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Teachers in Love #4
Husband of the Year
Exploring themes of love, family, and parenthood, Husband of the Year is a trade paperback original publication featuring all the characters you’ve met and grown to love and is the highly anticipated final installment in the Teachers in Love series—from an author whose "stories are sweetness and spice wrapped into a big, warm hug" (Alice Oseman, bestselling author of Heartstopper).
Family isn't only about blood. It's about the people we choose.
For Marvin Block, former Teacher of the Year, life should be a breeze after finally finding his soulmate. But as he returns to his role as Mr. Block, guiding a flock of kindergarteners, he realizes that getting married is anything but simple. Sure, he’s discovered the love of his life, but is their love strong enough to weather the storm of planning a wedding?
Olan Stone wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with kindergarten teacher Marvin Block. And his daughter, Illona, can’t wait to call Marvin her stepfather. They’re bashert—meant to be. However, as the big day approaches, family tensions and unresolved issues put their future together in jeopardy.
Marvin thought he and Olan had everything all figured out. But he’s realizing that their whirlwind romance may not be the foundation for a lifetime commitment after all. As they struggle through the changes that life is throwing their way, will they be drawn closer together or farther apart?
Family isn't only about blood. It's about the people we choose.
For Marvin Block, former Teacher of the Year, life should be a breeze after finally finding his soulmate. But as he returns to his role as Mr. Block, guiding a flock of kindergarteners, he realizes that getting married is anything but simple. Sure, he’s discovered the love of his life, but is their love strong enough to weather the storm of planning a wedding?
Olan Stone wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with kindergarten teacher Marvin Block. And his daughter, Illona, can’t wait to call Marvin her stepfather. They’re bashert—meant to be. However, as the big day approaches, family tensions and unresolved issues put their future together in jeopardy.
Marvin thought he and Olan had everything all figured out. But he’s realizing that their whirlwind romance may not be the foundation for a lifetime commitment after all. As they struggle through the changes that life is throwing their way, will they be drawn closer together or farther apart?
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 2025
36 people are currently reading
960 people want to read
About the author
M.A. Wardell
11 books846 followersI write steamy queer romance and romantic comedies. My goal is to make you laugh and turn you on. Often at the same time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
September 23, 2025
OMG, I LOVED this book! So thrilled to have another opportunity to catch up with ALL of the characters from MA Wardell's previous Teachers in Love books, but ESPECIALLY Marvin and Olan. I loved seeing how much the characters themselves had grown and getting to see how they all formed such a beautiful family with each other. I cried, I swooned, I fanned myself - y'all this is the PERFECT conclusion to the series and I had the best time.
Husband of the Year again focuses on Marvin and Olan as they plan their wedding and deal with some unexpected and very surprising issues. I LOVED that we finally got to hear Olan's POV through his emails - OMG they were beautiful! If you are a fan of MA Wardell's spicy scenes, get ready for this one because it's definitely his spiciest yet! Definitely easier to move a little faster with a book about an established couple (there's spice in chapter one!). I was thrilled to get so much more from Marvin's interactions with his mother, Isabella, and Ilona. Though they all appear in Teacher of the Year, in Husband his relationship deepens with each of them - it's wonderful to see how much support and love he and Olan have from their family. There is a huge surprise/twist in the story that I wasn't expecting and I won't spoil that I was SO thrilled about - though it provided a major turn in the story, I loved where it led.
I'm so excited for MA Wardell's first NEW trad pub release and for this series to reach a wider audience. It's such a perfect example of authentic queer joy. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!
Husband of the Year again focuses on Marvin and Olan as they plan their wedding and deal with some unexpected and very surprising issues. I LOVED that we finally got to hear Olan's POV through his emails - OMG they were beautiful! If you are a fan of MA Wardell's spicy scenes, get ready for this one because it's definitely his spiciest yet! Definitely easier to move a little faster with a book about an established couple (there's spice in chapter one!). I was thrilled to get so much more from Marvin's interactions with his mother, Isabella, and Ilona. Though they all appear in Teacher of the Year, in Husband his relationship deepens with each of them - it's wonderful to see how much support and love he and Olan have from their family. There is a huge surprise/twist in the story that I wasn't expecting and I won't spoil that I was SO thrilled about - though it provided a major turn in the story, I loved where it led.
I'm so excited for MA Wardell's first NEW trad pub release and for this series to reach a wider audience. It's such a perfect example of authentic queer joy. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!
November 16, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC!
“Husband of the Year” is the fourth book in M.A. Wardell’s Teachers in Love series. I don’t think it is necessary to have read all three previous books to understand this one, but you definitely need to have read book one, “Teacher of the Year”, beforehand, as this is where we are introduced to the main characters of this book, Marvin and Olan, and get to watch them fall in love. In this continuation we follow them as they plan their wedding and attempt to figure out what exactly their future together will look like. Unfortunately the way to get there isn't easy, as unresolved issues arise again. Will they be able to figure everything out and celebrate their wedding as planned?
This is the second of Wardell’s books I got to read, the first luckily being book one in this series. I must admit I didn’t particularly like TotY, however I am also pretty sure that it was this author’s debut, and so I was willing to give him another chance, especially since this “finishes” telling us Marvin and Olan’s story. While there are still some things I disliked (though all of them are pretty subjective), I thought this was a massive improvement compared to book one, and really showed this author’s growth as a writer.
Two things I really liked about this book:
1. Oftentimes, both in gay fiction and gay fanfiction, female love interests or previous partners are treated badly, made out to be evil etc. This is definitely not the case here. Olan’s ex-wife, and Illona’s mother, is shown to be a kind, understanding and supportive person from her very first appearance, and she continues to be portrayed this way throughout both books. She and Marvin even become close(ish) friends.
2. The way the struggle with addiction is portrayed was already something I liked in book one, but it continues to be treated with kindness as well as the seriousness it deserves.
Now for some things I took issue with:
1. The communication between Marvin and Olan is a mess for the majority of this book, and while I felt that in book one Marvin was the main cause of this, in this book Olan is the problem. It was very frustrating to see Marvin be open, ask after Olan’s well-being, his thoughts and feelings, and get brushed off with “I’ll tell you later” etc. This was something I didn’t think was resolved particularly well, and I wouldn’t say I saw a lot of character growth from Olan there, yet he was still often portrayed as if he was being super communicative.
2. Racism – Olan is a black man, living in a very white state. At the beginning of the book this is addressed once in a scene that quite frankly had me questioning Marvin’s intelligence, but is never really brought up again after the first few chapters. I know the focus here is somewhat on struggles with mental health and addiction, but I still wish the author had designated some more space to discuss the unique challenges Oland and Illona are likely to face as people of colour living in a very white state.
3. This is a spoiler, so please skip over this and continue reading in the next paragraph instead. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Olan goes to help out his parents, as his youngest brother is currently struggling through recovering from his own addiction. The circumstances are made worse, as the brother’s girlfriend had recently overdosed and died, leaving behind both the brother and the infant they had together. I immediately disliked this plot point, and you can probably tell what happened next – Olan and Marvin adopt the baby. Throughout the entire book Marvin tells us that he doesn't want to have a child, and is happy just being Illona’s step parent and a kindergarten teacher. Yet when Olan shows clear interest in adopting the baby (once again without actually communicating this to Marvin until he specifically asks), Marvin is suddenly all in. Once the baby is home he appears to adjust with absolutely no issue to suddenly being a father to a baby, and whatever internal conflict is guaranteed to arise under those circumstances is never discussed. I hated everything about this. Before I got to that part I was even going to praise this book for showing a solid, loving relationship between members of a blended family, without making Olan and Marvin have another kid together to, I guess, solidify their unity. Obviously I had to delete that part from my review notes.
