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Dear Professor #2
Kissing Galileo
Her professor just saw her mostly naked. Awkwardness is guaranteed to ensue.
Proceeds for the month of release go to College Track (501c3), providing college scholarships and resources for vulnerable / limited resource populations. At collegetrack.org
What do you do when your freakishly smart and wickedly sarcastic Research Methods professor sees you mostly naked? You befriend him, of course.
‘Kissing Galileo’ is the second book in the Dear Professor series, is 60k words, and can be read as a standalone. A shorter version of this story (40k words) was entitled ‘Nobody Looks Good Naked’ and was available via Penny Reid’s newsletter for free over the course of 2018-19.
Proceeds for the month of release go to College Track (501c3), providing college scholarships and resources for vulnerable / limited resource populations. At collegetrack.org
What do you do when your freakishly smart and wickedly sarcastic Research Methods professor sees you mostly naked? You befriend him, of course.
‘Kissing Galileo’ is the second book in the Dear Professor series, is 60k words, and can be read as a standalone. A shorter version of this story (40k words) was entitled ‘Nobody Looks Good Naked’ and was available via Penny Reid’s newsletter for free over the course of 2018-19.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2018
717 people are currently reading
5602 people want to read
About the author
Penny Reid
92 books22.5k followersSign up for the newsletter of awesome: www.pennyreid.ninja/newsletter
Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.
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Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.
FOLLOW PENNY:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pennyreidwriter
Twitter: www.twitter.com/reidromance
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June 18, 2019
Kissing Galileo is LIVE and available all across the internets!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2InAoL0
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Things to know:
1.) There is no pre-order for this release!
2.) Proceeds for the month of release go to College Track (a non profit), providing college scholarships and resources for vulnerable/limited resource populations. At collegetrack.org.
3.)You do NOT have to purchase 'Kissing Galileo' to finish the story, the parts will continue to release in my newsletter for free
Sign-up for the newsletter and read for free!
Read part one of Nobody Looks Good Naked!
July 26, 2019
4 stars
I love a good teacher/student romance, and after enjoying the first book in this series, I was excited to read Kissing Galileo. I enjoyed this one a bit more than the first. It definitely had unique aspect to it and I loved that.
Emily Von is a serious student, but to make tuition and pay bills, she has a job as a lingerie model. It’s a very high end store and she never sees anyone she knows so it works for her. That is, until her professor, Dr. Victor Hanover shows up and sees her *mostly* naked. Talk about awkward.
When Victor first sees Emily he’s drawn to her and attracted to her, but he doesn’t recognize her as a student. Once he does, he has a bit of a freak out about it. He wants to do the right thing by Emily no matter what, and I could appreciate that.
Victor is such a sweet man. He’s completely inexperienced and has lived a different life than any romance hero I’ve ever read about. I actually loved this aspect of the book. His journey hasn’t been an easy one and he’s scared from it in a way. Parts of his story broke my heart. I think it will be a lot people don’t get but anyone who’s ever been extremely overweight or suffered from any kind of eating disorder will be able to relate.
Emily and Victor’s love story was very much a friends to lovers/slow burn. Sure there was some miscommunication that stressed me out, but overall it was a beautiful, emotional, and heartwarming read.
I love a good teacher/student romance, and after enjoying the first book in this series, I was excited to read Kissing Galileo. I enjoyed this one a bit more than the first. It definitely had unique aspect to it and I loved that.
Emily Von is a serious student, but to make tuition and pay bills, she has a job as a lingerie model. It’s a very high end store and she never sees anyone she knows so it works for her. That is, until her professor, Dr. Victor Hanover shows up and sees her *mostly* naked. Talk about awkward.
When Victor first sees Emily he’s drawn to her and attracted to her, but he doesn’t recognize her as a student. Once he does, he has a bit of a freak out about it. He wants to do the right thing by Emily no matter what, and I could appreciate that.
Victor is such a sweet man. He’s completely inexperienced and has lived a different life than any romance hero I’ve ever read about. I actually loved this aspect of the book. His journey hasn’t been an easy one and he’s scared from it in a way. Parts of his story broke my heart. I think it will be a lot people don’t get but anyone who’s ever been extremely overweight or suffered from any kind of eating disorder will be able to relate.
Emily and Victor’s love story was very much a friends to lovers/slow burn. Sure there was some miscommunication that stressed me out, but overall it was a beautiful, emotional, and heartwarming read.
July 25, 2019
I was going to be generous and give this 2 stars because it's a Penny Reid book, but in actuality, I kind of hated it -- so, one star it is.
First of all, as a college teacher I just want to say -- enough with professors and their students getting it on. Now more than ever, I think these types of "romances" are out of place, no matter how many contortions a writer uses to sell us the story. In Kissing Galileo Professor Victor is Emily's research methods teacher and she admires him greatly; and in fitting with popular cliches, she's hot for teacher. To downplay the utter impropriety of a romance between teacher/student though, Reid has them meeting off campus where Victor can be absolved of his attraction for a student simply because he does not recognize the lovely underwear model in the lingerie store he visits. Once he realizes she's his student, he resorts to the same strategy Professor Luca used in the first Dear Professor book, which is to call in a mediator to grade the student's work in order to prevent liability or unfairness. At this point in the book, I simply thought it was unimaginative for the author to use the previous plot to explain away the reasons why education institutions forbid romance/sex between faculty and students. It was an unimaginative plot, but I was wrong about the trajectory of the story.
Midway though the novel, the book is no longer about Emily and her teacher's emerging feelings for each other. It becomes a different book, one about what it means to be obese as a man and to grapple with body images in American society. Who knew this would be the focus from the first half? Victor apparently had been a large man his whole life and shed 100+ lbs in weight. Much of the second half of the book pontificates on body image and how men suffer too. Unfortunately, when Reid chooses an issue to examine, I find myself agreeing with her while also cringing at her didactic writing. Instead of allowing an issue to evolve organically in a story, characters traipse awkwardly in to educate us on how an issue takes shape. Here it's Anna from the first book in the series, Abram book-hopping from the Hypothesis series, and Emily -- all in a living room pontificating on the unfairness of weight standards, much like an after school special. (I just would add too that creating a hot hero in order explore body image issues is cheating a bit. If the book really wanted to grapple with obesity, maybe it would have been more effective to have Victor be currently obese in order to explore how Emily would still find him desirable.)
However, just when I thought the book was about body image rather than Emily and her teacher's inappropriate love affair, it becomes about male virginity. Victor is a 30-year old male virgin, mostly because of his low self-esteem, and he struggles to find a way to have a relationship with Emily. Emily's attempts to keep him in her life fail -- until they reunite in the student union during exam week, leading to a completely inappropriate moment when Victor chases her to her study cubicle and kisses her. And now we're back to the inappropriate nature of why teachers shouldn't date their students.
After all is said and done, I don't really know what this book is about, other than a big, hot mess.
First of all, as a college teacher I just want to say -- enough with professors and their students getting it on. Now more than ever, I think these types of "romances" are out of place, no matter how many contortions a writer uses to sell us the story. In Kissing Galileo Professor Victor is Emily's research methods teacher and she admires him greatly; and in fitting with popular cliches, she's hot for teacher. To downplay the utter impropriety of a romance between teacher/student though, Reid has them meeting off campus where Victor can be absolved of his attraction for a student simply because he does not recognize the lovely underwear model in the lingerie store he visits. Once he realizes she's his student, he resorts to the same strategy Professor Luca used in the first Dear Professor book, which is to call in a mediator to grade the student's work in order to prevent liability or unfairness. At this point in the book, I simply thought it was unimaginative for the author to use the previous plot to explain away the reasons why education institutions forbid romance/sex between faculty and students. It was an unimaginative plot, but I was wrong about the trajectory of the story.
