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The Teachers of Hardwood High #6
A+J: The Teachers of Hardwood High
Everyone at Hardwood High knows Miss Julie as sharp, funny, and full of life. But when the halls empty and the lights go off, she goes home to a husband who spends more time in the yard than with her. Antonio Carter loves his wife, but somewhere along the way they stopped knowing each other.
What once felt effortless now feels like work. Julie, tired of waiting for him to notice, takes matters into her own hands. Her Christmas gift? A cozy weeklong retreat in the woods that's secretly an intensive couple's retreat with scheduled therapy sessions and trust exercises. He thinks it’s ridiculous. She’s not sure it will help. But between the awkward icebreakers, the laughter they can’t quite suppress, and the long nights in front of the fire, something old and tender starts to stir.
They’ve built a life together for over 30 years. They’ve raised kids, loved grandkids, and weathered storms. But can years of distance really be mended in just one week?
What once felt effortless now feels like work. Julie, tired of waiting for him to notice, takes matters into her own hands. Her Christmas gift? A cozy weeklong retreat in the woods that's secretly an intensive couple's retreat with scheduled therapy sessions and trust exercises. He thinks it’s ridiculous. She’s not sure it will help. But between the awkward icebreakers, the laughter they can’t quite suppress, and the long nights in front of the fire, something old and tender starts to stir.
They’ve built a life together for over 30 years. They’ve raised kids, loved grandkids, and weathered storms. But can years of distance really be mended in just one week?
148 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2025
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61 people want to read
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February 4, 2026
A+J by Nina High (2025)
The Teachers of Hardwood High #6
Related The Martin Brothers Series
+141-page Kindle Ebook story pages 1-137
Genre: African-American Romance, Contemporary Romance, Holiday > Christmas
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
Featuring: Second Chance - Marital Issues; Drama, Fictional Ambiguous Town in Texas, Secretary, Retiree, Scholastic Setting, High School, Christmas Break, Marriage Bootcamp, Sex - Detailed, Dual POVs, Series - Overlapping Characters and Setting, December, Teenagers, Family Dynamics, Grandchildren, Cancer l - Past, Therapy, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Authors Links Bibliography for Nina High
Songs for the soundtrack: "Nice & Slow" by Usher, "Operator" by Midnight Star, "In My House" by Mary Jane Girls, "Anniversary" by Tony! Toni! Toné!, "Disco Lady" by Johnnie Taylor, "Something He Can Feel" by Aretha Franklin, "Car Wash" by Rose Royce, "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" by KC and The Sunshine Band, "Boogie Fever" by The Sylvers, "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross, "Sweet Thing" by Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan, "Just To Be Close To You" by The Commodores, "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry, "Getaway" by Earth, Wind & Fire
Books and Authors mentioned: Bambi by Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, George Stallings, Melvin Shaw, Carl Fallberg, Chuck Couch, and Ralph Wright [based on] Bambi, a Life in the Woods by Felix Salten;
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🏫👩🏾🦳🧑🏾🦲🇨🇱🎄
My thoughts: 📑 It said they had 2 children a boy and a girl but it sounds like they have 2 boys and a girl. 🙄
This was my favorite book of the series. It was hilarious and fun. The drama was meaningful and I loved the epilogue. I was wondering how freaky the seniors were going to get but this book was toned way down on the spice level. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this author's catalog, I might finish this month.
Recommend to others: Yes! This series was a good time.
The Teachers of Hardwood High
1. X+E (2024)
2. B+J (2024)
3. P+B (2025)
4. T+E (2025)
5. Q+C (2025)
6. A+J (2025)
Memorable Quotes: I walk out the kitchen and back to our bedroom to continue getting ready for my day. It’s the last day before Christmas break starts, and while everyone else is probably excited to get 2 weeks off, I’m not looking forward to sitting here for 16 days with my husband. I’m not in the mood to fuss and fight over the holidays again. We barely survived Thanksgiving. I saw a couple’s retreat on my social media the other day, and I’m really considering signing us up for it. It’s a week at a bed and breakfast with other couples going through group and one-on-one therapy. Like those tv shows on VH1. A marriage bootcamp type thing. Antonio’s going to veto it if I just bring it up. He knows we’re not doing great, but he doesn’t want to make any moves to fix us. I’m going to go ahead and book us when I get to work. And when he fusses, I’m just going to tell him the money’s already spent. I’m always early to work. I like to get there and get myself situated before chaos ensues. I make sure Dr. Ranley knows which parents to call first based on the pissed off parent system I created. I get the coffee going in the teacher’s lounge. I make myself useful, and everyone knows to come to me if they need anything at all.
There’s a fight before first period starts, and Officer Williams escorts the young man who looks like he’s the one who definitely lost the fight to Dr. Ranley’s office. It’s Kyron. My favorite baby. He has troubles, and he gets on every teacher’s nerves, but he’s my baby. I give him candy every time I see him. But not today. The boy needs ice.
I love my wife. Truly. But I find myself liking her less and less each day. The constant nitpicking and correction on every little thing I do, like I’m not a man in his sixties who worked at a very complicated job for 40 years. It grates my soul. I’m a passenger in my marriage, not a partner. I know she’s going to walk in this house, look at how I’ve started decorating for Lavender’s baby shower tomorrow, and tell me it’s wrong. I almost didn’t do it at all, but she asked me to. Still, she’s going to be here in less than 15 minutes rearranging the furniture I already rearranged and adjusting streamers I put up according to the diagram she drew.
We’re coming up on thirty-five years together at the start of the year. And I can honestly say the first fifteen were good. We had our two kids, a boy and a girl, and we loved them, and we loved each other, and that’s all that mattered. But things started going downhill when Atlas became a teenager. I think Julie started to see it. We both started to see, actually, that the kids were going to grow up and move out. And we didn’t know where that would leave us. At least I didn’t.
Andre arrives first, and I immediately see how much it brightens my husband. Andre is his favorite person in the whole world, as far as I can tell. The kids come second. The grandbabies come third. And I’m somewhere down at the bottom, floating away on a lifeboat by myself. But Andre’s the kind of person who brightens the room, so he is a welcome sight. “Hey, sis,” he says, coming in, giving me a side hug and a kiss on my cheek. “Hey, Andre. How are you doing? Enjoying this life of retirement?” “You know, I had to copy my brother and do exactly what he did.” “That’s what baby brothers do,” I say.
Next in is Atlas, his wife Tia, and my three Disney princesses Jasmine, Tiana, and Raya. They popped them babies out. Each one is just a year older than the other, and they tire me out. A four, five, and six-year-old with this old body of mine? I’m tapping out every time. We can’t just be up in my house if I’m the only one watching them. I cart them around, take them on adventures. We have a permanent table at Chuck E. Cheese, a membership to the zoo. If Grandma has to keep the babies, the babies will be in the streets with me. That’s just how it is. Antonio, on the other hand, can manage them and entertain them and have them be perfect little angels of the house. I don’t understand it. It’s not for me to understand, I suppose. We all have our strengths, and all of his strengths come into play when I’m not anywhere near him.
Lavender comes in, and I swear every time I see her, I could cry. That’s my baby girl. She is having a baby. It’s hard for me to believe, because I see a skinny little girl with hair bigger than her head, running around with ashy legs. And now she’s a woman and about to be a mother. Life is crazy. “Baby girl,” I call out as her husband Chauncey walks in. “Hey, Mama,” she calls out with a bright smile. My baby child is really glowing. She’s had such a delightful pregnancy. She didn’t get morning sickness. She hasn’t gained a lot of weight. She’s still doing everything that she wants to do, and I’ve never heard her complain at all. On the other hand, when I was pregnant with Isaac, I was too old. I thought I was gonna die. My body felt like it was breaking in half every single day. I’m grateful she’s not going through those struggles. Everyone except for Isaac is here, which is typical. He just moved out, and he is really enjoying life on campus and out of our house.
Everybody smiles except for Lavender, who bursts into tears. We all freeze, giving her all of our attention. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?” her husband asks. She hiccups and has a hard time catching her breath. Antonio kneels down in front of her. “Are you okay? Is anything hurting? What’s wrong, baby girl?” he asks gently. “I really wanted your dressing at Christmas this year,” she cries. “It’s the only thing I’ve been thinking about for weeks since Thanksgiving. And now I won’t get it because you and Mom are going on a trip.” Atlas and his brother roll their eyes. Her husband looks befuddled and confused. Andre straight up laughs. And Antonio pulls her into a hug. “I made extra at Thanksgiving. They are four pans in the deep freezer. They’re all yours.” “Purple always gets what she wants,” Atlas grumbles.
The Teachers of Hardwood High #6
Related The Martin Brothers Series
+141-page Kindle Ebook story pages 1-137
Genre: African-American Romance, Contemporary Romance, Holiday > Christmas
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
Featuring: Second Chance - Marital Issues; Drama, Fictional Ambiguous Town in Texas, Secretary, Retiree, Scholastic Setting, High School, Christmas Break, Marriage Bootcamp, Sex - Detailed, Dual POVs, Series - Overlapping Characters and Setting, December, Teenagers, Family Dynamics, Grandchildren, Cancer l - Past, Therapy, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Authors Links Bibliography for Nina High
Songs for the soundtrack: "Nice & Slow" by Usher, "Operator" by Midnight Star, "In My House" by Mary Jane Girls, "Anniversary" by Tony! Toni! Toné!, "Disco Lady" by Johnnie Taylor, "Something He Can Feel" by Aretha Franklin, "Car Wash" by Rose Royce, "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" by KC and The Sunshine Band, "Boogie Fever" by The Sylvers, "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross, "Sweet Thing" by Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan, "Just To Be Close To You" by The Commodores, "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry, "Getaway" by Earth, Wind & Fire
Books and Authors mentioned: Bambi by Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, George Stallings, Melvin Shaw, Carl Fallberg, Chuck Couch, and Ralph Wright [based on] Bambi, a Life in the Woods by Felix Salten;
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🏫👩🏾🦳🧑🏾🦲🇨🇱🎄
My thoughts: 📑 It said they had 2 children a boy and a girl but it sounds like they have 2 boys and a girl. 🙄
This was my favorite book of the series. It was hilarious and fun. The drama was meaningful and I loved the epilogue. I was wondering how freaky the seniors were going to get but this book was toned way down on the spice level. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this author's catalog, I might finish this month.
Recommend to others: Yes! This series was a good time.
The Teachers of Hardwood High
1. X+E (2024)
2. B+J (2024)
3. P+B (2025)
4. T+E (2025)
5. Q+C (2025)
6. A+J (2025)
Memorable Quotes: I walk out the kitchen and back to our bedroom to continue getting ready for my day. It’s the last day before Christmas break starts, and while everyone else is probably excited to get 2 weeks off, I’m not looking forward to sitting here for 16 days with my husband. I’m not in the mood to fuss and fight over the holidays again. We barely survived Thanksgiving. I saw a couple’s retreat on my social media the other day, and I’m really considering signing us up for it. It’s a week at a bed and breakfast with other couples going through group and one-on-one therapy. Like those tv shows on VH1. A marriage bootcamp type thing. Antonio’s going to veto it if I just bring it up. He knows we’re not doing great, but he doesn’t want to make any moves to fix us. I’m going to go ahead and book us when I get to work. And when he fusses, I’m just going to tell him the money’s already spent. I’m always early to work. I like to get there and get myself situated before chaos ensues. I make sure Dr. Ranley knows which parents to call first based on the pissed off parent system I created. I get the coffee going in the teacher’s lounge. I make myself useful, and everyone knows to come to me if they need anything at all.
There’s a fight before first period starts, and Officer Williams escorts the young man who looks like he’s the one who definitely lost the fight to Dr. Ranley’s office. It’s Kyron. My favorite baby. He has troubles, and he gets on every teacher’s nerves, but he’s my baby. I give him candy every time I see him. But not today. The boy needs ice.
I love my wife. Truly. But I find myself liking her less and less each day. The constant nitpicking and correction on every little thing I do, like I’m not a man in his sixties who worked at a very complicated job for 40 years. It grates my soul. I’m a passenger in my marriage, not a partner. I know she’s going to walk in this house, look at how I’ve started decorating for Lavender’s baby shower tomorrow, and tell me it’s wrong. I almost didn’t do it at all, but she asked me to. Still, she’s going to be here in less than 15 minutes rearranging the furniture I already rearranged and adjusting streamers I put up according to the diagram she drew.
