Caitlyn Lattimore, the heroine of Sophia Singh Sasson’s Boyfriend Lessons, is rich and gorgeous but socially awkward. She asks a friend of a friend, Dev Malik, to give her the lessons of the title to help her learn to date – but clearly, the two of them are going to fall in love. This book suffers from a plot that isn’t engaging, writing that’s repetitive, and a bland setting made worse by the time wasted mentioning an overarching series plot that has nothing to do with these characters.

The writing is repetitive: I have many notes reading ‘We know this already’, ‘Yes, you said that’, and ‘I know, I was there’. At one point, Caitlyn gasps twice within three sentences. The hero has several ick moments. I’m not okay with heroes who marvel that the heroine is somehow unlike every other woman they’ve ever met (gee, thanks for slandering my gender). The relationship is rushed. When the heroine points out in their Big Separation argument that “we’ve known each other for two weeks,” my reaction was less ‘Oh, how tragic that they will be separate!’ and more ‘Hm, yeah, valid point.’

This book is part of the Harlequin Desire series Texas Cattleman’s Club: Ranchers and Rivals, and boy, does it suffer for that. We have to sit through an infodump about some sort of inheritance problem that only marginally affects our protagonists, then we run into people we probably met but can’t remember because they don’t matter to this plot, then we have to listen to inheritance stuff again = but none of this will be resolved because this is only book two.

While the prose absolutely holds the book back, I can see why our previous reviewer enjoyed another one of the author’s books much more. Her depictions of elite Texas life are generic, but we get brief sparks of something much more interesting when she develops Dev’s Indian family. Dev’s mother is flat-out racist against Caitlyn (who is biracial, with one white and one black parent), and I so appreciate the author’s willingness to be honest about a genuine problem in her own community. I loved the depiction of how his businesswoman sister Maya struggled when she gave up her professional ambitions to be a stay-at-home parent. Maya’s husband throws a tantrum while she steps into the business of her birth family (which Dev is trying to escape) because he wants her back home. Maya and Dev’s father throws her under the bus with lines like “Once married, a woman’s priority is the family she married into.” This is good, conflicted stuff, with controversial characters – so much richer than Caitlyn’s quest, which is ‘I’m rich enough to set up a horseback riding program for foster kids, but I don’t know where to do it.’ Why isn’t this Dev’s sister’s book?

Would I read the author again? Well, I don’t love her writing style, but I would consider following her into a settin

I really wanted to like Boyfriend Lessons because, like kissing lessons, the concept of dating lessons appeals to me on a deep level. However, it was just... fine. It didn't really lean into the concept of boyfriend lessons as much as I would have liked. And really this was all about both characters having intense obligations to their family and that was mostly the full extent of the conflict. But, you know, it was fine. I'm sure a lot of people will really like it.

Caitlyn Lattimore's fed up of being shy with men
Her friend suggests she has lessons, then starts again.
However, her friend's brother isn't who catches her eye
Instead its his best friend with whom the sparks fly!

Boyfriend lessons is what she asks for
And Dev agrees, though he'd like something more.
Can this shy heiress learn to take a chance
And will they together find romance?

With family secrets, beliefs, upsets and more
Together with cultural expectations at the fore,
A contemporary romance, that is true
But there's also a family mystery thread running through.

With surprises, worries and family demands
Can this love develop and each understand
Life isn't about just one person or another
It involves trust, compromise and love as they'll discover.

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
A great addition to this series and this is my honest review

3 1/2 STARS!

Sizzling love at first sight! The second book in the Texas Cattleman's Club: Ranchers and Rivals series starts out a tad confusing with a lot of characters mentioned without full disclosure of who is who, but it quickly leveled out into an enjoyable meet cute for Caitlyn and Dev. Their timeline until "I love you" was extremely rushed, but I enjoyed the characters as a whole and found them relatable.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys love when it's least expected between a man of the world and a refreshingly naive heroine.

Boyfriend Lessons by Sophia Singh Sasson, book two in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Ranchers and Rivals series follows Caitlyn and Dev as they meet, become smitten, yet deny their feelings for each other. After splitting up with her ex, Caitlyn has felt anxious any time she meets a man; but it’s different with Dev. She feels comfortable with him right away. He's only in town for a couple of weeks, and she agrees to help him find a location for his new business. It will do her good to practice hanging out with a man in a no-pressure situation. Dev is taken with Caitlyn from the moment he meets her. He's normally a wingman and does one night stands instead of relationships. But he's smitten with Caitlyn, the shy Royal upper class heiress who is a gem who asks for Boyfriend Lessons. The more time they spend together, the closer they get and the stronger their attraction grows. This friendship soon becomes so much more than either expected; so much that neither Dev nor Caitlyn want him to leave.

Dev and Caitlyn are wonderful together, and the sensual tension between them sizzles. They are both very close to their families, his traditional Indian family in New York, hers in Texas; which is a huge obstacle for them. While Dev grew more confident that Caitlyn was the one for him, she worried they were moving too fast. Her breakup with her ex left Caitlyn unable to trust herself and her feelings. When Dev's father shows up at an awkward time, the differences between Caitlyn and Dev seem insurmountable. Crises within their families pull them apart and force them to take a hard look at their priorities, and find a way to make things work.

Ms. Sasson wrote a multi-cultural, enjoyable story, with a romantic setting, hunky hero, likeable heroine, and a perfect grand gesture, that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with emotions, sizzling chemistry, clever banter, and charming characters giving Caitlyn and Dev a chance at love and a future together. I highly recommend Boyfriend Lessons to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Good book. The story opens with Caitlyn and her best friend Alice talking about Caitlyn's lack of a dating life. Caitlyn is shy and awkward around men she doesn't know, and it's gotten worse since she broke up with her ex a year earlier. When Alice suggests Caitlyn practice dating, she has her brother Russ in mind. But when Russ brings his friend Dev to dinner at Alice's, Caitlyn immediately feels comfortable with him.

When Caitlyn asks him for "boyfriend lessons," he's taken aback but intrigued. He is in Royal for a few weeks looking for a site for the restaurant he wants to build. He's drawn to Caitlyn, and if he can help her out while getting to know her better, it's a win-win situation.

I liked seeing the relationship develop between Caitlyn and Dev. Dev usually limits himself to casual encounters, but Caitlyn quickly gets under his skin. They spend time together scouting locations and discover that it is easy to talk to each other about anything. The more time they spend together, the closer they get and the stronger their attraction grows. But what happens when Dev has to go back to New York?

Both Caitlyn and Dev are very close to their families. Caitlyn's plans for her future center around Royal. Complicating matters, there is family trouble that Caitlyn feels she needs to be there to help with. Dev's family has very traditional Indian customs. I was happy I read the author's note before the book, or I would have wondered what was going on with Dev. Why on earth would a thirty-year-old man still be living with his parents and allowing them to accept applications to be his wife? I could feel Dev's struggle as his feelings for Caitlyn grew, yet she didn't match his parents' requirement that he marry an Indian woman.

While Dev grew more confident that Caitlyn was the one for him, she worried they were moving too fast. Her breakup with her ex left Caitlyn unable to trust herself and her feelings. When Dev's father shows up at an awkward time, the differences between her and Dev seem insurmountable. Crises with their families pull them apart and force them to take a hard look at their priorities. I liked that Dev didn't give up, and they found a way to make things work.

A little bit deals with the inheritance issue, which is the series' overarching subject.

Caitlyn had a bad experience with her last boyfriend. It has shaken her so much, that she has trouble opening up to any new guy. When her friend tries to set her up with her brother, she instead talks to his best friend.

Surprisingly she feels comfortable around him and has no trouble talking to him. So she asks him to give her boyfriend lessons. If she hangs out with him and talks to him more, she will get comfortable around guys.

Dev is in town for a little while, searching for a place to open his new restaurant. He agrees to hang out with her, but there is too much chemistry between them, to be able to just stay friends.

I like the storyline, but it felt overly long.

Boyfriend lessons....

Dev is Indian and I appreciated the author's note on his heritage because if I only came from an American viewpoint I probably wouldn't be able to get why his parents were so meddling and why he let them have such a say in his life.

Dev is taken with Caitlyn as soon as he meets her. He's normally a wingman and does one night stands instead of relationships. But he's smitten with Caitlyn, the shy Royal upperclass heiress who is a gem who asks for Boyfriend Lessons.

Recommend for sweet and steamy.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I love the “lessons in intimacy” trope, and this book delivers. While the acquaintance prior between Dev and Caitlyn is short, their chemistry is electric, and they have a sweet and sensual dynamic. They both have other priorities they need to negotiate in order to be together, and that makes for an engaging romance with decent stakes.

Thank you Netgalley and HARLEQUIN for giving me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, this book. THIS FREAKING BOOK. I was mad that it didn't get more of these two. Story follows Caitlyn and Dev as they meet and deny their feelings for each other. Both of these characters are very family oriented and I wanted to scream when they didn't communicate their feelings.

It was a lovely story and I was hooked early on. The whole "Boyfriend lessons" thing had me hooked since the blurb. It had the instalove I like, cause they got to know each other and we got to see that. Loved the touch of Indian culture in there, wished it had more. It's well written and intriguing, great for a quick palette cleanser.

4.5 stars. I really liked this story. The H&h were cute and so perfect for each other. As with other books set in Royal, Texas there is a side mystery/intrigue, but it played very little part in the development of this story. IMO it explored this multicultural relationship well, and with depth. I liked that the looked at the practicalities of life, not just how they feel about each other. Overall, an enjoyable sweet with heat story. *I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day. What else would a romance lover expext from Harlequin?

Ever since she split with her ex, Caitlyn has felt anxious any time she meets a man. But Dev is different. She feels comfortable with him right away. He's only in town for a couple of weeks, and she agrees to help him find a location for his new business. It'll do her good to practice hanging out with a man in a no-pressure situation. But when friendship turns to more, what will they do when it's time for him to leave?

Dev and Caitlyn are sweet together, and the sensual tension between them is high. They're both close with their families—his in New York, hers in Texas—and this is a big obstacle for them. They both have to rethink their priorities in order to be together. It's gratifying to see them work through it so they can build their future.

This book is part of a series, and I recommend reading it in order.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.