The audiobook presented a perfectly fine listening experience. I thought the narrators' voices were fitting, and I enjoyed the sound effects that were used to show the texting portions of the book (which you should be familiar with if you read the previous instalment(s).
Overall this was a very sweet (toothrottingly so) romance, and a mostly satisfying conclusion to Marvin and Olan’s story. If you enjoyed book one or the other two books you will probably like this too, and even if you are like me and didn’t love book one, you may like this one better.
“Husband of the Year” is the fourth book in M.A. Wardell’s Teachers in Love series. I don’t think it is necessary to have read all three previous books to understand this one, but you definitely need to have read book one, “Teacher of the Year”, beforehand, as this is where we are introduced to the main characters of this book, Marvin and Olan, and get to watch them fall in love. In this continuation we follow them as they plan their wedding and attempt to figure out what exactly their future together will look like. Unfortunately the way to get there isn't easy, as unresolved issues arise again. Will they be able to figure everything out and celebrate their wedding as planned?
This is the second of Wardell’s books I got to read, the first luckily being book one in this series. I must admit I didn’t particularly like TotY, however I am also pretty sure that it was this author’s debut, and so I was willing to give him another chance, especially since this “finishes” telling us Marvin and Olan’s story. While there are still some things I disliked (though all of them are pretty subjective), I thought this was a massive improvement compared to book one, and really showed this author’s growth as a writer.
Two things I really liked about this book:
1. Oftentimes, both in gay fiction and gay fanfiction, female love interests or previous partners are treated badly, made out to be evil etc. This is definitely not the case here. Olan’s ex-wife, and Illona’s mother, is shown to be a kind, understanding and supportive person from her very first appearance, and she continues to be portrayed this way throughout both books. She and Marvin even become close(ish) friends.
2. The way the struggle with addiction is portrayed was already something I liked in book one, but it continues to be treated with kindness as well as the seriousness it deserves.
Now for some things I took issue with:
1. The communication between Marvin and Olan is a mess for the majority of this book, and while I felt that in book one Marvin was the main cause of this, in this book Olan is the problem. It was very frustrating to see Marvin be open, ask after Olan’s well-being, his thoughts and feelings, and get brushed off with “I’ll tell you later” etc. This was something I didn’t think was resolved particularly well, and I wouldn’t say I saw a lot of character growth from Olan there, yet he was still often portrayed as if he was being super communicative.
2. Racism – Olan is a black man, living in a very white state. At the beginning of the book this is addressed once in a scene that quite frankly had me questioning Marvin’s intelligence, but is never really brought up again after the first few chapters. I know the focus here is somewhat on struggles with mental health and addiction, but I still wish the author had designated some more space to discuss the unique challenges Oland and Illona are likely to face as people of colour living in a very white state.
3. This is a spoiler, so please skip over this and continue reading in the next paragraph instead. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Olan goes to help out his parents, as his youngest brother is currently struggling through recovering from his own addiction. The circumstances are made worse, as the brother’s girlfriend had recently overdosed and died, leaving behind both the brother and the infant they had together. I immediately disliked this plot point, and you can probably tell what happened next – Olan and Marvin adopt the baby. Throughout the entire book Marvin tells us that he doesn't want to have a child, and is happy just being Illona’s step parent and a kindergarten teacher. Yet when Olan shows clear interest in adopting the baby (once again without actually communicating this to Marvin until he specifically asks), Marvin is suddenly all in. Once the baby is home he appears to adjust with absolutely no issue to suddenly being a father to a baby, and whatever internal conflict is guaranteed to arise under those circumstances is never discussed. I hated everything about this. Before I got to that part I was even going to praise this book for showing a solid, loving relationship between members of a blended family, without making Olan and Marvin have another kid together to, I guess, solidify their unity. Obviously I had to delete that part from my review notes.
The audiobook presented a perfectly fine listening experience. I thought the narrators' voices were fitting, and I enjoyed the sound effects that were used to show the texting portions of the book (which you should be familiar with if you read the previous instalment(s).
Overall this was a very sweet (toothrottingly so) romance, and a mostly satisfying conclusion to Marvin and Olan’s story. If you enjoyed book one or the other two books you will probably like this too, and even if you are like me and didn’t love book one, you may like this one better.
November 21, 2025
I gave Teacher of the Year a positive 3 stars and I feel the same way about this. It was so fun revisiting this couple and getting to spend more time with them. At the same time, some of the dialogue grated on me, which is very much personal preference. I still enjoyed the story despite that though, because it was just really comforting. I almost felt part of this family. Everyone was so caring and so loving, and where kids in books can be underdeveloped or annoying, I absolutely loved Illona.
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August 4, 2025I was not fully prepared for how SPICY this book was. I mean this cover looks like we’re getting an adorable little romcom about two cuties getting married, and it was that… but it was HOT. I made the “mistake” of reading the first 30% or so at the gym. Goodness gracious. This man knows how to write spice. And then on top of that, Husband of the Year was the inner monologue of one of our MMCs, Marvin, going through the emotional rollercoaster of getting married, helping your significant other through difficult times, figuring out how to rely on friends and family when you’re under pressure, being a step-parent, and starting your own independent parental journey. This book is deeply introspective, mostly told through he thought process of Marvin. The story does move along from a plot progression, but it is mostly told through Marvin’s narration. If you like character driven stories, you will like this series. Sweet & Spicy!
These are not interconnected standalones. So don’t be like me and read the series finale without reading the first 3 books. 😅
These are not interconnected standalones. So don’t be like me and read the series finale without reading the first 3 books. 😅
November 13, 2025
3.25 / 5 Stars
This is a really sweet (sometimes saccharine) book with very little relationship angst about a queer couple getting married while one is navigating his brother’s substance use relapse. “Husband of the Year” is the fourth and final installment of the series. It shows Marvin and Olan blending their lives together and planning for their wedding (they luckily find someone to help them because these two needed the help). Olan’s brother relapses and Olan travels back home to help his family figure out how to deal with the situation while Marvin stays behind to help raise his soon to be step-daughter. There was also a lot of spice mixed in (literally starts in Chapter 1).
You will probably like this book if you like:
👨🏫 Single dad x teacher who got together and are getting married
👨🏫 Low relationship angst
👨🏫 Blended families who co-parent well together
👨🏫 Exploration of substance use and how it impacts others
👨🏫 Queer characters
👨🏫 Maine as a setting
When I say this book was low angst, I mean that at no point was I worried about Olan and Marvin as a couple. There was no will they, won’t they. There was no concern that they wouldn’t get married (except maybe for their lack of planning skills). Olan and Marvin were established and deeply in love with each other and any conflict came from the outside world. That is not my personal preference for stories (I want a little more oomph for my couple) but you should totally read it if it is yours!
Olan and Marvin and this whole world was really sweet but sometimes it bordered into cheesy. There are a lot of dad jokes (especially during sex). Olan and Marvin constantly call each other “adorable” (that word comes up in the book 34 times). They constantly say I love you (good on you, words of affirmation). Every character is pretty supportive and kind. Somehow all of the kindergarteners, Marvin’s students, are super well behaved. There is a baby who I don’t think cries at all on the page. Even Marvin’s mom who is overbearing means well generally. And when Olan was away helping his brother with his substance use issues, all of that happened off the page and felt like it was wrapped in shiny glossy paper. Again, I prefer a little more conflict on the page, but it could be refreshing to read something this sweet for someone else.
What didn’t sit super well with me was the discussion of race in this book. Olan and Marvin are in an interracial relationship. When Olan and Marvin are coming back from their vacation in Mexico in the beginning of the book, Olan gets taken aside by customs and it doesn’t even cross Marvin’s mind that it could be because Olan is Black until Olan’s ex-wife points out the microaggression. And then Marvin is sitting on a ferry with Olan’s daughter and notices that she is the only person of color on the boat and he asks himself what people might think of him with his Black stepdaughter or what people might think if the roles were reversed and it was Olan with a white child. It is kind of baffling to me that Olan and Marvin have been together for two years and those thoughts and observations have never crossed his mind before. He is about to marry a Black man and he is about to help raise a biracial child and Marvin doesn’t seem to engage or think critically about race at all. And then race is not really brought up again in the book. I feel like if there is going to be a discussion of race, then it should be done more thoughtfully but instead it felt and like a few throwaway thoughts.
Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: November 18, 2025
This is a really sweet (sometimes saccharine) book with very little relationship angst about a queer couple getting married while one is navigating his brother’s substance use relapse. “Husband of the Year” is the fourth and final installment of the series. It shows Marvin and Olan blending their lives together and planning for their wedding (they luckily find someone to help them because these two needed the help). Olan’s brother relapses and Olan travels back home to help his family figure out how to deal with the situation while Marvin stays behind to help raise his soon to be step-daughter. There was also a lot of spice mixed in (literally starts in Chapter 1).
You will probably like this book if you like:
👨🏫 Single dad x teacher who got together and are getting married
👨🏫 Low relationship angst
👨🏫 Blended families who co-parent well together
👨🏫 Exploration of substance use and how it impacts others
👨🏫 Queer characters
👨🏫 Maine as a setting
When I say this book was low angst, I mean that at no point was I worried about Olan and Marvin as a couple. There was no will they, won’t they. There was no concern that they wouldn’t get married (except maybe for their lack of planning skills). Olan and Marvin were established and deeply in love with each other and any conflict came from the outside world. That is not my personal preference for stories (I want a little more oomph for my couple) but you should totally read it if it is yours!
Olan and Marvin and this whole world was really sweet but sometimes it bordered into cheesy. There are a lot of dad jokes (especially during sex). Olan and Marvin constantly call each other “adorable” (that word comes up in the book 34 times). They constantly say I love you (good on you, words of affirmation). Every character is pretty supportive and kind. Somehow all of the kindergarteners, Marvin’s students, are super well behaved. There is a baby who I don’t think cries at all on the page. Even Marvin’s mom who is overbearing means well generally. And when Olan was away helping his brother with his substance use issues, all of that happened off the page and felt like it was wrapped in shiny glossy paper. Again, I prefer a little more conflict on the page, but it could be refreshing to read something this sweet for someone else.
What didn’t sit super well with me was the discussion of race in this book. Olan and Marvin are in an interracial relationship. When Olan and Marvin are coming back from their vacation in Mexico in the beginning of the book, Olan gets taken aside by customs and it doesn’t even cross Marvin’s mind that it could be because Olan is Black until Olan’s ex-wife points out the microaggression. And then Marvin is sitting on a ferry with Olan’s daughter and notices that she is the only person of color on the boat and he asks himself what people might think of him with his Black stepdaughter or what people might think if the roles were reversed and it was Olan with a white child. It is kind of baffling to me that Olan and Marvin have been together for two years and those thoughts and observations have never crossed his mind before. He is about to marry a Black man and he is about to help raise a biracial child and Marvin doesn’t seem to engage or think critically about race at all. And then race is not really brought up again in the book. I feel like if there is going to be a discussion of race, then it should be done more thoughtfully but instead it felt and like a few throwaway thoughts.
Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: November 18, 2025
November 13, 2025
I can always expect two things when I pick up an MA Wardell book: I’m gonna get a sweet heartfelt romcom and there is gonna be some hawwwwwwwt HOT man on man action. 🥵 But I’m so used to reading books where the couples meet and fall in love that I was giggling and kicking my feet when we have an established couple who are going at it in the first chapter. Was I sad about it? Absolutely not! I crave sustenance and he has fed me!!!!
Marvin and Olan are the characters that introduced me to this author, to this series, and made me fall in love with all of it. They are such a wholesome couple that get up to some very smexy stuff!
On the one hand, we have Marvin who’s a kindergarten teacher (Maine’s Teacher of the Year, thank you VERY much!) and the sweetest Jewish man who has anxiety and a pet cat that has been his whole world. Up until he met the father of one of his students.
On the other hand, we have Olan who seems like he has everything together. He may be divorced, but he and his ex-wife have a civilized coparenting routine with their daughter Ilona.
Husband of the Year is the beginning of their happily ever after. They’ve met, they’ve ducked, they’ve moved in together, they’ve blended their lives… all they need now is to say I do. And while they are planning their big day (with the help of some very familiar faces), Olan gets called away because of a family emergency. The extended time away from planning only seems to raise the tensions that they’re feeling, which bring about all new problems and things to solve.
I love that even though they were not together (in the same city) for a portion of the book, that didn’t stop them from “playing” together. Which… they are so real for that. You can’t let a little distance stop you! Their relationship is peak!
I can’t imagine not having these characters in my life. I’m so happy that this series exists and I’m so sad that it’s ending. I could honestly read about teachers finding love forever. Maybe this should be my plea to start a petition to have MA Wardell continue this for another 20 books. Who’s with me?
Thank you to Forever and Libro FM for the ALC.
Marvin and Olan are the characters that introduced me to this author, to this series, and made me fall in love with all of it. They are such a wholesome couple that get up to some very smexy stuff!
On the one hand, we have Marvin who’s a kindergarten teacher (Maine’s Teacher of the Year, thank you VERY much!) and the sweetest Jewish man who has anxiety and a pet cat that has been his whole world. Up until he met the father of one of his students.
On the other hand, we have Olan who seems like he has everything together. He may be divorced, but he and his ex-wife have a civilized coparenting routine with their daughter Ilona.
Husband of the Year is the beginning of their happily ever after. They’ve met, they’ve ducked, they’ve moved in together, they’ve blended their lives… all they need now is to say I do. And while they are planning their big day (with the help of some very familiar faces), Olan gets called away because of a family emergency. The extended time away from planning only seems to raise the tensions that they’re feeling, which bring about all new problems and things to solve.
I love that even though they were not together (in the same city) for a portion of the book, that didn’t stop them from “playing” together. Which… they are so real for that. You can’t let a little distance stop you! Their relationship is peak!
I can’t imagine not having these characters in my life. I’m so happy that this series exists and I’m so sad that it’s ending. I could honestly read about teachers finding love forever. Maybe this should be my plea to start a petition to have MA Wardell continue this for another 20 books. Who’s with me?
Thank you to Forever and Libro FM for the ALC.
August 3, 2025
rating: 4/5 stars
~
i’m so glad the maine teachers are getting dicked down and are down bad for one another
~
i’m so glad the maine teachers are getting dicked down and are down bad for one another
November 21, 2025
3⭐️ 3🌶️ 4🎧
Let me start by saying I didn’t read Teacher of the Year before reading this. I heard Matt say that you can enjoy this book as a standalone and I do believe this is true. I think things from the previous book were mentioned and explained well enough that I didn’t feel lost.
I was really excited for this book and was hopeful that since this was a continuation of an existing couple that it would be a low angst, fun times read because most of the uncertainty in their relationship would have been ironed out in Teacher of the Year
I absolutely loved Marvin. He was such an adorable hot mess. His anxiety was so reliable and I loved seeing him learn that he was fully capable of handling life without Olin right by his side.
I loved every moment he spent with Illona. The two of them were so sweet together. I loved that she wanted to keep her regular custody schedule and stay with Marvin when Olin was out of town.
