Student', i felt like someone abruptly pulled out my lifeline. I called the ending too abrupt. Basically, i just needed more of these characters and the world that Kiki Archer created for us. If you felt like that too, you will love this book and the chance to pick up where we left off.
It took me longer to read than normal. I frequently found myself looking away from the text and staring off to digest what i had just read. I felt the need to savor this book and didn't want to rush to the end. You get into the heart and soul of these people in the first book, and this chance to rejoin and watch on as they grow as people and couples, and tackle personal issues, is a treasure that brought out emotion with ease. Many books seek to bring out emotion by just being depressing, this story is a well balanced combination of joy, love, worry, fear, etc. (and lucy and her sayings are just as hilarious) you will ride the roller coaster along with the characters. In that sense, along with the introduction of 'Renee', it reminded me of one of my favorite books, Fortune Is a Woman, but on a younger level. It has you questioning one of the protagonists, and questioning what you want for her.
It seemed like there was more 'local' terminology used in this sequel, or i just noticed it more. I was often looking up words that were listed as (informal BRIT) in kindle dictionary, but that don't exist in american english at all. But i loved that touch. Kiki's telling of the story in that fashion made it very genuine. I felt like i was right there in the kitchen with freya's mom, in a not-so-posh section of england.
The characters as you learned in the first book, are very down to earth and realistic. and diverse! this isn't one of those books where every character is surprisingly a wine drinking rich and beautiful lesbian. that was just another aspect that made it more real. (so if you are one of those people offended by having heterosexual characters in your lesfic, then don't read this book). Another thing i was very happy with, was the way the author brought this book to a close. i'm a big fan of epilogs, and while there wasn't an epilog per-say, there was a chapter at the end that brought everything together and left you with the closure that was missing from the first book. This one has mastered the truly balanced book.
Really i don't need to say as much as i have. if you loved But She Is My Student, you will want to get this. definitely read that one first if you haven't already.
writing: 5 stars editing: 5 stars character development: 5 stars ending that doesn't suck: 5 stars and of course, a moderate dose of hot and steamy that you dont have to wait until the end for.
Popular history teacher Katherine Spicer, (Kat) is in her second year of teaching at Coldfield Comprehensive School. Kat excels at her job, she loves teaching and always goes the extra mile for her students and her colleagues. Kat is happy and settled into a committed relationship with her ex student, Freya Elton.
Freya is a student attending Birmingham University. She is a fresher studying to become a history teacher. Freya feels truly blessed. She’s exactly where she wants to be, doing what she wants to do and she has a wonderful loving sexy girlfriend she’s madly in love with.
Unfortunately, the path of true love rarely runs smoothly. Freya’s new found friend Renee Eves, although professing to be straight, sets her sights on Freya. She’s determined to have Freya for herself. With all the instigations she throws around, will she succeed?
Kat lacks confidence in herself and allows her insecurities to come tumbling forth. Will this drive Freya in to Renee’s arms? Or will Freya be able to see what is happening and how Renee is coming between them?
This is a wonderfully well written sequel to But She Is My Student. I wondered how Kiki Archer was going to top her debut book. Well, she’s not only topped it, but Instigations exceeds it.
The story is diverse, it doesn’t just focus on the two multidimensional main characters, Kat and Freya. The rest of the gang are here too. Ben and Lucy are together and in love. Ben gets quite a shock, which has a great impact on their lives. Jess and Gary are blessed to be parents. Then of course, there are Kat and Freya’s parents. I think you’ll love reading of some of their antics.
I love the way this group of friends interact and play so well together. The story progresses at a nice pace and there are many twists and turns and surprises along the way.
This book is an emotional ride. Sometimes heart aching, sometimes humorous, it’s a journey of the tender love between two women newly in love and their path to finding their together forever future.
A page turner from start to finish. A book to be savored and read slowly. Oh and as an added bonus, this book is hot, sizzling, scorching and romantic. A definite re-read for me alongside of But She Is My Student. Two terrific books.
Kat and Freya are now at a different stage in their life and careers. Freya is at university, making new friends, and her whole life is changing, while Kat’s insecurities surface when Freya’s new friendships start to get in the way and with all that’s going on in both their lives, their relationship, and with their friends, Kat can’t help but wonder if the happiness she has found with Freya is going to be short lived.
Instigations follows on from the events that took place in But She Is My Student, so I definitely recommend reading that before reading the sequel, however it does also work well as a standalone story if you haven’t read the first book. I adored being back in the world of Freya and Kat and experiencing all the new challenges life was throwing at them as time moved on.
Kiki’s books are always fun to read, even those with more controversial subjects as is the case with this series, but I love the humour, fun loving way the stories play out. This instalment in Kat and Freya’s life is packed with everything from fun, sexy moments, tense and dramatic, to full on emotional moments. The fact the story covers not only Freya and Kat’s relationship but that of close friends gives a well-rounded story that makes you feel involved and as though you are part of the group.
