Talk about getting off on the wrong foot! Grace and Noah begin on a disastrous blind double date, and then meet years later for tutoring sessions- but she doesn't remember him. Even though Noah takes grump to the next level, they are attracted to each other and form a slight friendship... which Noah burns to the ground. It was interesting how much of the book is spent with them not together, but showing them go through their own separate lives, which then randomly intersect. Serving on a mission trip in Mexico gives them a second chance, but outside forces intervene. More life happens, and then a third chance is sought by Noah, when it's almost too late. I wasn't feeling fully connected to the characters, but I appreciated that the author sensitively handled themes of grief, mental health, judging, and forgiveness. The difficulties in their early interactions made the reconciliation that much sweeter in the end, and both Grace and Noah go through so much character growth.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

I don't read very many contemporary romances, but every time I do, I'm reminded how much I like them. I did enjoy this one, but it kind of dragged a bit for me in the middle. I think there was one too many instances of "almost, but not quite." Hopefully that's good enough to say without giving away any spoilers. But aside from that bit, I loved the characters and the storyline. I will definitely read more from this author.

A super cute love story. The best couple, a unique circumstance, and great coping skills. You don't want to miss this beautiful story that addresses mental health issues.

Barbara J Adamson is a fabulous storyteller.

I loved the dual perspectives while still getting a little deeper into Grace. I really enjoyed the depth and the healing of this story.

The author created a connection with the characters that is quick and deep.

It may have been the fact that I was a Therapeutic Recreation major and totally understood the stigma, or that that I got married later and had so many blind date disasters. Or that my husband has dealt with the loss of a sibling… but really I think it was just Barb’s ability to connect. I felt the story on a deeper level.

I think everyone could connect with it and appreciate the healing.

A Mixed Bag of Emotions

Rating: ⭐⭐✩✩✩ (2.5 stars)

I stumbled upon "Tutored in Love" by Barbara J. Adamson on NetGalley and was initially drawn in by its intriguing synopsis. While the book had its merits, it ultimately fell short of my expectations.

There were certainly aspects I appreciated, such as the author's distinctive voice and the intriguing concept of the plot. The twist in the story added a layer of excitement that kept me engaged.

However, my struggle to connect with the characters significantly impacted my overall enjoyment. Despite the admirable efforts to build a connection between Grace and Noah, I found myself skipping through pages of their interactions due to a lack of engagement. The romance, a key element in the narrative, felt somewhat forced and didn't truly blossom until the final section of the book. I was left yearning for more meaningful moments between the main couple, as their relationship seemed to take a backseat for much of the story.

The synopsis promised a tale of personal growth, mental health, and the overcoming of past traumas. While these themes were present, the execution left me wanting more depth and exploration. The characters' journey felt somewhat rushed, hindering the emotional impact that could have been achieved with a more gradual and nuanced development.

In the end, "Tutored in Love" had its moments, but the disconnect I felt with the characters and the delayed emergence of the romance prevented it from leaving a lasting impression. It might resonate better with readers who enjoy a slower burn and can overlook pacing issues.

So cute and romantic, I loved it. I did not see that twist coming! This book also contains failed first impressions, misunderstandings, second chances, blind dates, grief, flawed characters you can’t help but love and root for, a slowly developing clean romance, and a feel-good happy ending.

I liked both of the main characters. They’re so real, have flaws, but grow and change. Grace Ebert struggles with math and needs to pass it in order to graduate, so Noah Jennings becomes her tutor when the original one leaves for a family emergency. She’s friendly and cheerful even when he doesn’t respond the way she expects. He mainly focuses just on the math and for most of the book comes across as on the autism spectrum to me.

I appreciate that you get to read both of their perspectives, so you really understand each of them and where they’re coming from. It makes you wish they knew what you do so they could finally figure it out and get together! Fun to read. I loved it so much I went back and reread the last couple of chapters and epilogue. Thanks to Covenant Communications and NetGalley for an advance digital copy to use for my review.

I didn't love this one but I also didn't hate this one. However I'm not sure how I feel about this one.

3.5* This was an interesting read. Definitely more women fiction though romance though. It's in three parts, which was a little different. Both main characters have a lot of learning and growing that takes place in this book. For me it got bogged down in a few places and I wanted the story to move along faster. I guess that's because I was expecting a romance and that didn't really happen. At times I really disliked both characters, but by the end they were likable and I was happy for the growth they'd made.

I really loved this whole premise, but it took soooo long to get to the Love! Nevertheless the writing was lovely and the characters were fun to follow. It felt more like a women's/men's fiction. Which I actually love,,. I thought it was a lovely story of change and following your heart!

Grace only needs to pass one more math class to graduate and receive her degree in recreational therapy, but the tutor a friend recommended has a family emergency and is out of town. Thankfully Noah is there to take over as a tutor and help Grace, but she can't seem to crack his standoffish shell. When the tutoring ends we find out why Noah is so cool towards Grace, but when they come upon each other unexpectedly a few months later during a church service project he begins to see her differently.

I liked the way the author arranged the book in three parts: Grace, Noah, Grace & Noah. It really helped to get to know the characters. Both Grace and Noah had hidden pains resulting in words and actions that could easily be misunderstood by those unaware of their histories. I enjoyed watching Grace and Noah's individual growth during the course of the book, especially as Noah got to learn more about Grace and the work she did.

To me, this felt more like women's fiction that a romance because the romance between the main characters didn't happen until almost the end of the book, so if you enjoy a slow-burn romance this definitely fits that category.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I enjoyed the plot/themes of this story, the character development was thorough and engaging. I do wish it moved quicker with less filler within the story but overall a great read!

I really loved this story. It is a tragic, lovely and redemptive look at finding love after being hurt and losing someone. It was a refreshing love story that didn’t take a deep dive into love at first sight. The author did so well on writing real and raw emotion and drawing you in from page one. I was invested and rooting for both of these main characters!!

Definitely not for me! The writing felt very immature and the story was bland. I also had no investment in the relationship what so ever

This book makes my top ten for 2023, for sure.

Between first dates, second chances, grief, and personal growth of both characters, Barbara J. Adamson brings a beautiful book together that will not only be an enjoyable read, but one that makes you think. I loved that I could get snug and read this book while also reflecting on myself. Grace and Noah made me want to become better. A better mom, a better sister, a better daughter, a better friend, a better wife. Overall better.

Grace and Noah are great examples of why you can't believe a first impression. It is often the first and second impressions that bring out who we really are.

Grace needs a tutor, and Noah ends up with the job. He seems less than thrilled, but she is determined to make nice with the surly tutor. After the semester is over, he cut ties, and there are words- lots of words- between them. But they are thrust together a few months later, and he is able to see her more thoroughly, prompting him to really think. Grace is posed with guilt from their past, and Noah has to work on some mental health. In order to take a hoped for future to a reality, they must try and overcome some truly human experiences to build that future.
5 Stars

This story is broken into different parts. I felt like it could have been much shorter and still work. Noah and Grace meet in a blind date and it doesn’t go well. Their continued interactions are less than ideal with ole Ty of misunderstandings. I liked Grace. She grew and became a lovely person. Noah took awhile to like and had much more growth needed. It reads more like a women’s fiction with romance in the side. There a is happily ever after that is so satisfying. Definitely a clean read story about second and third chances. Though this is a debut novel I am looking forward to seeing what else this author will write.

I had a bit of a love hate relationship with this story. I loved the story and the friendship that was built between Noah and Grace. I hated how they kept missing a chance with each other because of hurt, pride, stubbornness and bad timing. I enjoyed how the story show the growth that both Grace and Noah went through. I also liked all the characters in this book. Overall it was a great book.

This book was such a good read! The characters were well written and you can see their grow through the book as they both work through their individual traumas. All the different instances that bring them together have you cheering for them and being so glad they are able to work things out in the end.

Tutored in Love is a debut novel for author Barbara Adamson. It is a cute story with a lot of character development. Both main characters have some trama from their past’s that they need to work through before they can commit to a relationship

I enjoyed the way the author used the different points of view in this book. part one of the book was from Grace’s point of view. part two was from Noah’s. And part 3 was from both. I liked getting to see the story from both sides and understand why they reacted the way they did.

I also enjoyed the love story between Noah and Grace. I was cheering them on and hoping they would figure things out and get together by the end.

Overall a great story. I really enjoyed reading it. It is one I will be recommending. !

Very cute! I really liked how this story dealt with some heavy topics such as mental health and how it's a pretty normal thing that can be worked through. I thought that Grace and Noah fit well together and that their struggles really helped them in the end even though in the moment it was super unfortunate. I also liked how the different sections of the book were narrated differently! That doesn't typically work for me, but this one did! My one draw back was about 2/3 of the way through I felt like the book should be over but it wasn't. I liked what happened after, it just dragged a bit in the middle. Super delightful read though!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a book that kept my attention and made me wonder what will happen next and who will end up with who.

Grace is in her last semester of college and has left the vegetables until the end : math . She hates and struggles with math.
After a lot of encouragement she gets a tutor . A tutor that suddenly has a family emergency and now she has a substitute tutor, Noah.
Noah is patient , kind and …. her tutor.

I feel like a portion of the book is about Grace finding peace with who she is and the grief in her life. She finds peace with her life and who she is.

Noah too struggles with grief in his life . He is close with his mother and brother but becomes closer once his brother is in a serious accident. The accident makes him reevaluate his life and the anger he has held toward others.

Noah and Grace continue to run into each other during their life journey . It seems like they are meant to be and then the author throws in another twist. Well done!

What I especially liked about this book is the twists in the story and that the whole plot wasn’t laid out within the first few pages. A wonderful clean romance!

Thank you to Netgalley for the download in exchange for an unbiased review .