Midway though the novel, the book is no longer about Emily and her teacher's emerging feelings for each other. It becomes a different book, one about what it means to be obese as a man and to grapple with body images in American society. Who knew this would be the focus from the first half? Victor apparently had been a large man his whole life and shed 100+ lbs in weight. Much of the second half of the book pontificates on body image and how men suffer too. Unfortunately, when Reid chooses an issue to examine, I find myself agreeing with her while also cringing at her didactic writing. Instead of allowing an issue to evolve organically in a story, characters traipse awkwardly in to educate us on how an issue takes shape. Here it's Anna from the first book in the series, Abram book-hopping from the Hypothesis series, and Emily -- all in a living room pontificating on the unfairness of weight standards, much like an after school special. (I just would add too that creating a hot hero in order explore body image issues is cheating a bit. If the book really wanted to grapple with obesity, maybe it would have been more effective to have Victor be currently obese in order to explore how Emily would still find him desirable.)
However, just when I thought the book was about body image rather than Emily and her teacher's inappropriate love affair, it becomes about male virginity. Victor is a 30-year old male virgin, mostly because of his low self-esteem, and he struggles to find a way to have a relationship with Emily. Emily's attempts to keep him in her life fail -- until they reunite in the student union during exam week, leading to a completely inappropriate moment when Victor chases her to her study cubicle and kisses her. And now we're back to the inappropriate nature of why teachers shouldn't date their students.
After all is said and done, I don't really know what this book is about, other than a big, hot mess.
December 16, 2023
So imagine you’re working as a private lingerie model in college for extra cash, and one day your professor walks in.
Awkward.
KISSING GALILEO was one of those uber-nerdy Penny books, which I love. Emily was totally my fave in this one. Victor was definitely an interesting cup of tea, and I liked the character exploration the author did with him and the psychological effects of dating after extreme weight loss… but Emily remained my favorite half of the couple by far all the way up until the end. This was a simmer romance, rather than a burn, the kind that takes a while to develop. It was also a super interesting story with cool characters and friendships. There were some great cameos from other books in Penny’s romance worlds, and a sneak preview of Billy/Claire’s book… yes please!!!
Awkward.
KISSING GALILEO was one of those uber-nerdy Penny books, which I love. Emily was totally my fave in this one. Victor was definitely an interesting cup of tea, and I liked the character exploration the author did with him and the psychological effects of dating after extreme weight loss… but Emily remained my favorite half of the couple by far all the way up until the end. This was a simmer romance, rather than a burn, the kind that takes a while to develop. It was also a super interesting story with cool characters and friendships. There were some great cameos from other books in Penny’s romance worlds, and a sneak preview of Billy/Claire’s book… yes please!!!
April 20, 2020
5 / 5 stars
Holy guacamole.
I am a bit of a sucker for professor (college or uni only, none of that high school stuff thank you very much) student romances, so when I saw Reid put out another book in the Dear Professor series, I snapped it up. I had liked the first one, it's was an angsty but light romance, and I was there for it. So this book, with it's heavy and real topics, shocked the heck out of me.
This book follows Emily Von, applied mathematics (okay look, it was something maths but idk if it was AM, but really it's irrelevant, she was smart, that's all you need to know) student ends up in an awkward situation with her professor, dressed in lingerie and stuck in a room with him.
The one upside? Dr. Hanover didn't recognise her, or that was, until their next class.
Victor is honestly one of the BEST heroes I have read about in a LONG time. In the beginning, you think he's the typical aloof hero, cold and experienced, but the more you read (and the insights you get from his point of views) you realise he is an incredibly naive and vulnerable person who hides behind that exterior.
For once, the hero was inexperienced and struggling mentally, it was a refreshing take for romance.
This book tackles a lot of serious topics and in my opinion, they were done so well. Victor had been severely overweight for most of his life, and the stigma and isolation he suffered because of it left a strong psychological mark. When we meet Victor, he's shed the weight and is now viewed by society as ÜBER attractive, but he is done being judge for his exterior.
Although the majority of the book is based on the slow burn relationship of the two main characters, this book delves into the psychological issues to do with weight and, most realistically and importantly, the struggles after losing weight. The body image issues, the calorie counting and the need to lose more. Victor began to develop struggles with food, and although it wasn't a focus, it was resolved and was a realistic portrayal (so this may potentially need a trigger warning for eating disorders because the characters did internally talk about skipping meals).
This is honestly such a surprising little nugget. I've read quite a bit of Penny Reid, but this was without a doubt next level good. It was hot and sexy, but still realistic. Which is honestly what we need in romance, give me these diverse and inclusive characters. Please & thank you.
Holy guacamole.
I am a bit of a sucker for professor (college or uni only, none of that high school stuff thank you very much) student romances, so when I saw Reid put out another book in the Dear Professor series, I snapped it up. I had liked the first one, it's was an angsty but light romance, and I was there for it. So this book, with it's heavy and real topics, shocked the heck out of me.
This book follows Emily Von, applied mathematics (okay look, it was something maths but idk if it was AM, but really it's irrelevant, she was smart, that's all you need to know) student ends up in an awkward situation with her professor, dressed in lingerie and stuck in a room with him.
The one upside? Dr. Hanover didn't recognise her, or that was, until their next class.
Victor is honestly one of the BEST heroes I have read about in a LONG time. In the beginning, you think he's the typical aloof hero, cold and experienced, but the more you read (and the insights you get from his point of views) you realise he is an incredibly naive and vulnerable person who hides behind that exterior.
For once, the hero was inexperienced and struggling mentally, it was a refreshing take for romance.
This book tackles a lot of serious topics and in my opinion, they were done so well. Victor had been severely overweight for most of his life, and the stigma and isolation he suffered because of it left a strong psychological mark. When we meet Victor, he's shed the weight and is now viewed by society as ÜBER attractive, but he is done being judge for his exterior.
Although the majority of the book is based on the slow burn relationship of the two main characters, this book delves into the psychological issues to do with weight and, most realistically and importantly, the struggles after losing weight. The body image issues, the calorie counting and the need to lose more. Victor began to develop struggles with food, and although it wasn't a focus, it was resolved and was a realistic portrayal (so this may potentially need a trigger warning for eating disorders because the characters did internally talk about skipping meals).
This is honestly such a surprising little nugget. I've read quite a bit of Penny Reid, but this was without a doubt next level good. It was hot and sexy, but still realistic. Which is honestly what we need in romance, give me these diverse and inclusive characters. Please & thank you.
August 26, 2022
This was surprising but in a good way. Instead of the woman being the one who had low self-esteem and being inexperienced,it was the guy. Not something I've read a lot of or can think of any other examples right now. And the relationship was rather cute even if if I got frustrated at them at times. My five stars is mainly due to the fact that the roles are reversed and I quite liked that. But it did have it's frustrating moments
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2019
Not just a pretty face…
This review is a wee bit spoilerish, please proceed with caution.
I made an executive decision that I wasn’t going to read Nobody Looks Good Naked that was originally released in instalments in Penny Reid’s newsletter. For starters, I’m too impatient to wait for my story in instalments. Secondly, I need to get my highs and lows on my terms and at my pacing. I can’t take my hits without knowing that with the turn of a page, I can (hopefully) see rainbows. So, I patiently waited for Kissing Galileo to be born.
I finished reading Kissing Galileo this morning and I’ve been contemplating what to share in my review. Now, to be honest, this does not mean this review is going to me monumentally thought-provoking and deep because I have a nasty head cold. I’m a wee bit loopy and my eyelids feel like they weigh a tonne, but I’m determined to share my thoughts and feelings on how much this story affected me. Now, bear with me, this could get way, way random rambling…ish and I probably will make huge generalisations.
Isn't it amazing that we can be so influenced by a person's looks? I can't help but look at good-looking people and judge them to have everything going for them. Good looks will open doors, get you noticed and make you popular. But, what if that good-looking person is actually shy and reserved, hates attention and feels overwhelmed when people stare? Would you know just from looking at them? Would it stop you from staring? We don’t know what’s beneath their clothes, under their skin or what they’ve lived through. Kissing Galileo has made reminded me to stop judging on the outside and consider their insides as well, scars and all.
I’m happy with the way I look now but my weight and height have always been something I’m self-conscious about. I’m 173cm tall and big-boned which means I’m significantly bigger than my mum and sisters who fit under my chin. Sure, they wish they had my height, but I wish I didn’t tower over them. When you’re the odd one out you feel like everyone compares you. I understood Victor’s self-consciousness when people stared. Sometimes you just want to be the same as everyone else.
I couldn’t understand or comprehend why Victor wasn’t strutting his stuff with the changes he made happen. I get that he felt manipulated in how he got to where he was, but it was him that did all the hard work, not the douchewaffle who pushed him to take the first step. I guess the thing is, if you’ve never been a strutter, it’s hard to suddenly become one. I’ve strutted when I’ve felt good and I’ve skulked around with baseball cap and sunnies when I’ve felt bad. For me, the highs and lows, the good and bad were all about how comfortable I am in my skin. So, I guess, I do understand and comprehend Victor after all.
Should a professor be attracted to his/her student? Should a professor have a relationship with a student? Honestly, I don’t have a problem with it if it’s handled in a mature and professional way. Kissing Galileo did not come across as creepy or gross because Emily was very mature and intelligent. Victor, once he acknowledged his attraction, put things in place to make sure there was no bias. The falling for the professor part of the story was very minor and not at all about a taboo relationship.
I absolutely loved that Emily and Victor valued each other’s minds and just accepted that they were fortunate enough to be attracted to each other’s looks as well. Even with their strong attraction, they decide that friendship would be better for them both. Victor is still working through some issues and Emily is not sure she wants to risk her heart on someone she knows could break it.
I really, really enjoyed Kissing Galileo and I loved that Penny Reid brought her *A* game to this story. Emily and Victor are marvellous individually, but together they were amazing. The additional characters, Anna and Andy were exactly what a friendship is all about and I loved them for it. The love story had its bumps, but I was convinced of their happy ever after by the end. Eventually, they learnt to communicate better and trust that they were together than apart. There weren’t a lot of sexy times but when they did happen, they were HOT!!
I’m so sorry for this rambling review. If you're a Penny Reid fan and didn't get a chance to read her newsletter, you should definitely give this one a go.
Just remember, there’s a story behind every pretty picture.
Peace, love and happiness to all.
This review is a wee bit spoilerish, please proceed with caution.
I made an executive decision that I wasn’t going to read Nobody Looks Good Naked that was originally released in instalments in Penny Reid’s newsletter. For starters, I’m too impatient to wait for my story in instalments. Secondly, I need to get my highs and lows on my terms and at my pacing. I can’t take my hits without knowing that with the turn of a page, I can (hopefully) see rainbows. So, I patiently waited for Kissing Galileo to be born.
I finished reading Kissing Galileo this morning and I’ve been contemplating what to share in my review. Now, to be honest, this does not mean this review is going to me monumentally thought-provoking and deep because I have a nasty head cold. I’m a wee bit loopy and my eyelids feel like they weigh a tonne, but I’m determined to share my thoughts and feelings on how much this story affected me. Now, bear with me, this could get way, way random rambling…ish and I probably will make huge generalisations.
Isn't it amazing that we can be so influenced by a person's looks? I can't help but look at good-looking people and judge them to have everything going for them. Good looks will open doors, get you noticed and make you popular. But, what if that good-looking person is actually shy and reserved, hates attention and feels overwhelmed when people stare? Would you know just from looking at them? Would it stop you from staring? We don’t know what’s beneath their clothes, under their skin or what they’ve lived through. Kissing Galileo has made reminded me to stop judging on the outside and consider their insides as well, scars and all.
I’m happy with the way I look now but my weight and height have always been something I’m self-conscious about. I’m 173cm tall and big-boned which means I’m significantly bigger than my mum and sisters who fit under my chin. Sure, they wish they had my height, but I wish I didn’t tower over them. When you’re the odd one out you feel like everyone compares you. I understood Victor’s self-consciousness when people stared. Sometimes you just want to be the same as everyone else.
I couldn’t understand or comprehend why Victor wasn’t strutting his stuff with the changes he made happen. I get that he felt manipulated in how he got to where he was, but it was him that did all the hard work, not the douchewaffle who pushed him to take the first step. I guess the thing is, if you’ve never been a strutter, it’s hard to suddenly become one. I’ve strutted when I’ve felt good and I’ve skulked around with baseball cap and sunnies when I’ve felt bad. For me, the highs and lows, the good and bad were all about how comfortable I am in my skin. So, I guess, I do understand and comprehend Victor after all.
Should a professor be attracted to his/her student? Should a professor have a relationship with a student? Honestly, I don’t have a problem with it if it’s handled in a mature and professional way. Kissing Galileo did not come across as creepy or gross because Emily was very mature and intelligent. Victor, once he acknowledged his attraction, put things in place to make sure there was no bias. The falling for the professor part of the story was very minor and not at all about a taboo relationship.
I absolutely loved that Emily and Victor valued each other’s minds and just accepted that they were fortunate enough to be attracted to each other’s looks as well. Even with their strong attraction, they decide that friendship would be better for them both. Victor is still working through some issues and Emily is not sure she wants to risk her heart on someone she knows could break it.
I really, really enjoyed Kissing Galileo and I loved that Penny Reid brought her *A* game to this story. Emily and Victor are marvellous individually, but together they were amazing. The additional characters, Anna and Andy were exactly what a friendship is all about and I loved them for it. The love story had its bumps, but I was convinced of their happy ever after by the end. Eventually, they learnt to communicate better and trust that they were together than apart. There weren’t a lot of sexy times but when they did happen, they were HOT!!
I’m so sorry for this rambling review. If you're a Penny Reid fan and didn't get a chance to read her newsletter, you should definitely give this one a go.
Just remember, there’s a story behind every pretty picture.
Peace, love and happiness to all.
July 31, 2019
This was really cute and had great writing but unfortunately fell flat towards the end for me...I really enjoyed the plot and the cutesy relationship between the two main characters but I just wished for more the entire time!
March 29, 2021
This is a wonderful book. Kissing Galileo has many moral messages especially body issue. The book should be titles Body Image or something. Miss Reid done wonderful with the story.
I love the chemistry between Emily and Viktor. Both struggle with their self esteem. And somehow they bonded together. I only give 4 stars because the beginning of the book is bit dragging.
I understand the character connection needed to be build but not with that slow pace.
Overall I enjoyed this book very much.
4 stars
I love the chemistry between Emily and Viktor. Both struggle with their self esteem. And somehow they bonded together. I only give 4 stars because the beginning of the book is bit dragging.
I understand the character connection needed to be build but not with that slow pace.
Overall I enjoyed this book very much.
4 stars
July 9, 2019
5 STARS
Oh this was a clever little nugget. Loved it. Such a creative storyline. Dr. Hanover was such a complex character. And the interplay between these two was fascinating to observe. Intensely sensitive issues, and Penny played it out to perfection. Well done. My only request, please please give Andy his own story. I just adored his character. I sure hope there are more coming in this series.
Oh this was a clever little nugget. Loved it. Such a creative storyline. Dr. Hanover was such a complex character. And the interplay between these two was fascinating to observe. Intensely sensitive issues, and Penny played it out to perfection. Well done. My only request, please please give Andy his own story. I just adored his character. I sure hope there are more coming in this series.
You are an outlier in every single cohort...
“These are just words, but they’re all I have. I will earn your trust. But please know—” he swallowed, his gorgeous eyes clear and bright “—I have no escape plan. I’m holding nothing back. The terms of this surrender are complete, because there is no alternative for me other than to give you, and this beautiful thing between us, everything I have.”
July 8, 2019
I really like Emily. I LOVE VICTOR
I made the choice to wait for this serial to be combined into an ebook (kindle). Then I bought it & started reading.
I love love this book! Emily is such a great person. The meet cute between her and Victor seems like something that could happen & has been written about in a Contemporary Romance before.
There are so many more layers than just meeting and finding out that he's her professor.
I highlighted the heck out of this book. I just have to say, Victor is in no way an alpha in this story.
He's very reserved and closed off. Emily doesn't know why (and I didn't either) for quite a while into the story.
This is such a great "eye of the beholder" and what's inside that counts kind of story.
It's also, if you improve yourself, lose weight, get a makeover, you'll get noticed and THEN you'll be liked & get attention & then all will be well.
Not exactly. Not really. I have to say, this book is probably a great book club/discussion type of book. I need to read this on a regular basis. I NEEDED this book when I was younger.
“First of all, I look superb naked to you, just like you look superbly, magnificently naked to me. But all human bodies are Monets, not Rockwells. You get up close and no one looks good naked. Body perfection is a myth perpetuated by airbrushed magazine covers!”
Another of my favorite highlights (this may be the most highlighted one in the book! ):
And! It doesn’t matter who you are, attractiveness fades. Time stops for no person, except maybe Paul Rudd. You know that guy is fifty?” “What? Are you serious?” Fifty?! “Yeah, man. He’s like that book you gave me, the one with the picture in the attic somewhere.” “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”
I loved book #1 Luca's book, but I have to say that I love this one as well. I have to get the audio....
I need it now. All the stars!
I made the choice to wait for this serial to be combined into an ebook (kindle). Then I bought it & started reading.
I love love this book! Emily is such a great person. The meet cute between her and Victor seems like something that could happen & has been written about in a Contemporary Romance before.
There are so many more layers than just meeting and finding out that he's her professor.
I highlighted the heck out of this book. I just have to say, Victor is in no way an alpha in this story.
He's very reserved and closed off. Emily doesn't know why (and I didn't either) for quite a while into the story.
This is such a great "eye of the beholder" and what's inside that counts kind of story.
It's also, if you improve yourself, lose weight, get a makeover, you'll get noticed and THEN you'll be liked & get attention & then all will be well.
Not exactly. Not really. I have to say, this book is probably a great book club/discussion type of book. I need to read this on a regular basis. I NEEDED this book when I was younger.
“First of all, I look superb naked to you, just like you look superbly, magnificently naked to me. But all human bodies are Monets, not Rockwells. You get up close and no one looks good naked. Body perfection is a myth perpetuated by airbrushed magazine covers!”
Another of my favorite highlights (this may be the most highlighted one in the book! ):
And! It doesn’t matter who you are, attractiveness fades. Time stops for no person, except maybe Paul Rudd. You know that guy is fifty?” “What? Are you serious?” Fifty?! “Yeah, man. He’s like that book you gave me, the one with the picture in the attic somewhere.” “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”
I loved book #1 Luca's book, but I have to say that I love this one as well. I have to get the audio....
I need it now. All the stars!
September 11, 2019
3.5 stars
I'm really thinking about my rating - 4 stars? H is a professor - had been obese most of his life. Lost weight and has self-esteem issues. The H also has his vcard. He is older than the h. The h thinks he's hot and decides to be his friend not knowing all of his issues. She really brought him out of his shell. He really was in love with her and she was in love with him. Pretty sweet actually.
I'm really thinking about my rating - 4 stars? H is a professor - had been obese most of his life. Lost weight and has self-esteem issues. The H also has his vcard. He is older than the h. The h thinks he's hot and decides to be his friend not knowing all of his issues. She really brought him out of his shell. He really was in love with her and she was in love with him. Pretty sweet actually.
June 25, 2019
So I did not like this. I waffled between 2 and 3 stars for a long time. This is a first for me with a Penny Reid book. I have a lot to say about this one, I took a lot of notes while reading - all of them negative. I don't think this book was necessarily badly written, and I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who will like it. But I didn't like pretty much anything in it until the last 2 chapters. I was not entertained by this book. So therefore, I began to pick nits. Which is why this one is going to be long.
This quote, though, summarized how I felt about this book succinctly. "Move on. You deserve so, so much better than someone who ignores you and plays immature games. He is not worth it, no one is."
**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**
First things first. What we are all here for. The "Hero" of this story. Victor Hanover:
I kind of hated Victor for the majority of this book. I understand - he was scarred from his experiences. And his world view, and his view on women and his self-worth is warped. But I can understand the reasons behind why Penny Reid wrote him the way she did, I can understand the logic behind his backstory and acknowledge that it isn't out of nowhere, and I can still not enjoy it.
He made me uncomfortable from early on, referring to women as "females". He was the stereotypical White Knight Nice Guy™. And it grated. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. And towards the end, he veered kind of into...dare I say it....incel territory. The whole line where he says "You can be morally bankrupt, stupid, talentless, boring, and humorless, and yet still have the opportunity to procreate with very little effort if you're attractive". You could tell me that quote came directly from an Incel forum and I'd believe you. And that is the HERO of this damned ROMANCE. That turned me off Victor so, so much. Who wants their "hero" to talk like this? Who think's this is sympathetic? Yes, I understand the sentiment but it is so, so closed minded and just straight twisted. His whole schtick about "beautiful people not being worth his time" or being only "skin deep". While totally discounting the level of effort that goes into looking like that. People who are thin work for it - YOU KNOW THIS YOURSELF, VICTOR. He discounts all the work Emily puts in to look the way she does. Obviously if you put that much work in to look like you do, other people do the same thing Victor. God. I get where it comes from but holy shit. I am not attracted to this - not even after he realized how wrong he was. He was the polar opposite - yet the equivalent - of people who only date beautiful people. Just because it is clearly a defense mechanism that he is using to push Emily away doesn't make me go "oh poor baby Victor who hurt you???". It's gross.
