REVIEW: An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister: In the cutthroat world of academia Dr Sadie Shaw has learned to survive by working twice as hard, caring too much and keeping her heart firmly out of the equation. Career first and complications never! That plan works perfectly…right up until a job with a partner-hire clause forces her into an impossible choice. Enter Dr Jonah Fisher: her long-time rival, intellectual sparring partner and the one man who has always managed to get under her skin. They have spent fifteen years arguing in lecture halls and outscoring each other on every assignment… so of course he’s the only person she can marry to save both their futures. As Sadie and Jonah navigate shared desks, shared secrets and a marriage that was never meant to be real, old grudges soften into unexpected tenderness, what was supposed to be a strategic solution quickly turns into something far more tangled. Causing both of them to question whether they can trust themselves enough to let it become more than a simple deal…

I have to say that I ended up really enjoying An Academic Affair. Right from the first chapter McAlister pulls you straight into the messy, competitive world of academia and she does it with such sharpness, humour and emotional honesty that it’s impossible not to get swept up in. What surprised me most was how grounded and human the story felt, this isn’t just a romance wrapped in a campus setting but a thoughtful look at ambition, burnout, rivalry and the strange tenderness that grows between two people who never expected to need each other. It’s a slow burn build but a rewarding one.

I instantly found myself drawn to our two main character, there was something very relatable about them and their struggles. With Sadie it was easy to understand her and relate to how she felt in the world of academia. We get to see her balance her feelings of imposter syndrome with her overachiever drive. There was just something very real about her that made me like her character, between the very human flaws and fears and seeing her deal with her anxiety as she tried twice as hard to prove herself, I found myself instantly liking her character. On the other hand we have Jonah who hides behind his dry humour and the weight of family expectations. I loved getting to read his chapters and seeing things through his view as he unspoken longing and admiration for Sadie slowly begins to grow into an unconditional love.

I just loved getting to follow these two as they navigated their fake marriage with very real feelings. The thing that stood our for me was their past, instead of being a simple backdrop or detail filler, their history shapes every interaction, every misunderstanding and every softening which lead up to the ending. Their dynamic works because they balance each other, Sadie’s frantic drive is softened by Jonah’s steadiness while Jonah’s tendency to fold himself around others is challenged by Sadie’s sharp honesty. They bring out vulnerability in each other without forcing it and their shift from reluctant partners to something tender feels entirely earned and beautiful.

All in all I really enjoyed reading An Academic Affair. If you are looking for a slow burn rivals to lovers romance that is grounded, satisfying and full of small sweet moments than this is definitely the book for you!

Book Info:

Publication: November 11, 2025 | Atria Books |

Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have been academic rivals since they first crossed paths as undergraduates in the literature department thirteen years ago. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions. Jonah needs the job to move closer to his recently divorced sister and her children, while Sadie needs the financial security and freedom of a full-time teaching position.

When Sadie notices that the job offers partner hire, however, she hatches a plot to get them both the job. All they must do is get legally married. It’s a simple win-win solution but when sparks begin to fly, it becomes clear that despite their education, these two may not have thought this whole thing through.