Teacher of the Year (Teachers in Love, #1) in LGBTQIAP+ Lit Lovers

Feb 23, 2023 GK rated it it was amazing

Shelves: lgbtqqia, arc-copies

Marvin Block, a kindergarten teacher, prepares to welcome a new student to his class after the holiday break. While he’s used to ensuring smooth transitions for students who transfer mid-year, what he isn’t used to is the cute-as-hell single dad’s frequent messages.

As Marvin and Olan’s friendship begins to deepen, feelings start to surface.
However, Marvin wasn’t looking for anything serious, especially because he is up for the Teacher of the Year award. Olan’s past and Marvin’s present collide ...more

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May 02, 2023 Frank Socha (franksforeword) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: queer, arcs, 2023

Oh BE STILL MY HEART!!! How have I not read any teacher romances?? I need more (wink, wink, Wardell) and so glad this is a trope that's getting more light shed on it! It's an A+ for me :)

I absolutely loved Olan's journey in this book! Without giving too much away, he's basically just trying to figure out his sexuality and the things he likes. AND MARVIN IS TOTALLY UP TO ASSIST WITH THIS! We love. But his journey is just so raw and intimate, with some deeply moving conversations with Marvin. He Oh BE STILL MY HEART!!! How have I not read any teacher romances?? I need more (wink, wink, Wardell) and so glad this is a trope that's getting more light shed on it! It's an A+ for me :)

I absolutely loved Olan's journey in this book! Without giving too much away, he's basically just trying to figure out his sexuality and the things he likes. AND MARVIN IS TOTALLY UP TO ASSIST WITH THIS! We love. But his journey is just so raw and intimate, with some deeply moving conversations with Marvin. He states at one point that he doesn't know how to define his sexuality, that he's just going with what feels right. And I love that mentality! I think that can resonate with a lot of people. Why need a label? If you wanna get wrecked, sweetie grab them ankles and test those waters! Olan certainly did and he was NOT disappointed :)

GUUURRRRRL grab a bucket and a mop for this one because the spice is on that ghost pepper realness henny! Three words: parent-teacher conference. I'll leave that for y'all to discover. Also boys, do NOT read this in public areas! But truthfully, if you want the spice that is never sugar-coated and just full on descriptive, like me, here you go :) And even more so considering Olan's journey. That man knows how to WORK a body! His own AND others. Buckle up and wear extremely restrictive undies friends :)

I truly loved Marvin's interactions with his mom. It was a smaller part of the book, but in my opinion, one of the most impactful. There's this sort of miscommunication and understanding going on with both of their lives in general, due to them talking very infrequently. And this book shows that it just takes that one conversation to put everything into perspective and understand where that other person is coming from. This full-circle moment just struck home for me, having had a similar conversation with my mom when first coming out and I like that, whether he meant to or not, Wardell highlights the impact those conversations can have when there are misunderstandings!

Ugh the kids!!! I am obsessed with children and everything about them in this book was just heart-melting! Especially seeing Marvin interact with them! Honey we get both sugar and spice in this and I am NOT mad about it! And it just adds so much dimension to Marvin's character. He's extremely anxious in moments throughout the book, but he pushes through for these kids. It just highlights the perseverance people with anxiety procure in so many moments! It's entirely admirable!

Also, the representation! There is SO much in this. We love to see it!

My ONE wish was that we got more of the actual romance here. Like a few dates or just something more that built the relationship up. It all moved very quickly, yet I feel like we didn't see too much interaction with them. They went for quite long periods of time without seeing each other, yet their relationship was absolutely budding. I just wanted a liiiiiiiiittle more of the sparks, dates, and cute moments that accompany a growing relationship. ...more

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May 11, 2023 Jason Conrad rated it it was amazing

I don’t know where to begin. This book was phenomenal. The plot and story were well-paced and purposeful. The conflicts and hurdles were realistic. The variety of emotions I felt was extensive. Not only is this a marvelous book, but it is a marvelous DEBUT book.

The characters were so likeable. I loved Marvin. He was a wonderful protagonist. He also had great taste in music, and I loved the way he coped with songs in his mind. He was dedicated, compassionate, and lion-hearted. But also imperfect I don’t know where to begin. This book was phenomenal. The plot and story were well-paced and purposeful. The conflicts and hurdles were realistic. The variety of emotions I felt was extensive. Not only is this a marvelous book, but it is a marvelous DEBUT book.

The characters were so likeable. I loved Marvin. He was a wonderful protagonist. He also had great taste in music, and I loved the way he coped with songs in his mind. He was dedicated, compassionate, and lion-hearted. But also imperfect, conflicted, flawed. He was human. The book was told from his POV, and it was a fantastic, accurate portrayal of the realities of living with severe anxiety and trauma.

Olan was the perfect love interest. In addition to being a great father, he was also thoughtful, empathetic, and resilient.

The chemistry between Marvin and Olan was so incredibly strong and undeniable – their interactions were the highlights of the book. Watching them grow together and fall for one another was an absolute delight that had my heart swelling with happiness.

