The Headmistress

The Headmistress #1

by Milena McKay, Abby Craden (Narrator)

10 hours and 25 minutes
A chance encounter. An unforgettable night.
And back home, trouble is brewing on the remote island of Three Dragons, where nothing feels like it used to. Alone and lonely, Sam Threadneedle wishes upon a star, hoping for change. But when said change comes, it’s with a roar and not a whimper.
Torn between loyalty and lust, Sam is forced to re-evaluate everything.
Can she and the Home of Dragons withstand the storm that is Magdalene Nox, or will any and all crumble?
Not everything is as it seems, and as she slowly unravels the mysteries behind the centuries-old walls, Sam realizes that home is much more than oak and stone.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Audiobook, Mystery, Queer, Lesbian Fiction

Audiobook

First published August 10, 2021

About the author

Milena McKay is a Lambda Literary and Golden Crown Literary Society award-winning sapphic fiction author.

She is a cat whisperer who wears four-inch heels for work while secretly dreaming of her extensive Converse collection. Would live on blueberries and lattes if she could.

Milena can recite certain episodes of The West Wing by heart and quote “Pride and Prejudice” in her sleep. Her love for Cate Blanchett's Carol Aird knows no bounds.

www.milenamckay.com

Reviews

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit: February, 24th, 2022, audiobook review: 5⭐️

“This book is so fucking good. And do I need to mention Abby?” This is what I wrote on social media midway through listening and honestly, I could leave it at that. But, being me, I won’t.

That exhilarating feeling I felt last summer when I first read The Headmistress? It came back tenfold with the audiobook. First, there was the anticipation. When the author announced that Abby Craden would be narrating, the impatience went through the roof. Who better than Abby Craden to voice Magdalene Fucking Nox? For the nerd that I can’t help being, the fact that it was released on 2.22.22 simply added to the perfection that I knew this would be.

I don’t have time to reread favourite books anymore, now that there are so many to choose from. Audiobooks are my excuse. Knowing what was going to happen in the story (interestingly, I hadn’t forgotten that much) allowed me to focus on the words, on the details, the little things that make McKay’s writing work so well for me, afforded me the luxury to delight in clues I’d missed the first time, appreciate the whole name thing too that she explained in this blog post, revel in Lily’s sassiness, Sam’s earnestness and less in-your-face hotness, and, obviously, the overall wonder that is Magdalene Nox. While I was extremely impatient to hear Craden voice Magdalene – and damn, the level of sexiness… –, I love absolutely all her voices, Sam’s and Lily’s in particular.

The Headmistress was my favourite book in 2021. Abby Craden is, well, Abby Craden. And yet, even though I knew this combo would be magnificent, it exceeded my expectations. If, after listening, you’re not ready to let go of Sam and Magdalene and you haven’t read it yet, grab the follow-up short story The Proposal. And keep your eyes peeled on February 26th for a Willoughby-related surprise.

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Milena McKay’s debut novel, The Delicate Things We Make, is the book I recommended most often this year since I read it in January. It’s a very impressive debut, a promise of many good books to come. The Perfect Match in February reinforced that impression, but it’s so different, much lighter and a novella, that some uncertainty could, maybe, linger. There should be none of that maybe-lingering uncertainty left after The Headmistress. A couple of chapters in, I got that giddy feeling that comes from knowing you’re reading a really good book. The good news is, that feeling remained till the end. And after.

Before I get into what the book is about and what makes it so delightful, I have to mention the cover. It’s beautiful, it’s fitting without being too revealing, it’s the perfect doorway to the story itself.

On to the story. Sam Threadneedle literally grew up at Three Dragons Academy, on Dragons Island in Massachusetts, and at almost thirty, is now the Math Chair. And although she should be focusing on the trouble brewing at her beloved school, she can’t get the woman she had a one night stand with while in New York for a conference out of her mind. Over the years, Dragons went from religious and conservative to a much more liberal and inclusive environment, and the trustees aren’t too happy about it. They also resent the large debts the school finds itself in, due in part to their constant fund-cutting. In an attempt to return the school to its Christian roots, they bring in a new headmistress, an expert on reforming boarding schools, or, as Sam and her colleagues see it, decimating said schools. And guess who the dreaded newcomer turns out to be?

When I pick up (or whatever the digital equivalent is) a book, I don’t really care about tropes. I’m not into tropes that much, and if I were, ice queen and age gap probably wouldn’t be at the top of the list. Shocking, I know. This doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a good ice queen/age gap romance, but I don’t purposefully look for them. Milena McKay is making me change my mind though, one book at a time. I mean, who could resist Magdalene Nox? I could one hundred per cent relate to Sam’s infatuation from the moment Magdalene entered.

Magdalene Nox is a marvellous character. Bitchy characters are a lot of fun (and they get the best dialogue) but the line is fine between smart and sexy bitchiness and irredeemability. Magdalene stays firmly on the right side of the line, which allows the reader to fully enjoy her snarky retorts. There’s obviously a lot more to her than meets the eye, even though what meets the eye is already in a league of its own. McKay’s characters are never flat, they’re multidimensional, they make mistakes, they learn from them, they have flaws, and that’s what makes them relatable, even when, as with Magdalene, they’re larger than life: gorgeous, smarter than most people, definitely hotter than most people. And yet so very real, with her own instances of awkwardness as well.

Sam is also relatable in a very different way. She’s a nerd, she loves words and numbers, she’s loyal even when her judgement is clouded by lust and will fight relentlessly for what she feels is right (there’s a reason some call her the fourth dragon), even if it goes against her own interests. She’s the ideal counterpoint to Magdalene’s ice queen.

I won’t mention all the secondary characters but I have a few favourites: Lily, a charming, talented, cheeky, and overall lovely student; Joanne, Sam’s colleague but above all the woman who raised her after she was found as a child on the steps of the Academy chapel; and Willoughby, the resident ginger mouser who couldn’t care less about mice but can be trusted to find the best sunspot at any time of the day. Aloof, haughty, and fiercely independent – in other words, a cat – Willoughby is also the first one to see beyond Magdalene’s icy façade. Cats being smarter than humans and all that.

Being me, I focused on the romance in this review, but The Headmistress is a romantic suspense novel, and Sam and Magdalene face all sorts of dangerous situations. While not properly speaking a whodunit, The Headmistress more than holds its own on the suspense front.

Milena McKay is a generous author. She doesn’t end the story where expected. She goes further. She gives more, both to her characters and to readers. And it could be too much (some authors don’t know when to let go) but it’s not. It’s needed. The story is better because of it.

Milena McKay may still be pretty new on the lesfic scene but she already has a unique voice. As she first proved in The Delicate Things We Make, she doesn’t shy away from sensitive topics yet doesn’t write heavy dramatic books either. The Headmistress is a subtle blend of substance, witty dialogue, humour, and sexiness.

There’s really something to be said for well-written books. I’ve been writing that pretty often lately (here for example). I’ll forgive a lot if the story is good and I like the characters, but it’s so much better when the writing is sensational too. We’re very lucky to have so much choice in lesfic now (I’m old, I remember buying every single wlw book I could find because there were so few), but obviously among all the books coming out every month, some are more memorable than others. I’ve written this before and will keep writing it, we need all the books. That said, some stand the test of time better than others. I’m willing to bet The Headmistress is one of these. This is a book you’re going to want to have on your bookshelf, both digital and physical (and, hopefully, in audio someday because I’d love to hear Magdalene’s “darling” aloud), and read again and again for many years. I know I will.

I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[pipsqueakreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three Dragons Academy.

I thought this was going to be sci-fi or fantasy fiction but it turns out to be nothing of the sort. Three Dragons Academy is an elite all-girls Christian boarding school in Dragons Island, Massachusetts and nothing more. This is great because I haven’t been particularly good with speculative fiction and it has been a rough few days for me, so I just wanted something I could enjoy.

When the world was caving in on me, this solid romance gave me a much-needed respite. First of all, this book has my favourite ice queen and boss/subordinate tropes. I shared recently in a review thread of another book about how I like my ice queens to be written. I said that while ice queens could be icy and misunderstood by the world, they need to be gentler to their love interest by taking on a loving and fiercely protective role. Well, it seems that I have found my ideal ice queen in Magdalene, the new Headmistress whose sudden appointment at the Academy causes an upheaval.

The sexual tension between Magdalene and Sam, the math professor, is great, but the whole idea that the trust between them is earned despite their one night stand history, is even better. I love the dynamics between them and the first thing that strikes me is how well they communicate, even if they aren't always seeing eye to eye. And because of that, it never once bothered me that we never got Magdalene's POV. I love how much effort McKay puts in to make the characters three-dimensional too. The characters have a lot of history being told and it's tied up nicely with the Academy and its take on religion and inclusivity. I love how Magdalene has the brains and motivation to outsmart trustees and rebelling academics and do right by the Academy and how Sam can hold her own and fight for what she believes is right.

This is a well-written book, but I'm not surprised. I've seen the raving reviews about McKay's debut, The Delicate Things We Make, so I already know what McKay is capable of. She's a brilliant writer.

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I was excited to get to this as almost every single person I follow on Goodreads rated this 5 glowing stars. Unfortunately, either my expectations were too high or too many of pet peeves were used, but this was a bit of a disappointment. The beginning was not great for me but by the end it did get better. I’ll try to explain my reasoning for it not being 5 stars for me.

1. It grated on my nerves that Sam, an adult, couldn’t seem to go 2 minutes without getting distracted by how hot/beautiful/gorgeous Magdalene was. Even when in dire situations she found herself getting distracted. I was embarrassed for her because she wasn’t subtle at all.
2. I couldn’t tell what time period this was in? Some of the language used reminded me of historical fiction but other times it seemed it was current day. Also, they had to use a cat to pass notes…do they not have phones at Dragons???
3. I did love Magdalene but she went a little too far with being absolutely perfect and knowing better than everyone else. And honestly, I couldn’t figure out what she was infatuated with Sam? The pairing really never made sense to me.
4. Another thing was how repetitive some things were. I know of at least two instances where there were two paragraphs that were so similar I wondered if one was supposed to be edited out. And it seemed to me that there was a lot of telling rather than showing.

There are a couple more reasons but they’re spoilery so I won’t get into those.

I’m still willing to give McKay’s other books a read, this just wasn’t a favorite like I was thinking it would be. McKay is a good story teller and I hope the next I read from her works better for me.

[Della B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ice Queen romances require that delicate balance of push and pull which is much sought after and not nearly accomplished enough. Lee Winter is the queen of this genre but she now has stiff competition by Milena McKay.
McKay is an exceptional story teller. She captivates you right from the start and never loses your interest. From her characters to the storyline there is a depth and weightiness to the novel.
I especially love the word choices and outstanding vocabulary on display. Narrative poetry on full display. I could not ask for anything better.

[JulesGP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know who else has had this experience with anything they’ve read in the past but I had the most disconcerting time with this book. Honestly felt like déjà vu, a memory instead of a new story. I started a chapter, stopped, broke for a night, started again. All those days feeling like I was walking in a dream of greys and blacks. Shadowy walkways. It took me almost two weeks to finish and by the end I was exhausted, feeling like I was still at Dragons, on that cliff with the scent of jasmine lingering around me. Each book is a journey and every literary experience strikes everyone in a unique way because we’re all different people coming from every conceivable walk of life.

I had a hell of a time. This is not the usual book review but I want to say what I felt more than what I thought if that makes sense. I know for a while, I’ll be thinking of Sam and Magdalene embracing in the wooden corridors of their dusty school while teenagers laugh in the distance. I’ll be seeing the old buildings atop the cliffs surrounded by the Atlantic. I’ll remember the ache of aloneness that Sam and Magdelene felt before they found each other, their joy and passion as they fell deeply in love. I’ll remember it like it was my own wildly vivid dream but told in a devastatingly beautiful voice. Amazing storytelling that completely blindsided me.

Thank you to the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[K.J .]

Milena McKay has a clever knack of bending literary rules just enough so the rule isn’t quite broken but a tiny crack appears. For example, her new book, ‘The Headmistress’, is a romance, but—crack!—there’s an unexpected quirk in the plot; another romance that runs perpendicular across the main. ‘The Headmistress’ contains a mystery but—crack!—there’s some metaphorical intrigue that pulls the reader away just for moment. Oh, you’ve dealt with that mystery? Here is another one.
The appeal of this story is that a person can decide to read it from the distance of their choice.
They could stand back, read at the surface, and thoroughly enjoy the story. Enjoy the chance encounter driven by lust that Sam Threadneedle, the MC whose lens we utilise, experiences, the trouble that Sam finds brewing in her home; Three Dragons Academy, the prestigious school for girls.
Or the reader can take a step closer, raise their eyebrows at the fanciful sentiment of wishing upon a star and the ramifications that the wish creates, maybe flick back a few pages and gasp when Sam is forced to reevaluate her very world when that wish brings forth Magdalene Nox, the new headmistress of the school, or perhaps gasp, “Oh!” when lust begins to crumble the very stones of the buildings.
Or perhaps the reader chooses to sit in their internal Library Reading Room and pour over threads and lines, poking at sentences that twist and turn to escape attention, that hide the clues to create a literary treasure hunt.
Sam Threadneedle, the head of Mathematics, has only ever known Dragons Academy. Left as a baby at the school’s front door and raised as an orphan, she grew to love the stone, the oak, the very shape of Dragon Island. So the arrival of Magdalene Nox is unsettling, unwelcome, and unexpectedly familiar.
Probably by now, a reader might question the choice of the school’s name—Three Dragons Academy—or Sam’s surname—Threadneedle—or Magdalene’s surname—Nox. I know I did. What a strange collection of monikers.
Which means that McKay has decided to toss character and place name rules onto a bonfire, nod at the readers, and smile, “Off you go, then.”
Again, a person could simply read the book for afar, the names blending beautifully into the text. Or maybe they want to look deeply to solve why McKay deliberately chose those names. Here’s something to ponder; the title for Chapter Two is ‘Of Woolgathering At Staff Meetings and Entrances Well Made”. In this chapter, Sam is referred to as the Fourth Dragon. Is it because she defends the school—her home—from outside forces? Is Magdalene Nox, the Ice Queen headmistress, an outside force to oppose? It certainly seems so when Magdalene storms into the dragon’s nest with reform, and restructure, and a metaphorical ruthless sword to cut through the wreckage of the school’s current financial situation. Does Sam stitch the remnants together?
The chapter titles. McKay used this same device in ‘The Delicate Things We Make’. For that book, I dedicated an entire paragraph in my essay to those titles. In each chapter title in ‘The Headmistress’, McKay has chosen to highlight two crucial points for readers to attend (or not—that’s another moment of how closely does a person want to be to read the story?—all are valid). However, the ingenuity is the way the title guides the reader, even if the quest is obscured by twists. At the end of each chapter it is very easy to pause on the journey, to take a breath, but the next chapter title won’t allow for that type of dalliance. It tips its head, asks, “Are you ready? Right, let’s go then” and pulls a person along.
I was trying to put my finger on what it is that makes this book slightly different, adjacent to, simply more than. It’s the mythical feel that McKay infuses into the story, as if the school, the island, the characters, the text itself exists as part of a legend; a tale of yore. Which is entirely illogical because Sam and Magdalene, the students, the staff, the school, the school board exist in the present and have a solidity, a reality to their very presence. And yet…and yet. That’s where McKay’s clever writing comes into play. The text is contemporary; the banter, the sex, the interactions—all references to modern life. But she has situated these people and places inside a mythology specifically created for this book, where the characters deliberately refer to swords, and dragons, and guardians, and…and.
And that, ingeniously, is why there is light, why there is oxygen between the lines. It’s important to breath in this story, because if McKay had paused in ‘The Headmistress’ and asked readers to hold an enormous handful of prose—which was the brilliance of ‘The Delicate Things We Make’—they wouldn’t have moved on. But in ‘The Headmistress’, McKay insists that readers move on. The story awaits. Gather your swords.

[gloria .☆ﾟ. · Rating 3 out of 5]

➥ 3.5 Stars *:･ﾟ✧

Magdalene smirked and reached out with her thumb to wipe her own lipstick off Sam’s still panting mouth.

━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━

Thank you Amy for the recommendation <3. All in all, I felt that the book's romance was promising, but the side plot was significantly weaker. There was a clear attempt to make sense of everything going on plot (generous) wise, and consequently a lack of effort made on developing the romantic connection and story between the women. Unfortunate, considering some moments got close to being pretty good.

➥ Magdalene (h) is pretty dreamy. She's confident and hot, if a bit cookie-cutter but whatever. I'll love it every time. Unlike for Sam, her character description was actually enticing. She was frankly the prize here, and it's unfortunate how evident that became as the story went on.

➥ Sam (h) was beyond annoying. It's a shame when the sort of protagonist's character is neglected for the sake of making the love interest shine. #morepowercouplesplease! Her quirky/nerdy personality was overdone. Enough with the nerds who spew information randomly then blush in embarrassment. There are other ways for characters to be show nerdy interests and qualities without having to be extremely cringey about it. Another "quirk" of her character is that she always dressed in grotty clothes, for no apparent reason. Irresistible am I right? Oh, and we're in her voice for the whole novel.

➥ Willoughby (the cat) carried this book. So cute, such an icon.

Here's a basic rundown because all my reviews have been shite lately 😊😉! No dual POV in 2021? Come on now.

Also this book was surprisingly difficult to get into. The beginning was just nawt interesting whatsoever. The characters had chemistry and McKay is capable of writing tension, but making the one I find annoying say the hot stuff was 💔.

“Sam… Sam… Sam… What am I going to do with you?” The voice, dripping with amusement like thick honey, still managed to transcend the innuendo and land somewhere too sensual for a provincial diner at closing time.

Nothing, she did nothing. You can't make the fine one do nothing.

The freckle counting was cute though, aww. Lot of talk about a strap scene, come to find out there is no payoff. Boo!! Anyway, I'll end this review on a good note.

"Sam Threadneedle, my point was that I am completely and totally yours. You saved my life over and over, stood up to me and for me, had my back, had me on my back, on my front too." And now the smile was back in both the tone and on those beautiful lips. "If I hadn't already been utterly, entirely, and totally in love with you, then seeing you march into my office like a guardian angel three days ago would have done it. Not even strong enough to stand, you took on my stalker, you uncovered the mystery, and you did it all while loving me. I will be falling in love with you 'till the day I die, Sam. If you'll have me that is..."

So considering the somewhat compelling/attractive love interest, but also multiple issues of excessive inner monologue, cringe references and fade-to-blacks, I'm slapping a 3.5 on it and calling it a day.

━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━

[Agirlcandream · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

This book is a must read for WLW romance fans. Magdalene Nox wins for best ice queen of 2021 if not best of all time for her strength of character, her brilliance and her seductive charms when it comes to Sam Threadneedle. The reader is never in doubt that the new Headmistress Nox will achieve her goals of resurrecting the girls academy from near financial ruin. She is as tough as she is sexy. Sam is beautifully conflicted. On one hand she cares deeply for the school, its faculty and the students who love her. On the other hand she cannot stop thinking about that one night she spent in the arms of the most intoxicating woman she has ever met.

This book has everything I want in a romance. Hot seething desire, check. Strength of character when faced with danger, check. A cast of side characters both good and evil, leaving the reader to guess who can be trusted, check. A fickle cat who steals many scenes, check. The whole book is brilliant.

Another best of 2021. This year has been full of surprises. Don’t miss this one.

[Corporate Slave · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to thank my friends who told me to read this book!
And second, I would like to thank the author for writing this book 😁

[Bárbara Sousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

13/08/2021: This is my favorite book of 2021 so far. Just wow! Started reading last night and now it’s 9AM and I couldn’t sleep until I finished it. I just love Sam and Magdalene so much!! Love how intense their chemistry is and how communicative they are and always there for each other despite the circumstances and I’m so very happy that they got their happy ending and at the place they’ve always called home. “They were together; they were safe; they were home.” Lmfao I’m not crying, you are. Can’t wait to reread this beautiful work of art. Even now, I’m sleepy af but my heart is so warm and happy and comfortable 🥰 100% recommend!

16/02/2023: Just listened to the audiobook narrated by Abby Craden and wow!! This book was already excellent, but Craden made it even better! Shook! That voice is just chef’s kiss!! And this book is a work of art 🥰

[MZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

With all the wonderful reviews out there I’ll keep things short. This was absolutely great. The characters, their growth (I especially liked to see how Sam has to reconsider her opinion on the ethics of Magdalene), the romance and even a small mystery. A delight to listen to:-)

[Gaby LezReviewBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read 100+ women-loving-women titles per year it's incredibly exciting to witness the arrival of a new special talented author to our little community. A few years ago, the new gifted writer was EJ Noyes, later on, Anna Burke, last year (2020) was Haley Cass. This is definitely Milena McKay's year. Ms. McKay was on my radar since her debut The Delicate Things we Make, and after the release of her novella The Perfect Match it was good to see that her debut wasn't a one-hit-wonder. So I dropped everything to read The Headmistress for all of the reasons above and because... who can resist that title anyway?

Sam Threadneedle, a math teacher at the girls' academy Three Dragons, gets involved in an unforgettable one-night stand with a mysterious woman. When the same woman appears three months later as the new headmistress in charge of unpopular changes to save the institution from bankruptcy, Sam will be torn between her allegiance to the institution and her increasing attraction for the woman who can destroy all she's ever had.

The one-night stand sex trope is one of my favourites maybe because it brings the typical 50% mark romance book excitement to the beginning. A couple of wlw books do this pretty well, Gerri Hill's The Killing Room and Carsen Taite's It Should be a Crime. I admit that I was expecting something similar in this novel but the author surprised me. Instead of describing the main characters' encounter at the beginning, Ms. McKay sprinkles little tidbits of the scene in the first few chapters... and in reverse chronological order... So these little sexy snippets act more like teasers than anything else. Very clever.

Due to the intrigue elements in this novel, a lot of this story is plot-driven. However, all the characters, main and secondary, are fleshed out extremely well, including Willoughby the cat. One of my favourite secondary characters was former headmistress Orla, as the author described her Irish traits very convincingly. As this story is written in third person from Sam's point of view, the headmistress herself is a mystery to reveal in all her icy, aloof and sexy glory. As the story peels off layer after layer of her hidden personality, the reader falls in love with her along with Sam, inevitably.

The Headmistress mixes romance with a bit of mystery, action and intrigue. I confess I couldn't see the villain coming, it really surprised me. As a matter of fact, "surprise" is an accurate word to describe my feelings toward this book, the good kind of surprise. After reading so many wlw novels, I'd say it's quite an achievement. I'd be surprised (pun intended) if this novel isn't in most of the top tens of this year. It will definitely be in mine.

If you are looking for an exquisitely written book with beautiful metaphors, well-fleshed characters, a little of action/intrigue and a beautiful romance, look no further. The Headmistress is one of a kind. Looking forward to reading what Ms. McKay writes next. 5 stars.

[Pin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deserves the hype. I loved every word of this awesome book. I sincerely recommend it, and am really looking forward to Milena McKay’s next offering. Keep them coming!
5 plus stars

[Guerunche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I get into specifics about this book, I'll say upfront that it is a more than five star read and everybody should put this at the very top of their to-read list. Go do that and then come back. lol
But seriously - when I read Milena McKay's debut The Delicate Things We Make, I was very excited about her talent. The book was so well written, smart and had such a strong story that I had a feeling this new writer was going places. This release proves I wasn't wrong.
The Headmistress is amazing. It's an age gap, ice queen romance with a bit of a mystery in the mix. When I say ice queen, I'm talking about one that the great Lee Winter herself would be proud of. After a mind-blowingly hot sexual encounter with a woman at an education conference in the Big Apple, Sam Threadneedle returns home to finish out the school year at the remote island where she teaches at an all-girls private school. Just a few short months later, she is stunned when the school's board of trustees brings in a new headmistress to save the school from ruin and she is none other than the strikingly gorgeous woman she hasn't been able to get out of her head since.
Magdalene Nox blows in like a storm and Sam and everyone else at the school is terrified by the changes that lie ahead. Sam is trying to reconcile that this woman who is going to decimate her beloved school is the same one she shared such a passionate night with. And it's not easy. Nox has a reputation for "squeezing institutions dry" with the changes she institutes and nobody but nobody wants her there beyond the board who is responsible for leading the institution to the brink.
This is a premise ripe for drama and romance and it delivers in a big way. Magdalene and Sam are fabulous characters and watching this whole story play out is something of a dance. An exciting, mysterious, delicious one. There are also memorable and well fleshed out secondary characters and a cat that is impossible not to fall in love with. And the sex? Good lord, folks, it's hot. Pick up this book. Trust me - you'll be so glad you did!

[Cammy Chareon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hit from Milena McKay! I loved her debut novel, The Delicate Things We Make; in fact, it is one of my favorite books this year. Now we can add The Headmistress to that list. I initially thought that this would be a fantasy book given the synopsis and the character names, but it's more romance and a little suspense. It's not really a mystery type of book, but it will definitely keep you guessing!

Sam Threadneedle is a math teacher at Dragons Academy, where she also studied and grew up. Dragons was the closest thing she had to a home. However, the academy has been struggling due to financial troubles and other issues, which is why the board decided to appoint Magdalene Nox as the new headmistress, hoping she could turn things around. Improving the current state of the academy, though, will definitely come with a price that no one is happy about.

The characters were well-written, whether main or supporting. Sam is a very likable character. She is loyal, brave, and smart. She may act impulsively at times, but she definitely stands for what she believes in. Magdalene, on the other hand, was described to be ruthless and cold - like your typical ice queen. But of course, there are many depths to Magdalene, and it was a joy to discover how she really is. I liked Sam and I loved Magdalene, so of course, I couldn't help but root for them!

I'm a sucker for a sweet romance, and this book definitely satisfied that criterion. I remember highlighting a lot of parts because they made me feel giddy. But aside from the romance, there was also a mystery that made the book even more interesting. I feel like Milena really put a lot of thought into creating this story. There were parts that seemed cliche, but I didn't mind them at all. I really enjoyed reading this, and I was torn between finishing it right away and savoring it until the end. Such a good book that is totally worth your time. :)

[Heinerway · Rating 5 out of 5]

After taking a look at the cover and reading the blurb I thought at first that this was fantasy, but not a bit of it! Here I found a beautiful story with two great main characters, one of them an awesome ice queen. This was the first book I read by Milena McKay, and of course it won't be the last.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"…you and I both know I could pull off Miranda Priestly just fine."

That just about sums up the character of Magdalene Nox. From the mouth of Magdalene Nox.

Sam Threadneedle, is a do-good math teacher at Three Dragons, a private all girls school. She is very much rooted in the everyday operations by being the unofficial assistant to the current headmistress. Until one day, the Board of Trustees decide to shake things up to save the establishment from closing down. They bring in the most ruthless reformer of private schools in the US, Magdalene Nox.

The Nox Method is to cut everything and disregard all tradition that has made Three Dragons what it is today. And Sam is immensely opposed to all changes the replacement headmistress proposes. Tempers fly, frustration is had, and chemistry is in abundance.

The best part of this book is the pining and angst of wanting something that shouldn't be. The conflict of being attracted to someone you are completely at odds with.

What I really appreciated about this book was that it was not just pure romance. There were sub plots that kept me wondering why that happened, who is doing that, and what does that have to do with anything? A bit of mystery and suspense that made me never want to put the book down.

I loved Milena McKay's previous book 'The Delicate Things We Make.' It was so good that I worried she would not be able to back it up with something equally satisfying. That ended up being completely unnecessary as 'The Headmistress' shines all on its own. McKay's writing is so eloquent that I was barely even bothered by her frequent use of 'lover.' It even sounded like an appropriate term in the context of this story!

I recommend this to those who enjoy romance, ice queens, private schools, chemistry, mystery, suspense, conflicts of interest, traitor cats, water falls, electricity, fire, and hotel encounters.

[Sprinkles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. This is what I've been wanting.

This book hit the spot. I've lucked out in reading two fantastic books in a row, which is a feat. Milena McKay, please write more because I'll be making my way through more from you. No, really. Drop whatever you're holding unless it's a baby. Get writing!

Before even reading McKay's blurb, I knew this was one who reads fanfic and I mean this in an honorable way. Fanfiction writers give the people what we want. And what do we want? Beautiful women, chemistry, and sexy scenes!

The summary of this story feels like fantasy (it's not) and I was pleased at the school setting. I enjoy a nice, simple setting. School dynamics us interesting to me.

Magdalene is incredibly attractive. Her snippy ice queen-ness maintained a nice level of levity and warmth, even when she was harsh. Sam was a nice match for her.

I've been sounding like a perv in the past, wishing for more intimate scenes. Writers make these hot characters and skimp the on adult stuff, which makes this cupcake pout. Well, not McKay. Her characters are simultaneously in love and deep, deep lust and I'm here for it! Her readers are well-fed. The scenes are very steamy.

McKay has an extensive vocabulary, I must say. I learned some words, which I appreciate. Her style read a little European, even though the characters were American. I could see someone feeling like this story's on the long side, but I didn't mind.

I highlighted a lot in this one. Great quotes and sensuous romance. If McKay majored in anything in lesfic college, it would be fawning. So much fawning; it's delicious.

Yeah. This totally works for me. An easy new favorite. ☆☆☆☆☆

[hubsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDIT: Just finished the audiobook and it is just as good. I stand by my review from last year. Thanks again for your magic, Abby Craden. :)
-----------------

Well good godDAMNED.

To say I was "into this" would be an understatement. This story was quite rich and layered, with hefty doses of intimacy and steam coupled with main characters that I couldn't help but fall for. 

Don't let the "dragons" description fool you, there are none, thankfully. The Three Dragons is the name of the all-girls school housed on an island for centuries, and this book centers on the brilliant math teacher, Sam, sparring with the new, cold Headmistress Magdalene that is tasked to change the place before it falls to ruin. Oh and these two just happened to have shared the hottest one night stand in Manhattan's history as two strangers a few months before. How's that for drama. There is backstabbing and vicious things said by close friends and amazing felines and sarcastic teens and love and pain and loneliness and all the things laced in this book.

Oh boy did I dislike Magdalene at first....the way she seemingly played people, her aloofness to Sam, and how she took sensitive, vulnerable moments (such as when Sam was stuck in the elevator and started rambling about Star Trek in her absolute panic) and used this as a jab later on, was physically heartbreaking. Sam's character is very well written, her orphaned past, her connection to the school and those that helped raise her....there's my poison, people. Give me some flaws, realistic backstory, make me FEEL things for these main characters. I also liked the addition of the so-called conservative morals in this book, the old school trustees that want to revert the school back to the 19th century. This really got under my skin and felt almost personal, and added more emotion to the story, especially for us LGBTQers.

The pace of the intimate scenes were also very welcome. While in the first part of the book they are flashbacks to the one night stand, they are HOT, and it added that intensity, the connection, the longing, all while contradicting the coldness of Magdalene in her current, difficult position. As the book continues, this electricity just keeps getting stronger, so hang on to your knickers, friends. Yowsa.

Did anyone else have this clip in mind after the confession in Magdelene's office when the calvary busted in? https://youtu.be/jPf2y2QGoJw?t=103

....or was that just me?

If any criticisms, I'd say it was a tad too long, and quite a few scenes repeated themselves (the cliffs, the scent of jasmine, how many times Magdalene appeared out of nowhere like a ninja....). But only as much as a .5 dropping. Well done, Ms. McKay, you are officially in my top 5 of lesfic authors. I highly recommend. 

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks!

[emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

ETA: audiobook reread, ONLY EVEN BETTER ABBY CRADEN GODDAMN.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


EVERYTHING HAPPENS SO MUCH!!!

4.5 stars. I fucking loved this. I loved the school setting, I loved Magdalene, I loved Sam, I loved the kiddos, and I even loved the cat. And I am not an animal person. This will become a regular re-read one for me for sure I’d wager.

[Joc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha Threadneedle is the maths professor of a Christian all girls school. Limping along financially, the school board employs a new headmistress to reform the school. Sam is not as shy and retiring as impression she gives. Magdalene, well, read the book to find out.

This is an enjoyable read with great tension between the characters.

[Menestrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern fairy tale that will charm the pants off you

Sam Threadneedle is a thirty-year-old math teacher in the remote school of Three Dragons Academy, a fictional school erected in an island somewhere in New England. Orphan of mother, Sam never met her father and was raised by the Headmistress Orla and the art teacher Joanne. She has never been in love, but after a steamy one-night stand with a stranger, when she was on business trip in New York, her mind cannot stop thinking about that woman that turned her world upside down. Days go by, but her mind keeps going back to that night and the unusual feeling that the woman had something familiar, a jasmine smell that she knows so well. Her life carries on dull and uneventful, until just like in the most known fairy tales, Sam makes a wish that a change would come and bring her what she craves the most: to belong, to be loved, to be claimed. After that, everything seems to head inexorably to the Apocalypse, with the school facing major changes in order to be saved, and the advent of the mysterious new Headmistress: Magdalene Nox: the devil incarnated. Will Sam’s wish be granted? Will this be a happy ending or her fall into darkness?

Since I first started reading The Headmistress, I immediately felt as if I was transported into a land far away, in an enchanted world, with myths and legends, and then it hit me. Just like in every fairy tales, the names of the characters would suggest already something about their virtues and say a lot about their identity. But since the whole book is permeated with religious connotations, being the Three Dragons Academy’s past filled with puritanism and bigotry, it didn’t surprise me that the main and secondary characters would themselves have names belonging to the religious sphere mixed with mythical or legendary ones. And so Sam, from Samantha, could be the Aramaic “Listens well”, the Hebrew “As told by God”, the Arabic “Eternal” and so on; Magdalene and her remembrance of Mary Magdalene, the sinner saved from lapidation by Jesus and the “Last temptation” according to the apocryphal Gospel of Judas. Orla or “The Golden Princess” in Gaelic and so on.

This religious and mythical setting brings you back to the eternal fight between Good and Evil, between Religion and Paganism, and in this specific book, between Homosexuality and Religion. The centuries of bigotry that regarded homosexuality as something against Nature, against God. Women and men persecuted, because of who they cherished and loved. It’s paradoxical that Sam grew up in such an environment and still felt in a way “protected” by the rest of the world, far away from anything that could hurt her, but also far from her true self. And it’s only when she finds something worth fighting for, her love for Magdalene, that she decides to step into the light, abandoning the darkness of her closeted life. Still, paradoxically, Magdalene’s surname is “Nox”, which means “Night” in Latin, and their first encounter had been itself a night of all wonders. To push even further this thought of “Good and Evil”, “Light and Darkness”, the book itself starts with the word “The Light”, to continue with “shades”, “entwined figures”; two lovers, just like in the Middle Ages literature. But The Headmistress teaches you that things aren’t always what they seem and if you change perspective, what seemed to be evil in the past, is good now and vice versa.
Thus, was Christianity the real Saint in History, defeating and persecuting pagans? And one of the most iconic figures of Christianism, Saint George, who slayed the evil dragon to save humanity's faith… Since the Crusades, his legendary figure has been used and abused to symbolize what’s good. But I think it’s so genius that Milena McKay reversed this story and I get to testify the revenge of the Three Dragons, plus a Fourth one (Sam herself), like the 4 Knights of the Apocalypse, who unmask the real nature of the Saint. And what about The Trustees? The board, only composed by men, as old fashioned and single-minded like indeed most of the people in The Middle Age.

The two main characters, Sam and Magdalene, are so wisely depicted, that you’ll be constantly asking yourself who is saving who from their doomed faith. On one side, Sam, nerdy, sweet, loyal, a loner, always with the head in the clouds, a dreamer, and a lost soul. On the other hand, Magdalene, this obscure woman who makes her appearance in the book as something that doesn’t even seem human: “tall, willowy figure”; “disdainful smirk”; “flaming red hair”; “steps like gunshots”. You know from the very beginning that Magdalene is on a war mission, she’s vengeful and she seems merciless. But is Magdalene in the book the real devil? Or is she the light? Sam has her doubts and she has to choose between loyalty or a crazy-like passion, that haunts her at night.

Even the cat Willoughby, as red as the Headmistress’s hair, who always used to follow “The light”, “The Sun”, as soon as he meets Magdalene, he starts following her, just as she was the Light herself. Love his character!

I have no idea if these ideas might have been those behind the book, but when I read it, I really had to think of all of this.

It’s such a great story, and I can’t believe it’s the second book by Milena McKay!
There’s chivalry love, forbidden steamy encounters, beautiful settings (the cliff and the jasmine), which I really imagined with my eyes and breathed their perfume with my senses.

There’s this feeling of belonging to someone, the need to be wanted, to be seen in another light, to show everybody that you are worth, to do good for future generations.

And let’s say it clearly, the make-out scenes are memorable, after all the longing and secrecy.

And all the homages to WLW literature, tropes, book lovers, etc. make you giggle!

Plus, the thriller subplot in it keeps your interest alive, wanting to know how the book will end… hell of a twist!

[Gaby LezReviewBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of The Headmistress by Milena McKay, narrated by Abby Craden

This is hands down my most expected audiobook of 2022. Earlier this year when I saw the announcement that The Headmistress – one of my favourite books of 2021 – was going to be released in audiobook no less than with Abby Craden as the narrator, I did a happy dance… and then proceeded to endure the anxious wait. But here it is at last and if you haven’t read the book, which was voted by LezReviewBooks readers as the best of 2021, now with Abby Craden reading it… You just cannot miss it.

Sam Threadneedle, a math teacher at the girls’ academy Three Dragons, gets involved in an unforgettable one-night stand with a mysterious woman. When the same woman appears three months later as the new headmistress in charge of unpopular changes to save the institution from bankruptcy, Sam will be torn between her allegiance to the institution and her increasing attraction for the woman who can destroy all she’s ever had.

The one-night stand sex trope is one of my favourites maybe because it brings the typical 50% mark romance book excitement to the beginning. A couple of wlw books that I can recall do this pretty well, Gerri Hill’s The Killing Room and Carsen Taite’s It Should be a Crime. I admit that I was expecting something similar in this novel but the author surprised me. Instead of describing the main characters’ encounter at the beginning, Ms. McKay sprinkles little tidbits of the scene in the first few chapters… and in reverse chronological order… So these little sexy snippets act more like teasers than anything else. Very clever.

Due to the intrigue elements in this novel, a lot of this story is plot-driven. However, all the characters, main and secondary, are fleshed out extremely well, including Willoughby the cat. One of my favourite secondary characters was former headmistress Orla, as the author described her Irish traits very convincingly. As this story is written in third person from Sam’s point of view, the headmistress herself is a mystery to reveal in all her icy, aloof and sexy glory. As the story peels off layer after layer of her hidden personality, the reader inevitably falls in love with her along with Sam.

The Headmistress mixes romance with a bit of mystery, action and intrigue. I confess I couldn’t see the villain coming, it really surprised me. As a matter of fact, “surprise” is an accurate word to describe my feelings toward this book, the good kind of surprise. I’m not surprised, however, by Abby Craden’s performance. The narrator has said on social media that this book was “pure deliciousness to narrate”, well, let me tell you that it was definitely delicious to listen to as well. Where to start? With the exquisite husky tones of Magdalene Nox? Or the sweet and fiery interpretation of Sam Threadneedle? Or the sizzling hot performance of the sex scenes? This is one of those audiobooks that I’d love to erase from my mind so I could experience it for the first time once again. Until time travel is invented, I can only hope for subsequent listens that feel as mind-blowing as the first.

If you are looking for an exquisitely written book with beautiful metaphors, well-fleshed characters, a little action/intrigue, and a beautiful romance, look no further. The Headmistress is one of a kind. As usual, Ms. Craden makes the story even better. I have no doubt that this audiobook is going to be in everyone’s top lists of 2022. Worth the wait. 5+ stars.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
Since so many reviews have already been written, I can't add anything new. The Headmistress was my first book by Milena McKay, but definitely not the last. Everything just fits here. A fantastic novel.

Sam Threadneedle is a teacher at The Three Dragons Academy and loves her life, her school, and the students. But she's something distracted since her one night stand with a mysterious woman during a conference in New York, she can't forget her. Add to that Magdalene "Fucking" Knox, an ice queen par excellence, who has been given the unpleasant task as the new headmistress of whipping the financially poorly managed school back into shape. As different as the characters are, they fit together well despite everything and their chemistry is hot. Important and good supporting actors, a funny cat who comes to the fore a few times, bring excitement, fun, and entertainment to the story.

In short, a hot romance with two spirited ladies, a mystery to solve, and a school to save. All this in the wonderful and almost mysterious setting of Dragon island. And last but not least, Abby Craden as narrator brings another level of excitement to it.

Bravo Milena McKay and Abby Craden, and thank you.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't help feeling like that cover isn't doing what the author intended it to do. I mean, it looks creepy and a little horrifying for a romance. The atmosphere of the book is a little broody, sure, but not in any way this cover made me think.

Anyway, this story has a lot of elements I found contrived, stilted, or simply unlikely. The school setup seems a bit derivative of Harry Potter (a boarding school with competing houses that you're sorted into with bitter rivalries and a head-girl structure). And that isn't helped by being named "Dragons" for reasons contrived of place names that didn't really hold well. And there's a really disturbing superstructure of a hyper-conservative religious charter with a board of founders who want a "return" to the roots that include thrice-daily prayers, religious ceremonies, and people spouting off about "values" in ways that'd need to be closer to what's actually possible to reach the level of straw-man.

And it doesn't help that Magdalene is always right and that Sam's "mentor" is a distasteful wastrel who couldn't lead her way out of a damp paper bag and has left a twenty-year record of disaster.

There are two things that kept me going through this. The first is that, while I could have used Magdalene not being right all the time, at least she was right in really interesting ways. Like, her predecessor had done all the soppy-headed things with all the easy answers before her and it looked like Magdalene was coming in all hard-hearted and cutting all the good stuff. But McKay showed while the goals were admirable, you have to stay grounded in reality to truly reach them. So if, for example, you're going to bend the charter to support scholarships for the sake of diversity, you should do so in a way that ensures they're paid for and doesn't make their recipients crazy by being left at the whim of anyone who might look closely at the program. This was beautifully well-done and I enjoyed seeing Sam forced to confront her preconceptions and learn the better, more long-term way.

The romance was kind of excellent, too. It starts with a one-night encounter where they really connected in a way that was obviously important to both of them. And then they meet again on opposite sides of a heated conflict. And that forced them to get to know each other in some depth and at some distance. And learn to work together. And to build trust after-the-fact. It was beautiful and moving and I loved it, even though the whole "can't be lesbians in a conservative school" is an annoying negative motivation* that wasn't helped by being part of that really weak straw-man background.

Anyway, this comes in at three stars for me. I had a really hard time with the background. I mean, I couldn't even take the stupid cat seriously because cats? Yeah, they don't deliver messages. Ever. And anyone trusting one with super secret lesbian notes is just asking to be yanked out of the closet. And no cat in the history of ever has had behaviors regular enough to set clocks by.

A note about Steamy: There's an initial sex scene that's scattered through the first dozen or so chapters as headers in a way that was both engaging and illustrative of events in those chapters. This was a great frame and I loved how well McKay made that work. There are some other explicit sex scenes that bring this in at about the middle of my steam tolerance. The others were well-integrated, too, though I'm not sure I buy Magdalene's motivation through the earlier intimacies.

* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.

[Rain G · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Once this woman made a decision, she was all in, damn the torpedoes"
Mckay developed  here a MC who will probably be the Ice Queen of the year.

I found myself hooked from the first page.
I loved the energy that brings chemistry from the begining,  and this book was  much more than good chemistry.

I also enjoyed the plot and its twists.
I found this story to be very original and different, and it felt refreshing.

I would want to have more details about Sam's (MC) past trauma , more of her feelings growing up, and process of healing in the past and future. Maybe, we can have one day a sequel with a lot more things to tell about this two mains. Hope so.

4.5 * Good read!

[✩☽ · Rating 1 out of 5]

i admit this is my 'dead dove do not open/i don't know what i expected' moment. i already said that romance was not the genre for me because i find most of it too unrealistic and cliched ... and then proceeded to read some more of it. now i'm disappointed that it doesn't live up to my apparently sky-high expectations when we all saw this coming.

in my defense, i am a simple lesbian. the premise of this book got to me ok.

1.

this genre sure loves its contrived tension between a pragmatic woman who don't sugarcoat what she says and an oversensitive adult minor woman who has zero comprehension skills, leaps to conclusions based on nothing and takes offense at every perceived slight.

the narrative obviously expects me to sympathize with the latter and think 'oh what an evil bitch!' about the former; the resolution hinging on the revelation that said pragmatic woman is actually Secretly Good All Along. except this doesn't really work for me because the evil bitch in question does nothing but state facts in a normal person way without babying the protagonist and i guess i missed the memo where this is some sort of cardinal sin.

i do enjoy when there is tension between characters whose personalities put them at odds or when there's understandable cause for misunderstanding, but in this case the protagonist has such insane knee-jerk reactions based on nothing, made worse by the fact that the book tells us she has a 'scientist's mind'. there is some truly olympic level jumping to conclusions from the protagonist. for instance:

M's boss: gives some homophobic speech
S: SO YOU WANT US TO GO BACK TO BEING 19TH CENTURY CHRISTIAN PURITANS EVEN THOUGH YOU ATE MY PUSSY
M, who is literally just employed by this guy, who also employs S:

M: i will definitely be hiring you for this position
S: OH IS IT BECAUSE WE FUCKED LOL LOOK AT YOU PLAYING FAVOURITES ALREADY
M: no it's because you have three degrees, multiple awards and know this school well.
(later that day)
M: checks S's references like a normal person doing their job
S: OH SO YOU ARE PUTTING ME THROUGH THE RINGER EVEN THOUGH WE FUCKED? MY FEELINGS ARE HURT.

girl what do you want. sam spends half the the book making these baseless self righteous accusations against magdalene and the other half being an unbridled ball of lust thinking about having sex with magdalene to the point of constant distraction even in situations where she ought to be using her brain. ma'am you are an adult this is so embarrassing for you i get that women are hot but please get it together.

the second half sort of overcorrects for the first and we go from sam wildly misjudging magdalene to sam realizing magdalene is Misunderstood and Perfect and Right About Everything.

2.

the plot feels like a sermon on diversity. obviously there are important topics that ought to be discussed, but by and large they feel shoehorned in so that Our Good and Socially Aware (invariably white) protagonist can deliver a Self Righteous Monologue to set them apart from the Bad Old White Men. it's all so corny and predictable.

you know the genre of tumblr posts where the poster supposedly encountered bigotry in the wild, made a heroic speech and won over everyone, eliminated bigotry from starbucks and then everyone clapped.

that's what this book reads like.

3.

Your eyes are grey, Professor Threadneedle. How did you fit into whatever House they shoehorned you into? Sky Blue, I assume? Did you feel you belonged? And how about the girls with hazel eyes? And god forbid, girls with heterochromia?

so there is an actual subplot involving eye-color oppression, which is just unbelievably funny. the school evidently sorts people into Hogwarts Houses except based on this eye color instead (brown/green/blue). never mind that those traits are not evenly distributed making them an extremely stupid choice for house sorting. the book makes the point that this system has "distinctly racial connotations". this is never spoken of again because the entire subplot exists to show that our (white) leading ladies are both very oppressed by this as one of them has grey eyes and the other has heterochromatic eyes.

it's like YA dystopian worldbuilding in here. where's that teen pioneer who invented alexandria's genesis.

speaking of YA, what is with the names and setting of this book. you're telling me this ancient conservative christian boarding school in Massachusetts is called three dragons and not st. mary's academy for girls like every other reputable christian all girls school in the world? the protagonist's name is professor threadneedle? they pass love notes through a messenger cat?

none of it fits the setting of the book.

4.

the over-the-top symbolism that our protagnist, the Math Teacher, feels the need to point out to us oblivious readers. have you noticed the dirty dishes are like our unresolved issues. that the nail in the wall is like harsh words which once spoken cannot be taken back.

come on.

5.

overall, the characterization is so just flat. characters go from Pure Good to Pure Evil (or rather sam goes from seeing them this way because she cannot conceive of anyone having their own inner world and motivations). her mentor is hardest hit by this treatment.

6.

most of the book is very repetitive:
-sam hates madgalene's guts
-sam is unbelievably horny for magdalene
-reminder that joanne and orla wiped sam's ass when she was an orphan child abandoned on the doors of the school
-school complaints
-the mean cat loves magdalene isn't that cute
-sam's precocious transgirl student referring to magdalene as headmistress hotshot (gross) and inserting herself into sam's love life (wildly inappropriate?)

then there's a sudden murder plot that ends in the murderer confessing scooby-doo style.

7.

tldr; i did not like this book.

[ᗩᑎᗪᖇᗴᗯ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about "The Headmistress" that hasn't already been said?

In a stressful/distracting time, this was *the* perfect book for me. I love Sam, and I love that this story is told wholly from her perspective. I know dual points-of-view are popular but I enjoy getting to know one member of a relationship solely through the eyes of another. It adds to the sense of infatuation and mystery, not to mention the off-the-charts sexual tension.

And speaking of mystery, this is a great story which I think could have stood alone without the romance between Sam and Magdalene, it kept me guessing until everything falls into place in a very satisfying conclusion.

Finally, I don't usually swoon over pets in books, but Willoughby the cat is wonderfully written.

Five "delectable, complex and subtle" stars. Very highly recommended!

[Netgyrl (Laura) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars - Audible - Abby Craden narrator

Really good book. The characters are great, the story is good, the mystery keeps things interesting, but HOLY HELL there should be a warning label on the audiobook because Ms Craden uses a voice for Headmistress Knox that is pure s*x. Wow. I am still fanning myself over here.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Brilliant and loved it! The Headmistress has all the ingredients needed to make it one hell of a read; age-gap workplace romance, ice queen, sexual tensions, mysteries, a temperamental cat, that kept me going and just had to finish in 1 sitting. A real page-turner.

Solid 5 ⭐️