About the Book

When a former pop star enrolls in college, the last thing she expects is A-plus chemistry with her psychology professor in this sexy and tender romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel Lynn Solomon.

“This is Rachel Lynn Solomon at her absolute best: a moving love story between two people learning to trust not only the good in each other, but in themselves.”—Ellen O’Clover, author of The Heartbreak Hotel

Ramona Wilder has spent her whole life in the spotlight. After a hit kids’ TV show, she transitioned into music, singing in arenas around the world and becoming an icon for millions of teenage girls. Now at age twenty-six, exhausted by the inhumane lack of privacy, she’s done—with all of it. She wants a chance at normal, whatever that might mean for her. And she’s starting with college.

Professor Nick Navarro is recently divorced but determinedly optimistic, allowing himself a very reasonable ten minutes per day to wallow. When his department calls a meeting about a celebrity enrollment, he plans to treat whoever it is like any other student. Except when Ramona blazes into class and causes an uproar, the typically easygoing professor is rattled, maybe for the first time in his career.

Ramona loves the way she flusters him, taking every opportunity to push Nick’s buttons, though what she really wants is to unbutton them completely. When a crisis brings them closer outside of class, they begin a tentative friendship amid an undeniable attraction. But Ramona can’t be so easily finished with her old life, and they’ll both have to confront their pasts if they want a chance at something real.

Review

For months, I’ve been waiting to get Extracurricular in my hands, and once I finally got it, I was so excited and dropped everything to curl up and read it. I will admit there was a bit of nerves. A worry that it wouldn’t meet my expectations or that it would fall victim to inconsistent pacing or undeveloped romance. This is one of my first books by Rachel Lynn Solomon, and I wasn’t sure what to expect from her writing. There was no need to worry. Soloman delivered one of my favorite reads of the year. This was a heartfelt, beautifully paced romance filled with emotional depth, unforgettable characters, and a romance that felt completely earned.

The book begins with Ramona walking away from everything she has known to go back to college. It’s a scary choice, but Ramona was completely brave, and watching her try to live a normal life after spending so much of it in the public eye was fascinating. As well as heartbreaking. She had gone through so much, and her story genuinely broke my heart at times. The book doesn’t shy away from exploring the harsh realities of fame and the emotional toll a person can experience because of it. Despite it, she remained funny, sharp-witted, kind, and resilient. Her journey felt so meaningful.

Like Ramona, Nick was on a path of self-discovery. He was recently divorced and had moved in with his sister and niece (special shoutout to his relationship with his niece because it was great). Nick was such an adorable dork. He was also so soft, patient, and supportive. Even before he and Ramona had developed a deeper connection, he was constantly showing up for her.

Nick and Ramona did share an immediate attraction; however, their relationship never did feel rushed. There was room for their connection to grow. For them to learn to trust each other and be vulnerable. There were so many great small moments of them that made their romance feel genuine and elevated them to one of my favorite book couples. The emotional vulnerability between them created such a raw and beautiful love story. Also, the banter? Fantastic!

Final Thoughts

Within a few chapters, I knew that Extracurricular was going to be a hit for me. It is by far one of my favorite books of the year, and I should send a personalized thank-you letter to Rachel Lynn Solomon. This story has taken up a permanent residence in my head. Not only was the writing engaging, but I was also completely blown away by the sharp humor and emotionally grounded characters.

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