4.5 Stars
A new series from Karla Sorensen? Yes, please! Lessons in Heartbreak was a strong start to it. This contemporary sports romance mixed fun with emotional. It's what I've come to expect and love from Sorensen.

Griffin and Ruby were entertaining and adorable. I loved how they knew each other as kids and were now reconnecting in a memorable way. Ruby, a small-town librarian, was reserved (for reasons) but looking to step out of her comfort zone and live big. Griffin, a well-known NFL player, had lived fast and hard was trying to prove to the NFL and his new team he wasn't a hot mess. Their reconnecting found each of them learning something new from each other and falling in love along the way. I loved their ups and downs and how it made them stronger together in the end. It was such a sweet romance.

One of the great things about Sorensen's romances is the side characters. This time we got to meet a lot of them. Marcus was a true gem. Even if I already know his outcome in a way, I wouldn't mind getting that story. I also found Griffin's relationship with his twin brother and his kids interesting, and I would love more about them. I also loved Lauren, Ruby's best friend. It was also great to see some characters from The Best Men series since Griffin is joining their team.

Overall, this was a fun read and I'm really excited to read more books in this series.

This was a really enjoyable book. I was unsure what I felt about the main female character initially, but ended up getting very attached to both characters. I feel like I'm pretty good at guessing where books will go and this one genuinely surprised me.

Wow! Really loved this book, I was hooked by the first chapter. Loved the chemistry between griffin and ruby! Highly recommend reading

3.25 ⭐

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Montlake and the author for providing me with an arc copy in exchange for an honest review!

Lessons in heartbreak is the first book in Karla Sorensen's new series of interconnected standalones. It follows Ruby and Griffin, childhood neighbours, that meet again after not seeing each other since they were 15.

Ruby is a very anxious, very inexperienced librarian in the small town of Wellington Springs. Griffin, on the other hand, is a very handsome, very charismatic football player that needs to stay away from the spotlight after a pr scandal. The two meet each other casually and after some confusion they end up reconnecting, and also helping each other.

This was a very light read, but there still was an emotional element to it. Both characters had emotional moments and moments of growth. It was nice to see their relationship progress, and their romance bloom.

My issue with this is that the parts that were supposed to be emotional felt too cliché. I felt like I've read this type of storyline a thousand times. It was still enjoyable, but I wasn't crazy about it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake, for the eARC of Lessons in Heartbreak by Karla Sorensen.

Lessons in Heartbreak is another fantastic first book in an interconnected sports romance standalone series from Karla Sorensen. I absolutely loved Ruby and Griffin’s chemistry. Their banter was sharp and fun, and I’m always here for a dating coach trope.

The side characters were so well done, and you definitely get a glimpse at familiar faces from past series—as well as hints at what’s to come in future books. This story does touch on some deeper, emotional topics, and I’ll admit I was a little nervous about how it would all wrap up. But it’s a true romance, and it ends the way a romance should.

Sorensen’s writing style is very intentional and steady, which is something I really appreciate. I know what I’m getting with her books, and there’s something comforting in that consistency. She does a great job of fleshing out not just the main characters but the side characters too, and the world she creates is one you genuinely enjoy spending time in.

The spice was spicing, the banter was bantering, and I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series, and I’m even more excited to dive deeper into Karla Sorensen’s backlist. I’ve read quite a few already, but I’m ready to read them all!

I really enjoyed this book! Griffin and Ruby were lovable characters with complicated and compelling back stories. I particularly loved the Griffin’s growth throughout the story and his unwavering love and commitment to Ruby.

Griffin’s desire to be taken seriously and be loved as he is and not as everyone expects him to be paired with Ruby’s fears of love and hurting those around her really drew me into the story.

This book felt like a happily ever after “A Walk to Remember”.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc, my thoughts are purely my own.

Genre: Contemporary Romance. Old school crush. Duel perspective done well.

*A rare gem and so worth a try. *

Football player plus Dating coach meets sweet Square Librarian.

Reactions: Poignant. It captures life. Very Spicy yet so much more with that hand sweaty teenage angst. The author brings realistic characters that change for themselves and each other.

It brought back memories. 4.7/5 stars.

This is an honest review sponsored through NetGalley.

I’m so happy I found a new (to me) author to binge read! I loved this so much. Griffin & Ruby were childhood neighbors and now he’s a professional football player and she’s a librarian. His stay at his agents house in a small town brings them together again. They didn’t consider ever seeing each other after her family moved away. In fact Ruby didn’t particularly like him much as a kid. They meet again by accident at a coffee shop where there is some confusion about who he is. He is persistent in getting to know her again. He builds her confidence once she lets her guard down. She introduces him to books and movies he wouldn’t otherwise care to read/watch. It’s so sweet! I loved Griffin going shopping for her and I loved her picking out books for him. The character development is very well written. It’s just perfect and a really, really good romance novel ❤️ (also Ruby has a pit bull mix named Bruiser & he’s a terrible guard dog but an awesome listener 🥰 🐾)

Thank you to Netgalley & Montlake for the arc in exchange for my honest review

This is another hit by Karla- i love the tie in to the best men series!

This book suprised me with each character having a unique struggle and backstory that tied into a beautiful story together. Many times I giggled and also cried. This book will get you in the feels!

Griffin has grown up his whole life in a competition. He’s the younger twin and their whole lives they have been competing. But now that they are adults, it’s quite unhealthy. Griffin and his brother are night and day and Griffin gives everyone what they expect from him, a goof, a screwup. His brother will never see any different, so it seems. So after Griffin made some not so great remarks, his agent sent him on a vacation of sorts..away from the spotlight. He didn’t expect to run into an old acquaintance.

Ruby used to be neighbors to the King brothers. She would climb a tree and watch them play together when they were younger. She admired that they were good at everything. Her whole life has been planned, and predicted, and following a certain plan and she was sick of it. She wanted to live. Stepping outside of her box, she runs into her old neighbor Griffin. At first, she wants nothing to do with him but soon finds she feels comfortable around him. She also realizes very quickly, he’s not the guy everyone protrays him to be.

They come to an agreement, to spend time together while he’s in town, but what starts out as something fun turns into something much more meaningful.

This was a cute read. Some parts were really good, fun banter and chemistry, some parts read a bit long, but still entertaining over all. I wish the middle would have shortened a bit to allow for shorter jumps towards the end..some moments would have been fun to read about that were skipped. Thank you NetGalley, appreciate and enjoyed the book.

A very adorable read, I really enjoyed the story and I was able to get by it quickly. Ruby and Griffin are adorable! Thank you Netgalley for the arc.

A sweet, fun, funny and emotional journey to love via a dating coach, absolutely delightful! I love everything Karla Sorensen has written, and this book was no exception.

Ruby is a sweet innocent hard-working small-town librarian who is struggling, because at 30 she is still uncomfortable around guys, she follows the advice of her friend and hires an escort to teach her the ways of dating, to make her more comfortable around men. Griffin, is on timeout, he’s basically a PR nightmare for the NFL, so his agent sent him to a small town in Colorado to cool off and let the press blow over from his last snafu with his twin brother. It just so happens that Ruby and Griffin grew up next door to each other, they couldn’t be more opposite, and naturally she mistook him for the escort she hired.

After agreeing to help Ruby, she makes him agree to the condition that he will not fall in love with her (I was feeling the A Walk To Remember vibes strong with this one) the two begin to spend all their free time together. He helps her gain confidence; she helps him embrace his inner love for period romance and all things Jane Austin. And naturally feelings arise. BUT Ruby had her reasons for not wanting him to fall in love with her, she said marriage and kids were not for her. When Griffin finds out why will he treat her like all the other men have and run? Will she be able to get over her fears and actually have a relationship?

I devoured this book, such a sweet story with really fun characters you can’t help but love. Even the side characters with so much fun, I just loved Lauren and Marcus they brought so much laughter and lightheartedness to the story 😊 I am excited for next book because I can’t wait to see more from the King brothers, and see if they can repair their relationship.