I loved his relationship with Isabella, Illona’s mom. They were such a beautiful example of a blended family showing love and support.
Where I struggled with this book was Olin. I was repeatedly told what an amazing father he was. That him being an amazing father was one of the things that Marvin was attracted to. And while I have no doubt he loved Illona I was completely flabbergasted by his complete disregard for her the entire book. I couldn’t believe we didn’t see him talk to his daughter more while he was away. I couldn’t believe he left it to Melvin and Isabella to handle all of the hard discussions. And let me tell you my jaw was on the floor when I found out he talked to his ex wife about a SIGNIFICANT life change before Melvin. So yeah, I can’t say I’m an Olin fan.
The audiobook was great. I loved the narrators and for those that like it there were some sound effects when texting. Although I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have their phone on silent 24/7. 🤣
Thank you to Matt and Hachette Audio for this ALC.
Let me start by saying I didn’t read Teacher of the Year before reading this. I heard Matt say that you can enjoy this book as a standalone and I do believe this is true. I think things from the previous book were mentioned and explained well enough that I didn’t feel lost.
I was really excited for this book and was hopeful that since this was a continuation of an existing couple that it would be a low angst, fun times read because most of the uncertainty in their relationship would have been ironed out in Teacher of the Year
I absolutely loved Marvin. He was such an adorable hot mess. His anxiety was so reliable and I loved seeing him learn that he was fully capable of handling life without Olin right by his side.
I loved every moment he spent with Illona. The two of them were so sweet together. I loved that she wanted to keep her regular custody schedule and stay with Marvin when Olin was out of town.
I loved his relationship with Isabella, Illona’s mom. They were such a beautiful example of a blended family showing love and support.
Where I struggled with this book was Olin. I was repeatedly told what an amazing father he was. That him being an amazing father was one of the things that Marvin was attracted to. And while I have no doubt he loved Illona I was completely flabbergasted by his complete disregard for her the entire book. I couldn’t believe we didn’t see him talk to his daughter more while he was away. I couldn’t believe he left it to Melvin and Isabella to handle all of the hard discussions. And let me tell you my jaw was on the floor when I found out he talked to his ex wife about a SIGNIFICANT life change before Melvin. So yeah, I can’t say I’m an Olin fan.
The audiobook was great. I loved the narrators and for those that like it there were some sound effects when texting. Although I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have their phone on silent 24/7. 🤣
Thank you to Matt and Hachette Audio for this ALC.
November 4, 2025
A heartfelt, angsty romance that’s sweet but not without its bumps.
I think I might be an outlier on this one, but I struggled with it for two main reasons — which I’ll get to. First, this was my first experience with the author, as I haven’t read the other books in this series. That said, they are interconnected stand-alone novels, so reading the others wasn’t necessary, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. It is a sweet, angsty MM romance, so if that’s what you’re looking for, I think you’ll enjoy it.
My first issue is how race was handled. To be clear, it wasn’t offensive or racist, but it wasn’t explored in enough depth. It felt included more for diversity’s sake than as a meaningful part of the story. Usually, I don’t comment on “what I wish had been in a book,” but when dealing with race differences — especially when written by an author of a different race from the character — a little more care is important. Race differences in a relationship can be a significant factor in understanding one another, and it’s clear that Marvin doesn’t have a full grasp of what people of color experience day-to-day in America. There’s a scene where this is made obvious, and while the author starts to address it, it’s brief and then disappears for the rest of the book. That left me feeling a bit icky.
My second issue was the audiobook narration. It was a duet narration by Kirt Graves (Marvin) and Torian Brackett (Olan). I didn’t connect with Graves’ portrayal of Marvin from the start — his voice just didn’t fit the character for me, and his pacing was inconsistent. At times it was painfully slow; at other times it sped up into a nearly unintelligible rush, making it very difficult to listen at the higher playback speed I usually prefer. Brackett fared better, with a more consistent delivery, but he was the secondary narrator, while Graves carried the bulk of the book. The pacing inconsistencies made it frustrating at times, as I couldn’t fully focus on the story during those sections.
In the end, I wish I had the physical copy to read, because I think I would have enjoyed it more. I loved the premise, and once it releases, if I get the chance to read it again and feel differently, I will certainly amend my rating. In the meantime, I recommend checking out other reviews to get a fuller sense of how readers responded to the book.
A story with a lot of heart and a sweet romance, but some aspects didn’t land for me — still worth exploring if this sounds like your kind of read.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Hackett Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
I think I might be an outlier on this one, but I struggled with it for two main reasons — which I’ll get to. First, this was my first experience with the author, as I haven’t read the other books in this series. That said, they are interconnected stand-alone novels, so reading the others wasn’t necessary, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. It is a sweet, angsty MM romance, so if that’s what you’re looking for, I think you’ll enjoy it.
My first issue is how race was handled. To be clear, it wasn’t offensive or racist, but it wasn’t explored in enough depth. It felt included more for diversity’s sake than as a meaningful part of the story. Usually, I don’t comment on “what I wish had been in a book,” but when dealing with race differences — especially when written by an author of a different race from the character — a little more care is important. Race differences in a relationship can be a significant factor in understanding one another, and it’s clear that Marvin doesn’t have a full grasp of what people of color experience day-to-day in America. There’s a scene where this is made obvious, and while the author starts to address it, it’s brief and then disappears for the rest of the book. That left me feeling a bit icky.
My second issue was the audiobook narration. It was a duet narration by Kirt Graves (Marvin) and Torian Brackett (Olan). I didn’t connect with Graves’ portrayal of Marvin from the start — his voice just didn’t fit the character for me, and his pacing was inconsistent. At times it was painfully slow; at other times it sped up into a nearly unintelligible rush, making it very difficult to listen at the higher playback speed I usually prefer. Brackett fared better, with a more consistent delivery, but he was the secondary narrator, while Graves carried the bulk of the book. The pacing inconsistencies made it frustrating at times, as I couldn’t fully focus on the story during those sections.
In the end, I wish I had the physical copy to read, because I think I would have enjoyed it more. I loved the premise, and once it releases, if I get the chance to read it again and feel differently, I will certainly amend my rating. In the meantime, I recommend checking out other reviews to get a fuller sense of how readers responded to the book.
A story with a lot of heart and a sweet romance, but some aspects didn’t land for me — still worth exploring if this sounds like your kind of read.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Hackett Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
November 19, 2025
Truly great stuff here, I love getting to see Olan and Marvin as an established couple, and how they work thru stuff together. I was a little stressed at the beginning of this but I should have known to trust where we were going. This is the epitome of queer joy. I went back and forth reading and listening. Great narration, the kids voices were especially endearing for me, and was nice to hear Olan’s perspective in his emails. I loved all the Sheldon and Theo content to, they might still be my favs of the series 🙈
December 12, 2025
I want to thank NetGalley and Hachette Audio for a copy of the audiobook. My review is voluntary.
This is the first book I’ve read of the author and I understand that there was a prior book, Teacher of the Year, that may have been hoot to read first. I think I probably should have because Marvin kind of grated on my nerves a little by his reactions to things. He seemed to have high anxiety. I really like Olan. However as they planned their wedding things changed, which happens but I thing Marvin was a little to eager to go along to get along.
There is a lot of spicy interactions in this book. So if you like that, you will not be disappointed at all. This is a very hot couple together.
This is the first book I’ve read of the author and I understand that there was a prior book, Teacher of the Year, that may have been hoot to read first. I think I probably should have because Marvin kind of grated on my nerves a little by his reactions to things. He seemed to have high anxiety. I really like Olan. However as they planned their wedding things changed, which happens but I thing Marvin was a little to eager to go along to get along.
There is a lot of spicy interactions in this book. So if you like that, you will not be disappointed at all. This is a very hot couple together.