We’re coming up on thirty-five years together at the start of the year. And I can honestly say the first fifteen were good. We had our two kids, a boy and a girl, and we loved them, and we loved each other, and that’s all that mattered. But things started going downhill when Atlas became a teenager. I think Julie started to see it. We both started to see, actually, that the kids were going to grow up and move out. And we didn’t know where that would leave us. At least I didn’t.
Andre arrives first, and I immediately see how much it brightens my husband. Andre is his favorite person in the whole world, as far as I can tell. The kids come second. The grandbabies come third. And I’m somewhere down at the bottom, floating away on a lifeboat by myself. But Andre’s the kind of person who brightens the room, so he is a welcome sight. “Hey, sis,” he says, coming in, giving me a side hug and a kiss on my cheek. “Hey, Andre. How are you doing? Enjoying this life of retirement?” “You know, I had to copy my brother and do exactly what he did.” “That’s what baby brothers do,” I say.
Next in is Atlas, his wife Tia, and my three Disney princesses Jasmine, Tiana, and Raya. They popped them babies out. Each one is just a year older than the other, and they tire me out. A four, five, and six-year-old with this old body of mine? I’m tapping out every time. We can’t just be up in my house if I’m the only one watching them. I cart them around, take them on adventures. We have a permanent table at Chuck E. Cheese, a membership to the zoo. If Grandma has to keep the babies, the babies will be in the streets with me. That’s just how it is. Antonio, on the other hand, can manage them and entertain them and have them be perfect little angels of the house. I don’t understand it. It’s not for me to understand, I suppose. We all have our strengths, and all of his strengths come into play when I’m not anywhere near him.
Lavender comes in, and I swear every time I see her, I could cry. That’s my baby girl. She is having a baby. It’s hard for me to believe, because I see a skinny little girl with hair bigger than her head, running around with ashy legs. And now she’s a woman and about to be a mother. Life is crazy. “Baby girl,” I call out as her husband Chauncey walks in. “Hey, Mama,” she calls out with a bright smile. My baby child is really glowing. She’s had such a delightful pregnancy. She didn’t get morning sickness. She hasn’t gained a lot of weight. She’s still doing everything that she wants to do, and I’ve never heard her complain at all. On the other hand, when I was pregnant with Isaac, I was too old. I thought I was gonna die. My body felt like it was breaking in half every single day. I’m grateful she’s not going through those struggles. Everyone except for Isaac is here, which is typical. He just moved out, and he is really enjoying life on campus and out of our house.
Everybody smiles except for Lavender, who bursts into tears. We all freeze, giving her all of our attention. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?” her husband asks. She hiccups and has a hard time catching her breath. Antonio kneels down in front of her. “Are you okay? Is anything hurting? What’s wrong, baby girl?” he asks gently. “I really wanted your dressing at Christmas this year,” she cries. “It’s the only thing I’ve been thinking about for weeks since Thanksgiving. And now I won’t get it because you and Mom are going on a trip.” Atlas and his brother roll their eyes. Her husband looks befuddled and confused. Andre straight up laughs. And Antonio pulls her into a hug. “I made extra at Thanksgiving. They are four pans in the deep freezer. They’re all yours.” “Purple always gets what she wants,” Atlas grumbles.
December 27, 2025
The importance of maintaining
Mrs. Julie is the administrative assistant at Hardwood High. She knows all the teachers business but no one knows hers. At school she’s poised and organized, but her home life is chaotic and tense.
Antonio was taken by surprise when his wife booked a trip for winter break. Little did he know this trip was going to change his marriage dynamics more than anyone can imagine.
This book details the truths about how marriages need maintenance and the importance of acknowledging each other’s feelings and wishes. It showcase the uncomfortable work of trying to become better. Never have I read a book that truly demonstrates how important it is to put in work with a marriage.
Mrs. Julie is the administrative assistant at Hardwood High. She knows all the teachers business but no one knows hers. At school she’s poised and organized, but her home life is chaotic and tense.
