Reviewed by True
TITLE: Learned Reactions
SERIES: Higher Education book 2
AUTHOR: Jayce Ellis
PUBLISHER: Carina Press
RELEASE DATE: March 9, 2021
LENGTH: 242 pages
BLURB:
“The friends-to-lovers trope feels fresh in Ellis’s hands, in part because it’s underpinned by a lovingly drawn depiction of Black family dynamics.” —Publishers Weekly
Carlton Monroe is finally getting his groove back. After a year playing dad to his nephew and sending him safely off to college, it’s back to his bachelor ways. But when his teenaged niece shows up on his doorstep looking for a permanent home, his plan comes to a screeching halt. Family is everything, and in the eyes of social services, a couple makes a better adoptive family than an overworked bachelor father. A fake relationship with his closest friend is the best way to keep his family together.
If things between him and Deion are complicated, well, it only needs to last until the end of the semester.
Living with Carlton is a heartbreak waiting to happen, and once the adoption goes through, Deion’s out. He’s waited two decades for Carlton to realize they’re meant for each other, and he’s done. It’s time to make a clean break. But it’s hard to think of moving away when keeping up the act includes some very real perks like kissing, cuddling and sharing a bed.
Even the best charades must come to an end, though. As the holidays and Deion’s departure date loom, the two men must decide whether playing house is enough for them—or if there’s any chance they could be a family for real.
REVIEW:
Carlton and Deion are best friends for over twenty years. Deion has a sabbatical year and will stay at Carlton for ten days. Deion will tell Carlton he will immigrate to London. He can’t stay around, he has to go somewhere else to find a relationship and start a family of his own. His love for Carlton is unanswered!
Carlton acts jealous when Deion flirts with one of Carlton’s friends. It’s a bit vague.
Then, Carlton’s fourteen-year-old niece Olivia knocks on the door and asks if she can stay.
An adoption procedure starts and the lady who will evaluate thinks Carlton and Deion are a couple and is delighted, it will certainly help their case. Carlton doesn’t deny it. It brings them into a precarious situation. Deion will stay a bit longer to help them out to make it look convincing. Only, Deion’s heart isn’t resistant.
This was a lovely narrative, with an attractive storyline. There were, for me, some ugh moments.
While the author made a lovely story, with a strong family dynamic, a good choice with words and well fluid sentences that made it comfortable to read, I also had a constant irritation while reading. Because some matters didn’t click in my mind. It almost made me stop reading.
First: the twenty years friendship with unanswered love wasn’t convincing, jeez twenty years. We didn’t get a blink what happened at that time, except that they were best friends and lived quite far away from each other. We know they had one affair, one! twenty years ago!
Second: the story was dragging, I got impatient. When Carlton and Deion talked about their connection it got all vague, extremely vague to interpret. So there was always space for doubts, not knowing what the other meant, etc. Even when one said “I love you, always have”, I mean how clear can you be? They didn’t talk, they promise they would but they didn’t. Ugh.
Third: I didn’t feel Carlton always, I really tried, but his reflections were vague. I did feel Deion though, he was mellow, kind and dedicated.
Halfway I needed to, figuratively, smack some people in the face, sorry.
So, there were several ‘ugh’ moments I had about this story. But there were more plus moments! I did like the whole concept and kept on reading because it was intriguing and entertaining. I loved the way Carlton took care of his nephew and niece, his unconditional love for them. Olivia and Trey are sweet and lovable. The adoption process was well done.
I prefer a bubble with mc’s and not too much distraction, I found it here, thank you very much!
I did get the fact they were best friends in the first place.
The author wrote this story widely and with a slow pace. Thank goodness the last part of this story was also widely developed. We can witness some beautiful moments.
Overall an entertainingly written narrative with ugh and ahh moments and a fulfilling end.
RATING: 
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