November 22, 2025
Thank you so much to the publisher for the advanced reader copies in the form of audio and ebook. All thoughts are my own.
Husband of the Year by M.A. Wardell is the final installment (that we know of ) in the Teachers in Love series. This follows (but can be read separately) Marvin and Olan in their blooming romance as they are soon to approach the words "I Do." However, our characters must navigate the difficulties of life throughout the process, which causes road blocks to each other's physical and emotional needs. This story blends real life scenarios and characters we love with a loving and cozy backdrop that is sure to be adored by many.
This book, for me, felt okay. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. I found myself bored at most of the storyline and felt like the romance aspects that I absolutely adored in the first two installments of this series was absent. More than anything, I felt like this book leaned more into the spice ratio, and at about the fifty percent mark, I was sort of checked out of the book because the romance storyline and plot that I craved was stored with too much sex-related occurrences. Now I am no hater by any means of spice or smut, but when there was that much scattered into the first fifty percent of the book already, I fear that my attention to what I loved most about Marvin and Olan's relationship became out of sight and found myself only wanting to finish the story to know what happens out of closure rather than caring. I do feel like this book is going to find its audience that will love and adore it, but for me, this book missed the mark.
Husband of the Year by M.A. Wardell is the final installment (that we know of ) in the Teachers in Love series. This follows (but can be read separately) Marvin and Olan in their blooming romance as they are soon to approach the words "I Do." However, our characters must navigate the difficulties of life throughout the process, which causes road blocks to each other's physical and emotional needs. This story blends real life scenarios and characters we love with a loving and cozy backdrop that is sure to be adored by many.
This book, for me, felt okay. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. I found myself bored at most of the storyline and felt like the romance aspects that I absolutely adored in the first two installments of this series was absent. More than anything, I felt like this book leaned more into the spice ratio, and at about the fifty percent mark, I was sort of checked out of the book because the romance storyline and plot that I craved was stored with too much sex-related occurrences. Now I am no hater by any means of spice or smut, but when there was that much scattered into the first fifty percent of the book already, I fear that my attention to what I loved most about Marvin and Olan's relationship became out of sight and found myself only wanting to finish the story to know what happens out of closure rather than caring. I do feel like this book is going to find its audience that will love and adore it, but for me, this book missed the mark.
November 10, 2025
I love the Teachers In Love Series so much, and it’s been very hard to pick a favorite because each one brought its own unique storyline. But Husband of the Year was something special. Since Teacher of the Year, I loved Marvin and Olan’s relationship. Olan loves Marvin authentically and without judgment. This story was a great reminder of that. With wedding planning in full swing, Olan gets pulled away to handle a family crisis, and Marvin’s mom shows up for him. And everything is really just crazy for Marvin. But this was a true testament to found family. Everyone shows up and plays their parts. I love the relationship Marvin has with Isabella, Ilona’s mother, it’s such a beautiful thing to witness. I was emotional. Also, the LOVE LETTERS were everything!!! I truly enjoyed learning more about Olan’s thoughts and feelings. And of course, the spice was spicy in this one! I hope you all run to get this story on November 18th! You will not regret it, and if you haven’t read any book in this series, I can’t recommend it enough! Thank you Forever Pub for the ARC of Husband of the Year!!
December 4, 2025
Husband of the Year was an overall amazing conclusion to the Teachers In Love series.
I loved getting to dive back into Marvin and Olan’s story and see where they are at a few years into their relationship. The characters were exactly who they were from the first book and their love for one another has only grown exponentially.
The book was fast paced and still filled with the love that had become a staple for M.A. Wardell’s work.
Wardell seamlessly brings back the characters from the rest of the series that we loved and wove their stories back into Marvin and Olan’s lives. It felt nostalgic, wholesome and well rounded. This book takes the entire series, wraps us up in a warm embrace, and makes sure that readers feel the love that made this series great.
And epic ending to an amazing series.
I loved getting to dive back into Marvin and Olan’s story and see where they are at a few years into their relationship. The characters were exactly who they were from the first book and their love for one another has only grown exponentially.
The book was fast paced and still filled with the love that had become a staple for M.A. Wardell’s work.
Wardell seamlessly brings back the characters from the rest of the series that we loved and wove their stories back into Marvin and Olan’s lives. It felt nostalgic, wholesome and well rounded. This book takes the entire series, wraps us up in a warm embrace, and makes sure that readers feel the love that made this series great.
And epic ending to an amazing series.
July 24, 2025
To sum it up: Cheers to Queers.
As I love to tease @mawardellauthor - this is one solitary chili pepper (a ghost pepper if you will) - and I had a great time with Marvin and Olan during this book. I really enjoyed the storytelling and the busts at the top of each chapter were so cute!
No spoilers, but be ready to fall right back in love with your faves and some new characters too.
As I love to tease @mawardellauthor - this is one solitary chili pepper (a ghost pepper if you will) - and I had a great time with Marvin and Olan during this book. I really enjoyed the storytelling and the busts at the top of each chapter were so cute!
No spoilers, but be ready to fall right back in love with your faves and some new characters too.
November 22, 2025
Absolute queer joy, sweet, lovely (and quite spicy - don't be tricked by this cute cover) ending of the series. By the way, who was cutting onions at the end?
The audiobook was a perfection, that's it.
The audiobook was a perfection, that's it.
November 14, 2025
What a sweet (and delightfully spicy) finale to the Teachers in Love series!
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Maine rating: 🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞
Quick blurb: Two years after the events of Teacher of the Year, Olan and Marvin are preparing to get married! Some things come up during this time that test Marvin’s anxiety and he learns to lean on his found family through times that are challenging.
Quick thoughts:
I have only read Teacher of the Year so I can confirm that this one can be read as a sequel to Teacher of the Year. Although I am sure reading Mistletoe & Mishigas and Napkins & Other Distractions will only add to the enjoyment of reading this book. I loved the cameos from those two books. Even though I haven’t read their books, I was able to fall in love with those characters. Personally, I don’t mind doing things like this backward and dim excited to go back and read their stories.
This one really hit me in the feels. The first book, TOTY, explores the challenge of addiction in relationships. This one really took it to the next level and you can tell that the author took great care to get these right. We get further exploration and resolution in Marvin’s relationship with his mother. We get more backstory with Olan and his relationship to substance abuse. I will say, I have experience with a loved one struggling with addiction and I could relate to a lot of the inner monologue of Marvin and could see my own anxieties in his. Yes, there were tears shed.
The found family in this series is full of love and support. It was refreshing to read this celebration of queer love and joy as an escape to what’s going on in our current political climate.
Thank you so much to M. A. Wardell and Forever publishing for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Maine rating: 🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞
Quick blurb: Two years after the events of Teacher of the Year, Olan and Marvin are preparing to get married! Some things come up during this time that test Marvin’s anxiety and he learns to lean on his found family through times that are challenging.
Quick thoughts:
I have only read Teacher of the Year so I can confirm that this one can be read as a sequel to Teacher of the Year. Although I am sure reading Mistletoe & Mishigas and Napkins & Other Distractions will only add to the enjoyment of reading this book. I loved the cameos from those two books. Even though I haven’t read their books, I was able to fall in love with those characters. Personally, I don’t mind doing things like this backward and dim excited to go back and read their stories.
This one really hit me in the feels. The first book, TOTY, explores the challenge of addiction in relationships. This one really took it to the next level and you can tell that the author took great care to get these right. We get further exploration and resolution in Marvin’s relationship with his mother. We get more backstory with Olan and his relationship to substance abuse. I will say, I have experience with a loved one struggling with addiction and I could relate to a lot of the inner monologue of Marvin and could see my own anxieties in his. Yes, there were tears shed.
