Making the Grade

Making The Grade #1, 1.5, 2

by Kelly Collins

Book 1: The Dean’s List
Grad student River Roberts is a high-class escort. Businessman Jonathan Ferris is a heartbroken client. Falling in love was never in the contract…
With graduation fast approaching, can River and Jonathan see past the price tag and open their hearts to true love?

Book 1.5: The Graduate (Bonus Content)
Paul is charming, intelligent and filthy rich, but what he wants most is to find someone who will love him for what he is, not what he lacks.
Melody Harper shed the weight, but she hasn't been able to shed her insecurities. Her greatest desire is to find a man who will accept her for all that she is.
Can two people looking for truth in themselves discover even more within each other?

Book 2: Honor Roll
Grad student Luca Gregorio is leading a double life. Professor's assistant Mim Knight is following her heart. Will Luca's sexy secret ruin their perfect romance?
Caught in a web of sex and lies, can Luca and Mim find the courage to give true love a fighting chance?

Genres: Amazon, Contemporary Romance, Romance, College

671 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2016

About the author

Kelly Collins is a bestselling, award-winning author of feel-good small-town romance filled with heart, heat, and happily-ever-afters. Her books are perfect for readers who crave heartwarming contemporary love stories, sassy heroines, and slow-burn romances with cinnamon roll heroes you’ll wish were real.

With humor, charm, and emotional depth, Kelly brings to life tight-knit towns, unforgettable characters, and the kind of love that feels like coming home. When she’s not plotting her next happily-ever-after, she’s sipping strong coffee and dreaming up heroes who are tough on the outside and gooey in the middle.

Come for the charm, stay for the swoon—and don’t be surprised if you fall in love with the whole town.

Visit www.authorkellycollins.com to grab a free book and discover your next favorite escape.

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You can learn more about Kelly at www.authorkellycollins.com.

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Reviews

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 to 4*

I read 'The Dean's List' last year and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it I had considered continuing on with this at the time but my to-read was huge and I couldn't really justify buying another book so I left it but now all three books are free.

The Dean's List - 4 stars

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book and I suspect a lot of people might not because basically it's about prostitution, it's dressed up but there's no hiding it, not that it makes any effort to do so.
River is struggling financially she's working and studying and falling further and further behind it's got to the point where she needs to decide if she should eat or ride the bus.
Her friend Jade offers her a solution by mentioning the Dean’s List, the Dean’s List is about students seeking ‘sponsorship’ from members in their field of study and these members can be very ‘accommodating' and in return you see to their needs.
Basically intelligent good looking students can sign up to the Dean's List, their picture is put online for the exclusive clientele to pick from.
I wasn't sure I'd like it and I did wonder if was smut packaged differently (not that there's anything wrong with that sometimes smut is just what you're looking for) it turns out I really enjoyed this. I liked the characters, River has good reasons for signing up but struggles at times with her decision, I really liked her and the men in her life and I'm so glad one of them in particular gets his own book/novella 'The Graduate' which I'm reading next. Well I was going to read it next but for some reason unlike this book and the one after it's not on KU which I find surprisingly.
This book surprised me, it was more than I expected and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Jonathan was charismatic and intriguing and from the first moment I wanted them to work out but is that even an option?
Men (and women) have different reasons for using this service Jonathan makes it clear up front
"I was married and lost my wife to cancer several years ago. She was irreplaceable. I don’t want the entanglements of a relationship. I’m not interested in pleasing a woman in every aspect of her life. I’m not interested in experiencing the kind of pain I felt when Claire died in my arms.”
So River knows without a doubt not to think of this as a relationship it's a business arrangement pure and simple, even if she wants it to be so much more.

The Graduate - 2 stars

Paul was always a lonely sweet guy, he's in his thirties and has never had a girlfriend, he's rich and successful but he has an incredibly small penis, thumb size and it's ruined his life.
River (The Dean's List) is the only woman who's ever helped him and the advice she gave has instilled him with the confidence to actually try and date but he knows he needs to win Melody over before he reveals his problem.
This is a short read, both characters are nice and I was happy to see Paul finally dating but it all fell kind of flat, there wasn't much here and I know Melody has her issues but she started to annoy me with her lack of trust and always jumping to the wrong conclusion.

The Honor Roll - 3 stars

Having liked Luca in 'The Dean's List' I was looking forward to his book my only reservation was I assumed, from what I knew of Luca (his clients were all older ladies) and the blurb:
(Cultured and beautiful, Mim Knight isn’t looking for anything but a quick end to a frustrating workday when Luca Gregorio shows up on the other side of her desk. Despite his too-good-to-be-true looks, he’s different from the trust fund boys she’s used to. He’s fearless, genuine, and sexy as hell)
That this would be older woman/younger man read and that's just not my thing at all so I nearly passed on this but I'm so glad I didn't because while it is technically an older woman/younger man there's only one year between them, he's twenty-six and she's twenty-seven so it wasn't an issue for me.
Luca has been doing this job for a while now and it's eating him up inside, he feels riddled with guilt and while in the beginning he enjoyed it what he did now it's just a job, a job he can't wait to get rid of.
Then he meets Mim and he knows she's the one for him but what chance does he have when his whole life is a lie. He's determined to make it work and while he compartmentalises his life it's difficult because he won't make love to Mim until he's done selling himself but how long can he hold out and how long before she either thinks he's gay not just not interested.
I enjoyed this book I loved Luca and there's some interesting characters here, my favourite was Judith Kent an eighty four year old woman who wants companionship, she's a rich widow with a big heart and a great sense of humour.

“Yes, I thought if you came over and organized one of my kitchen drawers, I could tell them you were in my drawers.” She laughed until the remainder of her skin matched her blush.
"You hired me to come over and clean out your drawers?” This was a first for me.
"Of course, did you think I wanted you to ravish me? Dear Lord, I could imagine it now. I’d be in traction until my death.” She walked over to a scotch decanter and poured us both a drink. “When you get my age, Luca, you have to find the things that tickle you. Telling my friends that you had your fingers in my drawers is fun.”

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

The Dean’s List


If you’re trying to scare me, you’re failing. You don’t have the fear factor. You wear Hello Kitty pajamas and drink caramel lattes for God’s sake. Who could be afraid of someone who likes cats and caramel?


A person would have to be a masochist to enjoy that spa day. The only consolation was it was supposed to get easier every time. The waxer was bold enough to say that sometimes the hair was so scared it didn’t grow back.


I’d have to separate my brain from my penis flytrap if I were going to get through this.


These aren’t young, stunning women. They are women who put off dating to break through the glass ceiling. One of them looked like she went headfirst.


She reminded me of the gargoyles that sat on top of old churches. They looked stiff and mean. That was Grace. She had that Botox-infused look that did nothing for her face. Her scowl would remain forever.


The Graduate:

I was always looking for that little spark. However, River told me I was looking in the wrong direction. The spark had to come from me. I could wait around for someone to stoke my fire or I could set the world ablaze on my own. Tonight I would be the figurative pyromaniac.

I’ll stare at you because you allow me to see you and I’m in awe of you.


Honor Roll:

She was all sweetness and sunshine to the tired-looking barista. She was vinegar and hot sauce to me, but I like flavor in my life.


For a woman in her forties, she had a rockin’ body, but I was pretty sure it was because she devoured lesser men for sport.


She was everything virtuous and pure, and I was Hester Prynne with a penis.


We chatted about funny things like why hot dogs come in packages of ten and buns come in packages of eight. Why airline travel is suppose to be safe, but they call the airport a terminal.


She was the yin to my yang. The light to my darkness. She smelled like lilacs and tasted like honey. I felt like a hungry bee around her.


My Review:


All three books of this box set - The Dean’s List, The Graduate, and Honor Roll were wickedly funny, highly insightful, well written, and sizzling in sensuality. In other words, it was this old cougar’s nirvana. As with all Ms. Collin’s work, the writing was engaging, entertaining, relevant, and atomically steamy. Ms. Collins has a knack for developing flawed yet endearing and vibrant characters and expertly placing them in compelling and unusual story lines that leave me unable to put my kindle down. She has a marvelous style, unique talent, and mad skills. I am hopelessly addicted to her brand of humorous and steamy romance and greedily want to read everything she ever writes.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very easy to get lost in one of Ms. Collins books. She gives you believable characters in believable plots that take you away to a place you can really relax. You can easily fall in love or even hate these people for one reason or another which is what the author wants you to do. At times you find yourself cheering or yelling at them other times you smile and maybe chuckle. Ms. Collins has a very gifted talent to story writing that you will love as she hooks you from the first page.
The Dean's List –
River is having a very hard time paying her way through grad school just trying to pay her bills and trying to survive. Her friend has a way to help her she has everything that is needed to make the Dean’s List. This is a club full of secrets and can leave on very lonely as River finds out.

Jonathan is a widow who isn’t looking for love he is a very well to do member of society that is lonely and wants some company. He is up front with River they both agree on the deal and life goes on until they find their feelings changing for each other. The trouble is he is paying for her time and she doesn’t belong to just him.

Something happen in the story that starts tearing them apart. Both have secrets will this be the end of their relationship or will they pull together help the other to find there is more to this?


The Graduate –
This is Paul’s story it is full of insecure of two people who feel they are lacking and won’t find someone to love. Melody can’t stand to look in the mirror she feels she is overweight really full insecurities as she struggling putting herself through school being a waitress. Paul is a very successful and wealthy financier who has his own issues. He wants to find someone who will love him as he is until than if that time ever comes he will be the member of the Dean’s List. As these two meet and go through some missteps they find they make an connection and have a lot in commend but will they find enough to help each other through their insecurities or are they just putting in time.


Honor Roll

Its Luca turn he is a male escort who wants to be debt free when he graduates. Being a gigolo is downright shameful, tiring and not as easy as it is for women. Things must stay up and it is getting harder to keep it up. Then he meets Mim and his life changes the question is will he be able to keep Mim when she finds out what he does for a living? Religion plays a big larger part in this story as do their parents. This book was intriguing, captivating, so very sweet that deals with some major issues.
*
This is a wonderful box-set some stories I liked better than others but as a whole it is just delightful.

*********************

[Jamie Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series

This was the complete series. They were all well written with the most amazing characters. Each had their own unique problem & it was interesting to see them fix their problems to their satisfaction.

[Karen Voitik · Rating 5 out of 5]

>Book review - Making the Grade box set

> Honor Roll –

>I am an independent reviewer. This is a follow up book to "The Dean's List" and ends in an HEA.

>In this story we get to know a lot more about the male escort, Luca. Luca is obsessed with graduating debt-free, yet selling himself is becoming shameful to him. When Luca meets Mim, a cute grad student, he decides he wants a relationship. There is a fine line between cheating and work for Luca and the whole conflict is whether Luca can keep Mim after she finds out the truth.

>There are a lot more descriptions of individual appointments with Luca, each appointment is very unique, some being quite comical, though all sexual in nature. Luca’s parents and even Mim’s parents make an impact in the story despite not being in the story that much. The theme of forgiveness and love is brought out with the parents and with the appearance of the priest. Religion plays a much larger part in this story than in the previous one. I give Mim credit for getting over Luca’s job as quickly as she did. Luca has the sweetest personality. He is a wonderful listener and a perfect gentleman. I thought it was humorous that he wouldn’t sleep with Mim, in order to not taint her.

>This book touches on some sensitive topics, like sex as a commodity. My heart broke when Luca told Mim he never made love before. I am glad to have gotten an insight into Luca and his motivations. This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving it 4 stars. The character of Mim was hard for me to like. I actually connected much more with Luca, even though the thought of being an escort is not something even near my comfort zone. Mim was abrasive. I didn’t see the attraction for Luca. The story as a whole worked well and will open one’s eyes to the power of money.

>The Graduate

>I am an independent reviewer. This story is a novella in the Making the Grade series and ends in an HEA. The reader first meets Paul in the earlier Making the Grade books. He is a large man with small equipment. River helps him to make the most out of what he has. She teaches him how to give pleasure and in turn boosts his self-esteem.

>In this story, Paul meets Melody. Melody is a large, curvy woman, who used to be obese. She is ashamed of the stretch marks on her body and has a low self-esteem due to years of being treated poorly due to her weight. Paul is the perfect man for Melody. He treats her like a princess, worshiping her. He really enjoys her company as well. There was a lot of humor as Paul tries to keep their relationship on the giving end for him. He is sure that as soon as Melody sees his body, she will leave him. His plan is to have her fall in love with him first.

>Of course Melody takes Paul’s lack of moving along in the relationship department as a negative towards her. A relationship between two people with low self-esteem is a tricky thing. This story is a sweet look at two damaged people finding each other and thriving. I especially loved the epilogue. This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving the story 5 stars.

[Sara Oxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making the Grade by Kelly Collins a Grade A five-star read. This is a box set containing three stories, The Dean’s list, The Graduate and Honor roll. Each book develops and grows the characters and stories.
The Dean’s list – River Roberts is a great character, she is strong, independent, smart and naturally sexy, sadly she is also broke. When she realises that she has no money to pay for bills, grad school and be able to eat, she goes to best friend Jade for some helpful advice and they come to the conclusion that she would be perfect for the Dean’s list, it’s a university society that gives alumni whatever they desire, and River fits the bill a little too much, despite Jade warning her not to fall in love with a client, but when your heart desires something so much you can’t help yourself. But love that great never comes smoothly, and often comes with heart break. The client is called Jonathon Ferris he has a tragic history of his own, after losing his wife he vows never to lose his heart again. Until he meets River. They face a fight for everything, will they have enough fight? Or will the battle end before they get together?
The Graduate – Paul Yoder is charming, intelligent and filthy rich. But he also suffers with self-esteem issues, River helped him in the previous book, showing him ways to compensate his issues, and helping him gain some confidence, making what he wants may become a reality, he just wants someone to love him for him, not what he can give them. When Melody Harper walks into his life, they begin a journey, as Melody has issues as well, she doesn’t have any confidence as she sees herself as an overweight woman no one will love no matter how much she loses. Will they find happiness and acceptance with each other? Or will the insecurities they each have become too much.
Honor Roll – Luca Gregoria is drop dead gorgeous, amazing in bed and desperate to graduate debt free, he has his own set of challenges. Working for the dean’s list isn’t a dream come true but it’s helping him accomplish his dreams. Until he loses a client so close to the end, when he meets his new client he didn’t expect what happened. Dreams change, but can they come true? Hopefully his new client Mim Knight can help him find out. Will they both get what they want? Or will secrets and lies be too much to overcome.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

the dean's list
So what happens when you find yourself in debt and find yourself in a world that you know nothing about .
what if you find someone who you would do not to be paid but give it willingly .
what if you find yourself drawn to a woman whom you never thought you could love again . and that though you lost your wife so long ago . but never thought you could love again but she changes you as well as tips the balance .
and what if your best friend has been in this world yet found two men whom she fell for and may be having a future as well but will they stay part of the Dean's List or walk away from the Dean's List .
also what happens when one of the two girls gets hurt is it one or both not saying cause honestly you need to read the book and get swept away with love worry and needs . and so much more . stay tuned for The Honor Roll later this weekend .
honor roll
this is an awesome story the last time we read it was River's story now its Luca's now we need book 3 to be Jades hint hint . to the author lol
so what happens when you set up a plan for your life but two things happen one a client has to leave though the main client you had that was going to set you up for life .
and two to meet the love of your life .
but what happens when one client gets out of hand and says to the world what he does to get by and to pay off his debts .
will he lose everything .
will he lose the one woman he loves
but more importantly will he lose himself to what he does .
find out by buying , reading and reviewing
the graduate
this was an arc given in exchange for an honest review .
so Paul you may remember as one of the men River in the dean's list has been an escort to and who helped him overcome his short comings ,
so what happens when he meets a woman who rocks his world and wants him due to who he is and not what he thinks is his short comings . can these two come together even though their pasts want to rule their future can they overcome it or will history repeat and love not win find out by buying , reading and then reviewing . i would love to read more on this series or hopes there is a spin off to this series . and beauty is within more than skin deep . don't judge person by what they look like but for who they are and their personality .

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books center around The Dean's List, a group of graduate students that their job is to provide "anything" that wealthy alumni wanted, in return for lots of money to get rid of their debt and meeting people that could give them assistance after graduation in their field, but each was very different.  This is three books that I really enjoyed, and they are all together in this set.

The Dean's List

There are lots of time while reading this book, that I would be laughing out loud.  Other times, it was much more serious in nature, which gave a great balance.  I loved River.  She was such a strong character.  Then, there was Jonathan.  He was a wealthy, sexy, lonely man after loosing his wife to cancer.  No matter how many times, River's friend, Jade, warned her not to fall for any of her clients, I was right there hoping right along with her, that she and Jonathan would fall in love with each other.  It is a wonderful story.

The Graduate

We met Paul in The Dean's List when he was one of River's clients.  She helped him build his self confidence by showing him that he could still please a woman, even if his "equipment" was really small.  Then he goes out with Melody, that has lost a lot of weight, but she also has low self confidence because of her looks.   So what happens when two people with low self esteem get together, read it to find out.

Honor Roll

Luka is an escort trying to graduate debt free.  Everything is fine until he meets Mim.  I loved both characters.  They are both very strong people.  I do not like to include spoilers, but I have to say I loved that Luka did not want to make love to Mim until he was no longer an escort.  I also loved the notes with tea each morning.  It is a wonderful love story.
 

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making the grade is a fantastic book package. It starts with The Dean's list is about the young River are struggling financially to get through her university time. Through a friend she gets a job. The Dean's list a university society att offers alumni anything they desire. But a job as prostitutes is harder than she expects especially when one falls in love with a customer. the next book is The graduate who is about Paul. Paul is one of Rivers previous customers. Rich and with the heart in the right place. He's looking for love one who loves him for who he is. Melody is a waitress and have low self-esteem but when she meets Paul, everything's changed. The last book is Honor Roll. It's about Luca one of Rivers colleagues. Luca is a sexy Italian woman whose greatest desire is to be debt free before he is done at the university. His job he has held for years without major problems but when he falls in love with a young girl he gets problems. How do you tell his girlfriend that you are excort. It's an amazing series. Filled with action, love and sorrows. It is well entertained for many hours. I can certainly recommend it.

[Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally, I am not into book sets because there is not enough connection for me, but Collins does an outstanding job connecting all the characters making it feel like a crazy sexually dysfunctional family. The concept is not original in the fact that women and men are trading "time" for money, but the company itself is unusual. The men and women on both sides are there for different reasons, and I loved all the main characters. I loved seeing them grow and learn and most of learn to love and accept themselves. This book gets an A+++ from me. I am so glad that I have Amazon's KU plan because I get all these wonderfully interesting books for one low price, and I love it since I am a voracious reader. This collection is well worth any price.

For more reviews, go to bbsbookreviews.com

[Aliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made the grade

This set was certainly more than I expected. The stories focus on a group of people connected to The Dean's List, a secret escort service. What I enjoyed that the stories provided the POV of 2 escorts as well as a client.
It was interesting to read why someone would consider becoming an escort and to not pass judgement without understanding the struggles someone else is going through.

[Patricia Baxes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Collins knows here way around s good storyline. Her characters are generally flawed in some way; the situations they find themselves are like magnets--readers just can't let them go--and the HEAs are the pot of gold at the ends of the rainbow. But the journey to true love is never easy...so we keep reading.

