There is more than one love story in this book. There’s the romance growing, despite them, between Leighton and Casey, forbidden love between teacher and (adult) student, irresistible and potentially dangerous to both their careers. There’s the love each bathes her own child in and the love they discover for the other’s kid, while both little ones develop their own bond. And there’s the love the two women have for their art.
I’m not well-versed in fine arts beyond some basic knowledge (I was born into families in which art and words are respected and appreciated, with painters on both sides, but while I do alright with the latter, my talent in the former is limited to sketching very flat elephants from behind) and I have no clue whether any of the suggestions and advice Leighton and Stefan give their students is accurate or not but I have a feeling Erdell did her research and it is. Either way, that whole aspect of the book is fascinating. I love when an author makes me feel invested in a character’s passion.
Even though the writing isn’t always as fluid as I’d like it to be and certain characters could have been more nuanced, every time Leighton and Casey are on page together, magic happens. They constantly surprised me, the power dynamics fluctuating in very exciting ways. There’s longing and yearning, hidden touches and stolen looks, inner struggles and so much tension… These scenes, with their definite Carol vibes*, were enough to balance everything that didn’t work as well for me, and having to stop reading so as to get some sleep felt rather mean. I won’t rant against the inaccuracy and unfairness of star ratings once again and I’ll take the risk of overrating this book—which I guess is better than underrating—for all the joy it brought me. 4.5⭐️
* If you haven’t seen this video and its follow-up on the author’s TikTok, treat yourself to a few seconds of LEGO delight.
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Jude in the Stars 
I loved this book, and agree with what you say. Knowing nothing about art, I found it fascinating to learn, and have no doubt what the author shares is accurate in that regard. The MCs, the children, the students – very appealing cast!
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