The found family in this series is full of love and support. It was refreshing to read this celebration of queer love and joy as an escape to what’s going on in our current political climate.
Thank you so much to M. A. Wardell and Forever publishing for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2025
After reading Teacher of the Year earlier this year and falling love with Olan and Marvin and their extended found family, I was excited to see what they were up to know that they have found their happily ever after!
🩵 Established Couple
🌸 Queer Joy
🩵 Kindergarten Teacher
🌸 Found Family
🩵 Wedding Planning
🌸 Relationship Growth
I will start off by saying I've only read Teacher of the Year from this series, not the other two couples books but I didn't feel like I missed much or had much of anything spoiled. It honestly made me want to go back and read Vincent's story more than before. I remember him intriguing so much after Teacher of the Year.
With that being said, this was a tricky read for me. On the one hand I loved how race, addiction, anxiety rep, etc. were all showcased in this and handled with such care. These elements I really enjoyed reading about, and made the book for me. I do wish we would have gone a little further at some points, because I feel like this is where the book really shined.
What surprised me that I didn't love was sort of the placement and pacing of the smut. Oddly enough, for a smut aficionado like myself, I wasn't into it for the most part. I think mostly because of the timing of it. Most scenes felt a little out of place. There was one scene where I thought we were finally going to talk about some heavy topics and then we veered right into a video chat smut scene that I was honestly just waiting to be over with so we could actually talk about the big issues. And the book also started with a smut scene and that just felt odd for these particular characters for me. The pacing overall was odd, and
Now back to what I did enjoy and that was Olan's emails, and the way he would write to Marvin. I ADORED them. Since the whole book is from Olan's pov, it was so nice to get an in depth view on what has been going on in Olan's head. Also the little Motown lessons that he would give Olan explaining the background of each song and what it means to him were so good! That element was super cool.
Lastly, I just love all the side characters. From Illona, Jill, Vincent, Isabella, Sheldon, Theo, and even Marvin's mom Sarah, all brought such vibrancy and fun to the story!
Overall this was okay! I'm not personally a huge fan of what I consider "epilogue books". We've already established that the couple is together and doing okay so the stakes feel a little less important and books like this one. At no point did I worry that Olan and Marvin weren't going to be together and married by the end of this. I feel like this was the cusp of something great, but just missed the mark a bit for me. Not a bad book by any means, but just wasn't my favorite. But that's okay, and it certainly does not deter me from reading any more from MA Wardell in the future. Just not the right book for me at this time 🤍
**Thank you to Forever Pub and Net Galley for the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏼
🩵 Established Couple
🌸 Queer Joy
🩵 Kindergarten Teacher
🌸 Found Family
🩵 Wedding Planning
🌸 Relationship Growth
I will start off by saying I've only read Teacher of the Year from this series, not the other two couples books but I didn't feel like I missed much or had much of anything spoiled. It honestly made me want to go back and read Vincent's story more than before. I remember him intriguing so much after Teacher of the Year.
With that being said, this was a tricky read for me. On the one hand I loved how race, addiction, anxiety rep, etc. were all showcased in this and handled with such care. These elements I really enjoyed reading about, and made the book for me. I do wish we would have gone a little further at some points, because I feel like this is where the book really shined.
What surprised me that I didn't love was sort of the placement and pacing of the smut. Oddly enough, for a smut aficionado like myself, I wasn't into it for the most part. I think mostly because of the timing of it. Most scenes felt a little out of place. There was one scene where I thought we were finally going to talk about some heavy topics and then we veered right into a video chat smut scene that I was honestly just waiting to be over with so we could actually talk about the big issues. And the book also started with a smut scene and that just felt odd for these particular characters for me. The pacing overall was odd, and
Now back to what I did enjoy and that was Olan's emails, and the way he would write to Marvin. I ADORED them. Since the whole book is from Olan's pov, it was so nice to get an in depth view on what has been going on in Olan's head. Also the little Motown lessons that he would give Olan explaining the background of each song and what it means to him were so good! That element was super cool.
Lastly, I just love all the side characters. From Illona, Jill, Vincent, Isabella, Sheldon, Theo, and even Marvin's mom Sarah, all brought such vibrancy and fun to the story!
Overall this was okay! I'm not personally a huge fan of what I consider "epilogue books". We've already established that the couple is together and doing okay so the stakes feel a little less important and books like this one. At no point did I worry that Olan and Marvin weren't going to be together and married by the end of this. I feel like this was the cusp of something great, but just missed the mark a bit for me. Not a bad book by any means, but just wasn't my favorite. But that's okay, and it certainly does not deter me from reading any more from MA Wardell in the future. Just not the right book for me at this time 🤍
**Thank you to Forever Pub and Net Galley for the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏼
November 12, 2025
4.5 - “When you open yourself up to it, the universe has a way of working its magic.”
Big thanks to Forever Publishing for the ARC and Libro.fm for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!
I have loved the series so much, so getting to read this one early was such an honor. These characters are so complex and so lovable that being back with them again felt like a big hug.
Seeing Marvin and Olan, now engaged, was perfect. What I really loved about this was how we see how Marvin has settled into this new life. Not only does he have an amazing relationship with Illona, he has developed a great friendship with Isabella, Olan’d ex-wife and Illona’s mother. It paints this striking picture of a blended family that enriches all of them for the better. Their moments together are tender and sweet, adding to the joy of this story.
The story focuses on Marvin and Olan’s impending marriage, but everything becomes complicated when Olan needs to return to Chicago to help with his brother. There are meaningful conversations about difficult topics in this book, like addiction and rehab, but it’s handled beautifully. I particularly loved the emails Marvin receives from Olan while he’s away. Getting Olan’s direct perspective was exciting and added such a depth to his character.
I also really loved where everything lands in the end. Marvin and Olan take a much needed step back to assess what they want their wedding to be. Marvin’s relationship with his mom gets a lot of healing in this book, which was lovely to read. I just adore these characters and have appreciated how these books are equal parts funny, heartwarming, and steamy. I loved this, and I’m sad to be saying goodbye to these characters.
Big thanks to Forever Publishing for the ARC and Libro.fm for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!
I have loved the series so much, so getting to read this one early was such an honor. These characters are so complex and so lovable that being back with them again felt like a big hug.
Seeing Marvin and Olan, now engaged, was perfect. What I really loved about this was how we see how Marvin has settled into this new life. Not only does he have an amazing relationship with Illona, he has developed a great friendship with Isabella, Olan’d ex-wife and Illona’s mother. It paints this striking picture of a blended family that enriches all of them for the better. Their moments together are tender and sweet, adding to the joy of this story.
The story focuses on Marvin and Olan’s impending marriage, but everything becomes complicated when Olan needs to return to Chicago to help with his brother. There are meaningful conversations about difficult topics in this book, like addiction and rehab, but it’s handled beautifully. I particularly loved the emails Marvin receives from Olan while he’s away. Getting Olan’s direct perspective was exciting and added such a depth to his character.
I also really loved where everything lands in the end. Marvin and Olan take a much needed step back to assess what they want their wedding to be. Marvin’s relationship with his mom gets a lot of healing in this book, which was lovely to read. I just adore these characters and have appreciated how these books are equal parts funny, heartwarming, and steamy. I loved this, and I’m sad to be saying goodbye to these characters.
January 1, 2026
3.5
Definitely my favourite of the series overall - very cute, and I loved how this really tied all three of the previous books together, while focusing back on the original couple, Marvin and Olan. I do wish that we had actually seen Marvin and Olan together for more of this book - they were separated for the majority, which felt quite jolting. This is a really wholesome end to the series, and I'm glad to have read it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Definitely my favourite of the series overall - very cute, and I loved how this really tied all three of the previous books together, while focusing back on the original couple, Marvin and Olan. I do wish that we had actually seen Marvin and Olan together for more of this book - they were separated for the majority, which felt quite jolting. This is a really wholesome end to the series, and I'm glad to have read it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 14, 2025
What can I even say about “Husband of the Year” except that I loved it? I’ll try, lol. This book is such a beautiful and cute return to Marvin and Olan, the original couple who kicked off the Teachers in Love series, and it reminded me instantly why I fell for them in the first place.
Olan wants nothing more than to build a life with Marvin, and his daughter Ilona can’t wait to call Marvin her stepfather. As the wedding approaches, unresolved family tensions begin to complicate everything. What I loved so much is that this book explores what happens after the happily ever after. It dives into the real work of maintaining a relationship in a world that is stressful and complicated. It does this with honesty, heart, and vulnerability.
Marvin and Olan’s chemistry is as tender, electrifying, and sweet as ever, and the spice is perfectly placed and sexy as hell. Wardell balances conflict and tension with so much care, always protecting the integrity of their relationship while still showing the pressure they are under as individuals and partners. The book also acknowledges the reality that Marvin and Olan navigate the world differently, because Olan is a Black man, and the world doesn’t treat him the way it treats Marvin. I loved seeing beloved characters return, especially Theo, Sheldon, Vincent, Ruth, Jill, and precious Ilona, and watching Marvin’s relationship with his mom evolve was incredibly touching. And without spoiling anything, there is a late tender moment between Marvin and Ilona that absolutely wrecked me in the most beautiful way. This book isn’t just cute and heartfelt. It feels important for MM romance as a genre, because it shows that love is not just about the beginning, but about choosing each other again and again as life changes.
Olan wants nothing more than to build a life with Marvin, and his daughter Ilona can’t wait to call Marvin her stepfather. As the wedding approaches, unresolved family tensions begin to complicate everything. What I loved so much is that this book explores what happens after the happily ever after. It dives into the real work of maintaining a relationship in a world that is stressful and complicated. It does this with honesty, heart, and vulnerability.
Marvin and Olan’s chemistry is as tender, electrifying, and sweet as ever, and the spice is perfectly placed and sexy as hell. Wardell balances conflict and tension with so much care, always protecting the integrity of their relationship while still showing the pressure they are under as individuals and partners. The book also acknowledges the reality that Marvin and Olan navigate the world differently, because Olan is a Black man, and the world doesn’t treat him the way it treats Marvin. I loved seeing beloved characters return, especially Theo, Sheldon, Vincent, Ruth, Jill, and precious Ilona, and watching Marvin’s relationship with his mom evolve was incredibly touching. And without spoiling anything, there is a late tender moment between Marvin and Ilona that absolutely wrecked me in the most beautiful way. This book isn’t just cute and heartfelt. It feels important for MM romance as a genre, because it shows that love is not just about the beginning, but about choosing each other again and again as life changes.
July 26, 2025
Signed up and received an advanced copy as a Patreon traveling book. LOVED THIS BOOK! Best in the series. I cried like 100x. It was a sweet, lovey, beautiful book with a bit of spice. My favorite parts were when Marvin and Ilona were together basking in their love (soon to be step dad and daughter). They just had the sweetest relationship. All of Marvin’s friends and family came out to help him when he needed them most (even when he didn’t realize it). Marvin and Olan continued to be adorable together and I was here for it. Thanks Matt for providing this opportunity.
I will continue to read anything and everything this man writes. 🥰🥰🥰
I will continue to read anything and everything this man writes. 🥰🥰🥰
January 4, 2026
fantastic book! loved every minute of it and loved the close to olan and marvins relationship. the cutest moments were all illona and she was just the funniest and sweetest kid
November 19, 2025
Admittedly, I have not read the rest of the books in this series but I think I'll add them to my TBR after this one.
I loved the family dynamics throughout the book. Having Olan's ex-wife, and Ilona's mum, be a primary support for Marvin a couple of times really demonstrates how love can change over time and how that can be okay eventually. It was peak blended family dynamics.
The addiction coverage was sensitive and honest, even if it was really hard for Marvin and Olan to go through. The race conversation was not addressed as well.
The spice was spicy and often.
I hate to say it but I didn't love Marvin and Olan as a couple a lot of the time, you could feel how hurt and strained Marvin was by the distance and tough but Olan never seemed to be able to read that and it was frustrating as a reader.
The storyline with Olan's nephew (that I'll leave out due to spoilers) was a bit frustrating because it felt like another instance of Marvin now being heard.
Husband of the year was published 11/18/2025 and I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
I loved the family dynamics throughout the book. Having Olan's ex-wife, and Ilona's mum, be a primary support for Marvin a couple of times really demonstrates how love can change over time and how that can be okay eventually. It was peak blended family dynamics.
The addiction coverage was sensitive and honest, even if it was really hard for Marvin and Olan to go through. The race conversation was not addressed as well.
The spice was spicy and often.
I hate to say it but I didn't love Marvin and Olan as a couple a lot of the time, you could feel how hurt and strained Marvin was by the distance and tough but Olan never seemed to be able to read that and it was frustrating as a reader.
The storyline with Olan's nephew (that I'll leave out due to spoilers) was a bit frustrating because it felt like another instance of Marvin now being heard.
Husband of the year was published 11/18/2025 and I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
November 26, 2025
Typically love this author’s book, was happy to see that there was a sequel to Teacher of the Year but question the necessity of this book now that I’ve read it.
Isn’t really a romance and also wasn’t an adult fiction, was a secret third thing….endearing characters with not much of a plot
Isn’t really a romance and also wasn’t an adult fiction, was a secret third thing….endearing characters with not much of a plot
November 15, 2025
Although this book is set two years after Olan and Marvin first meet, it feels as though barely any time has passed. The two are getting married yet have never discussed babies/whether they want more kids, race and how that can present (which in a bi-racial couple with a child you’d think would be an early on conversation), and his family.
A lot of heavy topics are brought up, shown as Marvin being oblivious, and then moves on without proper education which was frustrating to read. As with the first book the way the two communicate is juvenile (adorable was used SO much). I don’t think Marvin had a single independent thought for the whole book and gives up his wants at the request of Olan, I don’t know, something about the relationship in this one wasn’t connecting with me.
Unfortunately I don’t think these two are for me but they might be your cup of tea.
A lot of heavy topics are brought up, shown as Marvin being oblivious, and then moves on without proper education which was frustrating to read. As with the first book the way the two communicate is juvenile (adorable was used SO much). I don’t think Marvin had a single independent thought for the whole book and gives up his wants at the request of Olan, I don’t know, something about the relationship in this one wasn’t connecting with me.
Unfortunately I don’t think these two are for me but they might be your cup of tea.
September 10, 2025
First of thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the early e-ARC copy.
This book truly took me by surprise in a really nice and comforting way. I had to reread Teacher of the Year so I could fully enjoy Husband of the Year, and that helped me realize how much both the author and the characters have grown—both in writing style and in character development. Marvin and Olan have now been in a healthy, communicative relationship for two years and are preparing for their wedding, though there are still some bumps on their way to happily ever after.
This book was all about comfort. There wasn’t really a major conflict, and the one that does arise is fairly predictable in its resolution. In my personal opinion, that’s the perfect way to wrap up the Teachers in Love series—with the characters who started it all finally getting it all in the end.
This book truly took me by surprise in a really nice and comforting way. I had to reread Teacher of the Year so I could fully enjoy Husband of the Year, and that helped me realize how much both the author and the characters have grown—both in writing style and in character development. Marvin and Olan have now been in a healthy, communicative relationship for two years and are preparing for their wedding, though there are still some bumps on their way to happily ever after.
This book was all about comfort. There wasn’t really a major conflict, and the one that does arise is fairly predictable in its resolution. In my personal opinion, that’s the perfect way to wrap up the Teachers in Love series—with the characters who started it all finally getting it all in the end.
November 18, 2025
Absolutely romantic, heartwarming, an unforgettable blend of sweetness and spice. How many books do you know of that are both 10/10 for sweet AND 10/10 for spice??
It is the last in the "Teachers in Love" series, and although it can be read as a standalone, do yourself a favor and read them all. In Husband of the Year, we return to the original couple, Marvin and Olin. They are planning their wedding and settling into their family dynamic with Olin's daughter Ilona, Marvin's future step-daughter. When Olin's family of origin goes through a crisis in Chicago, he goes to stay with them to help just a few months before the wedding. How will Marvin and Ilona cope as a pair?
There are so many wonderful things to talk about here---
-Minor characters made famous from the rest of the series taking on the community role
-The evolution of Marvin and Ilona's relationship (from her kindergarten teacher in book 1 to her stepdad)
-SARAH BLOCK the ideal and perfect Jewish mom and her Fanny Brice references
-The found family is STRONG on this one
-Scenes of Marvin teaching his kindergarten class are incredibly authentic (the author taught early elementary for 15 years)-- seriously my favorite scenes in the book
-Motown fun facts
-THE EPILOGUE- girl I am still in tears
I have used this word already a few times, but if I can give you one word for this book, it is authentic. I loved it from beginning to end. Although I am a "closed door" reader and I typically skip/skim all open door scenes, I can tell based on other reviews that the spice is strong and excellent in this one. So see other reviews on that.
Audiobook review- the same narrator for Marvin from the first book. I liked the frenetic pace he used during Marvin's "anxiety overthinking" moments and how calm and happy he was when talking or texting with Olin. I also appreciate that Hachette used a black narrator for Olin. Sometimes it was duet in the text messages but other times the Marvin narrator did both parts. But not to the point it was distracting.
I also bought the finished copy and I LOVE the little cartoon heads at the start of every chapter so YAY on the physical version.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC, and to Hachette Audio, Forever, and author MA Wardell. Book published 11/18/2025
It is the last in the "Teachers in Love" series, and although it can be read as a standalone, do yourself a favor and read them all. In Husband of the Year, we return to the original couple, Marvin and Olin. They are planning their wedding and settling into their family dynamic with Olin's daughter Ilona, Marvin's future step-daughter. When Olin's family of origin goes through a crisis in Chicago, he goes to stay with them to help just a few months before the wedding. How will Marvin and Ilona cope as a pair?
There are so many wonderful things to talk about here---
-Minor characters made famous from the rest of the series taking on the community role
-The evolution of Marvin and Ilona's relationship (from her kindergarten teacher in book 1 to her stepdad)
-SARAH BLOCK the ideal and perfect Jewish mom and her Fanny Brice references
-The found family is STRONG on this one
-Scenes of Marvin teaching his kindergarten class are incredibly authentic (the author taught early elementary for 15 years)-- seriously my favorite scenes in the book
-Motown fun facts
-THE EPILOGUE- girl I am still in tears
I have used this word already a few times, but if I can give you one word for this book, it is authentic. I loved it from beginning to end. Although I am a "closed door" reader and I typically skip/skim all open door scenes, I can tell based on other reviews that the spice is strong and excellent in this one. So see other reviews on that.
Audiobook review- the same narrator for Marvin from the first book. I liked the frenetic pace he used during Marvin's "anxiety overthinking" moments and how calm and happy he was when talking or texting with Olin. I also appreciate that Hachette used a black narrator for Olin. Sometimes it was duet in the text messages but other times the Marvin narrator did both parts. But not to the point it was distracting.
I also bought the finished copy and I LOVE the little cartoon heads at the start of every chapter so YAY on the physical version.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC, and to Hachette Audio, Forever, and author MA Wardell. Book published 11/18/2025
December 7, 2025
funny lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
I am going to be frank and say I went into this blind, not knowing that this is the fourth book in a series. Despite that, the plot is quick on the uptake, and I'm clued in with major plot points of the previous book. However, I do recommend all to please actually start the first book first - while I did enjoy listening, I think I would have had an even stronger connection with the characters, had I known their struggles prior to them getting together.
The audiobook quality is pretty decent (although the Netgalley App does not have my preferred speed), and the narrator has a pretty balanced performance throughout. His reading of the smut scenes are pretty good, especially in the descriptions of their passionate actions - however, he falls flat (literally) in the dialogue. While I do not expect erotica-level reading, it is a bit jarring to hear a sensual description followed by an almost monotone reading of the characters' dialogue. The voices for the children is adorable, though, catching the lisps and speech quirks. I do also like the little sound effects to differentiate the texts.
The emotional parts did not resonate with me as much as I wanted to, neither did the conflict - which, I would attribute to my lack of emotional attachment to the series and the characters. Outside of that, a pretty okay read, but I doubt I would pick up the rest of the books after this.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing me this ARC via NetGalley. This does not in any shape or form influence my review on this book.
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
I am going to be frank and say I went into this blind, not knowing that this is the fourth book in a series. Despite that, the plot is quick on the uptake, and I'm clued in with major plot points of the previous book. However, I do recommend all to please actually start the first book first - while I did enjoy listening, I think I would have had an even stronger connection with the characters, had I known their struggles prior to them getting together.
The audiobook quality is pretty decent (although the Netgalley App does not have my preferred speed), and the narrator has a pretty balanced performance throughout. His reading of the smut scenes are pretty good, especially in the descriptions of their passionate actions - however, he falls flat (literally) in the dialogue. While I do not expect erotica-level reading, it is a bit jarring to hear a sensual description followed by an almost monotone reading of the characters' dialogue. The voices for the children is adorable, though, catching the lisps and speech quirks. I do also like the little sound effects to differentiate the texts.
The emotional parts did not resonate with me as much as I wanted to, neither did the conflict - which, I would attribute to my lack of emotional attachment to the series and the characters. Outside of that, a pretty okay read, but I doubt I would pick up the rest of the books after this.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing me this ARC via NetGalley. This does not in any shape or form influence my review on this book.
November 17, 2025
Husband of the Year is one of my most anticipated reads this year and it’s the final entry of the Teachers in Love series by MA Wardell. We’re reunited with Olan and Marvin, along with so many returning characters from the entire series, as the two prepare for their upcoming wedding. Things of course do not go as planned and their lives are turned around but they have each other and their friends to help them get through it. I really liked getting Olans pov but also more focus on Ilona and Isabella. One thing that caught me off guard (in the best way) was Marvin’s talks with his mother, I’ll admit, I was brought to tears. There’s lots of things going on here, some surprises let’s say but also things that will make you laugh, cry, and just make you feel all the warm fuzzies inside. With all the fun and cutesy stuff, we cannot forget about the spice, Matt ensures these two get their spice on with some great steamy scenes!
I loved this so much and especially the found family that this series created. Having all these characters work together was great thing to see and have a book with low angst and truly celebrate queer joy. I cried several times reading this and immediately messaged Matt to tell him about the emotions he’s caused lol I think this was a beautiful way to wrap up the series and say goodbye to these characters.
I loved this so much and especially the found family that this series created. Having all these characters work together was great thing to see and have a book with low angst and truly celebrate queer joy. I cried several times reading this and immediately messaged Matt to tell him about the emotions he’s caused lol I think this was a beautiful way to wrap up the series and say goodbye to these characters.
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