Review: Just Like This (Albin Academy #2) by Cole McCade

Rian Falwell has a problem.

And his name is Damon Louis.

Rian’s life as the art teacher to a gaggle of displaced boys at Albin Academy should be smooth sailing—until the stubborn, grouchy football coach comes into his world like a lightning strike and ignites a heated conflict that would leave them sworn enemies if not for a common goal.

A student in peril. A troubling secret. And two men who are polar opposites but must work together to protect their charges.

They shouldn’t want each other. They shouldn’t even like each other.

Yet as they fight to save a young man from the edge, they discover more than they thought possible about each other—and about themselves.

In the space between hatred, they find love.

And the lives they have always wanted…

Just like this.

Taking place at the same exalted boarding school for mostly rich, privileged young boys as seen in Just Like That, this story now focuses on football coach Damon, and art teacher Rian. As per the blurb, when a mutual student seems to be going astray by not fulfilling academic and sport commitments, it brings these two complete opposites together, forcing them to work towards a common goal, each challenging and pushing buttons that incite and inflame.

For McCade fans, don’t fret. This is still wrought with an angsty push pull and an antagonistic back and forth, all with an inner turmoil to lend some heady gravitas. The interactions between Damon and Rian are wrought with personal fears and insecurity, and one step forward is annihilated by too much overthinking and misinterpretation of rashly said assumptions. Again, all the words add an atmospheric touch to the minutiae, heavy in the weight of hangups and baggage.

However, my poor ferret brain has come to the conclusion that for now, this series is just not for me. Whether it’s the lush descriptions of these two’s physical attributes and reactions, their complex warring feelings, or the intimate joining they ultimately accomplish, this was too deconstructed into every single detail imaginable, testing my impatient self. I need to get to the nitty gritty, I need the story to be propelled forward, and it seemed like the verbosity, the too many self and externally imposed obstacles kept these two teachers on the sidelines watching and waiting for the other shoe to drop, not only in their romance, but with the student they were concerned with as well.

Reassuringly, this is still well written and highly romantic (with a lovely epilogue) just like the first book. I’m confident many will find this an interesting enemies to lovers dynamic as each MC with their painful pasts and deep buried longings, slowly shed their preconceived notions of the other and make a connection.

Again, I could appreciate this for what it was in all the descriptive nuances. If you crave that, if you enjoy it, then this is an absolute must. I’m just left unsure if this author’s other works can personally keep me captivated as much as I would like them to, as so far for me, less would’ve definitely been more.