An Education in Longing

Author: Charlotte Stein Title: An Education in Longing Publisher: Avon Date Published: 07/07/2026

Read Dates: 06/08/2026- 06/09/2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 📖 I received a gifted e-book ARC. The following is my honest review✍🏻

An Education in Longing is a single POV magical/paranormal romance. Mina has passed the first Test to gain admittance to the magical university, Harrowhall, but getting through the door is the easiest part. She now has to figure out how to tap into magical forces to survive everything: dangerous lessons, bullying students, dark hidden forces, and Harker, a powerful student who seems to hate her on sight and makes it his mission to get her to leave. But Mina is determined to stay, to carve out a place for herself, and to not just survive, but thrive in this dangerous and enchanting world!

This was a great read, a little unexpected from the synopsis (more of a slow burn than I anticipated) but definitely captivating! I liked that, while it was set at a magical university, the university was more of a backdrop- the story focused more on Mina and Harker. Their dynamic, backstory, and connection was developed well. I loved the world building with the source of magic and the creatures that lived there. I’m not sure if this is the start of a series or a stand-alone and honestly, either would be good. I’d be interested to explore more of the world, but I think it did a beautiful job of telling the story set out without needing more to feel complete.

When Mina manages to pass The Test and gain entry to a university that reveals a world of magic just beyond ours, she’s determined to go and prove her worth. But Harrowhall is full of dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered. And every one of them seems designed for only the privileged to pass. If she has any hope of becoming the witch she longs to be, she’s going to have to rely on the last person she wants to: Harker St James, the most lethal student to ever walk those haunted halls.

And once she unearths his dark secret, she has the means to persuade him. Not to mention a way to keep him at bay. Because Harker isn’t just the key to her salvation. He’s the deadly snare that daily threatens to drag her down. Desire fires her magic, but any feeling for him is a poison she simply can’t afford.

Even though the fate of Harrowhall, and the magic it was built on, may very well depend on doing all the things she really shouldn’t.