Sol: Learning to Love #2

They own me.It’s no secret how much I loved Charles and HHH in book one of this series.But when I started reading about Sol and Jace, I knew that they’d be very quickly taking the top spot on my list of characters that take hold of my heart and don’t let go.Sol is mired in a life he hadn’t expected and didn’t want.He’s suddenly got his teenage nephew with all his feelings of loss and grief over the death of Sol’s mum, who had essentially brought up Cameron since he was a baby when his own mum became incapable of taking care of him.They’re also reliant on Sol’s position teaching Art at Glynn Harber and the scholarship which is paying for Cameron’s education.So when the school becomes threatened, headmaster Luke’s last ditch attempts to raise awareness – and money – puts Sol on a collision course with the most famous person he knows, Cornish artist Emily Pascoe - and her son Jace.Jace, the guy who awoke his bisexuality with a kiss one stormy night 15 years earlier, before Sol was snatched away by his father to go live in London. Someone who Sol’s never managed to forget.This book is more angsty than Charles’ so I do hope people don’t expect more of the same, because this narrative is focused way more on finding a new path, a new family, a way to connect with both a troubled teenager.And how to reconnect with a former school friend who could have been so much more if life had taken a different path.I adored watching how Sol and Jace reconnect. At first it’s physical, their initial meeting and the smexy time which follows is incandescent.They burn up the pages and can I just say, I LOVE how Jase hides nothing about his feelings.He tells Sol he never forgot him, that Sol broke his heart and that he’s never been able to move on and he is all in for whatever Sol wants to give him. There’s no artifice with Jace when it comes to his feelings.The secret he’s hiding though plays a major part in the overall series story arc which is focused on Glynn Harber’s future and the wider implications of events from 15 years earlier which will continue on into Luke’s book.This is one of the things I love so much about Con’s worlds, they’re all subtly interconnected and you sometimes don’t realise it until two or three books later (hi Ed and Pasha in this series 😁 ) when something that might have been a throwaway line becomes a key component.It doesn’t affect those who haven’t read previous books, it’s always self contained within the current book, but it provides a lovely Easter Egg for fans of her work.And, without giving anything away, I’m just gonna throw a shout out to the GOAT Mitch, who lays some home truths down on both Sol and Cameron on a visit to The Haven.This book was cathartic for me at times. It introduces some really thought provoking ideas about street art and graffiti and the validity of it both as a medium for expression and creativity, but also as a form of protest.As an amateur artist (albeit one who hasn’t created properly since my early 20s!) I find the idea of protest in expression through creative methods to be powerfully moving. Think of Picasso’s Guernica or The Face of War by Salvador Dali and they instantly evoke a feeling of horror.Anyway, this is approaching an essay rather than just a book review 😁So I’ll finish it off by saying this book will make you cry if you’re that kind of a reader, it will give you hope, it lays down the foundations for Luke’s story and it throws in a few twists that I don’t think anyone will be expecting.It also has a perfect pairing in Sol and Jace. Two people who are given a second chance and they hold on to it with everything in their power, pouring that love out to enclose Cameron and to look at forging a new path together.

Not going to lie, there were some tears she'd over this story, the last book gave me a sniffle or two but this one has some of those beautifully poignant bitter sweet moments that are both horrendously sad and full of hope and love at the same time. So you have been warned.The pairing of this was really romantic, difficult to express without spoilers, but whilst the get together is very quick the romance is in the lowering of defences and admitting past truths bit by bit throughout the story. All the feels.Also there are the side characters, like Cameron, who is no 2D plot device but a central part of the MC's life whose relationship is fundamental to his happiness.On top of all that (!) Is an epic bit of drama surrounding the future of the school which with a HFN ending on that arc, I hope is carried over into the next book in the seriesHighly recommend, not just within this genre but as a good story in general (as long as you don't take offence to same sex scenes)

4.25 stars from me. Not quite as good for me as Charles [loved little Tor to bits, and Charles Heppel wasn't too shabby either 😍, there were lots of tears]. Unfortunately, Sol seemed to excel at non-communication or even mis-communication, both with his young nephew Cam and his long lost 'love' Jace. He didn't think things through clearly.As far as the street art is concerned...yes, I can appreciate some street art, but mostly it's not good enough to be called art it has to be said, and usually makes pretty ugly buildings look even more dreadful 😕 so vandalism, not art 🤔. I am looking forward to Luke's story Luke however, I can already taste the angst between him and Nathan!!

I'm a bit of a sucker for second chance romance stories so I was really looking forward to reading this book. I'm more than happy to say that I loved it!This beautifully written story had me hooked straight from the beginning and I adore both main characters. Getting cameos from Charles, his holy hotness and Mitch, was a pleasurable surprise.I'm not going to say too much more about this story as I don't want to spoil it for anyone.I'm really looking forward to reading Luke's story now, pretty please?I received an arc copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

This would have been 2 stars, except it picked up a bit towards the end. It was such a disappointment after Charles though. I was relieved to get to the end because it was such a slog. Nothing happens, I didn't care about either MC.What this desperately needs is a thorough edit. There are all sorts of weird grammar things, Sol realises the same things about 4 times each, and all the scenes that might have been interesting (the social worker, the art contest) get completely skipped.Mostly I came out of this book just really wanting to know more about Austin.

A second chance at love, an opportunity to connect with a loved one, so many entwined hopes and dreams. I loved Sol, a new teacher and Cameron, his teenage nephew, feeling his way through grief and loss both smitten by Jace, Sol's teenage love.The Learning to Love series is magnificent, thank you so much Con Riley.

MM, Hurt/Comfort, Second Chance, Romance. A stand-alone read, easy to read page-turner with sweet angst. A great read with likeable characters that meet again after fifteen years apart. I really enjoyed reading their story. HEA.