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Study Abroad #3
Lessons in Letting Go
“Ten minutes ago, I was just an American student studying abroad in Spain. But now? