Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl: A Novel

Julie Murphy · Sierra Simone

Jan 2026 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy and USA Today bestselling author Sierra Simone comes a brand-new college town raunch-com about a sexy single dad professor and a feisty law school grad turned nanny in this steamy tale of Academic Affairs…

Class is in session.

Maddie Kowalczk is ready to be a bad girl. When the rookie lecturer lands at Astra University, she’s looking to start fresh after a messy breakup. But her first night in town takes a twist when she bumps into Bram Loe—a reserved but incredibly handsome single dad she (not so accidentally) stole a parking spot from earlier that day. The unspoken chemistry as he locks eyes with her while she gets a birthday spanking at a local bar is hotter than a Bunsen burner at full flame.

Bram is looking for a break from his hectic life as an ecology professor and dad to rambunctious twins and a busy teenager. So when his college friend’s divorce celebration brings him face-to-face with the same delectable brat who stole his parking spot, he’s ready for a night to remember. But the next morning, Bram’s world turns upside down (and that’s not just the hangover talking). His new nanny? None other than Maddie, who also happens to be the new poli-sci adjunct at the university where he teaches.

Maddie is desperate and broke, so when Bram offers her a raise and the chance to set some ground rules, she can’t say no. As the two settle into their new roles, the normally unruffled Bram finds that no one riles him up like Maddie does, which is a problem when every argument feels like foreplay. Of course, Bram is an educator first and foremost, and he very quickly finds he can’t resist the temptation of instructing Maddie in the fundamentals of being a good girl.

And it turns out Maddie’s a hands-on learner…

TROPES

• Single Dad
• Nanny x Boss
• New Adult Romance

Ratings and reviews

All the forbidden romance tropes in one! Meet the Andromeda Club: six mid-thirties professionals who have been friends since high school, now navigating marriage, divorce, and life in general with a lot of camaraderie and a huge slice of snark. Two of the members, Bram and Sara, share three children but have been very amicably divorced for the past five years. While Sara is off on an assignment in Alaska, Bram needs some help with the kids so the agency he hired sends young Maddie, twenty-six and very much struggling at a crossroads in her life, to his door. Recognizing her as the one night stand he met at the bar just the previous evening, everyone, readers and characters alike, can see that this is the start of a very complicated relationship. Hands off the nanny? Check. She's also teaches at the same college he does? Check. She needs a place to stay? Also check. Can't keep their hands off each other? Double check. There are not a lot of surprises in this story, but the authors do an outstanding job of developing the standard formula into a cast of memorable characters who emulate what adult friendships should always be. The story is exquisitely enhanced by plentiful dirty talk and intense steamy scenes, with "Plant/Boss Daddy" Bram teaching Maddie all sorts of things, not the least of which is how to trust her instincts and figure out exactly what she wants to do with her life. Even when it's breaking his own heart he gives her the space necessary to decide what she really wants. The copious amount of footnotes was, for me, distracting and added nothing to the story. They seemed to exist only as an extra outlet for the authors' snark and attempted witticisms. The overuse of a profane nickname for Joey made me feel like a prude, but really, the guy didn't do anything to deserve being referred to that way. Aside from these extremely minor issues, the book is a delight to read and delivers a solid, very satisfying HEA for our featured couple. This appears to be the start of a new series, so one can only hope to read more about the romantic adventures of some of the other members of the Andromeda Club.

About the author

Julie Murphy splits her time between North Texas and Kansas with her husband, who loves her, and her cats, who tolerate her. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and coauthor of over twenty books for all ages including Dumplin’ (now a Netflix original film) and the Christmas Notch series cowritten with her best friend, Sierra Simone. When Julie isn’t writing, she’s hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, discovering a new hobby that she will soon discard, and planning her next travel adventure.

Sierra Simone is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and former library employee (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk). Her notable works include Priest, American Queen, and Salt Kiss. She lives with her husband, teens, and two giant dogs in the Kansas City area.