Hilarious chaos & heartfelt growth!

From the moment these childhood neighbors reconnect, thanks to a perfectly chaotic misunderstanding, I knew I was in for a wild and wonderful ride.

✨ Forced Proximity
💘 He Falls First
🏈 Sports Romance

I devoured Lessons in Heartbreak on my Kindle in one sitting and immediately started the audiobook this morning when it was available (which I'm listening to as I write this.) Ruby and Griffin aren't your typical shy librarian and pro athlete. They challenge each other, grow together, and light up every page. Their emotional journey was worth every year, but often left a smile on my face.

This book easily lands in my top 5 reads of 2025 so far. Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow's narration adds even more depth, and I already know this will be one of those audiobooks I revisit often.

Special shout-out to Ruby's BFF Lauren and Griffin's ride-or-die Marcus, they're the kind of hilariously loyal side characters that make you wish they were your real-life friends. A brilliant, promising start to a new series, and I can't wait for more!

4.25 stars

Oh man I loved this book! I’m always a fan of a good opposites attract dynamic and this one hit just right!

Ruby and Griffin know each other from childhood and the way they run into one another in adult is gold!
Griffin is playful and funny, but also so so sweet and Ruby deserves all of that in her life!
It’s a slow burn that’s for sure, but damn if that build up isn’t amazing and worth the wait because 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

There’s so many parts that just made my heart so happy! All the movie references? Gah! Anddd He reads books she recommends! Swoon! There’s moments that made me tear up and others I was laughing and things I didn’t see coming. The whole story was just so good and hard to stop reading!

Why did I decide to start this book right before bed?

This was definitely a “just one more chapter” kind of read. Karla really does it for me—I’m a huge fan of her books, and this one is no exception.

Ruby Tate was a good girl. Head down, following the rules, exceeding expectations… but was that really living? She was missing something—or maybe just missing the experience. Not selfish enough to want to keep it, but curious enough to want a taste. Which is exactly how she ends up in one of the most embarrassing situations ever: mistaking her walking Adonis of a childhood neighbor for the escort she hired. Oops. Did I mention he’s now a pro football player, only in town for a few weeks? That he seems to want to spend time with her? That he might be willing to help her with her little…experiment?

This could actually work.
As long as they don’t fall for each other.
…Ridiculous, right?!

Okay, let's start with the obvious: the Pride and Prejudice scene(s) had my heart hurting with bliss.

This book is pure comfort—the kind you think about long after you turn the last page. Every single moment between Ruby and Griffin was romance gold. They’re both so vulnerable, and watching them slowly gain confidence—start to believe they could have more, be more, see themselves through each other’s eyes—was everything. Watching them realize they deserve that kind of love? Perfection.
Who wouldn’t want a love like theirs?

3 stars

Ruby wants to improve her confidence to start dating after a difficult time and Griffin, an ex-neibourgh and current NFL player appears at the wrong-right time.

Karla Sorensen is a must read for me as she usually speaks directly to my heart. This time I didn't feel that strong attachment to the characters that is so common when I read her books.

I just liked the book. It has all the ingredients needed to be a wonderful read and as usual, it is really well written.

I loved hearing Liam again from The Best of All, he's such a great guy.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐀 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐍 - 𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊
🎉𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖

Well, I've absolutely learned a thing or two about a book breaking my heart in the best of ways. Lucky me, it also mended the broken pieces.
Karla is one of my dearest and most loved authors. So much so I'm constantly stalking her socials for new book updates. As her reader I'm extremely lucky with her yearly output and ever growing catalog, each and every new story lulls me into a trance and makes me forget about the world.
So, I guess I had high expectations. Good thing they were met. I don't know if my review will be profound enough to describe this gem, so the short recommendation is this: I think you need to read Ruby and Griffin's story.
Here's why:
Ruby Tate has had enough. She's done with wishful dreams, with being afraid and being lonely in her own comfortable little world. After some serious past hurdles she's ready to tackle all the romance stuff. Purely physically, no emotions involved. What better way to do so than hiring an escort for help?
Griffin King has changed - but not according to his latest PR drama involving his brother. He feels restless being stuck with the role of a charming bad boy and nothing helps him untangle the mess he calls life. Being stranded in a quaint town with his childhood neighbor offers an opportunity he can't ignore, even if he is mistaken for a hooker.
Ruby is vary of the annoying man, but recognizes the opportunity to conduct her experiment with an expiration date. Griffin's easygoing, understanding nature is alluring, his body is captivating and his heart is golden. After awkward explanations and some hard truths are shared the pair take on Romance Lessons 101.
Too bad Griffin is overbearingly protective and more than possessive, right? He understands Ruby on an elemental level, offers no judgment, looks ridiculously hot and her dog is in love with him.
But past hurdles were scathing for a reason. As the pair navigate the syllabus, flirting becomes second nature, touching and holding hands are precious little moments and the entire Jane Austen catalog is the centerpiece of guys' night. Griffin finds a way to antagonize Ruby just enough to disarm her highest armor. But the romance course isn't supposed to end with falling in love. After all, the arrangement was not actually set up for that.
Ruby's past, behavior patterns and fears provided a lot of reflection for me. She was portrayed as timid, demure and someone who blends into the background, but as the storyline unfolded I realized how brave, strong and fearless she actually was. Griffin used humor, good looks and his people reading skills to hone and perfect the careless football god image, but inside he was the biggest puppy with an attentive heart. He was judgement free, handled Ruby with care and showed complexity in situations I thought he'd be one-dimensional.
The relationship from the first 'we meet again' was based on witty dialogue and banter. The layers of the characters were peeled back in the perfect pace, just enough to keep me on my toes and guessing different plotlines.
I can't say it better: this was a precious love story about two lost souls who found a connection, sparks flew and I... I just couldn't put this one down. It's a sweet but in some ways heartbreaking love story about not giving up on another and second chances at life.

I love a good small town librarian romance but when you throw in a pro football player, sex lessons and disability rep (she has a heart transplant) - I go absolutely bonkers. This was also EXCELLENT on audio narrated by two favs, Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Ilsa Madden-Mills. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book gives The Matchmaker Playbook vibes when Ruby Fate needs help and ends up reconnecting with her childhood neighbor.

When the Pro Football player returns will the shy librarian find a way to come out of her shell? In a he falls first in this story that has a few lessons in love. Will the shy librarian find love when childhood neighbors reconnect as adults in this strangers to lovers story?

A case of mistaken identity, lots of banter, chemistry, and two people who will overcome their past to discover what it means to truly love someone in this slow burn small town romance with a bit of spice.

I look forward to reading more from Karla and am thankful to have discovered another new author.

I knew this was going to be “one of those books” from page one. One of those books that I am going to love both characters. One of those books that will have me up way too late reading. One of those books that will make me laugh, smile and swoon. One of those books that I won’t want to finish because I won’t want it to be over. One of those books that will leave me wanting the side characters to get their own book. And I was exactly right about all of it! Love love love Ruby and Griffin!

Karla Sorensen’s Lessons in Heartbreak is a charming, emotional opposites-attract romance where a shy librarian and a reformed playboy teach each other what love really looks like—and it’s a whole lot softer and sweeter than expected. This book had everything. A hilarious case of mistaken identity, awkward childhood history (she was the quiet girl in the tree, he was the loud neighbor who teased her), and the slowest of slow burns that felt earned. Ruby is a sweet, anxious librarian who decides it’s finally time to learn how to “date”—so she hires an escort. Logical, right? Until Griffin, now a pro football player, shows up at the coffee shop... and she mistakes him for her date. Oops.

From there, it’s one delightful mess after another—except under all the banter and awkward tension is a deeply emotional story about healing, trust, and showing up as your full self. Ruby’s anxiety and vulnerability are written with such care, and Griffin? Total softie in disguise. His playful front hides some major emotional baggage, including a complicated rift with his twin brother. Watching him slowly unravel and step into something real with Ruby was incredibly satisfying.

These two don’t just fall into insta-love—they build something. Hand-holding, gentle moments, quiet support… it’s all in the little things. And when those deeper emotional plot threads hit? They hit. You’ll be swooning one chapter and sniffling, or sobbing, the next.

Ruby and Griffin’s best friends—Lauren and Marcus—add so much heart and comic relief, and the epilogues wrap things up in the most satisfying way. Also, if Barrett (the twin) does get a book, I’m first in line.

Verdict: This might be Karla’s most emotional story yet, and it’s one of her best. Thoughtful, sweet, and surprisingly steamy—Lessons in Heartbreak absolutely delivers.

Thank you @karla_sorensen, @amazonbooks, @amazonpublishing and @good.girls.pr for the #gifted book and ebook ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

If Karla Sorensen writes it, you better believe I'm going to read it & you better believe I'm going to love it. She has done it again with Lessons in Heartbreak. Griffin & Ruby's story had be hooked from page one. I swear I sometimes feel like she is purposely trying to make me cry every single time I read one of her books. Karla just writes top tier emotional roller coasters, apparently. ;) I wouldn't want it any other way though.

The love that you see grow between these two characters on these pages is so pure & beautiful. I found myself rooting for them immediately, but also wanting to yell at them to just tell each other how they felt a few times.

This book had so many of the tropes I'm currently loving: small-town (duh, you know I am forever in my small-town era!), good girl x bad boy (though, he's really such a sweet MMC IMO), spicy lessons, opposites attract (she's a super shy librarian and he's a playboy football player)....

It was also really fun to see an old friend from a previous book pop up in here. ;)

I highly recommend this book!

What a brilliant book this was. This book is an opposites attract, old neighbours and "friends" to lovers' story. Although the book has lots of laughs, it has an underlying sadness to it. And secrets that are hard to tell and reveal.

Why someone isn't living their life to the fullest is a huge part of this book, but it isn't my to speak of. Ruby is a librarian, and Griffin is an NFL star. They meet by chance and it's full of embarrassment but is so funny.

I really feel this journey is one that is full of ups and downs and a journey you need to go into and read for yourself. I laughed hard and cried just as hard.

This book is a huge recommendation from me. What a brilliant start to this series.

An emotional small town romance with great characters and lots of charm. I really enjoyed Ruby and Griffin’s story. Ruby is a shy librarian who wants to learn how to date and feel more confident. Griffin is her childhood neighbor and now a famous football player. Their reunion is unexpected and leads to some funny and touching moments.
I liked how their relationship grew slowly. The way they helped each other open up and heal felt real and natural. Ruby was easy to relate to with her anxiety and fears, and Griffin was caring and protective behind his playful side. Their chemistry was strong, and I loved the fun banter between them.
This book has a great mix of humor, heart, and romance. I laughed, smiled, and even teared up a little. It is a lovely story about second chances, love, and finding the courage to be yourself.

The audiobook narration was excellent. Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow brought the characters to life with warmth, emotion, and charm.

Very grateful to the publisher @amazonpublushing and @briliance for my copies through NetGalley, opinions are my own

Karla delivered a tender, slow burn romance full of angst, witty banter, and great character growth. Lessons in Heartbreak was everything I could've hoped for and more. This story follows former childhood neighbors, Ruby Tate, a librarian, and Griffin King, a football player hiding out from a recent PR faux pas.

I LOVED Ruby and Griffin so much! It was wonderful to see their relationship blossom organically, and I ate up all the angst as they peeled each others' layers and faced their fears. Ruby was a loveable and relatable character who embodied the black cat vibes. She was the perfect grumpy to Griffin's sunshine. And Griffin? GAAAHHH! Playboy for sure, but he was so much more. He was patient, funny, and so loving, going above and beyond for others. I loved how Ruby and Griffin brought out the best in each other and formed a deep emotional connection.

Lessons in Heartbreak was heartwarming, witty, and had just the right amount of spice for the slow burn. I loved the vulnerability of the characters, bringing equal amounts of tearful and laugh out loud moments.

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