Karla Sorensen delivers another winner with this one! Ruby Tate is the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for—a shy, bookish librarian who’s spent most of her life playing it safe. When she accidentally mistakes her childhood crush, pro football player Griffin King, for the escort she hired to help her overcome her fear of intimacy, the resulting mix-up is total rom-com meet-cute. Griffin, with his easy charm and unexpected depth, is the perfect foil to Ruby’s cautious nature. What starts as an awkward misunderstanding quickly turns into a tender, slow-burn connection that had me grinning like a fool.

Sorensen excels at crafting characters who feel real—flawed, layered, and impossible not to love. Ruby’s journey from self-doubt to self-assurance is beautifully written, and Griffin’s playboy-with-a-heart-of-gold persona is balanced by moments of surprising emotional depth. I loved how they challenged one another with their respective long-time issues, but also made each other look to the future in different ways.

And yes, this book *did* make me cry—just a little—but in the best way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars - Lesson in Heartbreak has so much heart, heat and just the right amount of humor, its darn near perfect. Childhood neighbors meet again as adults and Griffin isn't bored anymore and Ruby can't get away with letting life pass her by any longer. Reading these childhood friends reconnect and fall in love was really special.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A lovely love story between a shy 30 year old librarian Ruby and her childhood neighbor now turned pro athlete Griffin. LESSONS of any kind are always fun but when it's built on underlying friendship and undeniable desire is HOT.

The characters were really good, the banter perfect and the love story to die for.

#LessonsinHeartbreak #NetGalley

This was a great start to The Kings series!!

The first sentence of the blurb is literally all you need to know going into this one.

I love how this story played out. These two got to know one another at a level they keep hidden from everyone else. I love how they each showed one another something in each of themselves they just never believed they could have.

I went into this book expecting one thing and got more and I love that. This is a wholly character driven story and I could not love either of these character more for one another.

Lessons in Heartbreak has all the feel good vibes we love in a romance book. Definitely grab this one!

This is a cute romance that starts with Ruby's crush on her twin neighbors Barrett and Griffin, and ends with her falling in love. Since the last time they saw each other she's had a difficult journey with her physical health and is afraid to trust anyone with the potential outcome. Griffin is the perfect match for her and I really enjoyed their love story from start to finish. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators did a fantastic job voicing these characters.

“Sometimes it took the right person, seeing through your armor and knowing that what was on the other side was worth fighting for”

I have read the “teach me” trope before but god no book has ever done it this perfectly as this book. the fact that Ruby is not a 18 year old virgin but is a 29 year old with less experience and feels left out and wants to learn how to be more confident and seductive is a representation I needed to read. there is no other word but perfect for that rep.

Griffin's extrovert/sunshine-y and charming personality with that soft, kind and emotional heart was the perfect counterbalance to Ruby's shy, introverted and anxious self. yin and Yang that couldn't have been better. the emotional depth to both of them - Ruby's story and struggles and the King Brothers rivalry and Griffin's insecurities over it added so much more value to the story - it made the book one of those unforgettable ones. little tender moments are what makes this book special.

i didn't expect to love Marcus and Lauren so much but they were so cute ( and hot!!!). Every Barrett mention gave me more to anticipate. i can't wait for his book next!

What can a reader expect -
- sports romance
- NFl player × librarian
- extrovert MMC × introvert FMC
- the classic Good girl × bad boys
- fangirling over old classics
- emotional
- spice rating 🌶️🌶️

Lessons in Heartbreak by Karla Sorensen
The Kings #1

~ Thought provoking story that kept my interest from beginning to end ~

What I liked:
* Ruby Tate: only child, librarian, controlled, has trust issues, fears commitment, loving parents, good friend, community leader, wants to step out of her shell and experience life
* Griffin King: the “fun” twin, professional football player, talented, good friend, has a sense of humor, a bit of a tease, outgoing, open to new experiences, wants to help Ruby
* That Ruby and the King twins were neighbors when young and Ruby had a crush on one of them
* The nickname “Birdy” that Griff called Ruby and its origin
* Lauren & Marcus: good friends to Ruby & Griffin, attracted to one another, supportive, wise friends
* The meet cute in the coffee shop when Ruby and Griffin reconnect and the assumption Ruby makes…too funny
* The honest, open, mature communication between Ruby and Griffin
* That Ruby and Griffin bring out the best in one another and are better together than apart
* The growth both characters make by the end of the book
* The impact the books and movies Ruby suggested to Griff had on him and his teammates
* The backstories of Ruby and Griffin and how what happened in their pasts impacted them
* That the story had me researching to find out more about a medical condition
* Thinking about the idea one should grasp life with both hands and enjoy every moment to the fullest
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing that made me care and also feel a part of the book
* Knowing that Barrett’s story is next and that his children, Maggie & Bryce, will show up in that book, too ~ They were a handful but a fun part of the story

What I didn’t like:
* The rift between Griffin and his twin Barrett
* Thinking about how I would have coped if I had been in Ruby’s shoes when she was 24

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Karla Sorensen is always one of my auto buy authors. I have devoured every book she has written and this one is no different.

Obsessed with the slow build up between Ruby and Griffin. Ruby has done everything in her life by the rules and has avoided intimacy and relationships because of this. Griffin helps Ruby deviate from her safe path and experience things.

Highly recommend this book.

I absolutely adored this opposites attract sports romance featuring a pro football player hiding out at his agent's cabin and the local small-town librarian. Funny enough, they used to be neighbors as kids, but they reunite when they meet again years later, and she divulges some info she really would've rather not to him thinking he was someone else she was meant to meet. Griffin and Ruby's relationship changes wildly during the course of the book, and it's so much more than I even expected.

I couldn't get enough of these characters. Griffin's this charming, comical football playing MMC that wound up being even better than I could've hoped he would be. He wasn't just this predictable player; he was sweet, caring, and much deeper than I thought at first. And Ruby is this cute and clever heroine that's delt with a lot. While they might not seem suited to each other at the start (at least according to them), I loved seeing them evolve.

Also, the storyline unfolded perfectly. Their (re)meet cute had me giggling, and it just got better and better from there. The way it all developed and how their relationship grew sucked me in from the get-go, and overall it's just so well written. Sorensen never disappoints, and I'm so excited to see what else she has in store for us with this series.

Lessons in Heartbreak is a must read for any sports romance lover. It's fun, banter filled, and at times emotional, and I highly recommend it.

I wanted to like this but ultimately there were just too many tropes and I couldn’t get into the characters. On paper, they should have had chemistry, but I just didn’t feel it. I don’t know if it was me and it not being the right time to read it, or if it was writing, but this book was a miss for me.

Griffin has a reputation as a bit of a naughty boy. He needs to take some time away to straighten things out and help his football career. Ruby loves being a librarian in her hometown. Her problem is that she needs a love life. How do they end up coming together?

Griffin goes back to his hometown to get out of the limelight for a bit. He ends up in a confusing situation when Ruby assumes he is the escort she hired. I like that Griffin has a sense of humor and can roll with the silly. It was also good that the author gave him a twin brother and introduced an interesting backstory with them. I like that Ruby recognizes that she is struggling with the whole romance thing. I like that Ruby loves her hometown and is very relatable. The two of them were really cute together and I like how they get to know each other. There are side characters that help them along their journey. I am looking forward to finding out what the author does with some of the side characters.

This is a small town romance. This is kind of a second chance romance but not exactly since they went to school together but didn’t have much to do with one another. It is sweet and a little silly. It made me smile. I will read more from this author in the future.

I really don’t know how Karla Sorensen keeps doing it but I can always relate to her characters even though we are very different in so many levels.

In this case, Ruby is a 30-year-old librarian, a decade younger then me but still I could relate to so many of her feelings and thoughts.

Ruby used to know Griffin King back when they were kids but she has no idea he is a very famous football star so when they have a surprise meeting in her small-town coffee place she is mistakenly thinks he is someone else she is waiting to meet and she end up telling him very personal information about herself.

I don't want to give up too much information about the plot (as always, I read the book without reading the blurb so I could enjoy the plot and be surprised) but I will say that Lessons in Heartbreak will make you feel many emotions while reading it, it was funny, it was sad, it was heartwarming and it was sexy.

I loved the fact Ruby and Griffin had a prior knowledge from childhood and we got to read a little about them as kids.

Griffin's relationship with his twin brother , Barrett , are a big part of the story and it shows a different side of him. Ruby knew them in times when they were good friends but we soon learn about a big rift between them and we learn more about Griffin in the years before he met Ruby again.

Ruby has a past of her own that we slowly learn more about during the book and the more I learned about her the more I wanted her to have a happily ever after!



I loved the Easter eggs Karla gave us readers and how we got to meet characters from previous books, it's always fun for me to re visit fav characters. I also loved the secondary characters of Lauren, Ruby's best friend and Marcus, Griffin's old collage friend and now his new teammate.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Lessons in Heartbreak and I can't wait to read about Barrett.

𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐-𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚁𝚞𝚋𝚢 𝚃𝚊𝚝𝚎. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚗 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝.