Which brings me to my next point: just because you have a character in your book call out or acknowledge the stupid or awful thing your character does does not erase the stupid or awful thing that character did. Just because Victor's friend calls him out, just because Emily says something to him, about how awful he is acting does NOT make it okay. There needs to be some kind of development. And sure, Victor stops protesting his feelings. He gives in. And it's not going to be an overnight thing I get that. But it KEPT. FUCKING. HAPPENING. Victor would say or do something gross, and Emily would call him out for it but immediately forgive it and nothing would change. Rinse and repeat until the last two chapters.
Which brings me to the "heroine". Emily Von.
Emily was a doormat. A pushover. She was infuriating in a different way. Victor seldom actually apologizes and makes amends for his mistakes, and she doesn't ask him to. The part where he hurt her feelings at the restaurant and never apologized? Or where he accused her of being incapable of separating feelings from discussion in class, and then called her rude in front of everyone? Yeah - that all is forgotten because she made Victor feel a sad. Because of fucking "big boy pants" (Which is whole other thing). Or the time he gets judgey about the Anna/Luca thing and is an ass, and then Emily forgets it immediately because he does something cute? And don't forget how preachy she could get - oh boy, could she get preachy. About just about anything. And that grated. Again - just because I understand that Emily has a reason for being the way she is doesn't mean I have to enjoy it.
So yeah - didn't much care for either character in this. Not at all. They both sucked. The plot wasn't my favorite either.
So...the plot....
Victor needs a METRIC FUCK TON of therapy. Not just for his weight loss - but for his twisted world view. Like, he needs to see a therapist multiple times a week to dissect his twisted as fuck views on people and society and beauty standards and his own self-worth. The way he thinks is unhealthy. His thought processes are unhealthy. He needs help, more than he is getting. And this is barely addressed.
He stopped talking to her for WEEKS. Just...HOLY SHIT. The level of fucked up on this one. He was only friends with her because he had a sliver of a chance he would never take. And the second she gets a guy, he abandons her. Just...just...this is so shitty. The whole "I love you, it hurts too much to see you with someone else, I know nothing can ever happen between us and that's fine [except it isn't], I wish you nothing by happiness." THIS IS NOT A FRIEND. YOU DON'T HANG AROUND BEING A FRIEND ONLY WHEN THE POTENTIAL TO GET TOGETHER IS STILL THERE. JESUS FUCK WHAT A NICE GUY™ THING TO DO. The fact that he ALWAYS PLANNED TO LEAVE HER after she started seeing someone else is just soooo fucked up. What the fuck is wrong with you????? Why are you such a shitty friend? You clearly have them - you clearly know how to be one. WHY ARE YOU SO BAD AT THIS.
I got shades of emotional manipulation from the moment in the library too. "I'm going to deprive you of affection for weeks. And then proclaim my love for you after attacking you with physical affection. But if you challenge me in any way I'll do the same thing I did before and bolt for the hills." Emily walking on eggshells to prevent Victor from leaving her high and dry is a form of emotional abuse. She was afraid to do or say the wrong thing, lest Victor deprive her of his attention. Again. THIS IS NOT ATTRACTIVE. And just because Emily calls him out on it does NOT mean it suddenly is okay. He still did it. It was still gross. Not to mention: "I couldn't walk away like I planned." Says the man who LITERALLY walked away.
And then there is the whole "I'm not what she deserves" trope. Which I hate. Why don't you let her decide who is enough for her there bud? God, I swear. Every time this happens in a romance book all I can think is that the person making the decision on the other's behalf respects their partner less than they respect themselves.
I did not find this book to be romantic in the slightest. I did not find these characters to be likable at all. I liked flawed characters in romance - characters who are well rounded, and some that need to be redeemed from previous bad actions. But I also like my characters to have literally ANY positive trait outside intelligent and witty. Which these characters did not.
NOW. I need to address the "big boy pants" comment. Big Boy Pants is a common colloquialism. Victor acts like this is a pointed comment at his weight, and Emily acts like this is a super inside joke she has with her friends. Like Emily somehow invented this phrase, or that it refers to fat people. But it is literally so common. You can't have me believe that Victor doesn't know what big boy pants means. Holy hell. There was so many better ways to do this rather than including a cliche like "big boy pants". I'm insulted by how bad the decision to use this phrase for this purpose was. There was no logical reason for this misunderstanding.
And I just have to throw this out there - PLUTO IS NOT A FUCKING ASTEROID. PLUTO IS A GODDAMMED DWARF PLANET. UGH. It was supposed to be a cutesy argument but all I could focus on was how they were both SO, SO WRONG. Mostly Victor.
OKAY - End Conclusions:
I love Penny Reid - I love her books. I usually love her characters. But this series has been a huge let down. I don't know if it is because of the way this is written and released, or if it is because of the Hot for Teacher trope. But something is just missing. And I think I have identified it?
Penny Reid cannot write power imbalances in her relationships for shit. If you're going to make your much older hero the young heroine's professor, or someone in a position of power over her, you can't make him the driving force in the relationship. Because that is creepy and ethically compromised. Penny Reid understands this. She also understands that your hero cannot, then, act too interested in her - he can't push for more. Because it can be creepy. So, to rectify this, Penny Reid makes them aloof. And because the hero is aloof, the heroine then has to be the sole driving force towards relationship town. But she can't be too pushy about it, because then she'd be either a) desperate and needy, or b) a pushover who lets the guy walk all over her. And Penny Reid sucks at navigating this fine line. Both Luca and Victor were too aloof - too morally superior. And it is off-putting. It makes the books contrived, and pretentious, the women are pushovers where the men are involved, and just let these guys get away with being assholes for the sake of the romance plot. The men never show interest until they suddenly do out of the blue. It's not romantic, to me. I don't like reading characters or plots written like this. I have read a lot of "hot for teacher" or "hot for my boss" or "hot for the significantly older man" and a lot of other vairations of "hot for XYZ authority figure" before. And some were way worse than this. But a lot aren't, and navigate it fine. I don't know why I don't like this series very much. But I hope Penny Reid figures her shit out.
So - This book was pretentious, the plot left a lot to be desired, and the characters were not likeable. 2 stars.
This quote, though, summarized how I felt about this book succinctly. "Move on. You deserve so, so much better than someone who ignores you and plays immature games. He is not worth it, no one is."
**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**
First things first. What we are all here for. The "Hero" of this story. Victor Hanover:
I kind of hated Victor for the majority of this book. I understand - he was scarred from his experiences. And his world view, and his view on women and his self-worth is warped. But I can understand the reasons behind why Penny Reid wrote him the way she did, I can understand the logic behind his backstory and acknowledge that it isn't out of nowhere, and I can still not enjoy it.
He made me uncomfortable from early on, referring to women as "females". He was the stereotypical White Knight Nice Guy™. And it grated. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. And towards the end, he veered kind of into...dare I say it....incel territory. The whole line where he says "You can be morally bankrupt, stupid, talentless, boring, and humorless, and yet still have the opportunity to procreate with very little effort if you're attractive". You could tell me that quote came directly from an Incel forum and I'd believe you. And that is the HERO of this damned ROMANCE. That turned me off Victor so, so much. Who wants their "hero" to talk like this? Who think's this is sympathetic? Yes, I understand the sentiment but it is so, so closed minded and just straight twisted. His whole schtick about "beautiful people not being worth his time" or being only "skin deep". While totally discounting the level of effort that goes into looking like that. People who are thin work for it - YOU KNOW THIS YOURSELF, VICTOR. He discounts all the work Emily puts in to look the way she does. Obviously if you put that much work in to look like you do, other people do the same thing Victor. God. I get where it comes from but holy shit. I am not attracted to this - not even after he realized how wrong he was. He was the polar opposite - yet the equivalent - of people who only date beautiful people. Just because it is clearly a defense mechanism that he is using to push Emily away doesn't make me go "oh poor baby Victor who hurt you???". It's gross.
Which brings me to my next point: just because you have a character in your book call out or acknowledge the stupid or awful thing your character does does not erase the stupid or awful thing that character did. Just because Victor's friend calls him out, just because Emily says something to him, about how awful he is acting does NOT make it okay. There needs to be some kind of development. And sure, Victor stops protesting his feelings. He gives in. And it's not going to be an overnight thing I get that. But it KEPT. FUCKING. HAPPENING. Victor would say or do something gross, and Emily would call him out for it but immediately forgive it and nothing would change. Rinse and repeat until the last two chapters.
Which brings me to the "heroine". Emily Von.
Emily was a doormat. A pushover. She was infuriating in a different way. Victor seldom actually apologizes and makes amends for his mistakes, and she doesn't ask him to. The part where he hurt her feelings at the restaurant and never apologized? Or where he accused her of being incapable of separating feelings from discussion in class, and then called her rude in front of everyone? Yeah - that all is forgotten because she made Victor feel a sad. Because of fucking "big boy pants" (Which is whole other thing). Or the time he gets judgey about the Anna/Luca thing and is an ass, and then Emily forgets it immediately because he does something cute? And don't forget how preachy she could get - oh boy, could she get preachy. About just about anything. And that grated. Again - just because I understand that Emily has a reason for being the way she is doesn't mean I have to enjoy it.
So yeah - didn't much care for either character in this. Not at all. They both sucked. The plot wasn't my favorite either.
So...the plot....
Victor needs a METRIC FUCK TON of therapy. Not just for his weight loss - but for his twisted world view. Like, he needs to see a therapist multiple times a week to dissect his twisted as fuck views on people and society and beauty standards and his own self-worth. The way he thinks is unhealthy. His thought processes are unhealthy. He needs help, more than he is getting. And this is barely addressed.
He stopped talking to her for WEEKS. Just...HOLY SHIT. The level of fucked up on this one. He was only friends with her because he had a sliver of a chance he would never take. And the second she gets a guy, he abandons her. Just...just...this is so shitty. The whole "I love you, it hurts too much to see you with someone else, I know nothing can ever happen between us and that's fine [except it isn't], I wish you nothing by happiness." THIS IS NOT A FRIEND. YOU DON'T HANG AROUND BEING A FRIEND ONLY WHEN THE POTENTIAL TO GET TOGETHER IS STILL THERE. JESUS FUCK WHAT A NICE GUY™ THING TO DO. The fact that he ALWAYS PLANNED TO LEAVE HER after she started seeing someone else is just soooo fucked up. What the fuck is wrong with you????? Why are you such a shitty friend? You clearly have them - you clearly know how to be one. WHY ARE YOU SO BAD AT THIS.
I got shades of emotional manipulation from the moment in the library too. "I'm going to deprive you of affection for weeks. And then proclaim my love for you after attacking you with physical affection. But if you challenge me in any way I'll do the same thing I did before and bolt for the hills." Emily walking on eggshells to prevent Victor from leaving her high and dry is a form of emotional abuse. She was afraid to do or say the wrong thing, lest Victor deprive her of his attention. Again. THIS IS NOT ATTRACTIVE. And just because Emily calls him out on it does NOT mean it suddenly is okay. He still did it. It was still gross. Not to mention: "I couldn't walk away like I planned." Says the man who LITERALLY walked away.
And then there is the whole "I'm not what she deserves" trope. Which I hate. Why don't you let her decide who is enough for her there bud? God, I swear. Every time this happens in a romance book all I can think is that the person making the decision on the other's behalf respects their partner less than they respect themselves.
I did not find this book to be romantic in the slightest. I did not find these characters to be likable at all. I liked flawed characters in romance - characters who are well rounded, and some that need to be redeemed from previous bad actions. But I also like my characters to have literally ANY positive trait outside intelligent and witty. Which these characters did not.
NOW. I need to address the "big boy pants" comment. Big Boy Pants is a common colloquialism. Victor acts like this is a pointed comment at his weight, and Emily acts like this is a super inside joke she has with her friends. Like Emily somehow invented this phrase, or that it refers to fat people. But it is literally so common. You can't have me believe that Victor doesn't know what big boy pants means. Holy hell. There was so many better ways to do this rather than including a cliche like "big boy pants". I'm insulted by how bad the decision to use this phrase for this purpose was. There was no logical reason for this misunderstanding.
And I just have to throw this out there - PLUTO IS NOT A FUCKING ASTEROID. PLUTO IS A GODDAMMED DWARF PLANET. UGH. It was supposed to be a cutesy argument but all I could focus on was how they were both SO, SO WRONG. Mostly Victor.
OKAY - End Conclusions:
I love Penny Reid - I love her books. I usually love her characters. But this series has been a huge let down. I don't know if it is because of the way this is written and released, or if it is because of the Hot for Teacher trope. But something is just missing. And I think I have identified it?
Penny Reid cannot write power imbalances in her relationships for shit. If you're going to make your much older hero the young heroine's professor, or someone in a position of power over her, you can't make him the driving force in the relationship. Because that is creepy and ethically compromised. Penny Reid understands this. She also understands that your hero cannot, then, act too interested in her - he can't push for more. Because it can be creepy. So, to rectify this, Penny Reid makes them aloof. And because the hero is aloof, the heroine then has to be the sole driving force towards relationship town. But she can't be too pushy about it, because then she'd be either a) desperate and needy, or b) a pushover who lets the guy walk all over her. And Penny Reid sucks at navigating this fine line. Both Luca and Victor were too aloof - too morally superior. And it is off-putting. It makes the books contrived, and pretentious, the women are pushovers where the men are involved, and just let these guys get away with being assholes for the sake of the romance plot. The men never show interest until they suddenly do out of the blue. It's not romantic, to me. I don't like reading characters or plots written like this. I have read a lot of "hot for teacher" or "hot for my boss" or "hot for the significantly older man" and a lot of other vairations of "hot for XYZ authority figure" before. And some were way worse than this. But a lot aren't, and navigate it fine. I don't know why I don't like this series very much. But I hope Penny Reid figures her shit out.
So - This book was pretentious, the plot left a lot to be desired, and the characters were not likeable. 2 stars.
June 25, 2019
Everybody needs friends like Andy & Anna.
That is probably my favorite part of this book. Yes, it does have a very much perfect writing, cute plotline, and a nice hero. But I loved the friendship part of this story. Andy and Victor, Emily and Anna, Emily and Luca, Anna and Abram, Abram and Emily...even Emily and Victor start as friends first...
Plus Andy pep talks, reasonings, and logic is a whole MOOD and MANTRA you need in your life...
That is probably my favorite part of this book. Yes, it does have a very much perfect writing, cute plotline, and a nice hero. But I loved the friendship part of this story. Andy and Victor, Emily and Anna, Emily and Luca, Anna and Abram, Abram and Emily...even Emily and Victor start as friends first...
Plus Andy pep talks, reasonings, and logic is a whole MOOD and MANTRA you need in your life...
July 21, 2019
2.5 Stars
This is the second book in the Dear Professor series and it features Victor, a research methods professor, and Emily, a college student. This book was mostly based on friendship and build up than actual romance, just so you know. I would have liked the two main characters to get together sooner in the book. Moreover I felt like the story dragged a little bit in certain parts. I appreciated a lot seeing how Victor dealt with his substantial weight loss since it's not something you usually find in romance stories.
This is the second book in the Dear Professor series and it features Victor, a research methods professor, and Emily, a college student. This book was mostly based on friendship and build up than actual romance, just so you know. I would have liked the two main characters to get together sooner in the book. Moreover I felt like the story dragged a little bit in certain parts. I appreciated a lot seeing how Victor dealt with his substantial weight loss since it's not something you usually find in romance stories.
July 29, 2022
Reread 7/29/2022: 4 stars. This book is definitely the best of the two in the series. I love the body positivity messages that this book has in spades. This story is unique because the hero is the one who has body image issues after losing 150lbs. There is a ton of great banter - both with the MCs and the side characters. There are also many thought provoking discussions, with some excellent messages. I really really enjoyed this story and I will be revisiting it again in the future.
Safe; heroine not a virgin, hero is a virgin who had never even been kissed before the heroine. No OW drama, some mild OM drama when the hero misinterpreted what he saw. No cheating or scenes with om/ow, the hero does do quite a bit of pushing away, but his reasonings were at least believable imo.
2/8/2022: 3.5 stars. I really am sad that this series is only 2 books. These are prob my favorite stories by PR.
Safe; heroine not a virgin, hero is a virgin who had never even been kissed before the heroine. No OW drama, some mild OM drama when the hero misinterpreted what he saw. No cheating or scenes with om/ow, the hero does do quite a bit of pushing away, but his reasonings were at least believable imo.
2/8/2022: 3.5 stars. I really am sad that this series is only 2 books. These are prob my favorite stories by PR.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
December 2, 2022DNF 10%. I should have known better than to start this book, given that:
1. Penny Reid has not exactly impressed me in the past
2. Unethical, unprofessional behaviour is really one of my pet hates.
Do lingerie models really exist? That is, those who prance around in a lingerie store to sell products and allow people to perve on them close up and feel them up a bit? It seems too seedy for a high-end store to be engaging in such practices and encouraging their models to do what it takes to sell the products.
I'm quitting before it descends any further.
1. Penny Reid has not exactly impressed me in the past
2. Unethical, unprofessional behaviour is really one of my pet hates.
Do lingerie models really exist? That is, those who prance around in a lingerie store to sell products and allow people to perve on them close up and feel them up a bit? It seems too seedy for a high-end store to be engaging in such practices and encouraging their models to do what it takes to sell the products.
I'm quitting before it descends any further.
December 24, 2019
I love everything about this book. Maybe I just wish it was longer. It was so intelligent and funny all the while still hiting hard on your heartstrings. I loved the discussion about body image and people's perceptions, but also the flip on the power dinamics that usually comes with this trope. The writing was superb, not only flowing so easily, but clearly constructed in such a witty way. Penny Reid just keeps being awesome.
June 19, 2019
I knew better than to start a Penny book after 5pm, because I didn't go to sleep until I finished the entire thing. ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE SLEEP DEPRIVATION. Victor may be my favorite Hero character ever. E V E R.
April 26, 2021
Finally a book I actually enjoyed a lot this month.
September 3, 2023
4.5★
Penny Reid blew my mind once again. This book was what my very insecure little heart needed. I felt so seen, so in awe with the characters’ depth in Kissing Galileo , especially because this book was just 200+ pages long. Short, but with a heavy punch. For those who have struggled with body image, this book will make you feel less alone, understood, and hopeful. A must read. While frustrating at times, the characters felt so real to me, and that connection made this book one that will leave an imprint on me for many years to come.
Penny Reid blew my mind once again. This book was what my very insecure little heart needed. I felt so seen, so in awe with the characters’ depth in Kissing Galileo , especially because this book was just 200+ pages long. Short, but with a heavy punch. For those who have struggled with body image, this book will make you feel less alone, understood, and hopeful. A must read. While frustrating at times, the characters felt so real to me, and that connection made this book one that will leave an imprint on me for many years to come.
March 22, 2023
This was my first Penny Reid book and I liked it! Thank you to Elizabeth and Inna for bringing it on to my radar, even if it took a while for me to read it. I definitely recommend reading their reviews esp since this one may be shorter (boo headaches). Emily (h) and Victor (H) were at times adorable, witty, funny, sweet, and frustrating. I thought it was well-done that this is a student-professor romance where the trope doesn't become a taboo or a scandal. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow drama, tiny om drama in the sense that the H misunderstands a friendship between the h and om. H is a virgin and completely inexperienced and h is the experienced one.
Emily is a college student who encounters her professor while she's working as a model for lingerie. Victor doesn't immediately recognize her, but once he does, he ensures that any potential negative fallout is avoided and protects her by going to the administration (even if she felt it was unnecessary). Then Emily thinks this means they'll have a possible relationship right? Wrong, so much push/pull for a variety of reasons (see mention of frustrating characters at times), but the slow development of them from student-professor to eventual friends to eventual lovers made sense in the bigger picture. Victor was a unique male character from what I typically read and it was refreshing. He's not experienced with relationships or physical intimacy. He also had been obese but now isn't and his perspective and perceptions are different because of his past compared to his present. Emily was sometimes impatient, but she was also very compassionate once she knew triggers and situations. I enjoyed their relationship and I really liked the bit of steam that was included.
I was disappointed in Emily's relationship with her BFF and her mom. For the BFF, that Emily hid aspects of her life from her, although later in the book there's more page time for their friendship with them being open. I wished that some of Emily's relationship with her mom was also on page esp since it was such a crucial relationship that continued to shape Emily. Victor's relationship with his BFF got a nice amount of page time and I loved those interactions, for their positivity and pushing of Victor out of his comfort zone and the humor. I was glad that Victor's dad didn't receive much page time, in contrast, since he was a jerk.
I was also sort of bummed out with the ending. It's a HFN, even though the epilogue is a short time jump ahead. I really wanted more closure and while it was cute and sweet, there were questions unanswered for me in terms of what their life together looked like long-term. Still, this was an intelligent, fun, and different contemporary read that I would definitely recommend!
Emily is a college student who encounters her professor while she's working as a model for lingerie. Victor doesn't immediately recognize her, but once he does, he ensures that any potential negative fallout is avoided and protects her by going to the administration (even if she felt it was unnecessary). Then Emily thinks this means they'll have a possible relationship right? Wrong, so much push/pull for a variety of reasons (see mention of frustrating characters at times), but the slow development of them from student-professor to eventual friends to eventual lovers made sense in the bigger picture. Victor was a unique male character from what I typically read and it was refreshing. He's not experienced with relationships or physical intimacy. He also had been obese but now isn't and his perspective and perceptions are different because of his past compared to his present. Emily was sometimes impatient, but she was also very compassionate once she knew triggers and situations. I enjoyed their relationship and I really liked the bit of steam that was included.
I was disappointed in Emily's relationship with her BFF and her mom. For the BFF, that Emily hid aspects of her life from her, although later in the book there's more page time for their friendship with them being open. I wished that some of Emily's relationship with her mom was also on page esp since it was such a crucial relationship that continued to shape Emily. Victor's relationship with his BFF got a nice amount of page time and I loved those interactions, for their positivity and pushing of Victor out of his comfort zone and the humor. I was glad that Victor's dad didn't receive much page time, in contrast, since he was a jerk.
I was also sort of bummed out with the ending. It's a HFN, even though the epilogue is a short time jump ahead. I really wanted more closure and while it was cute and sweet, there were questions unanswered for me in terms of what their life together looked like long-term. Still, this was an intelligent, fun, and different contemporary read that I would definitely recommend!
April 2, 2023
It’s like Penny Reid decided to challenge herself to make the single most unattractive hero and single most unattractive heroine of all time.
—
Victor was an insufferable self-proclaimed Nice Guy incel beta male, and Emily was a desperate, awkward, cringey weirdo with zero self-awareness or respect for boundaries— hers and others'. She gave me so much secondhand embarrassment.
I really hated Victor. I hate people who think they're selfless because they hate themselves. Thinking about yourself 24/7 because you hate yourself is still... thinking about yourself 24/7. Being a self-appointed martyr isn't noble. Get over yourself!
I understand having complexities that you need to work through, but I wasn't satisfied with these character arcs. I didn't see any growth. To me, there was nothing fun, appealing, or romantic about this story. I thought both characters were so unlikeable.
—
I should add that I really liked Kissing Tolstoy— I feel like that proves that I'm not just being a hater and this one was just bad.
—
Victor was an insufferable self-proclaimed Nice Guy incel beta male, and Emily was a desperate, awkward, cringey weirdo with zero self-awareness or respect for boundaries— hers and others'. She gave me so much secondhand embarrassment.
I really hated Victor. I hate people who think they're selfless because they hate themselves. Thinking about yourself 24/7 because you hate yourself is still... thinking about yourself 24/7. Being a self-appointed martyr isn't noble. Get over yourself!
I understand having complexities that you need to work through, but I wasn't satisfied with these character arcs. I didn't see any growth. To me, there was nothing fun, appealing, or romantic about this story. I thought both characters were so unlikeable.
—
I should add that I really liked Kissing Tolstoy— I feel like that proves that I'm not just being a hater and this one was just bad.
February 13, 2022
3.5 Fun quirky times with the professor. Enjoyable HEA story of true love and all it's possible roadblocks
January 22, 2023
Although this wasn’t my favorite from Penny Reid it was still a delightful read. Our leading man being post significant weight loss made for a fresh take on childhood body image and feelings on relationships and sexuality into adulthood.
I never quite connected with our heroine sadly, but she was still a good time, and because of that I can’t give it a higher rating.
I never quite connected with our heroine sadly, but she was still a good time, and because of that I can’t give it a higher rating.
November 17, 2019
2.5 stars
I really enjoyed Kissing Tolstoy but Galileo just left me a little disconnected, to be honest. Emily and Victor were not opposites, they felt like twins and their similarties actually got on nerves. Core to this story is once again a relationship between professor and student. For me, this storyline was not resolved as one minute there was high concern about the ethics of the relationship and later, none at all.
I normally find Penny Reid’s quirkiness of characters and narrative endearing but in this instance, I didn’t. In fact, I found the whole repetitive reciting of data, statistics and research methods annoying (and I am an academic with a PhD). Perhaps I just don’t like my fiction with such a big slice of work in it but for me it really detracted from the enjoyment. The ‘constant comparion’ (excuse my pun – Penny Reid now has me at research euphemisms) of their friendship and later relationship to statistical analysis or data, got old for me. The eventual relationship came to late for me to truly enjoy it.
The flip of body image issues from the male perpective was a welcome storyline. This topic was handled with realism and I could credibly appreciate Victor’s journey and feelings…bravo! I wanted a bit more from Lavender, I was sad that initial scene was never revisted (or tied up).
This is one of those rare moments where I didn’t really enjoy a Penny Reid book but considering I adore the vast amount, I won’t worry. There are many fans of this book, just not me.
This review can be found at A Take From Two Cities here.
I really enjoyed Kissing Tolstoy but Galileo just left me a little disconnected, to be honest. Emily and Victor were not opposites, they felt like twins and their similarties actually got on nerves. Core to this story is once again a relationship between professor and student. For me, this storyline was not resolved as one minute there was high concern about the ethics of the relationship and later, none at all.
I normally find Penny Reid’s quirkiness of characters and narrative endearing but in this instance, I didn’t. In fact, I found the whole repetitive reciting of data, statistics and research methods annoying (and I am an academic with a PhD). Perhaps I just don’t like my fiction with such a big slice of work in it but for me it really detracted from the enjoyment. The ‘constant comparion’ (excuse my pun – Penny Reid now has me at research euphemisms) of their friendship and later relationship to statistical analysis or data, got old for me. The eventual relationship came to late for me to truly enjoy it.
The flip of body image issues from the male perpective was a welcome storyline. This topic was handled with realism and I could credibly appreciate Victor’s journey and feelings…bravo! I wanted a bit more from Lavender, I was sad that initial scene was never revisted (or tied up).
This is one of those rare moments where I didn’t really enjoy a Penny Reid book but considering I adore the vast amount, I won’t worry. There are many fans of this book, just not me.
This review can be found at A Take From Two Cities here.
July 21, 2019
4/5 stars
For what feels like the hundredth time this year, I’m in a reading slump...and for what feels like
The hundredth time, I decided that Penny Reid would be the only cure to my problem. I was correct. Penny Reid has become my favourite romance author, and this book was just more of the greatness that I have come to accept. The romance was sweet, cute and heartwarming in all of the best ways. The characters were loveable, interesting and unique in their own ways, especially Victor as his inexperience and hesitancy was very different from most romance books out there.
For what feels like the hundredth time this year, I’m in a reading slump...and for what feels like
The hundredth time, I decided that Penny Reid would be the only cure to my problem. I was correct. Penny Reid has become my favourite romance author, and this book was just more of the greatness that I have come to accept. The romance was sweet, cute and heartwarming in all of the best ways. The characters were loveable, interesting and unique in their own ways, especially Victor as his inexperience and hesitancy was very different from most romance books out there.
June 18, 2019
Victor-ious 5 star read!!
I flippin' love Emily and Victor! I quit reading the monthly newsletter installments because parsing out my monthly dose of Victor was just cruel and unusual punishment, I had to have it ALL. I love that Victor was smart, funny, and flawed. His insecurities endeared him to me even more. And I flipping love Emily. She is brilliant and genuine. Loved the message that regardless of your outward appearance, internally we all have "baggage". Another 5 star read from this author! LOVED IT!!
I flippin' love Emily and Victor! I quit reading the monthly newsletter installments because parsing out my monthly dose of Victor was just cruel and unusual punishment, I had to have it ALL. I love that Victor was smart, funny, and flawed. His insecurities endeared him to me even more. And I flipping love Emily. She is brilliant and genuine. Loved the message that regardless of your outward appearance, internally we all have "baggage". Another 5 star read from this author! LOVED IT!!
June 23, 2019
this deals with a topic that hasn't been explored in romance (at least to my knowledge)
but boi this just wasn't for me
and it pains me so
but boi this just wasn't for me
and it pains me so
June 25, 2019
Now that's what I'm talking about! That's the way to write a contemporary romance ... complete with research methods stats talk which made me wish a course like that had been a prerequisite for me during school. I had to learn it on the streets. But I digress. Thank you Penny Reid for yet another well written, funny, human romance. You rock!
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