On the flipside, witnessing them work through their trauma and move forward on their life journeys together while not being co-dependent was a joy to watch unfold. There was so much emotional depth to both their relationships and their relationships with the other characters.

The book managed to seamlessly blend humor, wit, seriousness, romance, difficult topics, and spice (lots of spice). The balance between those elements was done just right, with nothing overpowering anything.

At its core, Teacher of the Year was more than those elements as well. It is a reminder of how important teachers and educators are, especially queer ones. We are living in a country where states think it’s acceptable to make illegal the mere mention of anything queer / LGBTQ. Hateful, spiteful, and evil people throw around words like “groomer” and “indoctrinate” (which, let’s be honest – some of those people can’t even properly give the correct definition of those words if asked). Queer kids are being attacked and can only do so much to stand up for themselves.

Teacher of the Year is a proclamation that queer educators exist, are here, and are not going anywhere. And furthermore, they’re here to protect queer students whose existence is being challenged. They’re here to protect every single kid who walks through their classroom door. They are here to fight the good fight and create safe environments for children to grow, learn, and develop into who they truly are. And in this book, we got a shining example of a teacher like that. We all deserve teachers, educators, and professors like Marvin.

I need to thank M.A. Wardell for sending me an advance copy that I got to read a few days before release. I am so glad this book is out in the world and I hope it finds its way into the hands of people who need it. It is one of the easiest 5-star ratings I have ever given.
...more

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Jun 12, 2023 Dani rated it liked it

I wanted to love this far more than I actually did. I heard so many good things about this one before I started it so that colored my opinion too I think. I also have a hard time with secondhand embarrassment and this book was chock full of moments that made me cringe away.

Marvin is a kindergarten teacher with anxiety that is in the running for Teacher of the Year. It's a good thing but his school also put all of their funding goals onto his shoulders with it so now it's not even a fun thing any ...more

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Jul 17, 2023 Scott Garrison rated it it was amazing

Wow! I've been wanting to read this book since its release. I heard tons of hype, which always worries me, but this book did not disappoint. Marvin and Olan were two adorable and loveable characters. I definitely related to Marvin's anxieties and insecurities. There were times I wanted to shake him and say "wake up, Pearl" (you'll get that reference if you watch RuPaul's Drag Race). Even though he frustrated me sometimes, I still related to that inner struggle. I know what it's like to be insecu ...more

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May 01, 2023 Jeff rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2023, arcs-read-in-2023

5 / 5 ⭐️‘s

"Teacher of the Year" by M.A. Wardell

This was a heartwarming and steamy gay romance story that explored the challenges of balancing career, relationships, and personal growth.

The story follows Marvin Block, an anxious yet dedicated kindergarten teacher, who is determined to win the Teacher of the Year award for the sake of his school. However, when he meets Illona and her single dad, Olan, his focus starts to shift from his professional goals to his personal desires.

The author did an ...more

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Nov 14, 2023 Seth Betzler rated it it was amazing

Giggling and squealing, crying and sobbing I could not put down this book. What M.A. Wardell has done here is nothing short of perfection. At the heart of his book, Teacher of the Year, we find the anxious Marvin, a kindergarten teacher trying to push forth in life a few years after a devastating break up while also being up for the prestigious Teacher of the Year award. Enter Olan, a single dad, who has just moved to the town and enrolled his daughter not only in Marvin’s school but his very cl ...more

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Apr 23, 2023 Janette rated it it was amazing

Shelves: for-review, debut

When was the last time you read a book where, as soon as it starts, you feel as if you’ve stumbled into a room of old friends? Everyone is recognizable or familiar in their own way, the whole thing feels comfortable and right, and you never want to leave. That’s Teacher of the Year. As much as it’s a sweet, spicy school teacher romance, it’s also the feeling you get when you’re with these people in their world, sharing their lives, their feelings and their problems. It’s a feeling as satisfying ...more

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Jul 14, 2023 Tara rated it it was amazing

Y'all, I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book! It has that perfect balance of sweet, spice, and drama. This one was a five-star read that had just the right amount of all of it.
*Possible SPOILERS*
Teacher of the Year is about Marvin Block, an adorable, gay, Jewish kindergarten teacher with anxiety and ADHD who loves his job and puts all of himself into it.He is a great kitty daddy to Gonzo and a devoted friend to fellow teacher Jill. An all-around endearing main character.
So i ...more

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May 09, 2023 Sasha Fountain rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, favorites, hear-our-voices-b-tour, lgbtq, mm-romance, audiobook, audible, romcom

5 ⭐️
3.5🌶️

At its core, Teacher of the Year is a sweet and spicy school-teacher romance. M.A. Wardell gives us that and more because, at times, I felt like I was in the world that he created. The writing and storytelling were phenomenal, and I love how the characters, storylines, and settings were interwoven to heighten the narrative. The characters are genuine and relatable, and we see their struggles with addiction and anxiety and their thoughts and experiences navigating their trauma, sexualit ...more

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