Griffin and Ruby knew each other as kids, but a whole lot of life has happened since Ruby moved away at 15. They are not the same people any more, but they find some comfort in spending time with someone who knew them before. They need each other to help get to the next stage in their lives. This story is full of humor and silliness but also big emotions and fears. (I was afraid that Ruby's backstory involved violence. It does not, in case anyone else wants to know.) I really loved these characters, and I had a hard time putting the book down.

4 1/2 stars because it had a slow start for me. And the beginning, I thought, ugh, not my kind of story, but I pressed on because I've enjoyed every other book of hers before. I'm glad I kept an open mind, because once Ruby's history was revealed, it got much more interesting for me. I also loved seeing their friends Marcus and Lauren (and wouldn't hate a novella about them), and the family dynamic each of them had. The bonus epiloge almost got me to shed a tear or two, it was so sweet and beautiful. I can't wait for more in the series now.

“People get used to seeing you in a certain light. Even if you change, their perception stays the same.”

Lessons in Heartbreak is an exquisitely poignant tale that resonated deeply with me. Ruby and Griffin are utterly captivating, their relationship brimming with warmth and authenticity. They didn’t just bring out the best in each other—they inspired genuine growth, making every page turn a thrill. I found myself completely immersed in their journey.

“I see you, Griffin. Not what people say about you or what you used to be. I see you, and I have never respected anyone in my life more.”

Both characters grappled with the weight of external perceptions, shaping their own actions and fears. Though Griffin began as Ruby’s teacher, she ultimately became a guiding light for him as well, teaching him how to truly open his heart. As they peeled back the layers of their past, they discovered the goodness within each other, forging a bond that empowered them to heal, evolve, and become the individuals they had long aspired to be.

“She pushed me past my fears—allowing me to be more myself than I had my entire life—and I helped her do the same with hers.”

Their flirty banter, smoldering tension, and unspoken longing were absolutely magnetic. Yet, it was their honesty and communication that made their love story unforgettable. Witnessing their emotional evolution—facing fears and embracing vulnerability—was an extraordinary experience. Lessons in Heartbreak is a deeply moving read that had me feeling every emotion, and by the final page, I wasn’t ready to let go. I can only hope this isn’t the last we see of these wonderful characters.

This was a fun read! Ruby’s got some major control issues that stem from childhood, and they’ve made it really hard for her to let people in—especially when it comes to dating. To build confidence and ease back into the dating world, she hires a male escort to help her get more comfortable.

But things take a funny turn when she mistakes him for her old childhood neighbor, Griffin—the guy who used to tease her all the time when they were kids. Griffin, now a pro football player, is laying low at his agent’s house and decides to go along with the mix-up. What starts as a way to kill boredom turns into something deeper as he helps Ruby come out of her shell—and feelings start to grow between them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I always enjoy reading this authors books. They’re fun and flirty and full of heart with a dash of heat. Typically they are low on the spice end, but the spicy scenes are always high on emotional connections which make them extra special. This felt like a classic romance with the bad boy/good girl element, and it had a softness that drew a tear or two from me. I liked Ruby’s backstory a lot- her character was so icy but once you were clued in to the “why” you couldn’t help but adore her. Griffin was the classic player who is stunned to fall in love when he least expected it. Loved all the brother and niece/nephew drama which seems to set up for another book. Kara Sorensen always incorporates fantastic family connections in her books and this one was no different.

Thank you to Karla Sorensen and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book for review.

Book 1 in the Kings Series

This was a heart achingly sweet journey. One of longing to be different, to be seen as so much more than you are. To break free of the restraints that you've tightly put in place around you and ultimately, finding the strength and confidence to live life to the fullest without living in fear of the unknown.

Griffin & Ruby will absolutely break your heart as they find their way to forever, but the ride is so worth the reward. Full of fun, somewhat embarrassingly witty, sarcastic banter and fierce yet oh, so sweet chemistry, these two will have you rooting for them from the very start.

Griffin King, All-Pro Defensive End, finds himself at a crossroads in life. Put in a "timeout" by his agent until they figure out their next move, he finds himself in the small town of Welling Springs, Colorado and face to face with a pleasant surprise from his past. This hot as sin, incredibly charming, devilishly sweet, easygoing man is about to have his world turned completely upside down by one pint sized package.

Ruby Tate is an endearingly shy, somewhat introverted town Librarian. Innocently sweet, yet slightly sassy, she's funny, smart and beautiful. The problem? Her confidence has taken quite a few hits over the years. Looking to make a change in her life, she does something she would normally NEVER do... She hires an escort/dating coach to help regain her shaken confidence and break her out of her intimacy shell when it comes to men. What could possibly go wrong with this plan? Well, everything...

Immediately recognizing him, but mistaking him for the escort that she hired, Ruby is mortified to discover he's not actually who she was expecting at all. And just as she's trying to regain some semblance of control in her downward spiral, Griffin is determined to prove that he's the perfect person to add a little chaos to her otherwise orderly life. A tough sell, all he needs to do is convince her he's the right man for the job at hand... After all, isn't that what friends are for?

Fighting the attraction from the very start, Ruby quickly realizes that he might just be the perfect solution, if they follow the strict rules she has in place. But as they spend more time together and get to know each other on a deeper level, one that not everyone truly gets to see, will they both abide by the number one rule? Don't fall in love...

Let the fun & games begin!!!

With a few beloved guest stars popping by, this slower burn will have you flying through the pages from start to finish! What a great start to an all new series. Ughhh.... I absolutely adore these two!

Lessons in Heartbreak by Karla Sorenson
-The Kings, Book 1-

4/5
2.5/3🌶️ (4-5 scenes)
3/3🦋

•My Thoughts•
Karla is a queen at taking tropes and plot lines that I don’t like and making me enjoy them. I don’t enjoy “spicy lessons” but I definitely ended up enjoying this book. Both of our characters had stereotypes that made them feel confined and boxed in and I loved how they learned that they were so much more than their reputations. This was suprisingly emotional with some moments that packed a big punch and had me tearing up. I really enjoyed their banter and Griffin’s friend and the team dynamics added some welcome levity…especially The Jane Austen moments! So good. The premise of the story definitely lended itself to a “lusty” or physical-forward vibe BUT as the book progresses their emotional connection deepened and I really loved their growth. Excited for this new series and the King brothers!

Thank you to Karla Sorenson for the early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a wild, emotional ride this was! Karla Sorenson hit me right in the damn feels!
This story was so much more than a romance it was about living fully, loving deeply, and never taking a single moment for granted.
Ruby and Griffin? Funny, swoony, and sizzling with sexual tension. I loved how they grew with each other both emotionally and in the best slow burn, banter filled ways.

And let’s talk about the audio… Aiden Snow and Samantha Brentmoor absolutely nailed it! It’s been a hot minute since Aiden graced my ear drums and boy did I miss him. Their chemistry? Amazing!

I really enjoyed this one. The characters were easy to love. Both needed to make some changes in their lives and I can say there was some real character growth in here by the end. There was some family drama on Griffin's side. I do wish there was more closure on that one, but I think we may get that in future books. I thought the pace was perfect and the storyline kept me entertained. It was a very well done small town sports romance and I would recommend.

I love this author and so excited to be able to review her! This one did not disappoint just like all her others. I love how she added in medical issues along with everything else. I can understand Ruby had issues and I would probably feel like same. I just loved Griffin finally saw that. I loved the side characters, they made the story! I can’t wait to read more from this author as she never disappoint.

I received an advance reader's copy of Lessons in Heartbreak by Karla Sorensen from Montlake via NetGalley and Good Girls PR in exchange for an honest review. Here it is:

Lessons in Heartbreak tells the story of Griffin, a professional football player benched by his agent after stirring up a little too much trouble. While lying low at his agent's house, he crosses paths with Ruby, the local librarian—and someone he happens to know from the past. After an embarrassing misunderstanding, Griffin decides to make the most of his downtime by helping Ruby with a unique request.

This is a friends-to-lovers/fake dating romance that will have you rooting for the main characters from the very beginning. The banter is sharp, the slow burn is completely worth it, and there’s never a dull moment. I loved every second of this story and can't wait for Book 2 in the King series to dive back into this world and see more of these characters.

Karla always delivers! And her third release with Montlake is no exception.

Ruby Tate is a discontent librarian who hasn’t lived the life she wants. With a nudge from her best friend in a grippingly funny opening scene, she decides to learn how to date. Griffin King, a flirty professional football player, is on a forced time-out, banished to his agent’s house in a small town. He and Ruby were childhood next door neighbors and hadn’t seen each other in 15 years….until now. When Ruby asks Griffin to help her, a favor slowly turns into more.

What follows is Karla’s funniest (and maybe boldest in terms of spice) book to date. The banter is amazing, and the very likable side characters enrich the story with humor and heart. I adored Griffin’s relationship with his niblings. It softened him to make him even more appealing as a book boyfriend. And Ruby was a more-than-relatable protagonist in the best ways. Their personal growth was inspiring and they embodied what it means to bring out the best in your partner. Their sizzling chemistry and playful dynamic didn’t hurt, either 😉

One of the things I love most about Karla’s books is how every single main character has their own voice, which is echoed across her oeuvre. If you handed me one of Griffin’s chapters and one of Liam’s from “The Best of All” without names, I’d still know exactly who was who.

Karla’s mastery of character voice, her ability to dig into each character’s psyche and backgrounds while allowing their organic development to drive the plot, combined with her poetic, emotional prose and vibrant vocabulary, set her apart from her peers. It’s this depth and attention to detail that make her books indelible.

The main piece missing for me was the twin relationship. As someone who’s had a front row seat to feuding identical twin brothers (my dad and uncle), I wanted to see the uniqueness of that bond, its tension in strife and how their opposing personalities affected their identities as both a twin unit and as individuals. Aside from their identical appearance, their relationship lacked the deeper twin-specific dynamics I was hoping for, with Griffin and Barrett coming across as a “typical” younger and older brother duo instead. I’m looking forward to reading if/how this is explored in Barrett’s book. (That being said, unless you’ve spent a lot of time around identical twins, you probably wouldn’t notice.)

If you’re looking for a beautifully written, slow-ish burn, opposites attract football romance, find “Lessons in Heartbreak” on Kindle Unlimited on May 20!

Tropes:
💙 Banter
📚 Childhood neighbors
💙 Cinnamon roll MMC
📚 Dating lessons
💙 Friends to lovers
📚 Sports romance (football)
💙 Opposites attract

Thank you so much for the ARC, Karla! I read it twice.

😭 Lessons in Heartbreak hits in ALLLL the best ways. Easiest 5 stars.

Thank you so much to Montlake for the eARC of Lessons in Heartbreak by Karla Sorensen via NetGalley! These are my honest thoughts!

I'm convinced Karla could write a grocery list and it would somehow make me emotional, but this story just felt like... more.

Ruby is a small-town librarian who spent her childhood being an overachiever, and then when something traumatic happens with her health, she becomes sheltered and smothered. She's turning 30 and is having a hard time connecting with someone... intimately. Her friend encourages her to hire someone to give her lessons, but the person who shows up is not who she expected.

Griffin King was Ruby's childhood neighbor when they lived in Michigan. She used to sit perched on a tree branch watching the King twins challenge each other in athletic endeavors. Both King brothers noticed her, but then she moved away with her family. The boys went on to be professional athletes, but Ruby kept her head down, worked hard in school, got her master's, and lives a quiet life.

Griffin, on the other hand, has lived out loud. He's a playboy. He's a big deal. He's a professional football player and his rival, aka his brother, coaches a team in his division. It comes time for him to start fresh, landing on Colorado's professional team, and he ends up banished to his agent's vacation home in a small town in Colorado to let his latest PR snaffu settle down. That small town? It's Ruby's hometown.

When Griffin and Ruby ~bump~ into each other, both of their world's turn to a new axis. When Griffin corners Ruby and insists she tell him what she's up to, she admits she wants some... lessons. And when Ruby realizes she's comfortable with Griffin, she convinces him to be her teacher.

And then? AND THEN... these two spend quiet time together. They watch JANE AUSTEN movies. They hold hands. He helps her to feel confident in clothing (that he buys, thinking of her, which makes her feel sexy). THEY KISS. They... ahm, learn things. And all along the way, you can just tell, there is heartbreak coming. There's been heartbreak. There's all this love and joy and learning about growing comfortable together, but Griffin's time in Ruby's orbit is going to end... and it's going to hurt.

