The Roads Left Behind Us by Kat Jackson is an age gap romance that takes place in a college English department.
At 34, Callie Lewes is back to school, starting her PhD program in English literature. Returning to Pennbrook College feels completely natural, even after spending a decade away. She just needs to figure out how to balance her studies with being a graduate teaching assistant and editing for a notable lesbian magazine.
One thing is certain: Callie has no time for dating or relationships, no matter what her friends think. And so what if everything in her stands at attention whenever she’s around the enigmatic Dr. Kate Jory? The accomplished, recently-hired professor is way out of Callie’s league anyway.
Except, the more they bump into each other, the more it seems like Callie’s attraction might not be one-sided. And what’s a little 16-year age gap? Maybe it’s time for Callie to open herself to possibilities — if only Kate can meet her halfway.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Reading this story felt a lot like coming home, because it brought back so many fond memories of when I went to undergraduate and graduate school for English Literature 20 years ago. I could picture the two English departments I spent so much time in and everything about Pennbrook’s department felt authentic to my experience.
For me, the strongest elements of this story came down to two things: the chemistry between Kate and Callie, and the way Callie pines for Kate. Their chemistry builds with each interaction because Kate and Callie are interested in many of the same things, have a great vibe, and many of their interactions before they end up in bed together are fun and flirtatious. And, while all of this is true, Kate also runs hot and cold with Callie, which causes that sweet, sweet pining. Despite her no-relationship rules, Callie can’t help herself when it comes to Kate and this adds a delicious tension to the story.
I was curious to see how the relationship between Callie and Kate would shake out from an ethical standpoint, since I wasn’t sure from the blurb if Kate would be Callie’s supervisor. I was relieved to see that Kate is never in any place to have influence over Callie’s academic standing, however.
Cons And Heads Up
Because this story is told entirely from Callie’s perspective, we don’t get to see Kate’s thought processes. While we can guess at why she runs hot and cold with Callie, this becomes a much bigger problem when Kate calls things off between them.
I don’t think it’s a big spoiler to say there’s a breakup and makeup, since that’s part of the formula for many romances. However, when Kate comes back to Callie, we don’t learn why she had a change of heart and why she’s willing to go all-in on a happily ever after with Callie. Of course, I was happy to see them get back together, but I wish I knew what led to Kate’s change, since she seemed to have the largest emotional arc in the story and we didn’t get much insight into it.
The Conclusion
I found The Roads Left Behind Us very difficult to put down and it kept me up way past my bedtime for a couple of nights in a row. The characters were engaging and it was very easy to imagine the world at Pennbrook. Even despite the issue I mentioned in the cons, I might read this one again. More importantly, it makes me want to dip into this author’s backlist.
If books set at universities or age gap romances appeal to you, you’ll want to check this one out.
Excerpt from The Roads Left Behind Us by Kat Jackson
The shift and shudder of the perennially jammed office door drew Callie out of her thoughts. Assuming it was Drew returning with what she believed to be the promised coffee and tea, Callie called out, “That’s as good as it gets, buddy.”
It wasn’t Drew’s head that appeared in the quarter-open doorway, however, but Kate’s. Callie swallowed hard as embarrassment flushed her cheeks.
“Hey there!” She half-stood from her chair before realizing it probably made her look like she was greeting a royal instead of a mere professor. “Dr. Jory,” she hastened to add, feeling they weren’t anywhere near the point of casual greetings. Callie bit her lip; the shot of pain centered her. “I’m sorry, I thought you were Drew. Hence the ‘buddy’ comment.”
Kate stepped into the office and swept the small space with her eyes. “Call me Kate,” she said as she took another step closer to Callie’s desk. “I know other professors have different expectations, but I don’t mind a first name basis when it’s just the two of us.”
Callie struggled to keep her cool as her stomach executed some Olympic-status gymnastics at the phrase “just the two of us.”
“Okay. Right. Kate.”
Seemingly nonplussed by the wide range of awkwardness that Callie was exhibiting, Kate moved closer still. Callie took a brief moment to appreciate the extremely pleasing ensemble she’d put together for the day: black pants that were just tight enough, a plain white V-neck shirt topped by a dusky maroon blazer. Kate’s curvy and petite body seemed made for the clothes that she wore—a trick of the trade called tailoring, something Courtney praised to no end.
Callie’s synapses fired to attention as that clean, maybe fresh cotton, soothing scent from earlier in the day made its way over to the desk. So, she didn’t just look good, she had to smell amazing, too? Who is she and what the hell is this woman doing to me?
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 9781642473452
Publisher: Bella Books
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