Every time I hear that Karla has a new book, I get excited, because she is one of my favorite authors in the world.

This is the story of Ruby and Griffin, a story that seems to have a simple good girl/bad boy trope, but that is just the opening. The characters are so marvelous, with so many layers, that it is enchanting to discover them and you actually can relate to them and their stories.

Their chemistry is outstanding and pulses throughout the whole book, making the story even better. Their banter, their conversations, their instant connection make this story flow seamlessly and, before you know it, it is long past midnight and you cannot put the book down.

I love how the characters evolve during the story, how they open their hearts and consolidate their feelings. I loved Ruby so much! And Griffin deserves all the praise in the world! He is one giant with the softest spot for his shy librarian.

I think this was my favorite book of the month, and definitely is in the top 5 books of the year! It is that good! Karla’s writing is magical! I highly recommend any book by her

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
I came for the cover and stayed for the plot.

Wow! Just, wow!

this was so much more than I hoped for.
The tropes are amazing, but the story? their chemistry? My god!
Griffin and Ruby are so much 😍

“People’s perception of others is always colored by their own issues. Their own insecurities. The things we see in other people— especially when it’s a trait that we’re secretly a little jealous of— twist around in our brain before we’re even aware it’s happened. It becomes an ugly thing to tease them about. Make them feel like they’re doing something wrong, because we’re sick with envy that we don’t have just a little bit of that"


"He was my gravity, and there was no denying it anymore."

"Was this falling in love, then? Not being able to get them out of your head. Missing them like a limb. Replaying all the bursts of time where they made things better. Where their absence feels like a small sort of death to be mourned."

Heartbreaking, heartwarming, mind-blowing. I didn't see this coming, but I'm here for it.

Do yourself a favor and read this ✨️

I will love you through every sunrise and every sunset because we’ve already missed too many ☀️

The biggest thank you to @karla_sorensen , Tina Stokes & @good.girls.pr & Netgalley for proving this eArc & gifting me an Arc paperback for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Lessons in Heartbreak is a small town, opposites attract, football sports romance! 🏈

A playboy football player. A shy librarian. When old friends reunite, opposites attract in a witty and lighthearted romance about taking chances and falling in love against the odds.✨

I loved this book so much. So much that I found myself getting emotional at times. This is the sweetest, most heartfelt romcom book I’ve read. 🥹

It had everything I loved from spice, grand gestures, a playboy, a shy librarian, and more. 🔥

I won’t spoil it…but the library gesture…insane in the most beautiful way.🥹

We have some mixups, laughs, and that romcom cheese, but it was so well written that I could not have asked for anything more!!🙌🏽

Ruby and Griffin have my heart! Their chemistry and the way they fit like two puzzle pieces is perfect! 🧩

The beginning was a good pace for me and I really enjoyed reading! 📖

I rate this book a 5 out of 5.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would recommend this book to those who love small town romances, opposites attract and spicy lessons. If this sounds like something you like, I recommend you check it out! 🗓️

I’d also love to take a small moment of appreciation again for the paperback, sticker & bookmark! I was so excited to receive this gift! (Check out my reel for my unboxing video)💙💙

Thank you again to Karla Sorensen, Tina Stokes, Netgalley, & Good Girls PR!!💗💗💗

Childhood neighbors that reunite years later unexpectedly and under amusing circumstances. He helps her date and build up her confidence, but ends up falling for her instead. The portrait painting reveal scene was hilarious and sexy. The whole book was exciting and fun to read.

I'm a big fan of Karla Sorensen's writing and especially her sports romance books. This is a first in series and I was very happy with the writing, plot, main and side characters and the emotions throughout the book. I can't wait for the next in series about the other Kind brother.

This book follows Griffin King, the youngest twin of the King brothers and a football star. He is brash, a bit of a player and definitely lives up to his reputation even if that's not who he really wants to portray. When he is put in timeout by his agent for an interview that went viral (and not in a good way), he reconnects with Ruby who was his neighbor when they were kids. Ruby was always shy, a bit of an introvert and smart as all get out. She was always fascinated by the King brothers as a child but Griffin was a bit of a nemesis with his teasing ways. When she confides in Griffin that she wants to be more comfortable dating and putting herself out there, he is all in with helping her with her plan much to her horror. But as the two spend time together, they both get to know each other better and understand what makes the other tick. Griffin wants to be seen as more reliable and can be dependable (much like his twin brother). Ruby wants to experience life; she wants to put herself out there but doesn't necessarily want to find love.

Definitely a lot of additional emotion in this book as the two find their way. I don't want to leave any spoilers but there is definitely a reason that Ruby doesn't want to find love in her life.

Overall a fun, romantic sports romance. Love the writing style that Karla brings.

This book had me in an absolute chokehold—I couldn’t put it down. This funny, emotional, and totally swoony football romance has all the opposites-attract magic I love.

Ruby is a shy, small-town librarian with zero dating experience, and Griffin is her childhood neighbor turned hotshot pro football player with a playboy reputation. When Ruby tries to hire a dating coach to help her get over her fear of intimacy, Griffin shows up by mistake—and things spiral from there in the best way.

Their chemistry is so good, and the slow-burn tension is perfectly done. Griffin calls her “Birdy” (adorable), and their shared past adds so much warmth to the story. One of my favorite parts? Ruby introduces him to period dramas—and Griffin is introduced to the Mr. Darcy hand moment 🥹

What starts as a series of flirty “lessons” turns into something real and emotional. It’s about letting your guard down and falling for someone who sees all of you. Ruby and Griffin’s story is heartfelt, hilarious, and just the right amount of spicy.

If you’re into small-town vibes, witty banter, and football players with secret soft sides, you need to read this 🩷🏈📚

Sheer perfection! I’m not normally a fan of the tropes in this one, but I most definitely AM a fan of Karla Sorensen’s writing, which made me a fan of this book. Heartfelt and fun is how I’d describe this one. Who doesn’t love the hero falling hard for the girl and trying to deny it to himself? A+ as always, Ms. Sorensen.

I really enjoyed this. It had great characters and a storyline i really liked. It had me swooning so many times.

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. At first glance I thought this would be a steamy romance between a playboy football player and a small town librarian but it ended up having more depth than I expected. It highlighted a different kind of grief, a journey of recovery, self acceptance and love.

I loved the slow burn and gradual relationship they built. There was acceptance of each other, patience within their communication, and healing of physical and emotional scars.

The ending felt a little chaotic but I kind of just accepted it and liked how it turned out overall.

The audiobook was perfect. Honestly I’d listen to anything Samantha Brentmoor narrates. She kills it every time. First time listening to Aiden Snow and I have to say that man has the deepest voice I’ve ever heard. I was a bit shocked when I first heard him. I highly recommend this book in audio format.

Perfection!

I absolutely love Karla Sorensen's books! I loved this storyline, and the characters are easy to like! We get a sports, opposites attract, old friends to lovers trope that was charming and warm-hearted. There were times my heart squeezed, I laughed, smiled, and I teared up too! Loved their bantering. A wonderful read! Now I'm going to listen to it!

I have now listened to the audiobook, and it was perfection. I loved the narrators. Definitely favorites of mine. I could listen to them all day. Their voices are so smooth. They gave an emotional performance that had this audiobook rolling like a movie in my head. I wasn't ready ready for it to end.

Lessons in Heartbreak by Karla Sorensen
The Kings series #1. Contemporary romance. Alternating first person POV.
Ruby Tate has always followed the rules and exceeded her parents expectations. At thirty, she’s a respected small-town librarian with the right degrees and volunteering. She has friends but avoids intimacy. She’s just not comfortable with that. Wanting to get past her fears, she hires an escort thinking that’s the best way to avoid heartbreak. She mistakenly believes Griffin King is the escort when he sits at her table in the coffee shop. She remembers Griffin as the twin that was always teasing her when they lived next door to each other. At fifteen, she didn’t know how to deal with that. Even now, she’s not sure, but she’s ready to learn.
Griffin King is in town to scope out a potential football contract. He can’t believe he’s run into the shy Ruby again, and he’s happy to play the role of escort and teach her whatever she wants.

Swoony romance with innocence and a player mixing it up. Although Griffin doesn’t really come off as a player, but maybe that’s because he’s more or less, hiding out in a friend’s house. The two have chemistry left over from their teenage years and time hasn’t lessened the attraction. Sizzling banter and fun to make Ruby comfortable, this couple has all the vibes that make you want to keep reading. A bit spicy, a bit sweet, a whole lot of romance and love.
Alluring. It’s my first book by this author and I’m going to be looking at the backlist.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to keep.

4.5 Stars
I enjoyed this book so much! Griffin and Ruby were such a delight to read. I loved the opposites attract trope in this one. Ruby has her reasons for being shy especially when it comes to pursuing the opposite sex. When Griffin shows up in her small town it's a blast from the past. Griffin is so much more than what his reputation is giving him by the playboy title. Griffin gets so much more out of helping Ruby than he ever thought. Man I swooned when he started reading his library books and then the movies he started watching, but the most swoon worthy point is how he makes Ruby feel about herself. There is plenty of humor in this one. The banter between Ruby and Griffin is on point. Then things get quite hilarious when Griffin's teammate Marcus comes to town. I'm intrigued by the rift between twin brothers. I'm hoping we get Griffin's bother Barrett's story soon. Don't even get me started when Griffin is in uncle mode. Talk about swoon! Both Ruby and Griffin do some soul searching and healing. I was so happy for Ruby. She's been through a lot and to see all dreams she never though possible come true, beautiful. A must read!

A sweet, spicy romance featuring small-town librarian, Ruby, and big-deal football player, Griffin. Ruby and Griffin were neighbors growing up, but didn't run in the same social circles. Ruby feels like she's missed out on dating and intimacy, and needs someone safe to teach her. Griffin has been misunderstood and needs to shake his reputation. With Griffin in town for only a few weeks, this temporary match seems to meet both their needs. But what happens with the fake dates start to feel oh-so-real?
Ruby and Griffin were just adorable together! I especially loved how they took time to really 'get' each other, when so many others just overlooked them. Karla Sorensen writes small-town romances so well, and this is another satisfying story in her collection! Note: I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

Summary:
Ruby is a small-town librarian who is ready to get some lessons in dating. Enter Griffin—a professional football player who lived next to Ruby when they were growing up. When Ruby tries to hire an escort for some “experience,” she ends up awkwardly enlisting Griffin to give her lessons instead. What starts as an innocent arrangement quickly becomes something deeper—but can they keep their feelings out of it?

Thoughts:
This book had such a fun setup with great character potential, but I’ll be honest—it was a struggle for me to get through most of it. It didn’t really click for me until I was about 75% in. The pacing dragged a bit, and I felt like something was missing emotionally in the middle.

BUT I’m really glad I stuck with it, because the ending was phenomenal. It tied things together in a way that made the journey worth it. Sometimes books don’t hit until the very end—and that was the case here.

Tropes:
🏈 sports romance
📚 opposites attract
❤️‍🔥 lessons in love
💔 emotional healing
🌻 small town

Loved this book! Griffin and Ruby couldn't be more opposite, but they end up bringing out the best in each other. Griffin is a pro football player who is in town to lay low and stay out of trouble. Ruby is the town librarian who is pretty buttoned up and lacks some experience. Turns out they knew each other when they were kids. As they spend time together their friendship grows and before you know it they are in love.

Amazing book!!!

I absolutely loved Ruby and Griffin! Their journey to a happily ever after was such a joy to read. The story was so well written that I couldn’t help but fall in love with both of them! 💙💜

Sometimes book can have all possible romantic tropes and still didn’t get place in my heart. Unfortunately that happened with Lessons in Heartbreak. That story reminds me of a fairytale and now I crave more realistic romantic books.
Maybe if MC had more personality that just “quiet girl with complex” and MMC was more than just playboy — it would stick out to me. But their story only left bitter taste with many “if” if they didn’t do that, if that scene was different. And that’s huge no for me in books

⭐ 4.5

And that's how you manage to have me laughing and crying over a book, Karla Sorensen no doubt that's why you're my favorite author!!!!

Ruby and Griffin's story was charming, it was explosive, it was tender, it was EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO READ, all those little moments left me wanting a thousand stories from them. Griffin is without a doubt a book boyfriend through and through, his personality found me and not to mention how he treated Ruby! Ruby undoubtedly became my new favorite, I just wanted to give this girl a huge hug and tell her everything was going to be okay.

The story is a quick read. It's beautiful with a touch of drama, just like this author's other books, and it will always be a pleasure to read.

I love it when Karla writes a new book... The way she will capture my heart from the first page and keep it going all the way until the end is the reason I adore her stories.
With the start of a new series, I always look forward to what kind of story we will get.
Karla gives us a story of finding love when you aren't looking for it and also some healing and self reflection for these characters as well.

Ruby and Griffin have such a sweet story, and they have so many moments that made my heart grow 3 sizes. Their connection from childhood helped cement that connection as well as fate. Ruby is a shy librarian with the biggest heart and so sweet. I loved the way she came out of her shelf in this book!
Griffin is a loud and risky football player who doesn't take much seriously.
These two together are the perfect balance and could not find a better pair than each other.

As always, when I finished this book, I was itching for more from Karla. I am so excited for this new series, and I already know it is a world that I will love.

Karla does these heavy hitting emotional stories so well, it is like it is her goal to make me cry when it is something I don’t do. Griffin and Ruby’s story was emotional and sweet but I was also really invested in the stories of the side characters and I hope we are going to see more from them.

Ruby is the sweet librarian with very little experience but a past that makes her afraid of the future. Griffin is the troubled football player with a bad rep. Ruby and Griffin knew each other when they were younger and now by chance are reunited while Griffin is temporarily staying in Welling Springs.

The way that Griffin falls for her was so sweet but Ruby is the one who was resistant to relationships. Griffin was so gone for Ruby and was trying to convince her to give him a chance. I’m obsessed with Ruby and Griffin. From their very first scene, their chemistry is undeniable. Their banter had me smiling, and their deeper moments? Pure magic. Will Ruby finally realize she deserves a chance at her own HEA?