READ IF YOU LOVE:
- literally anything else by Karla Sorensen
- Professional athlete x small town librarian
- LESSONS (of the sweet + the sexy variety)
- Small Town
- Friend groups that feel like family
- Karla Easter Eggs
- Soulmates
- Jane Austen movies
- Disability rep
- Therapy dogs
- Libraries :)

This one is out May 20th, and gets a glowing 5 star review for me. I intentionally left out major parts of this story so you could enjoy it for yourself :)

Lessons In Heartbreak was a phenomenal story that had me kicking my feet in delight, gasping in surprise, and falling hard for the characters. Bravo!

I love that these two reconnected in a super unusual way. I wouldn't say they knew each other well when they were young, so watching them get to know one another as adults was amazing. Their journey to their HEA was funny and sweet, but definitely had some difficulties.

Griffin is known for being the fun, impulsive, take nothing seriously one. When you get to know the real him, you can't help but fall in love. Underneath it all, he just wants to be respected and taken seriously. He has an amazing heart and is so kind. I mean, he definitely is more of a care free soul, but he's so much more as well. My heart broke for him and his twin brother. I hope his twin, Barrett, gets a book next so we can get their full story.

Ruby is known for being the quiet, responsible one. She too wants to break out of that shell. I love how, with Griffin, she starts to feel confident to go after what she wants. This woman is so strong and sweet and just all around amazing. There is one part to her story that shocked me! I won't give it away but I will say that I loved how it was portrayed. I know that's vague but you just need to read it!

Watching these two grow and change was everything! They really make each other better and stronger and braver. Their story shows what true love really is. I loved everything about this book! Obviously the main characters are phenomenal, but the secondary characters were also fantastic and added so much to this story.

ARC review.

I loved this story. I thought the description of the “birthday present “in the first chapter was a bit much.🙄

oh man I love a Karla Sorensen MMC, and GRIFFIN THE MAN THAT YOU ARE. This is an excellent contemporary romance and hit so many high notes (and has an adorable dog).

- hes the player / shes the shy librarian
- you're my person
- CHEMISTRY and BANTER (my word)
- a love letter to the genre

Karla's football men are just BUILT different. And Griffin is another 10/10 Sorensen man, wheeeewww.

Karla Sorensen writes beautiful love stories. Lessons in Heartbreak is about a couple who recognize the best in each other and support each other without having to say anything. They are interesting characters, with layers that are gradually revealed. The secondary characters bring a fun lightness, making the reading more enjoyable. I can't wait for the next one!

I love these easy we knew each other as kids romances. Nothing too crazy with hints of Untamed heart, except no devastation.

4.5 Stars Rounded Up

Karla always knows how to bring the emotion, even with a cocky football player and this one was no different. I just adored Ruby and Griffin from the second they met up again and there was a bit of mistaken identity.

I felt for Ruby and everything she was going through, but loved her growth and acceptance throughout this book.

It was such a great feel good story.

Lessons in Heartbreak is book 1 in The Kings series and feature Griffin King and Ruby Tate. This story surprised me in the best way possible. Karla always manages to surpass my expectations for a story. Griffin is one half of the King twins and is the carefree, football player who is staying at his agents house when encounters his childhood neighbor Ruby in town. Ruby is the town librarian who has always been the good girl who lives vicariously through her books. She doesn't let many people get too close to her due to some trauma in her past.

Tired of feeling clumsy and inexperienced around men, her best friend convinces her to hire an escort for some lessons. What she did not expect was to be greeted by her childhood neighbor, now a super hot football star Griffin King. What starts out as "lessons" turns into so much more. There is so much depth to these characters that I found myself devouring the story and unable to put the book down. In true Karla fashion she brought me to tears with the journey these two went on.

I absolutely loved how patient and caring Griffin was with Ruby. She shook him to his core and when he finally realized it, there was no going back. I loved watching Ruby open up and move past her fears. The side characters were just as amazing and I can't wait to see more from them as well.