My Loving Mr. Daniels Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
Loving Mr. Daniels by Brittainy C. Cherry is a forbidden romance that hit me right in the heart. The story follows Ashlyn Jennings, who’s still reeling from the devastating loss of her twin sister. Life just won’t give her a break—her mother sends her to a new town in Wisconsin to live with her estranged dad. Grieving and lonely, Ashlyn meets Daniel Daniels on a train. Instantly, there’s a connection. They talk literature (especially Shakespeare), music, and the raw pain of loss. He feels like a lifeline.
But the universe isn’t done with Ashlyn’s pain yet. When school starts, she walks into English class—and Daniel is standing at the front of the room. Her teacher. Their forbidden attraction turns into a constant push-pull between what feels right and what’s allowed. Both are broken by past grief: Ashlyn by her sister, Daniel by the deaths in his own family and the trouble his brother brings home. While they try to hide their growing attachment, the complications of family secrets, school scandal, and healing from loss threaten to pull them under.
Why I Love This Book
I love how Loving Mr. Daniels makes every emotion feel massive—heartbreak, hope, anger, joy. The forbidden student-teacher twist creates incredible tension, but it’s not just about the scandal. What means the most to me is how honest the grief feels. Ashlyn’s pain is sometimes overwhelming, and the author never sugarcoats it—there’s crying, there’s despair, and there are moments when it seems like she might disappear under the weight of it. I found Daniel’s brokenness just as real, and their shared love of poetry and music made me believe in the healing they found together.
Even when the romance gets complicated—and it does, constantly—I still rooted for them. Their love feels like a lifeline, not just a crush. I especially appreciate the side characters: Ashlyn’s step-siblings and Daniel’s troubled brother feel fleshed out and add real stakes to the story. It’s messy, sometimes melodramatic, but always sincere. I loved the poetry woven through the chapters, the music references, and the way the story captured the ache of first love and the hope of being seen and accepted for who you are.
Who Will Like This Book
If you like emotional, angsty romance that isn’t afraid to get dark, you’ll love this. It’s for readers who want their forbidden love with real weight and complication, not just heat. You’ll connect with it if you appreciate stories about grief, forgiveness, and learning to let go of the past to build something new. If you’re drawn to poetic writing, layered characters, or you’ve ever felt alone and needed someone to really see you, this will ring true.
Fans of teacher-student romance, love stories about healing after loss, and anyone who loves books that are as much about finding yourself as finding love will get swept up in Ashlyn and Daniel’s journey.
Tagged As
contemporary romance, forbidden romance, teacher-student, new adult, angsty romance, grief, healing, strong heroine, musician hero, poetry, family drama, coming of age, second chances, dual POV, emotional rollercoaster, indie romance, slow burn, redemption, found family, HEA, realistic fiction.
Steam Level
🌶️🌶️🌶️ | Moderate
There’s definite heat and chemistry between Ashlyn and Daniel, and while the scenes are sensual, they’re never gratuitous. The steam adds to the emotional intensity, not just the physical connection. If you want a love story with palpable tension, plenty of longing, and moments that sizzle without becoming overly explicit, this book nails it.
