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Mixed Up
I'm just trying to get through college, I've worked too hard to let my feelings for a grumpy biology professor ruin everything.
He's hot and everything, but Dr. Damon Faust is pretty commonly regarded as a Grade-A jerk. The few interactions we've had have left me with little doubt he wants nothing to do with me. He thinks I'm an idiot, barely able to read, and a waste of a perfectly good scholarship. I can feel him looking at me though, can practically see the conflict raging behind those dark eyes. He wants me. Not so hypothetical What's worse, a man liking you but not being attracted to you or him being attracted to you but not liking you? Also, is it possible to die from sexual frustration?
Mixed Up is a forbidden, age gap, instalove novella starring grumpy biology professor Damon and Alice, the struggling college student he can’t quite shake. Pining, spice and HEA guaranteed!
He's hot and everything, but Dr. Damon Faust is pretty commonly regarded as a Grade-A jerk. The few interactions we've had have left me with little doubt he wants nothing to do with me. He thinks I'm an idiot, barely able to read, and a waste of a perfectly good scholarship. I can feel him looking at me though, can practically see the conflict raging behind those dark eyes. He wants me. Not so hypothetical What's worse, a man liking you but not being attracted to you or him being attracted to you but not liking you? Also, is it possible to die from sexual frustration?
Mixed Up is a forbidden, age gap, instalove novella starring grumpy biology professor Damon and Alice, the struggling college student he can’t quite shake. Pining, spice and HEA guaranteed!
89 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2023
9 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Cleo White
18 books1,149 followersCleo White's affinity for all things dramatic and hopelessly romantic began the day she was born, which happened to be in the middle of a record-breaking snowstorm on Valentine’s Day. Her love of literature came soon after, and she spent the better part of her childhood with both a book and a notebook full of unfinished stories in hand. Later in life, she found a love of writing spicy books with complicated characters and dysfunctional family drama. Cleo currently lives in Vermont with her husband and two daughters. When not writing, she can be found hiking, gardening, painting, and consuming excessive quantities of caffeine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 23, 2023
Another good, steamy "quickie" from this author!
Alice is a student at a prestigious university on the cusp of graduating, which is a major feat for her as she has severe dyslexia, and her learning accommodations have not been consistently honored. Alice never complains, though, as she is a scholarship/grant student just trying to scrape by on her three jobs, including a student work position with the sciences department and a particularly prickly pine, Dr. Damon Faust. It doesn't help that she has harbored a secret crush on the handsome but brash and seemingly impersonal professor. He barely knows she exists, and she is certainly much too young for him even if he did.
Damon Faust was doomed the moment he took a coffee break a couple of years ago and saw the most beautiful young woman working behind the counter. Of course she was much too young for him, but he was intrigued because she was the first woman he has had more than a passing interest in for a long time. When she is assigned to his department, he knows he has to keep his distance, so he is overly harsh with her and tries not to engage in conversation to avoid revealing more than he should. After he is especially (and somewhat inadvertently) cruel towards Alice, he feels terrible and realizes he must make it up to her, so he hires her to do some work on the side for a major presentation he has coming up. As they work on the project, they spend more and more time together; share text messages; and a couple of steamy kisses. Both are concerned about what the future holds, so they try to stay just friends. But will that be possible when they travel together for the presentation? And what will happen with their plans when Brooks is up for a major new job thousands of miles away and Alice's next steps are uncertain?
I liked this story - I felt that Damon was a little too rude towards here, especially with the prevalence of learning disabilities out there and him as a professional educator. I am also a professor, so I know that is something we are trained to be well aware of, so his reaction was way off the mark. I also didn't feel the chemistry as strong in this one as I did in the other book I read (In Pieces), but overall, it was a good read with some yummy steamy goodness (not a much as I would have liked in this one but what was there was good) and a nice HEA.
Plot --- 3.5/5
Writing Style --- 4/5
Main Characters --- 3.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 3/5
Steam Level* --- 3/5
Violence --- none
Triggers --- none
Language --- yes
POV --- Dual
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
Alice is a student at a prestigious university on the cusp of graduating, which is a major feat for her as she has severe dyslexia, and her learning accommodations have not been consistently honored. Alice never complains, though, as she is a scholarship/grant student just trying to scrape by on her three jobs, including a student work position with the sciences department and a particularly prickly pine, Dr. Damon Faust. It doesn't help that she has harbored a secret crush on the handsome but brash and seemingly impersonal professor. He barely knows she exists, and she is certainly much too young for him even if he did.
Damon Faust was doomed the moment he took a coffee break a couple of years ago and saw the most beautiful young woman working behind the counter. Of course she was much too young for him, but he was intrigued because she was the first woman he has had more than a passing interest in for a long time. When she is assigned to his department, he knows he has to keep his distance, so he is overly harsh with her and tries not to engage in conversation to avoid revealing more than he should. After he is especially (and somewhat inadvertently) cruel towards Alice, he feels terrible and realizes he must make it up to her, so he hires her to do some work on the side for a major presentation he has coming up. As they work on the project, they spend more and more time together; share text messages; and a couple of steamy kisses. Both are concerned about what the future holds, so they try to stay just friends. But will that be possible when they travel together for the presentation? And what will happen with their plans when Brooks is up for a major new job thousands of miles away and Alice's next steps are uncertain?
I liked this story - I felt that Damon was a little too rude towards here, especially with the prevalence of learning disabilities out there and him as a professional educator. I am also a professor, so I know that is something we are trained to be well aware of, so his reaction was way off the mark. I also didn't feel the chemistry as strong in this one as I did in the other book I read (In Pieces), but overall, it was a good read with some yummy steamy goodness (not a much as I would have liked in this one but what was there was good) and a nice HEA.
Plot --- 3.5/5
Writing Style --- 4/5
Main Characters --- 3.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 3/5
Steam Level* --- 3/5
Violence --- none
Triggers --- none
Language --- yes
POV --- Dual
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
February 5, 2023
4/5 🌟 2/5 🔥
"I've got to say." He says at last, chuckling. "I didn't see this ending up with me spanking your ass and you fucking me on my dead aunt's couch."
I've discovered a new author and I'm so happy about it! In it, Damon is a professor and Alice is one of his students. He's known of her for two years and tried to stay away from her because of his attraction to her. Alice, on the other hand, has a massive crush on him- but he's forbidden. Untouchable. Or is he?
"I'm behaving like a hormonal high school boy with a crush, not a man of nearly forty speaking to a woman who is still a damn student."
Damon was really cute. He did so many things just to please Alice. They finally bite the bullet and give in to their sexual attraction- and maaan, they're hot together!
"She's mine and I'm hers, and there's not a damn thing I won't do to make her feel this good every single day of her life."
To sum up this novella... it was fluffy and cute with a touch of forbidden love. I enjoyed it!
"I love you." I say, like that explains everything. As Damon Faust smiles at me, I think that it probably does. "Alice Riley, I love you too."
SAFETY:
Age: 22h, 38H
Cheating: None!
OM/OW drama: None!
Sex scene with OM/OW: None!
Virgin/celibate/manwhore: virgin heroine, celibate hero (for years- since before he met h)
Triggers: don't read this if you don't like forbidden romances involving students/professors! <3
Kinks: dirty talk, spanking
Tropes: student/professor, forbidden love, age gap
HEA?: Yes! Epilogue 4 years later.
My bookshelves may contain spoilers.
"I've got to say." He says at last, chuckling. "I didn't see this ending up with me spanking your ass and you fucking me on my dead aunt's couch."
I've discovered a new author and I'm so happy about it! In it, Damon is a professor and Alice is one of his students. He's known of her for two years and tried to stay away from her because of his attraction to her. Alice, on the other hand, has a massive crush on him- but he's forbidden. Untouchable. Or is he?
"I'm behaving like a hormonal high school boy with a crush, not a man of nearly forty speaking to a woman who is still a damn student."
Damon was really cute. He did so many things just to please Alice. They finally bite the bullet and give in to their sexual attraction- and maaan, they're hot together!
"She's mine and I'm hers, and there's not a damn thing I won't do to make her feel this good every single day of her life."
To sum up this novella... it was fluffy and cute with a touch of forbidden love. I enjoyed it!
"I love you." I say, like that explains everything. As Damon Faust smiles at me, I think that it probably does. "Alice Riley, I love you too."
SAFETY:
Age: 22h, 38H
Cheating: None!
OM/OW drama: None!
Sex scene with OM/OW: None!
Virgin/celibate/manwhore: virgin heroine, celibate hero (for years- since before he met h)
Triggers: don't read this if you don't like forbidden romances involving students/professors! <3
Kinks: dirty talk, spanking
Tropes: student/professor, forbidden love, age gap
HEA?: Yes! Epilogue 4 years later.
My bookshelves may contain spoilers.
August 16, 2023
I sort of wanted more from this- but it was still pretty cute 😌.
dnf
March 30, 2024I was on a binge read of this authors entire list and the further into the early works I got the less I wanted to continue. Everything is very rushed, characters are different enough to realise it's a different book but the patterns of their behaviours are way too similar.
And I couldn't feel any chemistry between the characters. So it's a DNF for now.
And I couldn't feel any chemistry between the characters. So it's a DNF for now.
October 29, 2024
Es una historia cortita, con toques de picante y una relación rápida, pero nada prohibida entre un profesor y una estudiante de último grado.
Él al principio es medio hosco, pero después se suelta un poco más. De todas formas no considero que sea grumpy/sunshine.
Alice es una artista y él un profesor/doctor en biología... la mezcla fue rara, pero funcionó.
2.5 estrellas
Él al principio es medio hosco, pero después se suelta un poco más. De todas formas no considero que sea grumpy/sunshine.
Alice es una artista y él un profesor/doctor en biología... la mezcla fue rara, pero funcionó.
2.5 estrellas
March 19, 2023
Favorite new author
I can’t seem to get enough of this writer’s work. When she finally pens a full length novel, it is gonna be EPIC!
I can’t seem to get enough of this writer’s work. When she finally pens a full length novel, it is gonna be EPIC!
September 23, 2024
He remind me to Adam.
Once i got this in my mind, i couldn't stop thinking of their similarity. And it made me loved it.
Once i got this in my mind, i couldn't stop thinking of their similarity. And it made me loved it.
August 20, 2023
This is such a cute little quick read, perfect for in between heavier reads.
Mixed Up is about Damon and Alice. Alice is months away from finishing university. She had a tough upbringing, but she kept going and was so close to graduating and living her dreams as an artist. She is tasked to help Dr. Faust (Damon). However, he dismisses her due to her apparent "incompetence." Little does he know that she has a learning disability. He feels terrible about it and wants to apologise to her for the way he treated her. Alice is offered another job but a job she'd love as its illustrations for another professor. It turns out that the professor is Damon. They start getting closer to the point Damon invisions a future with Alice, but he kind of messes up...
I loved this story, Alice is such a sweetheart. I loved the disability rep. I love it when authors include that within their stories. Damon was just a big, grumpy professor who needed to realise his future was right in front of him all along. I did really like him, though.
It's worth the read for sure!!! 100000% recommend!!!
❄️ forbidden romance
❄️ age gap
❄️ virgin fmc
❄️ spicy scenes
❄️ instalove
Mixed Up is about Damon and Alice. Alice is months away from finishing university. She had a tough upbringing, but she kept going and was so close to graduating and living her dreams as an artist. She is tasked to help Dr. Faust (Damon). However, he dismisses her due to her apparent "incompetence." Little does he know that she has a learning disability. He feels terrible about it and wants to apologise to her for the way he treated her. Alice is offered another job but a job she'd love as its illustrations for another professor. It turns out that the professor is Damon. They start getting closer to the point Damon invisions a future with Alice, but he kind of messes up...
I loved this story, Alice is such a sweetheart. I loved the disability rep. I love it when authors include that within their stories. Damon was just a big, grumpy professor who needed to realise his future was right in front of him all along. I did really like him, though.
It's worth the read for sure!!! 100000% recommend!!!
❄️ forbidden romance
❄️ age gap
❄️ virgin fmc
❄️ spicy scenes
❄️ instalove
May 1, 2023
Grumpy/Sunshine, Age-Gap, Professor/College Student, Insta-Lust moving towards Love, Office Romance... *all* of these beautifully sexy tropes 😏 are in Cleo White's Mixed Up. Alice is the graphic arts major struggling thru life with working 2 jobs & having a severe case of dyslexia. One of her jobs is work study for the Life Sciences Dept. Damon - Dr. Faust - brilliant scientist/researcher, zero social skills & emotional depth requires her help one day in grading his papers. For a researcher; he does not do any prep work on the temporary help he requests and puts Alice in a very horrible scenario of grading his papers. He is unforgivable cruel to her when he sees that she has not made any progress in grading his papers. Damon apologizes to Alice later on, however I feel he definitely should have groveled more. How will Damon & Alice find their way to each other? You will have to read Mixed Up to find out! 😊🌴🌺 I received an ARC via Booksprout for my honest review.
May 9, 2023
Good
Safety and Spoilers
Safe. No ow/om drama. H has been celibate for years and h is a virgin.
h feels rejected by the H and accepts a date from another classmate. The date isn’t mentioned till the guy was talking about it in H’s class. Nothing happened, not even a kiss goodnight. H over hears the guy talking bad about h and scolds him. It’s there that H knows h is the only one for him.
No abuse or cheating. H does say some mean things to the h in the beginning but he apologizes for his behaviour.
Safety and Spoilers
Safe. No ow/om drama. H has been celibate for years and h is a virgin.
h feels rejected by the H and accepts a date from another classmate. The date isn’t mentioned till the guy was talking about it in H’s class. Nothing happened, not even a kiss goodnight. H over hears the guy talking bad about h and scolds him. It’s there that H knows h is the only one for him.
No abuse or cheating. H does say some mean things to the h in the beginning but he apologizes for his behaviour.
June 27, 2023
Uhhhh…. Thank goodness it only took me a hour to read this book… I would give it .25 as a star rating. I would consider this more as a novella.. and yet it isn’t bc there are no more books. I didn’t really feel anything for the characters, and why introduce interesting side characters to not write about them at all? Also, why was it so happy, happy , happy? This is the type of story where you need angst, where you see the characters getting caught or at least some interesting conflict happening… instead it was so unrealistic I found it rather boring and only finished it bc it was a short AF book and didn’t realize it… I like to pretty much go in blind when I pick books.. will be more carful in the future.
But if you’re looking for a quick read, some minor spice and unrealistic HEA, then this is the shortest, boring, book written for you! 😉
But if you’re looking for a quick read, some minor spice and unrealistic HEA, then this is the shortest, boring, book written for you! 😉
January 19, 2023
I enjoyed this book. I'm a sucker for age gap and enemies to lovers.
I really enjoyed the representation of the fmc having a hidden disability. It was so sweet how Damon would read to her in the museum .
The spice was great, this was a nice short read that had my attention from page one. Definitely a nice pallette cleanser in between some other books I've been reading.
I loved the HEA ending. ❤️
I really enjoyed the representation of the fmc having a hidden disability. It was so sweet how Damon would read to her in the museum .
The spice was great, this was a nice short read that had my attention from page one. Definitely a nice pallette cleanser in between some other books I've been reading.
I loved the HEA ending. ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2023
This was a sweet and spicy age gap romance and I love how things came together for Alice. She'd been crushing on her prof, Damon, for 2 years and he, because he was attracted to her, was cold and harsh. Well. Things take a turn for the better when he learns more about her and lets his feelings go. They about burned up my reader and I was thrilled for their HEA after he made amends. Good fun!
November 2, 2023
I’ve been bingeing Cleo’s books and obviously it is of no surprise that I liked this one too. Not as toe-curling of a buildup than Out of Sight or In Pieces (which are my favorites) and not as raunchy or forbidden either but the MCs are hella cute. This makes for a really painless feel-good read to end the day. Guaranteed HEA, no cheating. Solid read still! Wish it was a little longer though so the characters couldve really blossomed!
September 3, 2023
forbidden age gap
This was a quick instalove, age gap, teacher/student romance. Alice is at the school on a scholarship Dr. Damon Faust is a science professor. Both have a mutual attraction to the other but he is down right rude her. How is he going to fix his mistake? Ends on a HEA told in dual POV. This was another great read by Cleo.
This was a quick instalove, age gap, teacher/student romance. Alice is at the school on a scholarship Dr. Damon Faust is a science professor. Both have a mutual attraction to the other but he is down right rude her. How is he going to fix his mistake? Ends on a HEA told in dual POV. This was another great read by Cleo.
October 10, 2023
This was sweet but I would have changed a few things! The pacing was a bit too slow for a book as short as this one. Also sometimes the author would forget where she was and she’d change things she already established. She described Damon as wearing track pants one moment and then slacks the next, things like that. I do really love her character work though!
January 23, 2025
A nice good quick read from this author. It was okay but I think I was expecting a bit more but maybe that’s because I have been reading her latest books rather than her earliest. I did still enjoy it. The tension and the age gap between them was good.🩷
January 18, 2023
Short, sweet and enjoyable as a quick read before bed.
4 1/2 stars
No major drama, the perfect light read.
4 1/2 stars
No major drama, the perfect light read.
February 5, 2023
It’s heel not heal
April 10, 2023
Loved
This was a very sweet and spicy novella. Had me in my feelings and I didn't want to put it down! Always a fan of Cleo's work.
This was a very sweet and spicy novella. Had me in my feelings and I didn't want to put it down! Always a fan of Cleo's work.
June 5, 2023
Perfection
This little book is a dazzling piece of contemporary romance perfection. It puts a smile on my face and in my heart every time I read it.
This little book is a dazzling piece of contemporary romance perfection. It puts a smile on my face and in my heart every time I read it.
September 24, 2023
Professor/student, age gap, HEA
November 11, 2023
Nice, quick read. 👌
October 25, 2024
Short n Sweet
November 1, 2024
A sweet story
December 1, 2024
01/12/24
Damon y Alice
Profesor y alumna (diferentes ramas= no es SU profesor)
Lindo pero un poco soso
Damon y Alice
Profesor y alumna (diferentes ramas= no es SU profesor)
Lindo pero un poco soso
January 12, 2025
I lovee these forbidden tropess😭💝🌶️
February 4, 2025
📚:5/3.02
⭐️:5/2.00
🌶:5/1.00
👩:5/2.00
🙎♂️:5/1.00
💑:5/3.00
🔮:https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMkbeh9UB/
⭐️:5/2.00
🌶:5/1.00
👩:5/2.00
🙎♂️:5/1.00
💑:5/3.00
🔮:https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMkbeh9UB/
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews