My Oxford Year
RECOMMENDED: My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan is $1.99! We’re posting this sale on a Saturday because it ends tomorrow and Sarah wanted everyone to know about this deal. Here’s what she had to say:
I recorded a podcast with Julia Whelan when the book came out and I just recorded a follow up where we take a very, very deep dive in the structure and writing of the book. If you’d like to read it before we spoil the dickens out of it (No actual Dickens, though) this is an excellent opportunity to grab your copy!
Set amidst the breathtaking beauty of Oxford, this sparkling debut novel tells the unforgettable story about a determined young woman eager to make her mark in the world and the handsome man who introduces her to an incredible love that will irrevocably alter her future—perfect for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks.
American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was thirteen: Study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship when she’s offered an unbelievable position in a rising political star’s presidential campaign. With the promise that she’ll work remotely and return to DC at the end of her Oxford year, she’s free to enjoy her Once in a Lifetime Experience. That is, until a smart-mouthed local who is too quick with his tongue and his car ruins her shirt and her first day.
When Ella discovers that her English literature course will be taught by none other than that same local, Jamie Davenport, she thinks for the first time that Oxford might not be all she’s envisioned. But a late-night drink reveals a connection she wasn’t anticipating finding and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more when Ella learns Jamie has a life-changing secret.
Immediately, Ella is faced with a seemingly impossible decision: turn her back on the man she’s falling in love with to follow her political dreams or be there for him during a trial neither are truly prepared for. As the end of her year in Oxford rapidly approaches, Ella must decide if the dreams she’s always wanted are the same ones she’s now yearning for.
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On Duty by A R Barley is $0.99. Contemporary MM with first responder heroes. Haven’t read this series, but enjoyed Barley’s contemporary Boundaries series, so I have high hopes for this.
Thank you for the Saturday post! I have been waiting to read this and was so excited to see the sale
Thanks for posting this sale. I have also been wanting to read this since the podcast. I remember the author from her days on Once and Again with Sela Ward.
Also, there are two books in the Amelia Peabody series on sale at Amazon. These are books about a Victorian era archeologist and her grumpy husband written by Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels. One is 1.99 and the second is 2.99. They usually run 8.99 or higher. I don’t know if you could read them out of order, but if you are like me and trying to duplicate your physical library with digital copies, this is a pretty good sale.
As an escapee from post-grad Oxford, nooooo, you do NOT have an affair with your professor. (I mean, it happens – usually young women with older men, and it can really mess up your academic prospects once word gets around, as it always does.)
No ethical teacher would do this. If you really fancy one of your post-grads, you wait until you’re no longer their tutor or supervisor.
SO MUCH YES to Tam’s comment! There is such a pervasive issue of sexual harassment in academia – it’s such an intense ongoing issue – that this is NOT a fun fantasy after having been a grad student myself, and knowing how often grad students are pressured into affairs with their professors. 🙁
I really wanted to love this book, and got it from the library based on the podcast and reviews. It is all of my catnip: literature, England, politics. But it didn’t work for me, I think because of the ethical ickiness flagged by Tam and Stephanie. Also, I didn’t buy in to the “so exceptional, going to Oxford to study something unrelated to my undergrad, awesome political job” so by the time the twist arrived, I wasn’t even surprised.
According to Quora, it’s totally fine in England to boink a graduate student as long as she’s over 18…yes, I looked that up. I feel ashamed of myself. But yeah, ethically they should have waited until the class was over at least, except clearly that would have screwed with the book’s short timeline.
I really enjoyed the book, reading it is about all I did today…but I do feel like I need to mention that this is not a typical HEA book and there’s more sad emotional stuff going on than I expected.
Oh, it’s legal, but ethically so squicky if they’re supervising your thesis or God forbid, marking your work.
Slate had a really good article about the pros and cons (and in my experience, they’re nearly entirely cons for the woman involved):
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2014/07/professors_and_advisers_having_sexual_relationships_with_grad_students_hurts.html
Just FYI, this book is still on sale at Amazon right now – Monday at 1:30pm Eastern
@Jennifer
I suspected as much when I saw the book compared to Moyes and Sparks. I know I’m not up for the angst this year. If it goes on sale in December (please, god) of 2020, I’ll think about it.
Yeah, I’m thinking “perfect for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks” is pretty much code for “this is not a romance novel.”