This is the story of a teacher trying to navigate her first year teaching in an inner-city school. She is constantly criticized by administration and pressured to neglect her students’ needs in order to provide “box-ticking” instructional techniques, all while receiving no support or help. As a former teacher, I can definitely relate to the struggles depicted in Kathleen Shoop’s `Love and Other Subjects`.I loved Carolyn’s heart and the teaching storyline. Her personal life, on the other hand, wa...

I LOVED this book. The beginning was a bit emotional for me, for a variety of reasons, involving an incident with a gun at a school. As the parent of school-aged children, this issue always hits close to home, and I was an education major in college, and had a student bring a gun to school. Reading *Love and Other Subjects* by Kathleen Shoop, about a teacher in an underprivileged school, similar to the one I did my student teaching in, made the book quite personal for me. I loved how author Kath...

This reminded me of the movie "Lean on Me" with Morgan Freeman. Only here, Carolyn, the main character in Kathleen Shoop's **Love and Other Subjects**, has to deal with a principal determined to make her quit. In an era with so many school shootings, this book truly sheds light on what teachers feel, making it a very timely and poignant read. The author opened the book dramatically, and masterfully concluded it with a beautiful love story. Carolyn is a character I could deeply relate to. She co...

I just love Love and Other Subjects! While it does have romance, it's the first year of teaching that truly drew me in. Most teachers go into the profession wanting to make a big difference. It's not as easy as it looks, and there's definitely not enough pay. The first year is the hardest no matter where you are, but to be in a struggling school like Carolyn is even harder. Kathleen Shoop brings this struggle to life, not to mention showing that teaching takes over one's life. Most teachers spen...

Love and Other Subjects by Kathleen Shoop has been a slow read for me initially. I really liked the premise for the story, but I found myself getting stuck in some parts and had a hard time following the plot in certain areas. The relationship with Jeep was probably what really slowed me down; it seemed a little implausible and somewhat hurriedly put together. However, I absolutely loved the sections about her teaching in the classroom. I just finished it, and this book truly came together for ...

When I started reading *Love and Other Subjects*, I braced myself for something light and fluffy, but this compelling read by Kathleen Shoop surprised me at every turn. The internal dialogue was consistently interesting, funny, wry, and ironic. Throughout Carolyn's journey of doubt and self-discovery, it's clear she's growing all the time, continually getting closer to understanding exactly who she is. Her deep love of teaching, and of children, truly shines through everything.As a **book review...

“Learning and Love 101…”In Kathleen Shoop's latest novel, *Love and Other Subjects*, we are introduced to Carolyn Jenkins, who has taken a position at a school on the D.C./Maryland border—a world away from her teaching experience in Pittsburgh, Pa. She now has a class comprised of half fifth graders and half sixth graders. Just because their age denotes the class to which they are assigned doesn't mean they are academically prepared for its challenges. Carolyn’s class is a wild mix of personalit...

She's Got Books on Her Mind Carolyn has been teaching for two months, and her dream of changing lives is crumpling beneath her. Her boss, Mr. Klein, breathes down her neck while her students constantly fight with one another. She starts wondering if becoming a teacher was a mistake. Compared to her best friends, she is failing royally. Not only is her work life in shambles, but her personal life too. She realizes that what her longtime boyfriend Alex wants, she doesn't. She's known this for a w...

It's her first year of teaching, and things just aren't going well for Carolyn Jenkins. With a class full of kids who can barely read their own name and a principal who seems determined to undermine her, Carolyn is struggling. Also stuck in a relationship that should have ended long ago, Carolyn desperately needs to make some changes. Then she meets a mysterious man, and things really start to get crazy. Their relationship is filled with ups and downs, and her friendships also become strained. C...

Right from the start, I was attracted to the main character, Carolyn Jenkins. She’s in her mid-20s, clever (and a bit of a smart-aleck!), hard-working, and as we soon learn, idealistic. All good characteristics for a new teacher. Unfortunately, like many new teachers, she has landed in a tough situation: a challenging school with a ridiculous administration. As Carolyn navigates her new career, new life, and new love, we laugh and cry along with her. The book is well-written, with excellent dra...