Antonio was taken by surprise when his wife booked a trip for winter break. Little did he know this trip was going to change his marriage dynamics more than anyone can imagine.
This book details the truths about how marriages need maintenance and the importance of acknowledging each other’s feelings and wishes. It showcase the uncomfortable work of trying to become better. Never have I read a book that truly demonstrates how important it is to put in work with a marriage.
January 3, 2026
Ms. Julie, Ms. Julie, Ms. Julie! I knew you had a story, but I didn’t realize just how much of one. I’m so glad Nina chose to give us Ms. Julie’s perspective, because while she knows everyone’s business at Hardwood High, no one truly knows hers. One of the things I loved most about this book was seeing a mature couple figuring things out together. Nina beautifully captures what it looks like when two people know something has shifted but can’t quite name the why or the where, only that, in the end, they want each other. I truly enjoyed this story and the way it explored relationships, commitment, and what “putting in the work” really looks like.
December 28, 2025
Saving the best for last!
A&J may just be my favorite in the Hardwood series! You can’t help but root for and resonate with Antonio and Miss Julie. One day you look up and you and your spouse have settled into these roles and you are either forced to sit and unpack how you got there or you continue to fall further a part. Julie and Antonio choose the former and it’s not pretty but we and they get to see that it’s worth it.
A&J may just be my favorite in the Hardwood series! You can’t help but root for and resonate with Antonio and Miss Julie. One day you look up and you and your spouse have settled into these roles and you are either forced to sit and unpack how you got there or you continue to fall further a part. Julie and Antonio choose the former and it’s not pretty but we and they get to see that it’s worth it.
February 2, 2026
Love Reconnected
Nina High does it again. It was nice seeing a relationship of a seasoned couple. To know that even when you have decades under your belt, you still have to work at marriage, learn your partner at every stage, and communicate with an open heart. The supporting characters were hilarious during the retreat. There’s something we can all take away from Antonio and Julie!
Nina High does it again. It was nice seeing a relationship of a seasoned couple. To know that even when you have decades under your belt, you still have to work at marriage, learn your partner at every stage, and communicate with an open heart. The supporting characters were hilarious during the retreat. There’s something we can all take away from Antonio and Julie!
January 7, 2026
Preserving Love
This was a good story. It was so good to see Julie’s life. Her story was right on time for me, thanks for shedding light on therapy. I did miss the other teachers at Hardwood High, but enjoyed the story.
This was a good story. It was so good to see Julie’s life. Her story was right on time for me, thanks for shedding light on therapy. I did miss the other teachers at Hardwood High, but enjoyed the story.
January 13, 2026
Peace
What begins as chaos for Antonio and Julie ends up being a place of peace. I appreciate how the author tied in therapy for the couple to learn how to deal with what was happening between them.
What begins as chaos for Antonio and Julie ends up being a place of peace. I appreciate how the author tied in therapy for the couple to learn how to deal with what was happening between them.
January 31, 2026
35 Years, Yes!
Great reminder of what 35 years of marriage looks like through the ups, downs, kids, work and life. I am at this point in my life right now. Let’s see if I can get hubby into couples therapy.
Great reminder of what 35 years of marriage looks like through the ups, downs, kids, work and life. I am at this point in my life right now. Let’s see if I can get hubby into couples therapy.
January 4, 2026
A New Start
This was a perfect reminder of what marriage is and it isn’t. It can be messy and you can get lost and quiet if you don’t keep working at it! I highly recommend!
This was a perfect reminder of what marriage is and it isn’t. It can be messy and you can get lost and quiet if you don’t keep working at it! I highly recommend!
December 21, 2025
end of series review
I enjoyed the books in this series. I loved how each book focused on two characters but wove everyone into the next story. It was seamlessly done. Out of the series, I could have done without Q + C’s story.
I enjoyed everyone else’s story. The lessons from each couple were so real and relatable. I recommend this series. The author did a great job telling a complete story without making it a long book.
I enjoyed the books in this series. I loved how each book focused on two characters but wove everyone into the next story. It was seamlessly done. Out of the series, I could have done without Q + C’s story.
I enjoyed everyone else’s story. The lessons from each couple were so real and relatable. I recommend this series. The author did a great job telling a complete story without making it a long book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews