Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Sol

SERIES:  Learning to Love #2

AUTHOR:  Con Riley

PUBLISHER:  Figment Ink

LENGTH:  324 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 14, 2021

BLURB:

Solomon Trebeck’s heart broke the night of his bi-awakening.

Fifteen years later, Sol’s back in Cornwall where it happened, single, shy, and oh-so lonely. Teaching art to kids wasn’t his life plan. Neither is raising a teenage nephew, but with no family left to support him, a live-in job at a boarding school becomes his life raft.

Problem: that life raft is sinking.

Solution: Sol’s first love could have the cash to keep it afloat.

Reconnecting with Jace Pascoe might save the school—the one place Sol’s nephew is happy. Asking for his help opens old wounds, but Jace helps to heal them, fusing Sol’s broken heart back together. However, Jace has his own shadows, no matter how brightly his smile dazzles.

Falling for Jace again could be so easy. It could also be a huge risk when neither of them plans to stay in Cornwall forever….

REVIEW:

I am floored by this powerful second chance romance. Sol, the book and its namesake, have many messages to impart, making this a beautiful, richly layered story about living and loving.

Solomon Trebeck is a loner, an outsider at Glynn Harber, the school where he’s taught art for the last year and a half. He’s an artist, not a real teacher, he tells himself. He only took the job so his fifteen-year-old nephew, Cameron, can get discounted tuition, Sol can get free rent, and they can both be near Marissa, Cameron’s mother. Marissa is impaired and can’t care for her son so Sol has been Cameron’s legal guardian for two years. But now all of that is in jeopardy because Glynn Harber is in financial straits and Sol could lose his job. With Cameron getting into repeated trouble, Sol knows he doesn’t have the necessary skills to raise him. He’s feeling desperate when he turns to the only person he knows who might be able to help him: his one time love, Jace Pascoe.

When they were teenagers and schoolmates, Sol unintentionally broke Jace’s heart when he disappeared after their one and only kiss. Now, fifteen years later, he’s back but Jace is crushed when he realizes Sol is only there to ask for a favor. Jace’s pain lifted off the page. It’s impossible not to admire him. His generosity and caring for others are bottomless. Jace is there for Sol when he needs him most – to help him save his job and Cameron’s placement at Glynn Harber. He guides Sol in forming a stronger bond with Cameron, reminding him that the boy is “desperate to be different. To be noticed. To matter to someone.” He connects easily with Cameron, serving as an inspiring role model through his art. All he wants in return is Sol’s love, and he makes it clear he’ll move heaven and earth to make that happen.

This book is everything I love about second chances. Second chance kisses are even better:

With millimetres between them, Jace said, “Hi,” like he had that first time, his voice lower than it had been back then … this kiss had none of the hesitancy of their first one. Their last one. The only kiss they’d ever shared. Until now. Their teeth didn’t clash this time or their noses bump. Instead, they fit together, tongues exploring, and if Sol’s cock had ever hardened faster, he couldn’t remember. He ached, and a groan came from somewhere so deep inside him that he couldn’t stem it.

Their intimate time together is sensual and sexy, sweet and steamy all at once. There are so many swirling emotions I picked up on – amidst the hunger and love, there’s sadness for the lost years and worry of the future. It’s uncertain where either of them will be located. Sol might have to take a job at another school and Jace’s work will probably take him back to the States.

The strong supporting cast created an experience for me like coming home to found family. The staff of Glynn Garber from Charles is all here, including Charles, Hugo, and Luke. Even little Tor (squee!) and Maisie have their moments. From the His series are Mitch and Justin from the Haven next door. Going further back, Ed and Pasha from True Brit appear as Sol’s friends. In a class of his own is Cameron, the boy who suffered the loss of his mum as well as the grandmother who raised him, and had to leave his friends and move twice in as many years. He’s a wholly sympathetic character who experiences so much growth thanks to Sol, Jace, and Hugo. I’m picturing this recitation of characters as the curtain call for a stage production where Cameron gets a outrageously loud standing ovation.

Sol is not in any way preachy but it does impart several important messages that I took to heart. They seem obvious but serve as important reminders of living life to the fullest:

Adjust your expectations; appreciate people for who they are, not who they aren’t, or who you want them to be, Mitch instructs Sol and Cameron in regards to interacting with Mary. (My eyes welled up here.)

Pay more attention, a police officer advises Sol.

Live in the moment, live for the future and don’t get bogged down worrying about past mistakes, Sol tries to remember. He’s stuck in a self-blame loop, feeling responsible for everything that’s gone wrong in the past and the present.

Do things that scare you, Mitch encourages.

Never stop fighting for social justice, Jace teaches the students and leads by example.

And finally, as with Charles, I’m filled with gratitude that Con Riley recognizes and brings to light the importance of educators who nurture young minds, give children a voice, and let them know they’re valued. Glynn Harber gives back to its students the same it does for Sol – encouragement, support, and a sense of home. “Transformational. Life saving,” Luke says. It certainly is for both Cameron and Sol. In return, Sol discovers the joy and restorative power of working with children of all ages.

Fans of Ms. Riley who love her gift for storytelling and creating wonderful characters will love this story. I would advise new readers to begin with Charles, the fantastic first book in the Learning to Love series, to get a better feel of the setting and the characters. Not only did I enjoy this heartwarming novel immensely, I felt wiser afterward. One thing I learned is that after reading Sol and Charles, there are now only eight spots left on my Top 10 Books of 2021 list.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon