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Love Lessons
A gripping novel about one of the last great taboos - a teacher- pupil relationship.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
13 people are currently reading
641 people want to read
About the author
David Belbin
67 books21 followersBelbin's work is known for breaking boundaries and dealing responsibly with difficult social issues that affect teenagers. He first attained success with a number of books for Scholastic's Point Crime series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
August 24, 2012
This book really touched me, probably because I'm only a couple of years older than Rachel and can relate to her feelings.
It is a classic student-teacher affair story that ends up horribly wrong but the roller coaster ride they both went through made me really feel for them.
I usually feel a sense of achievement when I finish a book, happy in the knowledge that everything turns out ok. When I finished this book however,
Overall I liked it, it was a quick read full of excitement.
It is a classic student-teacher affair story that ends up horribly wrong but the roller coaster ride they both went through made me really feel for them.
I usually feel a sense of achievement when I finish a book, happy in the knowledge that everything turns out ok. When I finished this book however,
Overall I liked it, it was a quick read full of excitement.
November 18, 2017
Actual Rating: 4.5
This was a fantastic read. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. This is a forbidden student/teacher romance. Rachel is a relatable character. I thought her emotions were true and genuine. Mike is the teacher. I did feel anger towards him as he did not fight for her. I did like that we got to see into the male's perspective of the relationship and that he is the teacher. It was quite interesting as it is usually in the student's perspective. Also, I have to say that this book was the surprise of 2017, so far. Can't wait to see what else this author write, I hope more student/teacher books. Overall, an amazing read.
This was a fantastic read. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. This is a forbidden student/teacher romance. Rachel is a relatable character. I thought her emotions were true and genuine. Mike is the teacher. I did feel anger towards him as he did not fight for her. I did like that we got to see into the male's perspective of the relationship and that he is the teacher. It was quite interesting as it is usually in the student's perspective. Also, I have to say that this book was the surprise of 2017, so far. Can't wait to see what else this author write, I hope more student/teacher books. Overall, an amazing read.
January 27, 2014
I first read this years ago. It must have been at least 8 years ago and it was first released nearly 15 years ago, so why did I choose to download it? It’s stuck with me since I first read it. I think it stood out for me for two reasons. The first was that it was written by a male author, and at the time I hadn’t ever read anything by a male author so I was intrigued as to how this would be. Secondly, it was such a tangible subject, being a 16 year old girl at high school, I was the same age as Rachel the first time I read it and although our circumstances were not the same, there was always a possibility of a crush on a young teacher – I do recall a rather good looking PE teacher now I think about it.
So in the last two years of high school I borrowed this from the school library a few times, and when I was considering what books to buy with my Christmas gift card this book suddenly came to mind. Even though I’m now 23 and past the age to have a crush on my teacher it’s written about a subject that is so real I thought I would enjoy rereading it now, and I was right!
This is the story of fifteen year old Rachel. She excels in English but when her teacher has a sudden heart attack and dies, he is replaced with a much younger, fresh faced teacher. Rachel is still in shock at first over the death of her favourite teacher but soon the school play comes up and she finds herself getting closer and closer to Mike, until close is too close.
Mike is a brand new teacher, he has been trying to secure a job to start building a life for him and his student girlfriend. When this opportunity comes up, no matter how tragic the circumstances, he snaps it up and is thrown in at the deep end with one of the top English classes - the top English class that Rachel is in. Finding her at first stand offish he starts to feel attracted to her, although he is sure it is merely fleeting and that all teachers must feel this at some point he tries to ignore it. Until she kisses him.
The story is based upon such a real and controversial subject. It’s written in the third person and alternates between Rachel and Mike. This is good because it allows you to step back from the story. Assess each side and how that fits with the overall issue – the relationship between teacher and student. There is love between the two characters, and their relationship runs parallel to them both preparing for the school play of Romeo and Juliet. Their relationship could be construed as another take on Romeo and Juliet’s star crossed lover relationship.
At the end of the story, the author has written some notes as to how the story was inspired and he actually explains that he himself saw a teacher/student relationship first hand.
It’s an interesting read, it’s thought provoking too as it explores this widely controversial issue. Is love enough to conquer the controversy and opinions on a forbidden relationship?
So in the last two years of high school I borrowed this from the school library a few times, and when I was considering what books to buy with my Christmas gift card this book suddenly came to mind. Even though I’m now 23 and past the age to have a crush on my teacher it’s written about a subject that is so real I thought I would enjoy rereading it now, and I was right!
This is the story of fifteen year old Rachel. She excels in English but when her teacher has a sudden heart attack and dies, he is replaced with a much younger, fresh faced teacher. Rachel is still in shock at first over the death of her favourite teacher but soon the school play comes up and she finds herself getting closer and closer to Mike, until close is too close.
Mike is a brand new teacher, he has been trying to secure a job to start building a life for him and his student girlfriend. When this opportunity comes up, no matter how tragic the circumstances, he snaps it up and is thrown in at the deep end with one of the top English classes - the top English class that Rachel is in. Finding her at first stand offish he starts to feel attracted to her, although he is sure it is merely fleeting and that all teachers must feel this at some point he tries to ignore it. Until she kisses him.
The story is based upon such a real and controversial subject. It’s written in the third person and alternates between Rachel and Mike. This is good because it allows you to step back from the story. Assess each side and how that fits with the overall issue – the relationship between teacher and student. There is love between the two characters, and their relationship runs parallel to them both preparing for the school play of Romeo and Juliet. Their relationship could be construed as another take on Romeo and Juliet’s star crossed lover relationship.
At the end of the story, the author has written some notes as to how the story was inspired and he actually explains that he himself saw a teacher/student relationship first hand.
It’s an interesting read, it’s thought provoking too as it explores this widely controversial issue. Is love enough to conquer the controversy and opinions on a forbidden relationship?
August 20, 2016
3.5 stars.
I enjoyed this. It's steamy, dramatic, fast-paced and tense. It's also set in my hometown of Nottingham, it was fun to here familiar town/road names. I thought a lot of the side characters were very level headed, particularly the MC, Rachel's friends.
The rating isn't as high as I'd like because both Rachel and her lover, her English teacher (!) were immature and naive. The ending, in a way, came to nothing it was all just wrapped up for ease. I'd have preferred a less "happy" ending, so to speak. The book lacks description an inner monologue. It needed a little more emotional depth, for my tastes.
That being said, the subject matter of student/teacher relationships makes for an interesting read in itself. It's certainly a quick read and I admire the author for taking on such a "taboo" subject. It certainly had me sat on the edge of my seat at times. I enjoyed the "lolita" vibe of the teacher, Mike. Especially with him being closer to my age (he is 24, I am 22, Rachel is 15/16) it made for an interesting perspective on the subject. Written in the 90s, the book has aged well and doesn't read out of date or old fashioned.
Worth the read for the subject matter alone.
I enjoyed this. It's steamy, dramatic, fast-paced and tense. It's also set in my hometown of Nottingham, it was fun to here familiar town/road names. I thought a lot of the side characters were very level headed, particularly the MC, Rachel's friends.
The rating isn't as high as I'd like because both Rachel and her lover, her English teacher (!) were immature and naive. The ending, in a way, came to nothing it was all just wrapped up for ease. I'd have preferred a less "happy" ending, so to speak. The book lacks description an inner monologue. It needed a little more emotional depth, for my tastes.
That being said, the subject matter of student/teacher relationships makes for an interesting read in itself. It's certainly a quick read and I admire the author for taking on such a "taboo" subject. It certainly had me sat on the edge of my seat at times. I enjoyed the "lolita" vibe of the teacher, Mike. Especially with him being closer to my age (he is 24, I am 22, Rachel is 15/16) it made for an interesting perspective on the subject. Written in the 90s, the book has aged well and doesn't read out of date or old fashioned.
Worth the read for the subject matter alone.
December 5, 2009
I wasn't sure what to think of the book when I saw it in the library, so I thought I would give it a go. Couldn't put it down. I could tell a lot how much research the author put in the book. It was a great book and very interesting. Five stars. It has been awhile since I read a book in two days, I would of read quicker if it wasn't for a busy life.
August 10, 2011
No. Just no. Romance at it's worst. I didn't see the appeal.
Both of them were just ridiculous. I read this book because it sounded different and interesting...but after it, I'm completely against the whole idea. They were both impatient and never at any point loved one another. Very nonsensical characters.
I didn't like it at all. Cringe-worthy read.
Both of them were just ridiculous. I read this book because it sounded different and interesting...but after it, I'm completely against the whole idea. They were both impatient and never at any point loved one another. Very nonsensical characters.
I didn't like it at all. Cringe-worthy read.
January 3, 2022
ENG+GR REVIEW
English review:
I want to start this review by summarising the plot. The plot is about a love affair between a professor and a pupil. Our male protagonist is Mike, a 23-year-old newcomer English teacher, who replaces the recently deceased beloved teacher of 16-year-old Rachel. The school is preparing to stage a play based on the play "Romeo and Juliet". During rehearsals, the two fall in love. Of course, due to the age difference and due to the status of each one, this relationship becomes forbidden.
My thoughts:
Rachel appears to be very mature for her age and is the one who makes the first move, even though Mike secretly has feelings for her. I felt that they both had genuine feelings for each other, without of course missing the carnal attraction. The narration is third-person, so the author leaves the reader well informed about the thoughts of our protagonists throughout the book. Despite the age gap, as a reader, I did not felt that Mike was using Rachel.
The author, after the end of the book, notes that such relationships can not have a happy ending, so from the beginning to the end of the book he prepared the ground for the story to end properly for him. As a reader, I realised that although Rachel is more mature for her age, she handles some situations in a very different way than Mike. In a more adolescent way. The author in this way, wants to show us that no matter what happens, she is a teenager and Mike an adult. Mike, although he loves Rachel, has to think about his career. But some of his moves disappoint Rachel and some of Rachel's moves disappoint Mike.
The plot is very fast and interesting, you can never get bored. The language is very easy for someone whose mother tongue is not English. The author approached this sensitive subject of the book with absolute realism, which is obviously positive, but at the same time sad. Something I personally did not like is that towards the end of the book and after all the events that took place, the author changed Mike's personality a lot, giving the reader the impression that although he fell madly in love with Rachel, after from the sad events for both of them, he no longer wants to be emotionally attached and maybe even fall in love again. I can't hide that some decisions of the characters made me mad.
In conclusion, I really liked the book. I felt it was very realistic, of course always with the note of romance. The relationship between the two protagonists seems very strong, melancholy, but unlikely. It was fast and easy to read. The end gave me a bittersweet feeling, which I feel will follow me for a long time, since I was very attached.
Greek review:
Θέλω να ξεκινήσω αυτήν την κριτική, συνοψίζοντας την υπόθεση. Η υπόθεση αφορά τον παράνομο δεσμό ανάμεσα σε έναν καθηγητή και μία μαθήτρια. Ο πρωταγωνιστής μας είναι ο Μάικ, ένας 23χρονος νεόφερτος καθηγητής των Αγγλικών, ο οποίος αντικαθιστά τον μόλις πρόσφατα αποθανόντα αγαπημένο καθηγητή της 16χρονης Ρέιτσελ. Το σχολείο προετοιμάζεται να ανεβάσει μια παράσταση βασισμένη το θεατρικό «Ρωμαίος και Ιουλιέτα». Κατά τη διάρκεια των προβών, οι δυο τους ερωτεύονται. Φυσικά, λόγω της διαφοράς ηλικίας και λόγω της ιδιότητας του καθενός, αυτή η σχέση καθίσταται απαγορευμένη.
Οι σκέψεις μου:
Η Ρέιτσελ παρουσιάζεται πολύ ώριμη για την ηλικία της και είναι εκείνη που πυροδοτεί την έναρξη αυτού του δεσμού, παρόλο που κρυφά και ο Μάικ τρέφει αισθήματα για εκείνη. Ένιωσα ότι και οι δύο είχαν πραγματικά αισθήματα ο ένας για τον άλλον, χωρίς φυσικά να λείπει και η σαρκική έλξη. Η αφήγηση είναι τριτοπρόσωπη, συνεπώς ο συγγραφέας αφήνει τον αναγνώστη καλά ενημερωμένο για τις σκέψεις που έχουν οι πρωταγωνιστές μας, καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια του βιβλίου. Παρόλο το χάσμα της ηλικίας, ως αναγνώστρια, δεν ένιωσα ότι ο Μάικ χρησιμοποιεί την Ρέιτσελ.
Ο συγγραφέας, μετά το τέλος του βιβλίου, σημειώνει ότι τέτοιου είδους σχέσεις δεν μπορούν να έχουν αίσιο τέλος, γι’ αυτό από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος του βιβλίου προετοίμαζε έδαφος, για να καταλήξει η ιστορία όπως πρέπει για εκείνον. Ως αναγνώστρια, συνειδητοποίησα ότι παρόλο η Ρέιτσελ παρουσιάζεται πιο ώριμη για την ηλικία της, ορισμένες καταστάσεις τις αντιμετωπίζει με πολύ διαφορετικό τρόπο απ’ ό,τι ο Μάικ. Με πιο εφηβικό τρόπο. Ο συγγραφέας με αυτόν τον τρόπο, θέλει να μας δείξει ότι ό,τι και να συμβεί, είναι μια έφηβη και ο Μάικ ένας ενήλικας. Ο Μάικ, παρότι αγαπά την Ρέιτσελ, έχει να σκεφτεί και το θέμα της καριέρας του. Αλλά ορισμένες κινήσεις του απογοητεύουν την Ρέιτσελ και ορισμένες κινήσεις της Ρέιτσελ, απογοητεύουν τον Μάικ.
Η πλοκή είναι πολύ γρήγορη και ενδιαφέρουσα, δεν μπορείς σε καμία περίπτωση να βαρεθείς. Η γλώσσα είναι πολύ εύκολη για κάποιον που τα αγγλικά δεν είναι μητρική του. Ο συγγραφέας προσέγγισε αυτό το ευαίσθητο θέμα του βιβλίο με απόλυτο ρεαλισμό, κάτι το οποίο προφανώς είναι θετικό, αλλά ταυτόχρονα και στενάχωρο. Κάτι το οποίο προσωπικά δε μου άρεσε, είναι ότι προς ��ο τέλος του βιβλίου και μετά από όλα τα γεγονότα που συνέβησαν, ο συγγραφέας άλλαξε αρκετά την προσωπικότητα του Μάικ, με αποτέλεσμα να δώσει την εντύπωση στον αναγνώστη ότι παρόλο που ερωτεύτηκε παράφορα την Ρέιτσελ, μετά από τα στενάχωρα συμβάντα για τον ίδιο και για εκείνη, δε θέλει πλέον να δεθεί συναισθηματικά και ίσως και να ερωτευτεί ξανά. Δε θα κρύψω το γεγονός ότι ορισμένες αποφάσεις των πρωταγωνιστών με εκνεύρισαν αρκετά.
Εν κατακλείδι, μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ το βιβλίο. Ένιωσα ότι ήταν άκρως ρεαλιστικό, φυσικά πάντα με τη νότα του ρομαντισμού. Η σχέση των δύο πρωταγωνιστών μας φαίνεται πολύ δυνατή, μελαγχολική, αλλά απίθανη. Ήταν γρήγορο και ευανάγνωστο. Το τέλος μου προκάλεσε μια γλυκόπικρη αίσθηση, η οποία νιώθω ότι θα με ακολουθήσει για πολύ καιρό, μιας και δέθηκα πολύ.
English review:
I want to start this review by summarising the plot. The plot is about a love affair between a professor and a pupil. Our male protagonist is Mike, a 23-year-old newcomer English teacher, who replaces the recently deceased beloved teacher of 16-year-old Rachel. The school is preparing to stage a play based on the play "Romeo and Juliet". During rehearsals, the two fall in love. Of course, due to the age difference and due to the status of each one, this relationship becomes forbidden.
My thoughts:
Rachel appears to be very mature for her age and is the one who makes the first move, even though Mike secretly has feelings for her. I felt that they both had genuine feelings for each other, without of course missing the carnal attraction. The narration is third-person, so the author leaves the reader well informed about the thoughts of our protagonists throughout the book. Despite the age gap, as a reader, I did not felt that Mike was using Rachel.
The author, after the end of the book, notes that such relationships can not have a happy ending, so from the beginning to the end of the book he prepared the ground for the story to end properly for him. As a reader, I realised that although Rachel is more mature for her age, she handles some situations in a very different way than Mike. In a more adolescent way. The author in this way, wants to show us that no matter what happens, she is a teenager and Mike an adult. Mike, although he loves Rachel, has to think about his career. But some of his moves disappoint Rachel and some of Rachel's moves disappoint Mike.
The plot is very fast and interesting, you can never get bored. The language is very easy for someone whose mother tongue is not English. The author approached this sensitive subject of the book with absolute realism, which is obviously positive, but at the same time sad. Something I personally did not like is that towards the end of the book and after all the events that took place, the author changed Mike's personality a lot, giving the reader the impression that although he fell madly in love with Rachel, after from the sad events for both of them, he no longer wants to be emotionally attached and maybe even fall in love again. I can't hide that some decisions of the characters made me mad.
In conclusion, I really liked the book. I felt it was very realistic, of course always with the note of romance. The relationship between the two protagonists seems very strong, melancholy, but unlikely. It was fast and easy to read. The end gave me a bittersweet feeling, which I feel will follow me for a long time, since I was very attached.
Greek review:
Θέλω να ξεκινήσω αυτήν την κριτική, συνοψίζοντας την υπόθεση. Η υπόθεση αφορά τον παράνομο δεσμό ανάμεσα σε έναν καθηγητή και μία μαθήτρια. Ο πρωταγωνιστής μας είναι ο Μάικ, ένας 23χρονος νεόφερτος καθηγητής των Αγγλικών, ο οποίος αντικαθιστά τον μόλις πρόσφατα αποθανόντα αγαπημένο καθηγητή της 16χρονης Ρέιτσελ. Το σχολείο προετοιμάζεται να ανεβάσει μια παράσταση βασισμένη το θεατρικό «Ρωμαίος και Ιουλιέτα». Κατά τη διάρκεια των προβών, οι δυο τους ερωτεύονται. Φυσικά, λόγω της διαφοράς ηλικίας και λόγω της ιδιότητας του καθενός, αυτή η σχέση καθίσταται απαγορευμένη.
Οι σκέψεις μου:
Η Ρέιτσελ παρουσιάζεται πολύ ώριμη για την ηλικία της και είναι εκείνη που πυροδοτεί την έναρξη αυτού του δεσμού, παρόλο που κρυφά και ο Μάικ τρέφει αισθήματα για εκείνη. Ένιωσα ότι και οι δύο είχαν πραγματικά αισθήματα ο ένας για τον άλλον, χωρίς φυσικά να λείπει και η σαρκική έλξη. Η αφήγηση είναι τριτοπρόσωπη, συνεπώς ο συγγραφέας αφήνει τον αναγνώστη καλά ενημερωμένο για τις σκέψεις που έχουν οι πρωταγωνιστές μας, καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια του βιβλίου. Παρόλο το χάσμα της ηλικίας, ως αναγνώστρια, δεν ένιωσα ότι ο Μάικ χρησιμοποιεί την Ρέιτσελ.
Ο συγγραφέας, μετά το τέλος του βιβλίου, σημειώνει ότι τέτοιου είδους σχέσεις δεν μπορούν να έχουν αίσιο τέλος, γι’ αυτό από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος του βιβλίου προετοίμαζε έδαφος, για να καταλήξει η ιστορία όπως πρέπει για εκείνον. Ως αναγνώστρια, συνειδητοποίησα ότι παρόλο η Ρέιτσελ παρουσιάζεται πιο ώριμη για την ηλικία της, ορισμένες καταστάσεις τις αντιμετωπίζει με πολύ διαφορετικό τρόπο απ’ ό,τι ο Μάικ. Με πιο εφηβικό τρόπο. Ο συγγραφέας με αυτόν τον τρόπο, θέλει να μας δείξει ότι ό,τι και να συμβεί, είναι μια έφηβη και ο Μάικ ένας ενήλικας. Ο Μάικ, παρότι αγαπά την Ρέιτσελ, έχει να σκεφτεί και το θέμα της καριέρας του. Αλλά ορισμένες κινήσεις του απογοητεύουν την Ρέιτσελ και ορισμένες κινήσεις της Ρέιτσελ, απογοητεύουν τον Μάικ.
Η πλοκή είναι πολύ γρήγορη και ενδιαφέρουσα, δεν μπορείς σε καμία περίπτωση να βαρεθείς. Η γλώσσα είναι πολύ εύκολη για κάποιον που τα αγγλικά δεν είναι μητρική του. Ο συγγραφέας προσέγγισε αυτό το ευαίσθητο θέμα του βιβλίο με απόλυτο ρεαλισμό, κάτι το οποίο προφανώς είναι θετικό, αλλά ταυτόχρονα και στενάχωρο. Κάτι το οποίο προσωπικά δε μου άρεσε, είναι ότι προς ��ο τέλος του βιβλίου και μετά από όλα τα γεγονότα που συνέβησαν, ο συγγραφέας άλλαξε αρκετά την προσωπικότητα του Μάικ, με αποτέλεσμα να δώσει την εντύπωση στον αναγνώστη ότι παρόλο που ερωτεύτηκε παράφορα την Ρέιτσελ, μετά από τα στενάχωρα συμβάντα για τον ίδιο και για εκείνη, δε θέλει πλέον να δεθεί συναισθηματικά και ίσως και να ερωτευτεί ξανά. Δε θα κρύψω το γεγονός ότι ορισμένες αποφάσεις των πρωταγωνιστών με εκνεύρισαν αρκετά.
Εν κατακλείδι, μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ το βιβλίο. Ένιωσα ότι ήταν άκρως ρεαλιστικό, φυσικά πάντα με τη νότα του ρομαντισμού. Η σχέση των δύο πρωταγωνιστών μας φαίνεται πολύ δυνατή, μελαγχολική, αλλά απίθανη. Ήταν γρήγορο και ευανάγνωστο. Το τέλος μου προκάλεσε μια γλυκόπικρη αίσθηση, η οποία νιώθω ότι θα με ακολουθήσει για πολύ καιρό, μιας και δέθηκα πολύ.
May 13, 2021
Mmm.. I'm on the fence about how to rate this book. It was a quick and easy read, but the subject matter isn't good. In the afterword, the author seems to somewhat explain that he knows that teacher/pupil relationships are wrong, but he doesn't take a strong stance against it, and for the majority of the book, I really thought that the author was trying to portray this as romantic, rather than the manipulation and crime that it really was. If this was a real situation, the red flags are insane - the fact that people (pupils and staff) found out but didn't report it?? The fact that the teacher had started dating his previous girlfriend when she was 15 too (he was younger then but still weird)?? The fact that the teacher saw his 15 year old pupils in a nightclub when all parties were drunk and decided to talk to them?? The fact that the co-worker who is clearly quite a bit older is dating an 18 year old?? The entire relationship is so problematic, and I'm glad that the ending happened as it did, although the teacher definitely got off way too lightly.
If you (somehow manage to) overlook the awful relationship, this book is very predictable, not particularly well written and ultimately has little plot, but I'm settled at a 2 star for now because it was very easy to read and is set in Nottingham.
If you (somehow manage to) overlook the awful relationship, this book is very predictable, not particularly well written and ultimately has little plot, but I'm settled at a 2 star for now because it was very easy to read and is set in Nottingham.
July 25, 2020
I know that teacher/student relationships are quite a troupe in "forbidden love" stories, but they've always sat very uncomfortably with me. No matter how in love the protagonists might claim to be, there is still an unbalanced power dynamic that cannot be ignored. Still I think it's important that these stories are told, if not as a warning of what can be if at least nothing else.
August 10, 2023
Tried so hard to finish, as there's nothing worse than not finishing a book, but I just couldn't; possibly one of the slowest stories I've ever read (btw I was at least halfway through and the main characters had still not 'merged'!) Pretty child-like writing too, sorry but would not recommend this one unfortunately.
October 24, 2025
this was my first ever book i read cover to cover in school. i loved it and when i came to buy a physical copy now im older i could never find it till now.. i hope to buy a copy for my collection. This book started my love for reading
July 12, 2018
DNFing this book for now
October 30, 2019
Was ok, a little plodding. Promised a lot but the story didn't seem to go anywhere.
January 11, 2021
This book has left a bittersweet feeling for me because of how realistic it is. Ugh. Still, the writing is superb and it was definitely another unputdownable for me.
April 2, 2022
A re-read of a book I loved as a teenager (I bought the book going on holidays when it had just come out) and wasn’t much older than Rachel is.
June 22, 2016
I have mixed feelings about this one. I read it while I was still in school, I must about been around 14 at the time, and recently I decided to see if I could find it. (I had no idea what it was called or who it was by so it's a bit miraculous that I did find it.) I don't remember having any strong feelings about it at 14, and I don't have any strong feelings about it now.
Love Lessons is about a student/teacher relationship. I'd read reviews about how there was an interesting dynamic in this one because Rachel (the student, 15 years old) initiates the relationship and that she knows exactly what she wants. Ultimately, I still think Mike (the teacher, 23 years old) took advantage, but I'll talk about that later.
The writing in this wasn't the greatest. This is quite a well known book, it did very well in the UK when it was first released in 1998 - wow that seems so long ago! - and its author, David Belbin, was actually the first person to introduce a gay character into YA fiction, or at least as far as I'm aware. He writes about controversial topics, which I appreciate, but his writing style just isn't for me. I felt like I was reading a book for kids, which I guess, in a way, I am but I prefer YA books that assume their readers have a bit of a higher reading level. The story itself is so-so. There's not a lot you can do with this sort of relationship: student meets teacher - they fall for each other - they have to keep their relationship a secret. Within that David Belbin did well in writing from a teenage girl's perspective. Interestingly, his young man wasn't quite as good, though I can't really comment on that from personal experience since I'm female, but going by the 23 year old men I know he was very immature at times, especially in his relationships with other people.
It's hard to review this book without talking about the content. Maybe this is spoilery? I don't know, but I'm going to talk a bit about Rachel and Mike's relationship. At first, I wasn't sure what my opinion on this was. Yes, Rachel makes the first (and second) move, she's definitely to one who initiates the relationship. But does that mean that Mike was justified in going out with her? I think no. It's kind of hard to tell what's right or wrong in these circumstances. Rachel wasn't groomed, she wasn't manipulated, she wasn't forced to do anything she didn't want to do. She was doing what normal 15 year olds do in relationships, except she wasn't in a relationship with another teenager. She was in a relationship with someone in a position of power and authority over her.
I definitely think that Mike was kidding himself a bit. He wanted her to be mature, so that's what he told himself she was. He told himself that she knew what she wanted, she knew what she was getting herself into. She didn't. She's FIFTEEN. I thought I was the shit when I was 15. I thought that I was grown up and that I knew what I wanted in my life, in my relationships. Of course I didn't. There were multiple times that I can recall where I let myself be manipulated and taken advantage of because I thought it was what I wanted, only to find afterwards that I didn't want to be a part of it at all.
Did Mike genuinely fancy Rachel? Probably. But not in the same way Rachel fancied him. You can see it in the differences in what they enjoyed about spending time with each other. Rachel liked spending time with him, the feeling of being loved and not being alone. Mike enjoyed the sex, and the thrill of the secrecy. That much is obvious in the way he continues his behaviour, even after everything that has happened, with other girls at the sixth form he moves onto.
I also really liked the little bits about how the girls were the ones to feel pressured to be the ones worried about contraception, about how they were the ones who had to go to the clinic and be on the pill because boys don't like faffing about with condoms
We've all been there.
Overall, Love Lessons was ok. The writing wasn't great, the story is what it is. I enjoyed revisiting this, but I probably won't read it again.
Love Lessons is about a student/teacher relationship. I'd read reviews about how there was an interesting dynamic in this one because Rachel (the student, 15 years old) initiates the relationship and that she knows exactly what she wants. Ultimately, I still think Mike (the teacher, 23 years old) took advantage, but I'll talk about that later.
The writing in this wasn't the greatest. This is quite a well known book, it did very well in the UK when it was first released in 1998 - wow that seems so long ago! - and its author, David Belbin, was actually the first person to introduce a gay character into YA fiction, or at least as far as I'm aware. He writes about controversial topics, which I appreciate, but his writing style just isn't for me. I felt like I was reading a book for kids, which I guess, in a way, I am but I prefer YA books that assume their readers have a bit of a higher reading level. The story itself is so-so. There's not a lot you can do with this sort of relationship: student meets teacher - they fall for each other - they have to keep their relationship a secret. Within that David Belbin did well in writing from a teenage girl's perspective. Interestingly, his young man wasn't quite as good, though I can't really comment on that from personal experience since I'm female, but going by the 23 year old men I know he was very immature at times, especially in his relationships with other people.
It's hard to review this book without talking about the content. Maybe this is spoilery? I don't know, but I'm going to talk a bit about Rachel and Mike's relationship. At first, I wasn't sure what my opinion on this was. Yes, Rachel makes the first (and second) move, she's definitely to one who initiates the relationship. But does that mean that Mike was justified in going out with her? I think no. It's kind of hard to tell what's right or wrong in these circumstances. Rachel wasn't groomed, she wasn't manipulated, she wasn't forced to do anything she didn't want to do. She was doing what normal 15 year olds do in relationships, except she wasn't in a relationship with another teenager. She was in a relationship with someone in a position of power and authority over her.
I definitely think that Mike was kidding himself a bit. He wanted her to be mature, so that's what he told himself she was. He told himself that she knew what she wanted, she knew what she was getting herself into. She didn't. She's FIFTEEN. I thought I was the shit when I was 15. I thought that I was grown up and that I knew what I wanted in my life, in my relationships. Of course I didn't. There were multiple times that I can recall where I let myself be manipulated and taken advantage of because I thought it was what I wanted, only to find afterwards that I didn't want to be a part of it at all.
Did Mike genuinely fancy Rachel? Probably. But not in the same way Rachel fancied him. You can see it in the differences in what they enjoyed about spending time with each other. Rachel liked spending time with him, the feeling of being loved and not being alone. Mike enjoyed the sex, and the thrill of the secrecy. That much is obvious in the way he continues his behaviour, even after everything that has happened, with other girls at the sixth form he moves onto.
I also really liked the little bits about how the girls were the ones to feel pressured to be the ones worried about contraception, about how they were the ones who had to go to the clinic and be on the pill because boys don't like faffing about with condoms
We've all been there.
Overall, Love Lessons was ok. The writing wasn't great, the story is what it is. I enjoyed revisiting this, but I probably won't read it again.
August 16, 2015
I read this book as a 15 year old and I will admit was caught up with the romance aspect of it. Now 11 years later, would my opinion change of this book. I will say yes.
The narration and characters are easy to get into and you hardly notice when you turn the pages and you become so involved with the plot and you find yourself in that world with them as well which for me is a sign of a good novel.
I mean Mike and Rachael fall in love when they shouldn't as teacher and pupil; but we all know 'falling in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with" (to quote the legendary Buzzcocks song) is thrilling, passionate, exciting and most of all dangerous and its part of the attraction to each other in a weird way.
No matter how much Mike and Rachael loved each other, they shouldn't have crossed the line in the first place and that is I supposed is what I've learnt and what Belbin wants to show his audience; which is that romance is dangerous in any form.
You take the risk emotionally and mentally to be with someone, show your commitment to them and also accept whatever limitations they might be or not be if you do decide to be with the person you have chosen to love or to be with.
Sadly, that is what both of the characters chose to do and still I find myself caught up in the romance of it all; but not to the length I did as a 15 year old; at a time when your emotions are all over the place as they do when you grow up.
Personally overall, this is a subject that is still is worth exploring in greater detail as it does happen in real life more often than you think and I feel that Belbin does a great job with speaking about a 'taboo' subject with honesty and also gracefully as possible in the circumstances while also giving you the opportunity to go into that world and not face the consequences like Mike and Rachel did.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who fancies a change or just wants to read a good book
The narration and characters are easy to get into and you hardly notice when you turn the pages and you become so involved with the plot and you find yourself in that world with them as well which for me is a sign of a good novel.
I mean Mike and Rachael fall in love when they shouldn't as teacher and pupil; but we all know 'falling in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with" (to quote the legendary Buzzcocks song) is thrilling, passionate, exciting and most of all dangerous and its part of the attraction to each other in a weird way.
No matter how much Mike and Rachael loved each other, they shouldn't have crossed the line in the first place and that is I supposed is what I've learnt and what Belbin wants to show his audience; which is that romance is dangerous in any form.
You take the risk emotionally and mentally to be with someone, show your commitment to them and also accept whatever limitations they might be or not be if you do decide to be with the person you have chosen to love or to be with.
Sadly, that is what both of the characters chose to do and still I find myself caught up in the romance of it all; but not to the length I did as a 15 year old; at a time when your emotions are all over the place as they do when you grow up.
Personally overall, this is a subject that is still is worth exploring in greater detail as it does happen in real life more often than you think and I feel that Belbin does a great job with speaking about a 'taboo' subject with honesty and also gracefully as possible in the circumstances while also giving you the opportunity to go into that world and not face the consequences like Mike and Rachel did.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who fancies a change or just wants to read a good book
January 4, 2015
a very interesting male point of view on a teacher-student love affair. it is clear that this book doesnt idealize such a relationship as most similar novels written by women. in the end, and after reading the author's not, i got the impression that the teacher is always to blame in such relationships. even when they do lead in happily ever after together, they are wrong to have started in the first place. regardless, i enjoyed the book. i felt in the end that it was builiding a case against mike,
February 11, 2008
This book is really fascinating, because in the beginning it seems perfectly normal, but once you think about all the stories you hear on the news, or even your own friends it is very abnormal. Rachel is a high school student who has a crush on her teacher. In the end when their relationship is uncovered, Rachel is heart broken and distraught. But when the story flashes to her "true love," he is at another school already eyeing one of his young students. You may think everything is in your favor, but if you view things from a diff. perspective you may find that all is not right. It is good book to read, because seeing as we are so close to high school i bet this will happen (just not to such a degree) and their is no way around it. This story makes you think about things so innocent as a crush...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 23, 2011The “lessons” in the title should alert young readers that the main intent of this book is didactic, especially warning teen girls about the folly of letting a crush on a male teacher turn into anything physical. Because much of the story is also told from the perspective of the young teacher, though, we gain more understanding: he doesn’t set out to be a sexual predator when he responds to the advances of 15-year-old Rachel. It’s all complicated by the school production of Romeo and Juliet (of course, she is cast as Juliet, and he is the English teacher assisting with the production). By the end, Rachel comments that the play is not really about love, but “about an adolescent fantasy of what love is,” and it seems that she will survive (no tragic deaths in this version). An author’s note at the end offers numbers for readers worried about a similar situation to call.
April 3, 2012
Never read a book quite like this before so i thought why not try it out once i read the blurb.
The book starts off telling both of the main characters day and at this point it seems like a boring read that you want to put the book down...don't it actually gets better. The book evolves into an actual real life romeo & juliet ironic because that is the play that the teacher and the student are working on together in, the ending of the book does have a fairly big climax but nothing that will make your heart stop beating for those few seconds. I will say that this book is a page spinner you will want to keep on reading and reading to find out what happens next..i read this book till 4am =x
It's exhillirating, new, bizarre in its own 'wonderful' way not a bad book but definitly worth a good teen read
The book starts off telling both of the main characters day and at this point it seems like a boring read that you want to put the book down...don't it actually gets better. The book evolves into an actual real life romeo & juliet ironic because that is the play that the teacher and the student are working on together in, the ending of the book does have a fairly big climax but nothing that will make your heart stop beating for those few seconds. I will say that this book is a page spinner you will want to keep on reading and reading to find out what happens next..i read this book till 4am =x
It's exhillirating, new, bizarre in its own 'wonderful' way not a bad book but definitly worth a good teen read
February 2, 2015
I'm not sure what to feel about this book...
I wanted Mike and Rachel to work out; I enjoyed reading their passion for each other.
The book had an amazing start it had me hooked straight away, both the main characters were easy to get to know and to relate to. However, by the end I discovered I started to dislike Rachel a bit and I didn't like how she made out like Mike was the only one in the wrong/ to blame for the relationship. I felt like Rachel kind of got a bit jealous and bratty by the end of the book, while Mike seemed to become a user and it was very apparent he was only after one thing at the end.
Nonetheless, I did really enjoy this book and also feel like the student/teacher relationship theme of the book is a very important topic and will always be a very important topic, so I would suggest people to read this book.
Love Lessons really is a brilliant read!
I wanted Mike and Rachel to work out; I enjoyed reading their passion for each other.
The book had an amazing start it had me hooked straight away, both the main characters were easy to get to know and to relate to. However, by the end I discovered I started to dislike Rachel a bit and I didn't like how she made out like Mike was the only one in the wrong/ to blame for the relationship. I felt like Rachel kind of got a bit jealous and bratty by the end of the book, while Mike seemed to become a user and it was very apparent he was only after one thing at the end.
Nonetheless, I did really enjoy this book and also feel like the student/teacher relationship theme of the book is a very important topic and will always be a very important topic, so I would suggest people to read this book.
Love Lessons really is a brilliant read!
July 21, 2016
Re-read of a book I remembered from my teen years. As as adult it's easier to see how clichéd the whole thing is. They fall for each other during Romeo and Juliet rehearsals? Are you kidding me? The characters' situations are still relatable, but much of the setting is out of date. I don't think many teenagers will have even heard of Elastica, much less recorded a cassette tape of them. I can just about remember a time before mobile phones, but any teen reading now would no doubt be baffled as to why Rachel doesn't just text Mike instead of nipping out to the phone box with 20p every time she longs to hear his voice. Although the scary part is, it must be even easier for these relationships to come about with technology as it is now.
This was still a decent quick read, but a bit cringey second time around.
This was still a decent quick read, but a bit cringey second time around.
March 6, 2014
As much as one might - or might not - hope that this book has a happy ending, it is quite clear that the whole affair is a bad move and that it will end in a more or less disastrous way...
It is always a bad sign if the 15-year old student is - in some parts - more mature than her 23-year old teacher.
I have just started to occupy myself with the topic of student-teacher-affairs and this was the first of numerous books I intend to read about it.
It presumably was a decent start - a quick read (though, as mentioned above, rather predictable).
I enjoyed reading it!
It is always a bad sign if the 15-year old student is - in some parts - more mature than her 23-year old teacher.
I have just started to occupy myself with the topic of student-teacher-affairs and this was the first of numerous books I intend to read about it.
It presumably was a decent start - a quick read (though, as mentioned above, rather predictable).
I enjoyed reading it!
January 2, 2014
Well...it was my best friend who borrowed this from our school's library and told me to read and I did. And at first I was a bit surprised by the story since it was my first time reading a teacher/pupil story but when I finished it, I just thought it was an okay book. Unique and pretty inappropriate to have in our library but the story was okay, I guess. It wasn't like the books l've read and it didn't really give me this emotional feeling I usually get after reading a book but It was good. :)
January 18, 2021
This disgusting little book tries to normalise pedophilia. Our main "love interest" was 18 when he started going out with a 15 year old. When the girl dumps him when he's 23, he goes for another 15 year old. His best friend is also well into his 30's dating an 18 year old, presumably since she was younger. This book only focuses on age gaps and not the fact these adults are - not having sex with - raping these children.
February 10, 2017
The premise of this novel was good as was it's execution but still I felt there was something lacking in it; I can't put my finger on what is is that was missing though. I think perhaps the characters were not quite real to me. Having said that I read this book in one day as it was engrossing and I wanted to know what happened.
September 21, 2012
LOVED this book! well, except the ending... This book was great throughout and gave me papercuts because i refused to put it down until it was finished. I'm so glad I picked this book up and I wish that i could forget what happened at the end read it all over again!!!
September 26, 2012
I am currently reading this again because I love it so much. This is a good example of what could happen if something like this occurs in real life, and often does. I would encourage people to read this book, girls may like it more than boys but it is still an excellent book. :)
October 22, 2015
Read this while in high school and the first time I read Love Lessons it didn't fail to pull me in to a storyline that shocked me. It was riveting and addresses a social topic that I feel is becoming more prominent.
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