Teach Me is the 1st novel by R.A. Nelson. It’s won lots of children and teen’s book awards, including Best Teen Novel. Teach Me caught my eye because I’m always been drawn to stories about student-teacher affairs. I blame that on V.C. Andrews.
I was never interested in any teacher from a romantic standpoint, because the entire concept never made sense to me. It also wasn’t a reality in my high school.
To me, student-teacher affairs have always been impossible high school cliches like sexy bad-boy jocks who fall for smart band nerds, aspiring journalists who publish the one article in the school newspaper that changes the way every other student thinks, and the best friend of the opposite sex who’s been madly in love with you for years, and you’ve never seen it…
Anyway, that’s why this book is so saucy!
In Teach Me, Carolina “Nine” Livingston is an intelligent, near-genius senior. She never misses a day of school and maintains a high GPA. Nine’s best friend and confidante is Schuyler, a male (of course) who shares Nine’s passion for useless trivia, classic movies, and literature.
Nine has never kissed or dated a boy before (unless you count that one time, years ago, when she kissed Schuyler on the lips during a snowstorm, but it was totally friendly). So her world is thrown into a tizzy when she falls for Mr. Mann, her new English teacher (great name, by the way). Not only do Mr. Mann’s teaching methods introduce Nine to new poets and revelations about classic literature, but his good looks, easy banter, and way of treating Nine like an adult causes her to fall head over heels. But not in a very healthy way.
It’s not long before Nine and Mr. Mann embark on a torrid and taboo love affair that ends just as abruptly as it begins. Failing to accept or understand the reason for the break-up, Nine becomes obsessed with proving to Mr. Mann that she’s the right woman for him.
R.A. Nelson is a brilliant writer. His prose is superb. His characters are written so well and creatively. I would recommend Teach Me just for its dialogue and original concepts alone.
I have no desire to dissect and analyze Nine’s obsession for Mr. Mann. Nine is book-smart, but she also has a lot of growing to do from an emotional standpoint. She’s a teenager! Up to this point, Nine’s always been a good girl.
As far as Mr. Mann goes, what man wouldn’t want a sexy, intelligent 18-year-old girl he shares many interests with, even if the relationship is off-limits? That’s not a new or original concept.
Overall, I enjoyed this book! It’s been a while since R.A. Nelson published anything new.
Other books by R.A. Nelson include:
- Breathe My Name (2007)
- Days of Little Texas (2009)
- Throat (2011)
Last Updated on November 25, 2025 by Sarah Ann
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