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Lessons Learned #1

Under Pressure

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Mia knows stress. She’s dealt with it her whole life. So when she gets an opportunity to run a psychology study to help her get into grad school, it should be no problem dealing with the prickly guy she suddenly finds herself paired with.

The one she had a secret crush on last year. The one who refuses to let anyone close. The one she’s discovering by the day may have a softer side than he lets anyone else see…

Tyler knows stress. He’s grappled with it for as long as he can remember. And just because he has to share credit with this girl on his new psychology study doesn’t mean he has to be friends with her. Except she somehow keeps worming her way into his life. In school. In the boxing gym.

In his bed.

But everyone knows it’s safer to keep to yourself. You can't hurt anyone that way. Even if it means giving up the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

As things heat up in the Stress Lab, will this match be able to work together without disruption, or will this growing attraction between them eventually... combust?

Under Pressure is a full-length new adult contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #1 in the Lessons Learned series, Educated Romance world, Penny Reid book universe.

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2021

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About the author

Allie Winters

15 books156 followers
Allie lives in sunny Florida with her husband, daughter, and two cats. A librarian by day, she spends her nights writing happily ever afters. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and all things Disney.

Find out more at alliewinters.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
Profile Image for lazybookconqueror.
329 reviews88 followers
March 18, 2021
It's not often that I love a New Adult romance, but Under Pressure checks all the boxes. Of course, a college romance has its fair share of immaturity, but the complex characters and amazing chemistry between the main characters made this an immensely enjoyable read.

Tyler (as he likes to say) is a bastard - figuratively and literally. His mom had his two older brothers and then hit a difficult period in her marriage, resulting in a one night stand and consecutively Tyler being born. She eventually got back together with Dan (the husband) and they had yet another daughter. Being in the middle made Tyler never feel accepted, like he was always proof that his family was broken at some point. So, Tyler is angry and always brooding...

Mia likes being liked. She is constantly baking and bringing delicious goodness to her friends and family. She is kind and generous, she just needs to work on her anxiety.

When both Mia and Tyler need to work together on a project for college sparks will fly between the sunshine and grumpy.

I absolutely adored them. An emotionally broken hero who uses boxing as a coping mechanism, is terrified of love, and is completely unaware he is falling head of heels for the heroine? Sign me up.

The pacing was amazing and I was interested in all characters. From beginning to end this was a delightful read.

Thank you Smartpants Romance for the ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review❤️

★★NOW AVAILABLE IN KU★★⁣⁣ ⁣
From Smartypants Romance...Under Pressure, an all-new opposites-attract new adult romance from Allie Winters is now available in Kindle Unlimited!

★★Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!★★
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UWgtIl
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3fz1uxK
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3kXrkMM
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/375X9hs
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2N0kknf
Profile Image for Penny Reid.
Author 92 books21.5k followers
Want to read
March 16, 2021


PEOPLE! Under Pressure by Allie Winters is finally LIVE in Kindle Unlimited! I'm sorry excited for you all to read Tyler and Mia's story. Get ready to get into the Educated Romance world <3

** Read in KU **
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UWgtIl
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3fz1uxK
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3kXrkMM
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/375X9hs
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2N0kknf
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3b5GnTw

** BLURB **
Mia knows stress. She’s dealt with it her whole life. So when she gets an opportunity to run a psychology study to help her get into grad school, it should be no problem dealing with the prickly guy she suddenly finds herself paired with.

The one she had a secret crush on last year. The one who refuses to let anyone close. The one she’s discovering by the day may have a softer side than he lets anyone else see…

Tyler knows stress. He’s grappled with it for as long as he can remember. And just because he has to share credit with this girl on his new psychology study doesn’t mean he has to be friends with her. Except she somehow keeps worming her way into his life.

In school.
In the boxing gym.
In his bed.

But everyone knows it’s safer to keep to yourself. You can’t hurt anyone that way. Even if it means giving up the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

As things heat up in the Stress Lab, will this match be able to work together without disruption, or will this growing attraction between them eventually… combust?

‘Under Pressure ‘ is a full-length new adult contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #1 in the Lessons Learned series, Educated Romance World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Profile Image for Antonella.
3,673 reviews513 followers
June 13, 2021
this book had a lot of things that should make me enjoy it more

* anxiety rep
* collage set up
* working together on a project
* friends with benefits
* guy falling in love for the first time totally freaking out over what is happening
* steam

sadly, the perfect ingredients didn't make a perfect book
there was something missing for me
Profile Image for Natasha.
323 reviews500 followers
March 22, 2021
H acted like an asshole for no particularly good reason and the h was too sweet and doormant-y for my taste. The family drama could've been resolved with just one conversation.🤷‍♀️
Profile Image for Smartypants Romance.
73 reviews951 followers
Want to read
March 16, 2021


‘Under Pressure’ by Allie Winters is ALIVE in KU! We are SO ready for this story! The Penny Reid Universe is expanding. Allie kicks off a brand new series in the Educated Romance World and it’s ready for you. Get thee excited!

** Read in KU **
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UWgtIl
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3fz1uxK
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3kXrkMM
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/375X9hs
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2N0kknf
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3b5GnTw

** BLURB **
Mia knows stress. She’s dealt with it her whole life. So when she gets an opportunity to run a psychology study to help her get into grad school, it should be no problem dealing with the prickly guy she suddenly finds herself paired with.

The one she had a secret crush on last year. The one who refuses to let anyone close. The one she’s discovering by the day may have a softer side than he lets anyone else see…

Tyler knows stress. He’s grappled with it for as long as he can remember. And just because he has to share credit with this girl on his new psychology study doesn’t mean he has to be friends with her. Except she somehow keeps worming her way into his life.

In school.
In the boxing gym.
In his bed.

But everyone knows it’s safer to keep to yourself. You can’t hurt anyone that way. Even if it means giving up the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

As things heat up in the Stress Lab, will this match be able to work together without disruption, or will this growing attraction between them eventually… combust?

‘Under Pressure ‘ is a full-length new adult contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #1 in the Lessons Learned series, Educated Romance World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Profile Image for DJ Sakata.
3,115 reviews1,764 followers
April 12, 2021
Favorite Quote:

My heart is in your hands.

My Review:

This was my first exposure to the steamy delights of an Allie Winters story - and sizzle and snap - she had me gasping and seeking libation to rehydrate. I struggled with the heavy angst, which isn’t on my list of favorite things, but I enjoyed the premise and humor while also intrigued by the complexity and allure of the characters, although I wanted to give Tyler more than a few pinches and the name of a good proctologist to remove his head from his colon, although he finally achieved that on his own.
Profile Image for Lady Heather .
1,301 reviews767 followers
March 3, 2021


Under Pressure, an all-new opposites-attract new adult romance from Allie Winters is coming on March 11th!

I really don't want to say too much about this story because I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

Just know that:
I loved this story!
I loved the characters.
Mia and Tyler were amazing to read about. They were engaging and real.
Tyler's story broke my heart, but Mia ended up being absolutely perfect for him.
I loved the writing.
I loved the ending.
...and if you subscribe to the author's newsletter, she's written an extra for this story that's just divine!

This is one of my favorite reads this year.
Read it! (I did in one sitting, it was so good I couldn't put it down!)



"I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by SmartyPants Romance."
Profile Image for Z - literaryeffect.
273 reviews159 followers
February 28, 2021
New adult college romance about Mia and Tyler who are Psychology majors looking to get their research approved. Only one undergraduate study will get chosen and since their studies were similar, the professor proposed they combine it both. They agree as it would help them for their graduate studies.

As they work on their research they start to form a friendship that eventually turns into something more. Tyler has always kept people at arm's length but he finds himself (slowly) opening up to Mia. I love that Mia doesn’t take his shit lol she has boundaries and she respects herself but she grew to know Tyler enough to know when certain things he does or says are because he doesn’t want her to get too close to him. Tyler also helped Mia stand up for herself and speak out in certain situations.

I liked the balance of the soft and steamy moments. They respect each other’s boundaries and there’s always consent if they do something intimate.

"The longer we stand here, her soft warmth seeping into me, her steadfastness crumbling my defenses, the better it feels, until I find myself wrapping my arms around her too."


3.5 stars because I wish we got to know Mia more. I could feel more of Tyler's growth throughout the book since more was revealed from his personal/family situation as compared to Mia's. The plot is enjoyable, but also predictable.

But despite my rating, I really did like this book. I’m pretty sure my enjoyment stems from the fact that I had been wanting to read a college romance and this book just checked all the marks with what I like to read.

✔️ stem students - MCs are psych majors!
✔️ a ~mutually-beneficial~ relationship
✔️ opposites attract
✔️ broody male mc and only the female mc gets through his walls
✔️ study sessions and makeout sessions

cw: anxiety attacks
— rating: 3.5/5

thank you to smartypants romance for providing an arc! ♡
Profile Image for Raine.
2,466 reviews49 followers
April 20, 2022
I liked it!

Mia and Tyler are put together for a project for their undergraduate research. They start to become friends and then lovers, but issues with Tyler's past prevents him from acknowledging that things are developing into a relationship.

This is the first time I've read something by this author and I will be looking for more of her books to read. This book is part of the Penny Reid universe, but there is no mention of any of her characters.

Recommended!
Profile Image for Luisa Baudino.
360 reviews3 followers
July 8, 2022
I really liked Mia and Tyler and their opposite attract college romance! I liked the mental health representation and found fascinating all the stress lab things! Only thing I wished for was more background of Mia, i felt like we got to know Tyler way more than her and it wasn't fair!
February 20, 2021
Under Pressure by Allie Winters


‘“He should know better.”

“Because of the ethics? Or because of you?”

I pause, keeping my mouth shut.

“And what are the ethics of us kissing?” she continues, on a roll now. “Is it a conflict of interest?”

“No. Neither of us has any kind of power over the other.”

She rests her fingertips against my chest lightly. “You’re saying I don’t have any kind of power over you?”’


I so wanted to love this story and I did up to a point. The sexual tension and chemistry between our hero and heroine is palpable. They burn up the pages whenever they are in close proximity to one another, they spark and ignite in more ways than one. What didn’t work for me in this romance was our male protagonist, Tyler. His mind games, his cold and aloof attitude towards Mia got stale very quick. It transformed him from your typical handsome, stoic, lone wolf kind of character, marching him straight into slightly jerky territory. His to and fro within the dynamics of their relationship and how he treated Mia was not hero worthy in my opinion. When I read about an asshole hero, I expect him to have some redeemable qualities (unless it’s a dark romance, then by all means, get lost in the grey area of integrity). I completely understand Tyler had his issues, dealing with a complex and misconstrued complicated past, but how he dealt with those issues unintentionally bled over into how he interacted with Mia.


Mia was adorable. I really wish more of her anxiety issues were explored within the story. I kind of felt like they were brushed under the carpet a little, although her running dialogue of anxiety and pessimism was a brilliant and authentic touch. I liked getting inside her thought process in that regard. She was a total sweetheart, someone who tried their hardest to see the best in everyone and in every situation, which inevitably was also a pitfall for her character for me. I think it took her too long to stand up for herself, especially with Tyler. She let him get away with just a little bit too much. I fully comprehend she didn’t like conflict or confrontation and that that would exacerbate her anxiety, but I also didn’t like how she was being treated by the people in her life.


Under Pressure was definitely high on the sexy scale. The sex scenes and the tension with Tyler and Mia was off-the-charts- good. There was no issue at all in that area of the plot. It just all transpired a bit too quickly, I needed them to get to know one another a little better, to let it build up rather than Tyler calling the shots all the time. It became redundant for me.

I did like the story, it kept me engaged and interested and I was certainly invested in the relationship and if they were able to attain that Happy-ever-after. I just wasn’t satisfied with how Tyler’s personality transpired as 75% jerk and 25% realising that it wouldn’t be the end of the world to love someone. It honestly felt like it was predominantly Tyler’s book. How he was working through his confusions and complications, how he dealt with certain situations, how he then reacted and felt and came to a few realisations. Mia was certainly a catalyst for his self-awareness and open heart but it would have been really great to see a softer, tender and more real side of Tyler with Mia, rather than him always being on the defence.
Profile Image for Camille.
199 reviews
July 14, 2021
This wasn’t a horrible book, but I personally didn’t enjoy it and found it to be very bland.

I do want to give kudos to the author for writing MCs with mental health struggles (anxiety, anger management). Also, it may sound dumb, but another thing I liked about the book was the MCs had “regular people” names. It seems like such a small detail to point out, but it was actually refreshing that the hero was named Tyler and not Adonis or King.

Anyway, the premise of the book was great, but the execution was really lacking. Although I mentioned that both MCs struggled with their mental health, we didn’t really see too much of the struggles on page. It was mostly just a discussion point with a couple moments here and there to reflect them. As others have mentioned, the entire plot was supposed to revolve around these two college students working on a study together about managing stress, and yet we never did find out what happened with the study in the end. It’s like the author just needed some type of plot to set up the romance but then abandoned said plot along the way.

The personalities of the characters along with the plot weren’t very involved or fleshed out, so it was hard to care or remain interested in the story. It was hard to FEEL anything for this book or these characters. As someone who has struggled with my mental health, I was hoping for better research and representation.

This is a very light, very easy read. You won’t find a lot of angst, drama, or depth here.

Profile Image for M.E. Carter.
Author 47 books1,050 followers
Read
March 3, 2021
Can we just talk about that cover for a minute? Holy wow.
Profile Image for Caroline F.
2,207 reviews42 followers
March 26, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this story!

”How could I have misjudged him so much? He’s a…a…a jerk. To think of all the time I wasted fantasizing about him, imagining a meet cute between us.”

Mia Clemons had a crush on Tyler Jenkins for a whole year when they shared a class together. She fell for his voice and his brain before she ever saw his face. A year on and they are vying for the same psychology internship and Mia realises that Tyler is nothing like she imagined. He’s really not very nice. However, when their ideas has them thrust together to work on a joint project, Mia starts to see another side to him.

”My mouth dries at her sultry expression, an aura of assertive energy around her I have to admit I find wildly arousing.”

Tyler is closed off emotionally. His upbringing has kept his heart shut off from everyone, except his little sister. He doesn’t trust easily or let anyone in. However, the more time he spends with sweet, good-hearted Mia, with her crazy hair and friendly personality, the more he’s attracted to her. She slips under his defences and has him wanting more than he ever thought he wanted.

”I didn’t realize how deep under my skin you were until you weren’t there anymore.”

Mia is so good-natured that it’s easy to think she’s a pushover, but she’s really not. I liked that she called Tyler out when she needed to. I think with her roomie, Kelsey, they’d known each from being babies, and had behaved in a set pattern for so long that it became natural. Nonetheless, I liked it when Mia started to push back and refuse to be taken for granted. Poor Tyler! He was really carrying a whole lot of emotional baggage. There was so much about his childhood that he had misconstrued and misunderstood. Unfortunately, he carried it into adulthood with him, until he happened to stumble on some truths. I loved that he wanted to be better for Mia. The chemistry between them was fabulous – no matter what he told himself, he just couldn’t keep away from her. She brought colour and warmth into his somewhat lonely, closed-off life. This was a fantastic read and looking forward to more by this author.

Blog: https://readingwillingable.blogspot.c...

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1G9HAT...
Profile Image for jordane.
725 reviews224 followers
March 18, 2021
“I’m yours,” I whisper, scooting further back, making room for him. “Even before you were ready to hear it.”


I enjoyed Mia and Tyler's a lot!! They were great characters, had many steamy and adorable moments, and the plot about them being research partners was also interesting. I hope Ethan will have a book because even though we didn't get much of him, I really liked him.
March 23, 2021
Allie Winters takes Smartypants Romance readers in a new direction with this new adult, angsty romance.

Tyler and Mia are partnered up to run a psychology study together. While she sees him as a former crush and potential friend, he sees her as competition to crush. Despite initial feelings, the two soon discover they have undeniable chemistry.

Mia lives with generalized anxiety disorder while Tyler has anger management and control issues. He also has complicated family relationships. The way Tyler treats Mia borders a bit on bully romance. While I enjoyed the chemistry between these two as well as reading about his past, I would have loved a bigger grand gesture after the way he treated her. I also would have liked a deeper dive into Mia’s anxiety.

This story is very loosely tied to Penny Reid’s Hypothesis Series and Dear Professor series. However, the connection is so loose readers need not read any other book before enjoying this one. The story could easily take place on any college campus.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Praise.
176 reviews69 followers
February 23, 2021
I really enjoyed this one. Their chemistry was on point and it's been a while since I've read something like that. Both characters are what you'd expect from young adults in terms of how they handled certain issues and their communication. Mia was pretty awesome. Tyler is a typical asshole but his redemption was worth it at the end. I'm excited for more from this series.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Louise.
1,182 reviews41 followers
April 1, 2022
Wishy washy heroes are not my jam.
Make up your damn mind, you big emotionally stunted idiot!
Profile Image for Lenore Kosinski.
2,386 reviews64 followers
March 24, 2021
https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/03/...

I received a free copy through Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4.5 stars — I was worried about how I would enjoy this one, especially with the way Tyler started out, but it hit a bunch of notes I wasn’t expecting and I ended up really feeling for both Tyler and Mia!

Mia was pretty easy to connect with — I really appreciated the way the “little voice” in her head was written out. I don’t have anxiety, but I’ve had moments where I’ve heard that voice, so I know exactly what it feels like and how hard it is to manage. This is going to sound weird, but I really loved seeing Mia struggle with managing it — it was so real to me. I rooted for her when she won out over it and remembered her techniques, and I wanted to hug her when it bested her. And besides the mental health aspect, I just connected with so much of who Mia was: quintessentially Hufflepuff. Generally nice and wanting the best for everyone, and having their approval/friendship, but not without a backbone if pushed. I loved how Tyler’s pushing helped her to see how strong she was, and to take a stand against people taking advantage.

Tyler was way more difficult to connect with for me. I was so bummed when he was such a dick at the beginning, and I wondered if this was going to be another alpha asshole. He had moments of feeling like Martin from Elements of Chemistry, but unlike Martin I really ended up understanding what was behind that attitude with Tyler. He was so beyond messed up. It was fascinating to know from an outsider perspective how his perceptions were off, but to still understand how he’d lived with those perceptions for so long that he couldn’t see outside of them. I ached every time he clung stubbornly to his beliefs and fears, and I cheered when he *finally* started to figure it out. He truly behaved appallingly at times, but like Mia, I could see the actions underneath that were showing a different story.

And they were kind of adorable together. I mean, yes, their steamy chemistry was amazing. But I also just loved the other ways they connected. I loved how they brought out different sides to one another, helping them to be better versions of themselves.

While Tyler’s family was fraught with drama, I ended up really enjoying the different interactions he had there. And I’m excited to see that Ethan will be getting his story! I was a bit more bummed that Mia didn’t have as much support in her corner. We didn’t really learn much about her family, and Kelsey was…not awesome. Ah well.

I haven’t read the Dear Professor series yet, but I do believe that is where the really loose tie in comes for the Smartypants Romance Universe (Dr. Hanover is mentioned in passing). So I really can’t speak to if there are cameos or anything. For me it’s more that this book reminded me a lot of Elements of Chemistry and Laws of Physics in some ways, just in the relationship between the characters, the quirkiness, etc.

So yeah. A book that I started out feeling wary about, but then stayed up until 1:30am finishing. 😉
Profile Image for Kahea.
2,109 reviews117 followers
March 23, 2021
Check out an Excerpt HERE

***4 Stars***


Hello, Whiplash!

Wowza. Mia and Tyler definitely took me on one hell of a ride, but thankfully they also gave me heart, heat and quite a few laughs as they stumbled their way towards their HEA.

I loved Mia. She is sweet, kind and can appear to be something of a pushover, until she shows her spine of steel, which can be quite formidable when necessary. Tyler. Sometimes it was hard to like the guy, but it was easy to love him. His outsides don’t necessary match what is going on in his heart and head and though I did want to Gibbs smack a couplefew times, I loved watching his walls come down and become more.

Their journey to their HEA was a rocky one from the start, but it was a fun and sweet one. I loved watching Mia get under Tyler’s walls and skin and see just how much more he could be. Tyler, despite his penchant for asshattery, was a good guy who wanted to be a rock and safe place for Mia to land. Their bantering, even when a bit cutting, was a lot of fun and their chemistry was hot. The big bump in their road wasn’t a surprise, but I liked how they got through it and where things were at in the end with them.

This was my first read by the author and I really enjoyed it. It was engaging, pacing was good and the dual POV’s definitely worked for me. There were a lot of intense situations in this one and I liked how they were all handled. Though there is one situation that I would have really liked to have seen played out more in the book rather than just been told that it had been worked out because, to me, it was a vital piece of one of the characters past and growth. But, that’s just me. As for the supporting cast of characters. I loved Ethan and cannot wait for his own HEA..and I wouldn’t mind if Brad, or even Kelsey got their books at some point down the road.

~ Copy provided by SmartyPants Romance & voluntarily reviewed ~
Profile Image for Cyndi.
2,382 reviews101 followers
April 30, 2022
I am a huge fan of the Smartypants Romance books, so I wanted to like this one better than I did. The writing was good, and the plot was, too. But I had trouble with the characters. It's hard to pinpoint. I didn't like how he treated her, and I didn't like how many times she took it. Also, no jokes. I like a little comic relief now and then.
Profile Image for Nanou.
490 reviews25 followers
March 9, 2021
Cette romance suit deux étudiants en psychologie qui vont devoir travailler sur un projet commun de recherche. Ils travaillent sur la même thématique (la gestion du stress) avec des approches différentes et complémentaires, leur prof n'a rien trouvé de mieux de les combiner ensemble au lieu de ne choisi qu'un étudiant à tutorer...

Les histoires se passant dans les universités américaines m'ont toujours laissé perplexe, je n'en ai pas lu beaucoup, mais j'en ai retenu une impression de n'avoir jamais aucune idée de ce que les étudiants étudiaient xD ... Si je devais faire un seul reproche à ce livre, c'est de ne pas être allé plus loin dans la présentation du sujet de recherche, nous montrer ces deux étudiants bosser (ils sont sensé être au top de leur promo, et en fin d'études) et comment leurs travaux se fond dans leur vie privée et leur histoire d'amour.

La gestion du stress en psychologie, c'est un sujet à la portée de tous, j'aurais pas dis non à des scènes de cours magistraux où à des analyses scientifiques lorsqu'ils commencent à récolter des données pour leur mémoire. Aussi, chose étrange : on sait sur quel aspect travaille Mia, mais on a rien du tout sur la partie traitée par Tyler...

Le fantasme universitaire mis à part (^^'), Mia et Tyler ont des histoires intéressantes (même si un peu too much pour Tyler) et étant quand même étudiants en psycho, ils arrivent à identifier leur problème et faire le premier pas vers l'amélioration leur bien-être.

******************

This romance follows two psychology students who will have to work on a common research project. They work on the same theme (stress management) with different and complementary approaches, their teacher has found nothing better than to combine them together instead of choosing only one student to tutor.

Stories happening in American universities have always left me perplexed, I didn't read much of them, but I had a feeling of never having any idea what the students were studying xD ... If I had only one reproach about this book, it is not to have gone further in the presentation of the research subject, showing us these two students working (they are supposed to be at the top of their class, and at the end of their studies) and how their work blends into their private life and love story.

Stress management in psychology is a subject within everyone's reach, I wouldn't have said no to lectures or to scientific analyzes when they start to collect data for their article. Also, strange thing: we know what Mia is working on, but we have nothing at all on Tyler's part...

The college fantasy aside (^^ '), Mia and Tyler have interesting stories (even if a little too much for Tyler) and being psychology students, they manage to identify their problem and take the first step towards the improvement of their well-being.


-Read as an ARC-
Profile Image for Clarissa.
299 reviews14 followers
March 25, 2021
Mia was an awesome STEM heroine! She has goals, plans, and ambition while still being thoughtful, considerate, and flexible. She doesn't need to steamroll over people to get what is her due. She is also well aware of her anxieties and yet she uses them to build herself up. Tyler is that one super hot STEM guy who finds time to box and be brilliant. He isn't interested in making friends or even with being nice. I LOVE his bristly personality and how Mia is basically this reluctant hero's kryptonite.

In this story Mia and Tyler somewhat reluctantly, work together on a big project, thereby combining their research ideas and efforts for a semester. So the forced proximity adds pressure to their already stressful lives and creates the opportunity for some of their guards to start coming down and the fun bickering to go up along with the heat!

I was drawn into Tyler's family dynamics and how that history informed the person that we get to meet in this book where he is still very much flawed. Allie Winters really flipped things upside down for me because when I thought one thing was true, something else became the new normal. Both characters were well thought out and interesting so I definitely found myself rooting for them both as individuals to overcome their personal hangups but also as a couple and their very satisfying happily ever after.

This story was fresh and interesting with enough heat to fog up the windows of the stress lab!! They had excellent chemistry and a really fun banter. Also this book had all the baked goods. (I may have baked brownies and cookies during the reading of this book in honor of Mia and Tyler's romance!)

Profile Image for Kelly.
5,093 reviews195 followers
March 23, 2021
Ahh, yes. Two people who handle life and the stresses that come with it very differently. Tyler's closed off and wary and doesn't let people close (starting with his family and ending with the ladies he hooks up with). Mia is open and friendly and doesn't like confrontation. Of any sort. Which means that sometimes she lets people walk over her. Which isn't cool on a lot of levels, mostly from those doing the walking.

BUT...she's holds her own against Tyler and his surliness. She woos him with baked goods and kindness and somehow the wary guy lets her worm her way under his walls. Trust me when I say it's not intentional on his part. He fights this thing between them right to the bitter end. (Spoiler: There's no bitter end. He gets his priorities in order eventually. It just takes time and a lot of elbow grease for him to accept certain things.)

Just so we're clear, I like when grumpy guys fall for the sunshine-y girl. Which isn't to say Mia's all unicorns and roses. She has her own things to deal with (a meddlesome inner voice that likes to point out all the way things can go wrong, for one), but she's willing to face them more readily than Tyler is.

A psychology study, a few steamy kisses, secrets that shed new light on the past, tasty treats, and two people figuring things out. I really liked these two pushing past their road bumps to make things work. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Profile Image for Michelle.
1,607 reviews56 followers
March 10, 2021
Mia and Tyler are both psychology students with insecurities. One deals by baking and being nice, the other by pushing everyone away. Neither one is a healthy choice.

I am a fan of the Susie Sunshine / Grumpy Gus trope and you know the forced proximity of their new working relationship is going to make things interesting!

As they work together in the Stress Lab on a psych study they become close enough to be friends with benefits, but not too close because Tyler is a master at protecting his solitude. There’s quite a bit of push and pull with these two, but once Tyler has unpacked his baggage for us, you become a little more sympathetic.

The confrontation that Tyler finally has with this step-dad Dan is emotional. Totally got teary over that. And I wish we had seen the same discussion with his mom because that’s where all the drama was.

There was a point where I thought the Stress Lab was misnamed, because there was a WHOLE LOT more going on in there! These two fooled around on every conceivable surface! Whew. I really liked how Tyler got Mia to open up and ask for what she wanted and how that translated into her everyday life.

Really enjoyed this one. And figuring out the connection to the Pennyverse was a challenge. But I got it! Great read.
Profile Image for Michele McMullen .
2,329 reviews76 followers
March 26, 2021
I am so in love with the Smarty Pants Romance as I am treated to new authors to me to discover!
This is the story of Mia and Tyler and get ready for a angsty college romance with issues, struggles and so many feels.
Mia and Tyler are partnered in a class study and they each bring their own struggles to the table. Mia is an anxious young woman and Tyler has difficulty dealing with his anger. Get ready for an emotional ride with this couple as they are not only dealing with their own mental health concerns but navigating a relationship with one another. Is it possible that these two can be the helping hand to one another or will their differences be the demise of them both. They truly pulled at my heart strings and literally my heart broke for them at times during their journey.
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Profile Image for Cassandra Martin.
748 reviews49 followers
February 27, 2021
I really enjoyed this semi angsty New Adult book!

The here was so much tension between the two main characters, you just knew it was going to come to a point and just be mind blowing.

There’s a lot to unpack with Tyler’s character, and as the story progresses we finally learn why he is the way he is. I do wish we would have seen his confrontation with his mom and how that was handled. But the one with Dan was heart wrenching good!

It took me a while to find/remember the connection to the Penny-verse, it was definitely an ah-ha moment!

“I’ve missed you so much,” he whispers. “I didn’t realize how deep under my skin you were until you weren’t there anymore.”
Profile Image for Melena.
2,812 reviews71 followers
March 23, 2021
Under Pressure kicks off the new Lessons Learned series from Smartypants Romance, and was my first book from Allie Winters. It did not disappoint!

Mia and Tyler had strong chemistry that led from them working together in the lab to finding a connection outside of it. They each had their own issues to work through in addition to figuring out their relationship. I felt like we saw more growth from Tyler, but I still liked Mia quite a bit.

The story was nicely paced and an enjoyable read. I am looking forward to trying more from Allie!

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
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Bookstagram Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMe5wHRj6vv/
Profile Image for taylorpriziola.
352 reviews25 followers
October 16, 2021
2 stars ⭐️ ⭐️

Just meh…

Story seem to drag on and on…It just was so boring that I had a hard time moving forward. . Maybe it was the mood I was in.. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Audiobook review: Always a pleasure to listen to Jacob Morgan and Fiona Fischer
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