When this book was first announced on Karla’s instagram it went straight onto my tbr. The tropes are some of my favourites and it did not disappoint. Childhood friends, relationship lessons and the cocky football player with the quiet librarian. I ate it up. Such an easy read, no great miscommunication dramas. Griffin starts off as the arrogant football player but it’s soon apparent he’s nothing like that. Hopefully we get Barrett’s book next!

I absolutely loved this story of Ruby, an introverted librarian who desperately wants to be more confident with men and her childhood neighbor Griffin, a football star who she hasn't seen in years. This story had a definite underlying emotional element due to a health issue but it was such a good, quick romance and exactly what I needed right now. Can't wait to see more in this series! Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC.

Lessons in Heartbreak es una historia de amor inesperado que une a dos personajes opuestos: un famoso jugador de fútbol con un pasado lleno de rebeldía y una tímida bibliotecaria con miedo a la intimidad. Cuando Ruby contrata a un gigolo y por error lo confunde con Griffin, lo que debía ser una solución para sus inseguridades se transforma en el inicio de una relación complicada, pero inolvidable. La novela combina momentos cómicos y situaciones inesperadas con un trasfondo emocional profundo, explorando cómo ambos aprenden a superar sus miedos y a abrazar lo impredecible del amor.


Es una lectura ligera, rápida de leer, con comedia, con amigos convertidos en familia y final feliz garantizado.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

Okay, this was adorable, emotional, and surprisingly deep in all the best ways. In Lessons in Heartbreak, we’ve got Ruby, the introverted, bookish librarian, and Griffin King, a grumpy pro football player laying low after a PR nightmare. They were childhood neighbors, sure, but Griffin annoyed Ruby way too much back then for her to pay him any real attention… especially when his twin was the one she had a crush on. They haven’t thought about each other in years… until Ruby mistakes Griffin for the escort she hired to help her feel more comfortable around men. Oops.

The setup is chaotic, the banter is top-tier, and the chemistry between Ruby and Griffin? Immediate. But what really hooked me was the emotional depth, especially Ruby’s backstory, she’s a heart transplant survivor, and she carries the weight of that every day. Her reluctance to fall for Griffin isn’t just fear of heartbreak, it’s fear of hurting him if her health ever fails again. And that vulnerability? Beautifully written.

Griffin is everything you want in a hero, charming, low-key soft, and totally smitten once he starts falling. And Ruby? She’s a little awkward, fiercely independent, and quietly brave in a way that sneaks up on you. Their connection felt earned, not childhood crushes reigniting, but two people rediscovering each other as adults and realizing, “oh no… it’s you.”

Sure, some moments were a bit predictable, but the emotional payoff and character growth more than made up for it. If you’re into:

✨ Childhood neighbors-to-lovers
✨ Mistaken identity chaos
✨ Gentle, slow-burn romance with big emotional heart
✨ A heroine who is secretly the strongest person in the room

Then Lessons in Heartbreak is going to steal your heart a little bit. Soft, sweet, and sneakily swoony.

Wow! This is the perfect palate cleanser but an emotional element to it. I really liked this and read it in less than a day. I thought the characters were extremely relatable. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Review has been posted to Goodreads!

i had to read this as soon as it dropped on netgalley because 1) dating coach is my kryptonite and such a rare plot 2). its karla sorenson duh. this was EVERYTHING. it has the classic angsty heartfelt tone that karla is so good at it and i nearly cried so many times. I related SO much to ruby and her struggle with having new experiences. griffin was such a dream. a true and loving and dedicated man. they both loved each other wholeheartedly. the extended epilogue warmed my heart and gave me everything I needed. probably my new favorite book of hers to date. i hope everyone reads this when it releases. thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC! (less)

I absolutely could not put this down! Finished it in a day and loved every second of it.
Each character is written in such a way that you almost feel as though you know them, and you begin to learn everything about them throughout the story. The plot was easy to follow, the romance was sweet and spicy, what more could you want from a sports romance book? 5 stars, all day long!