[Grace Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good series

I thoroughly enjoyed this series. The characters were relatable and well written. The stories were a good mix of humor and seriousness. I would have enjoyed seeing more of Jade and River in Making the Grade but Luca is a loveable character by himself. I would like to read Jade and The Duo's story

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is about Students down on their luck whilst trying to get a degree which forces them to become part of The Dean's List.

While they are struggling to come to terms with what they are doing and have become, they all learn a valuable lesson and are able to overcome what they feared would destroy them.

I enjoyed this series and know you will to.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. I enjoyed this book. It was very...intriguing. Been awhile since I read something like this. It kept me on the edge of my seat..couldn't put it down...

[Sondra · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book is the best of the three

Love book sets. I liked no cliff hanger and more of the story in the other two books. Book 2 I more of a novella, real quick. Book 3 romance seamed a little silly to me. I looked book one the best. Loved the heat.

[Alana Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

I am a sucker for this type of love story. It was slightly predictable but still a great story. I loved the references to today's mainstream topics. I didn't put this book down from start to finish.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Choices

It's all about choices, ours and theirs. Exclusively 20 years ago and grew, Jade asking River to sign on a choice. Jonnahan, Ben, and Eric and Todd, all show compassion and love making lifetime commitment and never happier.

[Brandy Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing bundle. Such a journey to go through ...

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great sexy and romantic stories to help you wile away the hours on a cold winter night. Loved helping to review. All the stories were enjoyable.

[Laura English · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

This was a great book I hope there is follow up on Jonathan and River and the baby on the way :-)...

[LaGina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each book rated under their title.

[Mary Jane Wasmund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made the grade

This was a very hard book to put down wondering what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed it.

[charlotte rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

So so

So so book yes not my cup of tea but if you in to the pretty woman twists this book is 4 you I wish I could give no Star's :(

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dean's List
I did not want to set this book down. Things like my day job, food, sleep; I saw these as inconveniences keeping me from the book. I am amazed and humbled by the author's ability to write emotion. This book is filled with it. Love, hate, lust, contempt, joy all sparkle through the carefully chosen words that create the secret society of the Dean's List. The characters are so complex and their environment so lush that you feel as if you've been there and know these people well. Their pain was my pain and their triumphs made my heart sing. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.
The Graduate
The big emotions from the first book continue on in this little interlude. For such a little book it packs a heck of a punch. This is a good reminder that just about all of us have scars. And baggage. That what we show to the world seldom is all that we are. As a woman with more rubenesque proportions, I feel Melody's pain acutely. While I don't have the anatomy to fully understand Paul's situation, I can sympathize with his insecurities. I love how hard both of them work to show how attractive they find one another.
Honor Roll
I wouldn't have thought it was possible, but somehow this one has even more emotion packed into the pages than the first book. Luca is so much more than we'd been allowed to see in The Dean's List, and more than he even realizes himself. I loved watching his journey of self-discovery; learning what was worth the payoff and what risks didn't justify the rewards. I was firmly invested in seeing his happily-ever-after, especially after seeing how much work he had to put in for it. Mim is such a sassy little spitfire that I know she's going to keep him on his toes long after this book is over.

[Reading Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three great stories about love found unconventionally.

Making the grade contains three stories that stand alone but connect. The first story is about grad student River. She's barely making ends meet and a friend tells her about a position through a group called The Dean's List. A position linking college students with high powered men and women looking for companionship aka escort service. Her friend warns River to never fall for her mentor but as soon as she meets Jonathan it's too late. The second is Paul's story. He's s former mentor of River but he wants a real relationship. River set him on the right track by introducing him to Melody but his insecurities could destroy his chance at happiness. The final story belongs to Luca, a classmate of River's. He is a man with a plan and that's to graduate debt free with a job and nothing is going to change that until he meets Mim his professor's TA. His only problem is how does he have a real relationship while working as a male escort? I really enjoyed all of these sexy but sweet stories.

[Jo Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun must read!

Great read, not the normal expected find. Most engaging, looking forward to reading more by Kelly Collins. I'm glad I discovered her books!

[Nancy Freedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love it