I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this! Ruby and Griffin were the perfect pairing! She is a shy, small-town librarian who lives up to the stereotype with everything in her life being modest, regimented, quiet, and put together. She feels like she is missing out on life and would like to be more spontaneous, but letting things out of her control gives her anxiety. Griffin on the other hand is her exact opposite, he has a reputation for being the life of the party. His agent has "grounded him" for his latest antics and sent him to spend a few weeks in Ruby's small town away from the media. Ruby and Griffin were neighbors growing up, but she moved away. Their reunion might be the perfect opportunity for her to practice putting herself out there and practicing talking to the opposite sex with someone she knows.

There is real chemistry between our two main characters, however neither of them want anything serious to start. They both have their reasons, which we learn as they get to know one another and get more comfortable around each other. I loved that they were vulnerable with each other and that they were so patient with each other. This had some great humous moments and great emotional scenes. I also loved the side characters. I don't want say much more because I feel it would spoil the book. Getting to experience Ruby and Griffin's interactions first hand and unraveling their relationship one bit at a time was such a great experience.

I absolutely love a shy girl/outgoing athlete romance, and Karla Sorensen delivered way more than I was expecting!

Ruby, the town librarian, is tired of feeling inexperienced with men. Her friend encourages her to hire an escort to gain some experience and boost her confidence. But when Griffin, her childhood neighbor and now a famous football player, shows up at the same time, things take an unexpected turn. He’s not the guy Ruby hired—but he’s more than willing to step in!

Of course, there are some spicy lessons, but the emotional depth of the story really sets it apart. Watching Griffin, the carefree guy, not only fall for Ruby but also help her let go of her guarded nature was such a joy. They were a perfect match. They saw each other for who they truly were, not just what society expected them to be.

The chemistry between them is fantastic. Griffin falls hard, and it’s so swoony! Every time I read one of Karla’s books, I adore the MMC, but Griffin just might top them all. This was an amazing start to a new series, and I can’t wait for more!

Ruby and Griffin’s pairing is quite the opposites attract story, but what I especially liked from Lessons in Heartbreak is the humbling and learning Griffin goes through during his “timeout” after the PR “snafu,” as the story puts it. The “lessons” were not just about the heartbreak Ruby and Griffin faced together, but individually. Griffin, with his twin brother, and his ability to be open to hearing and understanding more about their childhood and competitiveness through adulthood, and how much of that played a role in their relationship. And Ruby, with her history and its impact on her relationships with others. I enjoyed all the parallels.

The story was more than heartbreak, though. There was lots of humorous banter, romance, and great spice! I do hope there will be more from this series!

Forever in the shadows, Ruby has lived her life never knowing what deep romantic affection looks like. She's stuck wishing she could grasp the feelings that consuming her favourite books and movies gives her. Now approaching her thirties and wanting to catalogue every bit that life has to offer, she decides to take matters into her own hands and release a little bit of control to learn how to exist and appeal to men. She isn't expecting the wrench thrown into her hands that is her old childhood neighbour Griffin, but slowly grows to learn that maybe the best laid plans are meant to be spoiled.

*****

I was not at all ready for this one. It dragged me through laughter and joy, comical quirks, heartbreak, devastation and bittersweet healing. From the blurb and cover alone I thought this would be a lighthearted sports romance and I am SO glad my expectations were shattered. This gave me the kind of emotional turmoil I struggle to find in reads, and it not only forced me to see a perspective that is gut-wrenching against all odds - it made me hope and wish for every kind of happiness they could grasp.

I sat at the end of the book with tears streaming down my face, irrevocably changed for the better seeing how Griffin and Ruby loved. Against all odds they simply wanted as much time together as they could and it was astoundingly beautiful. I'm so glad they got their happily ever after, and we get a peek into their future, because I was ready to burn the world down if we didn't see a glimpse of them living out their love.

From a sweet and silly start, to seeing them change and open their hearts to more, I was hooked on every word. This is a must-read!

*****

Thank you to Good Girls PR and Montlake publishing for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ruby & Griffin knew each other from childhood. Now they end up back in the same town and there's no better person to give her some spicy lessons. They were definitely opposites but there was a comfort to their relationship that I loved. Their flirty banter was so good. It's always a good time watching the "bad boy" fall hard! They honestly were just SO cute together!! I really enjoyed all the secondary characters too.

🎧Audio:🎧
This was a dual narration by Aiden Snow & Samantha Brentmoor. I feel like they embodied these characters so well! I was invested in their story and they easily kept my attention.

What to expect:
🩵Opposites Attract
🏈Football player MMC
🩵Spicy Lessons
🏈Childhood Neighbors


This one releases May 20. Thank you to Good Girls PR & Montlake for the ARC and Netgalley & Brilliance audio for the ALC!

4.5

Ruby and Griffin were such a fun couple to read. From knowing each other as children to growing up and away but still remembering them years later. Ruby has a vulnerability about her that Griffin chips away at until he is finally able to get to the real her. She hides herself out of self-preservation, and Griffin is just the right person to break through.

Griffin, being a famous football player, doesn't interest Ruby at all, which intrigues him too. He is able to let his guard down, too, and find out what it means to be in love.

A Football Player with a reputation of being a playboy . And a shy librarian. Two people who are complete opposites in ever single way , actually end up perfect together/ like two pieces of a puzzle . Oh my gosh guys !! Ruby and Griffin !!! The way these two hooked me so completely , the the way their story pulled at all my heartstrings and had me laughing out loud , smiling like crazy even sobbing like a baby , yelling outta pure frustration and kept me cheering so freaking hard . Well I honestly do not think there really are any perfect words to express how in love with this story I fell . All the angst and the humor and the witty banter , the drama , the love , the passion, the secrets and fears , the struggles , the family and friendships. Lessons In Heartbreak was everything i never knew i needed and so much more then I ever could have asked for . A home run right outta the ballpark for sure

This book was so beautiful and sweet, yet it hit so hard.

At their first meeting, Ruby mistakes Griffin for the escort she hired to help her become more seductive, and of course, Griffin goes along with it, because that’s exactly the kind of personality he has. And since he’s stuck in Ruby’s small town for two weeks, it gives him the perfect opportunity to teach her how to be more open, confident, and bold.

There’s just something about watching a so-called playboy slowly, irrevocably fall for the quiet girl. I eat it up every time. And the extra dimension added to Ruby’s backstory (no spoilers, promise) completely broke my heart. The slow burn in this book was delicious. The little touches, the lingering looks (ahem! that movie scene), the kisses, and those quiet embraces… every interaction was charged with tension and longing. But what made it really special is that underneath all that heat, there was this softness, this innocence, that made me tear up more than once.

Now, this isn’t my first Karla Sorensen book, but I was a little surprised by the writing style in this one. It felt like it had shifted a bit from her other books. There were quite a few words I, as a non-native English speaker, had to Google because I’d never heard them before. But honestly? It added a kind of posh, polished feel to the story. Plus, there were so many beautifully lyrical sentences that created this lovely, atmospheric vibe I really enjoyed.

Special mention to Marcus and Lauren they were everything. Honestly, perfection. And the kids? I cannot wait to meet them properly in their dad’s book!

Anyway, I absolutely loved this book. It made me cry both sad and happy tears, so it’s a solid 5 stars from me. If you’re in the mood to slowly rediscover love through the words and actions of a ridiculously endearing, cocky football player and an amazingly resilient, brave librarian/wallflower, this is the book for you.

❤️ Small Town Romance
❤️ Playboy x Wallflower
❤️ Sports Romance (he’s a football player)
❤️ First Book in an Interconnected Standalone Series
❤️ Dual POV

I am in love with this book and all the characters! It was the perfect blend of spice and humor with real emotional depth. Marcus and Lauren kept me laughing. I adored Ruby and Griffin had me swooning. Their banter was fun and cute and their chemistry was sizzling. I can't wait for Griffin's brother's book, especially after meeting his kids in this book.

Story: 15/10
Spice: 2/5
Spice Hierarchy: Open Door

Ruby has lived a quiet, reserved life and finally she is ready to experience more so she makes arrangements to hire someone to help her become more comfortable. Guess who shows up? A blast from her past in Griffin, the NFL player taking a vacation in the area. Through some embarrassment, Griffin agrees to give Ruby lessons in being confident and comfortable dating.

I don’t want to spoil plot points so I am being cautious in how I write this. This might be my favorite Karla book to date. It was so much more than I was expecting. Lessons in Heartbreak is right, because my heart broke for Ruby and Griffin in a way I was not prepared for. Ruby is incredibly vulnerable with Griffin and with that vulnerability came the most beautiful and honest love. These two showed up for each other exactly as the other needed to be loved. I loved the “bad boy/good girl” aspect as I found myself relating so much to Ruby’s character. Throw in the “teach me” moments which were very tender and comforting and I was hooked.

I don't know where to start with this one except to say I loved Lessons in Heartbreak.

I cried my way through various sections as Ruby and Grifffin shared their biggest secrets and fears. But I laughed too, so many times!

I swooned at how closely Griffin listened to Ruby's pipe dreams and worked to make them a reality and my heart pitter pattered alongside Griffin's when Ruby surprised him one way or another.

I had an overwhelming sense of calm, tranquility and peace as if their union was destined.

Lessons in Heartbreak was more like lessons in love!

I was giddy throughout this whole book! Griffin and Ruby had that easy chemistry that I love, when you can tell right from the start that she's what he needs and he's what she needs. It was pure perfection.

Griffin's professional and personal life are in turmoil, so his agent sends him away for some reflective quiet time in a small town. Almost immediately he bumps into his childhood acquaintnace Ruby and imparts himself into her life in a hilarious way. Ruby, sweet Ruby, is the town librarian who is drenched in innocence, unsureness, and a general fear of putting herself out there. When Griffin interrupts a "date" that Ruby has set up with a dating coach meant to help ease some of her shyness, he knows he's gotta to something to help the girl that he remembers from his younger years.

Ruby for her part is hesitant, but she shines so bright when she's with Griffin, and all her built-up walls seem to crumble when he's around. He makes it easy for her to be herself and I really loved how easy her transformation was once she started to feel comfortable. He makes it easy for her. Likewise, Ruby shows him that he's worth of love which is something that he's never had to consider. His life is easy in many ways, but when it comes to relationships he's always been happy to be a playboy and to never take anything too seriously.

I loved their journey together. It gave me all those feel-good vibes deep in my heart. This was my first read by this author, but I've seen her books for years, so now I'm off to read some of her backlist!

4.5 stars,
First book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last! I really enjoyed Ruby and Griffin’s story. It took me through so many different feelings and emotions. One minute I’m crying the next laughing, and all the rest in between. I adore these two characters for so many different reasons that you will understand once you read it.
It’s funny, sweet, flirty, sexy, yet also sad and emotional at times.. Yes, it’s all the things. Very happy I found this new-to-me author so now I can read more of hers.
A very entertaining read with a wonderful HEA!!!
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)
Spice: 2.5-3 🌶️

Tropes:
- Librarian X Football Player
- Childhood Neighbors
- Dating Lessons
- Opposites Attract
- Good Girl X Playboy
- Cinnamon Roll MMC
- He Falls First
- Small Town

Lessons in Heartbreak is a lesson in taking a well known and much loved trope and turning it into something much more. Ruby is shy and has a hard time putting herself out there (hence, the dating lessons), but her story is so much more compelling than that. To avoid spoilers, I won’t get in to the why exactly, but there are reasons her confidence has taken a hit and she’s so guarded. There is also more to Griffin than the cliched carefree playboy we first meet. He is such a cinnamon roll underneath his flirty exterior, and I adored that about him. Sorensen excels at writing characters who are relatable, complex, and lovable, and that was again showcased in Ruby and Griffin. It is both their histories and their journey together that makes this book so touching and heartfelt.

I loved the chemistry and dynamic between Ruby and Griffin and was rooting for them from the very beginning. They are great together, and their connection, while intense, feels natural. The banter and tension had me wanting to giggle and kick my feet, but it was their tenderness and the way each pushes the other to be the best version of themself that truly had me swooning.

IMO, this also might be Sorensen’s funniest book to date. The side characters were hilarious, and Ruby’s unintentional conversion of the football playboys to period romance junkies had me laughing out loud.

Lessons in Heartbreak cements why Karla Sorensen is an auto-buy author for me. It is sweet, witty, charming, and emotional - a story about healing and facing fears as much as it is about romance. I fell in love with these characters, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Thank you so much to Good Girls PR, NetGalley, and Montlake for the ARC!

I love love love this book!!!

My heart was fluttering the entire time watching Griffin and Ruby’s interactions. Griffin is so sweet, patient, and caring toward Ruby, and I adored watching Ruby push herself to truly live her life. She changes so beautifully from a shy, clumsy, timid girl into someone brave and full of life—and Griffin is there for every single step she takes.

The chemistry is top notch! And I REALLY LOVE that they’re childhood neighbors!!
That familiarity and shared history just made everything even more meaningful.

The storytelling is so smooth, and I loved how their relationship and feelings developed over time. Nothing felt rushed or overdone—even though the sparks were there from the very beginning. Their interactions made me giddy, and I swear my stomach fluttered every time Griffin did or said anything for Ruby. And every brave step Ruby took made me feel so proud of her.

Griffin being completely down bad for Ruby?? Obsessed.
It broke my heart to see how hard he was on himself, but even through all of that, he always tried to be the reason behind Ruby’s smile.

Also—can we have more Marcus and Lauren? They were just too cute!!

Warning: This book may cause uncontrollable smiling and a sudden desire to find a sweet man with emotional baggage.
One of those books that nestles into your heart and refuses to leave.

Huge thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was completely on board with these characters from page one; Griffin was ridiculously charming and Ruby was a girl after my own heart. I loved watching their relationship develop - there was a certain thoughtfulness to the way they dealt with each other that I really enjoyed. And then the chemistry between them? Goodness, it was delicious. I also have to note there were several moments throughout this book I was kicking my feet from feeling so giddy but nothing topped the gesture Griffin did towards the end of the story. It almost broke me with how sweet it was. Another winner from Karla Sorensen and I cannot wait for Griffin's twin brother's book!

A romance to capture your heart

A new Karla Sorensen book... I'm on it. LESSONS IN HEARTBREAK is book #1 Iin Karla's new series The Kings. If you love romance then you'll love this opposites attract, childhood neighbours, football player/librarian, small town romance. It is an emotional story with humour, angst, terrific banter, spicy lessons, and a wonderful slow burn between two amazing people.

Ruby Tate and Griffin King are two beautiful characters, and I couldn't have loved them more. Ruby is a shy librarian who, after receiving a "naughty" birthday present, has decided she needs some lessons in flirting and intimacy. Never did she expect Griffin, her childhood neighbour, to walk into her life and change everything. Ruby and Tate had such wonderful chemistry, and their connection only grew deeper and stronger as they shared their fears, dreams, and vulnerabilities. I loved their banter, it was flirty and fun, and when it became emotional it was engaging.

Ruby was fantastic and so easy to relate to. She had been through a lot in life, had terrible anxiety, was vulnerable, yet she was determined to get herself out there, even though it was going to test her every nerve. Griffin, a footballer in hiding because of a recent incident, is EVERYTHING, swooning over him was mandatory. From the moment he re-enters Ruby's life he is completely devoted to her. He's caring, loyal, patient, protective, and the added bonus ... he reads and watches historical romances, be still my beating heart.

LESSONS IN HEARTBREAK has become my favourite book from Karla. Once I started, I found it impossible to put down. It captured my heart. This is romance as it should be written, an unmissable read.

Read and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction

✨✨✨✨✨ FIVE STARS

I have never met a Karla Sorenson book I didn't love and this book is no different. Childhood friends, spicy lessons, small town, sports tropes with all the feels and an HEA.

I’ve never met a Karla Sorensen book I didn’t like and this book was no different.

It was a fun lighthearted read that I couldn’t put down! Lighthearted but had spicy lessons which I loved so much. Griffin and Ruby grew up next to each along but reconnect in a hilarious but embarrassing way. I had second hand embarrassment for poor Ruby! Haha. The slow burn between these 2 was amazing and having a front row seat to Griffin’s Jane Austen movie marathons was so fun. I mean who doesn’t love a MMC getting in touch with his inner Darcy?
I adored the way these characters were able to reconnect and grow together. I thoroughly enjoyed not only the main characters in this book but the side characters. I truly hope Marcus & Griffin’s brother Barrett get books!

✨𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆✨

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.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Lessons in Heartbreak is the first book in the Kings series by Karla Sorensen. This is my first book by her and I enjoyed it throughly. I loved how effortless Griffin and Ruby’s relationship was. I adored how easy going Griffin was not only with Ruby but everyone around him. It was such a refreshing read but also beautiful. I loved the vibe and easy going environment Ruby surrounded herself with the small uncomplicated life she had. However, I also loved how Griffin made her step out of her comfort zone and experience more. Now I am really intrigued about the plans for the other King brother. Cant wait to see what happens next.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.3