13 Academic Romance Books With and Without the Student Teacher Trope
Academic romance is one of those book tropes where you can get very different types of books, some more taboo than others. You will definitely find a lot of student/teacher romances, new adult contemporary, and some lean more on the academia aspect.
But no matter which of these you were looking for, I’ve got some recommendations for you. This list is sorted by the specific vibe of academic romance you want, starting with student/teacher and then the academic romances without a student in sight. I’ve even thrown in some paranormal ones as well for good measure.
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What is academic romance?
The term academic romance describes the setting of a romance book. It usually involves one of the main characters being involved in academia. It tends to group different tropes into one thing like student/teacher, workplace romance with professors/teachers, and you may also get some people lumping in dark academia with the love interests both being students. Where the lines get drawn is really up to you.
Academic romance books with a student/teacher dynamic
This trope may not be for everyone and some are less controversial than others, but one thing is for certain. Student/teacher romances have a big audience and when done well, I can get behind them. These six are great examples of the different varieties.
Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
One of the OG romances that if you haven’t read, you need to. He is a Dante specialist at the University of Toronto, she is a graduate student who ends up in his seminar and the two of them have a history neither one is handling well. It’s a trilogy and you can also watch the adaptation of all 3 on PassionFlix.
That being said, just know this is a new adult novel from the early 2010s so it has that level of angst and vibe. Past traumas, family dynamics, and yes a swoon-worthy hero. Check out Angela’s review of Gabriel’s Inferno (when it was still indie published).
Nocticadia by Keri Lake
Dark academia at its most gothic and unhinged. This one is addictive and a little dark. It’s a student/teacher with secret societies, a little killer vibes, and some pretty off the charts steam. He’s known for studying a virus that killed her mother and she’s come to the university to find out what really happened to her. My full review of Nocticadia is here, if you want to hear me gushing about it.
I Wish Would’ve Chosen You by Whitney G
The setting is a boarding school campus. She’s mature for her age, he’s over a decade older, and they meet outside of the school setting first. This one is the one that feels the most taboo of the list, but it’s short and angsty and perfect if you want to feel like throwing your Kindle across the room sometimes.
Kissing Tolstoy by Penny Reid
If you want a quick one, but that feels a little less taboo than Whitney G., this is the one. Anna is a student who loves Russian literature, Luca is the professor teaching it. They had a hot blind date months ago and now it’s nothing but awkward. Here’s Suzanne’s review of Kissing Tolstoy.
Penny Reid is great at writing academic romances and smart heroines, so if that’s your jam, you’ll enjoy this one (and the rest of her books).
Black Rainbow by J.J. McAvoy
Levi is a powerful attorney who teaches law at a university and sings in bars in his spare time. Thea is a law student. They meet and have a fling at one of those bars, neither one knowing what the other does, and then she walks into his classroom on the first day of term. This one is entertaining all the way through. My full review of Black Rainbow is here.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
When you talk about OG vampire academy books, you can’t leave out Vampire Academy. A total classic, and after all these years, still a story I think about and characters I love. I wanted to include a paranormal option on this list and Dmitri is mentor and teacher to Rose in one of the most emotionally satisfying YA romances.
Academic romance without a student teacher dynamic
The same setting and plot devices of academia, without the taboo. There is no one in these stories that is teaching the other, at least at the time the stories take place. But there’s also no students involved in the romance. This is for the teachers.
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The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
A PhD candidate needs a fake boyfriend in a hurry and the first person she kisses is a professor from another part of the department. He is never her supervisor and she is never his student. This one is one of the classics of this trope because of the popularity, but rest assured this wasn’t the first. It’s also on screen as the book adaptation premiered, and I have written up my original review of The Love Hypothesis if you want my full thoughts.
The Headmaster by Tiffany Reisz
A teacher and the headmaster of the school she just joined. This one is atmospheric in the best way and Tiffany Reisz is a master at delivering an erotic story with depth and plenty of vibes. This one also goes darker and kinkier than anything else in this section. Check out Annie’s review of The Headmaster.
Mistletoe and Mishigas by M.A. Wardell
An MM romance between a teacher and a school custodian. Yes, they’re in the same building but they’re from different worlds, and a holiday read if you want one for December.
Hold Me by Courtney Milan
He is a physics professor at Berkeley and he is friends with her brother, so they meet when she tags along to dinner. The academia here is a little bit less of a plot device, but still, Courtney Milan should always be on your TBR.
Learning Curves by Rachel Lacey
An FF romance where both women are on the faculty at the same university. Audrey has come back to teach the Women in Art class, and Michelle, the professor whose class set her on that path, is now her colleague. However, the student and teacher history is important in this one, so if what you avoid is the dynamic itself and it’s not just about the power imbalance for you, maybe skip this one. I’ve always loved Rachel Lacey’s story because she delivers heart in all her characters.
Asking For It by Lilah Pace
Both of them are professors, and this is the kinkiest and most taboo book on this list. It is built around a rape fantasy and consensual non-consent, which I have written about at length in rape fantasy in romance. The academia is important and nobody is anybody’s student. But if you want spicier, this one is a great one. Jennifer reviewed Asking for It if you want more details on it.
The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton
Book one in the Love’s Academic series, and the fantasy romance entry on this list. Two competing professors, Cambridge against Oxford, in a fantasy Victorian England. This mixes historical romance and fantasy romance. I liked both main characters and if you want a quest along with your academia, then you’ll enjoy this one.
Where to go next?
If you enjoy the setting of college but want it to have more student drama, then you’ll want to check out my list of books like Nocticadia. But if you love The Love Hypothesis and prefer a smart woman, then my list of stem romance books is just what you’re looking for.
Now tell me, what kind of academic romance book do you prefer to read?
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