Again, this does centre on the theme of student/teacher but although Freya is no longer a student of Kat’s, I think it was brave of Kiki to explore this subject and keep the theme conscious in the mind of the reader throughout this story too. I really enjoyed the story, and it isn’t as controversial as it may seem. Kiki manages the subject tasteful and sensitively, to bring a new perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Kat and Freya and know if there were ever to be more in the series, I would love them too.
The sequel to "But She Is My Student" is a book about love and lust, but also about trust, insecurities and possible temptations. While Kat is still teaching at Freya's old school, Freya has moved on to university. Things become a little awkward for the two lovers, when Kat is asked to mentor her trainee-teacher girlfriend for a whole month. But their relationship is only put to the test when Freya makes friends with flirty Renee, a fellow student at uni. And while Kat has to face her fears, their mutual friends Lucy and Ben are confronted with Ben's past and have to make a decision which also affects the future of Kat and Freya.
Like all the other Archer-books, this one also will have you giggling, sighing and smiling. You'll meet characters from the predecessor and you'll witness various comical scenes. And of course you shall get what you asked for: a lot of romance and sexy encounters.
I almost died when I found out there would be a sequel, and yeah I did it again and read the whole book the very first night I got it - yet again this really couldn't be helped.
In the sequel were introduced to the ups and downs that the new couple face. With Freya going off to uni, and Kat getting her new class we watch the balance in between.
The book was beautifully written. I actually felt really sorry for Kat, I just wanted to shake her! lol because I'm all #teamkat I really didn't like Renee. ( I won't spoil it and say why) but if you loved the first book but she is my student, then insitgations is definitely a MUST READ!!!
Two books full of Kat and Freya was definitely not enough, haha some of us needs more to curb our addictions!
Not as strong as the first book, but there were at times great angst. I learned more about Kat and her insecurities, while at the same time she comes off as being very confident and suave with Freya. To that end, I still wonder why Kat seems so fragile at times. Freya seems more carefree and confident, in this story, but acts like a typical late teen, with not putting her foot down and not realizing how distantly she's acting towards Kat.
Overall, not a bad read, but not my favorite either.
I found this book silly and I could not relate at all to the immaturity of the relationship. This is probably because I'm in my 40's and there's nothing sexy or enjoyable to read about shallow characters that get really drunk, throw up and end up feeling guilty about kissing some girl while they were drunk. I guess, I'm just too damn old to care about that stuff anymore. A redeeming aspect is the sex scenes were well written.
I loved this one even more than the first one (But She's my Stundent)... Really enjoyed how she continued the story. It's kinda (very) hot too, lol... sorry, but I had to mention it. Just read it.
PS: The only thing I didn't like is the cover.. I hated the cover of the first book and now I hate this one. Why put a face on the characters instead of letting us imagine it?!! Maybe it's silly but I don't like it.
I can't get enough of Kat and Freya! It's so easy to like and relate to the characters with the exception of Renee. Good god I dislike that girl! This is a great sequel to But She Is My Student and it was fab to catch up with the lives of the girls and their friends and family. There was, perhaps, less fun and frolics and more serious issues for all this time round but, hey, isn't that just what happens in real life too..?!
Loved it for what it is- a sweet & rather sexy story with better writing than I expected. Sequels are generally not my thing but as I had read the first "But She Is My Student" I thought I would give it a try feeling interested enough to want to know how this improbable couple, Kat(teacher) and Freya (former student) ended up. I give it an A!
Amazing, this book cracked me up, very funny. Was a little hesitant in reading this but so glad i did, thought it better than the first. CAn't wait to read more from this author.
This was a great sequel to “But She Is My Student”. Instigations was a very good title for this book. Kat and Freya are together, living with Lucy and Ben. Freya is at Uni now. She meets a girl named Renee and they become very close. But Renee is an instigator and Kat is not liking it at all. Kat is having to deal with the big troublemaker at school now in her class. An instigator. Everyone in the gang has news. This story was exciting and sad but in the end all HEA. Great job!
An excellent sequel to “But She’s My Student” and better too. Enjoyed the story, amusing, lots of scenes you can relate to. Renee the wannabe antagonist to the relationship was getting a little tiresome and similarity to the situation in the first book with Bea. Why not it be someone interested in Kat and see how Freya deals with the insecurities? I like happy endings and I like to see a third book to see how they progress after buying the house and Freya’s new job?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
For some reason, I didn’t fully connect with the first book in the series, but I loved Freya and Kat too much to not read this one. Honestly? I loved it. I felt like the side storylines added to the main plot rather than mush it, and the problems that Freya and Kat were dealing with were much more mature and realistic than the first book. I think this was a funny, sexy and romantic read and I highly recommend!
As much as I liked Kat and Freya as a couple, I was getting tired of Kat's insecurities. She should have been the more mature one in the relationship, but there wasn't enough backstory for the reader to understand why Kat had such trust issues. Maybe it's my age, but I just couldn't quite connect!
Well what can you say great book loved it couldn't put it down till it was finished. Great story line with very believable characters. Can't wait to start another book by kik.
Characters more believable than first book. Lots of drama in this book. The character of Renee annoyed me and made me what to stop reading but I persevered. I did not like Freya, who was my favourite character in the first book.