✨𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨📚
🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️ (5/5)
🌶️🌶️ (2/5)

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚐𝚎𝚝:
•childhood neighbors
•football player/Librarian
•opposites attract
•spicy lessons
•sports romance
•small town
———•———•———•———
I was hooked from the start with the childhood neighbors connection. All to find out they weren’t exactly friendly, but that left us with the perfect slow burn.

When they reconnect years later Ruby is still the book nerd librarian with little to no experience with man, but wanting to get out there and get experience. Insert Griffin and his playboy persona who is up for the job.😮‍💨

The main thing I love about @karla is the depth of emotion she added to the story. When you think it’s just a frienemis to lovers with witty banter it turns out we see the vulnerability of each character.

Whether you go in blind, read all the reviews or are talked into reading it by a friend 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭! It’s great!!

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 Karla for allowing me the early reading opportunity!🩵

This was a fast read! Not one of my favorite from her, but I’m excited to read more in this series. I enjoyed the variation of experiences discussed within the book, with the FMC’s heart transplant and there was a good resolution to it all. I also appreciated the author sticking with not eventually making them reproduce. Happiness can look different for everyone.

Lessons in Heartbreak made me laugh, swoon, and cry—more than once. Karla Sorensen delivers yet another heartfelt, emotionally layered romance that had me completely hooked from start to finish.

Griffin King is everything I didn’t know I needed—a charming, cocky football player with surprising depth—and watching him reconnect with shy, rule-following librarian Juliet was pure magic. Their chemistry crackled from the very beginning (even through the hilarious escort mix-up), and the way their friendship slowly deepened into something more was so sweet and satisfying. This is the kind of story that celebrates quiet strength, vulnerability, and the beauty of taking a chance on the unexpected.

Seeing Liam again was such a fun surprise for longtime Karla fans, but this book easily stands on its own. If you love opposites-attract, small-town romance with banter, heart, and a touch of spice, Lessons in Heartbreak is a must-read.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Okay Karla I was unfamiliar with your game! This was so good, I felt so connected to Ruby and how she felt it really hit hard. The chemistry between her and Griffin was insaaaaane and I was giggling and kicking my feet that he was the only one she felt safe with. Their relationship felt so real and raw and Karla really beautifully captured navigating a relationship when you’ve never let anyone in before.

If Karla writes it, I'm going to read it. Lessons in Heartbreak is the first book in The Kings series, following Ruby Tate and Griffin King. Ruby is a quiet, shy, and introverted librarian who has never really felt confident around me. Griffin is her childhood neighbor, who is now a professional football player. After some PR issues, Griffin finds himself back in their small town of Welling Springs, Colorado. Ruby and Griffin run into each other by chance, and Ruby unknowingly mistakes him for the dating coach/escort she hired to teach her how to be more comfortable with intimacy. Still needing help, Griffin agrees to help her build confidence, but only if they agree not to fall in love.

This was such a fun, sweet, and emotional read. I loved Ruby and Griffin together. Ruby is super relatable. She is smart, a little anxious, and struggles with new experiences. I loved how, despite all of that, she was determined to push beyond her comfort zone and learn. Ruby was so easy to root for. Griffin has been added to my list of favorite book boyfriends. Underneath the typical playboy football player facade, he is thoughtful, sweet, patient, and all in with Ruby. Griffin made Ruby feel safe, and I loved every second of it. These two had amazing chemistry, and their banter had me laughing out loud. They both saw each other for who they really were. Ruby's story broke my heart, but watching Griffin approach everything with care warmed my heart. Lessons in Heartbreak has a sizzling, slow-burning romance, fun side characters, and a happy ending that will make you giddy. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

I LOVE Karla’s book and as soon as I saw that the FMC was a librarian it was cat nip for me!
I’m planning on re-reading it on audio as well!

When a blast from the past ends up changing your future. What a beautiful story of life, learning, and making big decisions that you realize have effects on the people around you.

I am loving this new series! The writing is fantastic and flowed so well, and I loved these two main characters! Ruby and Griffin were childhood neighbors, through rough and tumble Griffin was always playing around with his twin brother while Ruby watched from her treehouse. Life led them down different paths, though now they’re back in a small town again, where Griffin is laying low when feuding with his brother in the media. Ruby is shy and very formal, and she wants to experience dating without getting her heart broken. She hires an escort, but mistakenly thinks Griffen is who she hired. After the initial awkwardness, Griffin decides to coach Ruby, to feel more confident in herself. I honestly really like these two. They found comfort and camaraderie in each other, especially as they navigate how to be different people and being accepted by others. I like how they can be vulnerable with each other, but also supportive. Really enjoyed this one!