Blog Tour: TEACHING ROMAN by Gennifer Albin

TEACHING ROMAN by Gennifer Albin (Good Girls Don't #2)

Publication Date: June 26, 2014

Rating: 5/5 stars

Get it: Amazon | B&N

Jessica Stone has her life in perfect order until her perfectly boring boyfriend Brett puts things in perspective. So when she receives a call to action from her heartbroken best friend Cassie, she ditches her plans for Winter Break in gloomy Olympic Falls and sets off to Mexico for some fun in the sun.

Determined to use her oceanview to prep for her MCATS, she doesn't plan to run into anyone from Olympic State, least of all the cute communications prof she's been crushing on for a year. When he unexpectedly saves the day, the two are thrown together in a distinctly extracurricular activity.

Roman Markson doesn’t expect to run into anyone he knows from Olympic Falls while visiting his family in Puerto Vallarta, especially not a former student. Although Jess Stone has a way of catching men’s attention, a relationship with her is strictly off-limits. However, the rules feel less strict in Mexico, so they agree to a plan: one week in paradise and nothing more.

But avoiding each other back on campus is harder than they anticipated, especially when they can’t stay away from one another. Neither is sure what they have to learn—and lose—before life teaches them a lesson they’ll never forget.

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions

It’s no secret that I absolutely unconditionally love and adore and cherish Gennifer Albin’s Catching Liam so freaking much. I love that book so much that I have been waiting anxiously for the next book in the Good Girls Don’t series for what seems like ever and I have to say that the wait was well worth it and more. 


Teaching Roman was everything I was hoping it would be and gossssssh, I was so so happy by how everything went down with Jess and Roman. These two characters were amazing and holy crap on a cracker, I was so taken by Roman like cray. He was nothing and all the things. He was gentle and intelligent and sexy and caring. Roman was so effing irresistible. 

Jess was a sweet girl who loved organization and lists and was very driven to be a doctor. She took a chance and a risk to be with Roman. It was so out of her character, something she thought she would never do, but I thought it really put her love life in perspective. I loved that she gave in to what she was feeling even though she was scared of the unknown. She made mistakes and did her fair share of running, but she made me proud in the end. Jess was a tough girl who knew what she wanted and she made sure of it when the time was right.

Roman and Jess were so adorbs, like no joke. I always love when flings turns into the real deal and with these two, it definitely was the real deal. They were so sweet and warm towards each other. They were the type of couple where it hurt to look at them yet you couldn't look away because they were perfection. I have to be honest that their romance development was pretty fast, but Roman and Jess just felt like they knew each other for so long. They clicked in some cosmic way both intelligently and romantically. And I have to say that Roman in bed...wow, can I be teacher’s pet? I was slightly jealous of Jess. What I loved about their relationship was the equality of it. Both of their dreams and ambitions were important to one another and there was a level of maturity that both had that a lot of relationships lacked. They were both willing to sacrifice something so that the other could fulfill their goals and I was touched by that a lot. Their relationship was very genuine, something I could tell that would last and not be fleeting.

Teaching Roman had its ups and downs and angst and drama and the best of tenderest moments with some really intense ones as well. The Roman and Jess love story was not easy, but it wasn’t as difficult as they thought it would be either and I was so throughly enamored by these two I was up for their back and forth anyhow. While no one can ever hold a candle and birthday cake towards by beloved Liam McAvoy, Roman does come real close.

All in all, I loved Teaching Roman with just the amount of enthusiasm as I did with Catching Liam. Gennifer Albin did not disappoint and I’m hoping to get Cassie’s book real real soon! 

Favorite Quotes

"Have you discovered some type of magic potion that reduces your need for sleep?"

"Hours and hours of amazing sex"

"Your shows? Are you a sixty year-old woman? Gonna do some Sudoku and start adopting cats?"

"Don't be a bitch."

"Don't be a sixty year-old woman!"

"...and I want a size report. What's Professor Markson packing under those khakis? Inquiring minds want to know."

"What on earth do we need batteries for?"

"I thought I would loan you my vibrator. It seems like you need it more than I do."

"I cook better than I screw." 

About the Author

Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. A recovering academic, she turned to writing her own books.  In her free time she sits on the National Novel Writing Month Advisory Board, laughs (and cries) with her mom writers group, and watches too much Doctor Who (if that's possible). Gennifer lives in Poulsbo Washington with her family.

Website | Facebook Fan Page | Twitter | Goodreads

This blog tour was brought to you by InksSlinger PR

TEACHING ROMAN Release Day Blitz!

Teaching Roman by Gennifer Albin (Good Girls Don't #2)

BUY TEACHING ROMAN: Amazon

Jessica Stone has her life in perfect order until her perfectly boring boyfriend Brett puts things in perspective. So when she receives a call to action from her heartbroken best friend Cassie, she ditches her plans for Winter Break in gloomy Olympic Falls and sets off to Mexico for some fun in the sun.

Determined to use her oceanview to prep for her MCATS, she doesn't plan to run into anyone from Olympic State, least of all the cute communications prof she's been crushing on for a year. When he unexpectedly saves the day, the two are thrown together in a distinctly extracurricular activity.

Roman Markson doesn’t expect to run into anyone he knows from Olympic Falls while visiting his family in Puerto Vallarta, especially not a former student. Although Jess Stone has a way of catching men’s attention, a relationship with her is strictly off-limits. However, the rules feel less strict in Mexico, so they agree to a plan: one week in paradise and nothing more.

But avoiding each other back on campus is harder than they anticipated, especially when they can’t stay away from one another. Neither is sure what they have to learn—and lose—before life teaches them a lesson they’ll never forget.

About the Author

Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. A recovering academic, she turned to writing her own books.  In her free time she sits on the National Novel Writing Month Advisory Board, laughs (and cries) with her mom writers group, and watches too much Doctor Who (if that's possible). Gennifer lives in Poulsbo Washington with her family.

Website | Facebook Fan Page | Twitter | Goodreads

This post was brought to you by Inkslinger PR ^^

REVIEW: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Title: Crewel
Author: Gennifer Albin
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: October 16, 2012
Format: egalley* 368 pages
Rating: 4/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Enter a tangled world of secrets and intrigue where a girl is in charge of other’s destinies, but not her own.

Sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has always been special. When her parents discover her gift—the ability to weave the very fabric of reality—they train her to hide it. For good reason, they don’t want her to become a Spinster — one of the elite, beautiful, and deadly women who determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die.

Thrust into the opulent Western Coventry, Adelice will be tried, tested and tempted as she navigates the deadly politics at play behind its walls.  Now caught in a web of lies and forbidden romance, she must unravel the sinister truth behind her own unspeakable power.  Her world is hanging by a thread, and Adelice, alone, can decide to save it — or destroy it.

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions

Crewel was not lacking in creativity. In fact, it was brimming with originality. Gennifer Albin put together a book with ingenious world building and stunningly illustrious writing. What I expected out of Crewel was beyond anything I ever imagined and more. 


In Arras, everything is controlled by the Guild; who you marry, when and how many kids you can have, what you eat, what your future job will be is all decided for you. Men are superior to woman, families with children are segregated between female and male, and young girls with special abilities are taken to be Spinsters who control the fabric of life in Arras. The world that Gennifer Albin created and built from the bottom up was really brought to life in Crewel. It felt surreal, nearly dream-like, but it also felt substantial and essential in the way Albin described the inner workings of it all. It was described in great detail, explained to the extent of allowing yourself to be placed within just like Adelice. I didn’t just read about Arras, I felt like I was living and breathing in it. Albin gets down to the very core of this world with the Spinsters, the Guild, and all the officials that control Arras. Not only do we know how this world works, but we also learn why and how it came to be. There is so many elements to this world that make it work, grow and thrive. It’s not only fascinating, it’s intricate and complex. While Albin gives us a lot to start with, she still allows room for interest and yearning to know more. 

Main character and spunky, sharp-tongued Adelice Lewys was the star of this novel. She may have been frightened by the her new surroundings, but I felt and saw the fire within her and her will to fight for what she believed was right. She was definitely a little innocent and naive about a lot, but Adelice was intelligent and she cared. Although she listened, followed, and went along with her training and learning, she still knew her place, knew what she wanted and she never lost herself to the privileges that was given to her as an Eligible. Adelice cared deeply about her family and the friends she made within the Western Coventry. I seriously admired Adelice’s feisty personality and how she was sassy and just a handful to many people’s eyes. Even though her big mouth and quiet defiance got her in trouble time to time, Adelice never gave up. She was a rebel at heart who was courageous and clever all the way. The best thing about Adelice is the fact she didn’t let the power she knew had go over her head. Her compassion and kindness gave way to a character who was true and good from the bottom of her heart. 

I love the connection Adelice had with both Erik and Jost. Albin made it so I was able to fall for both characters so easily. It didn’t really matter who Adelice would pick, because I felt either one would be a suitable for her. They both had great chemistry together. Eric was the comic relief during all the intense and serious parts of Crewel. At first he seemed like an arrogant pretty boy, but underneath was someone who was so funny and charming. Jost, on the other hand, was rough around the edges in the beginning. But Jost was a cool and witty guy. He watched out for Adelice and gave her advice even when she thought she didn’t need it. He saw how different she was compared to all the other Eligibles. Erik and Jost were different in some ways, but also the same in others. I believe that both cared for Adelice in their own way. In the end, I loved both of them and I bet other readers will definitely have a hard time choosing between the two. 


Crewel had some predictable moments, in which I somehow knew how things were going to go, but there were still plenty of times where I was surprised by the twists that Albin placed within the story. I really enjoyed Albin’s clean and delightful writing. It was detailed and very thought-provoking. I thought the pacing of the whole book was great overall. Some parts were a little slow at times, but I wasn’t bored. In fact, I enjoyed finding out more seeing how the story would unravel. I loved how thorough the world building was and how developed the characters were.

All in all, Crewel was one crafty and intriguing dystopian novel that I found wanting to explore further on. 

*Thanks to Macmillan for sending a copy for review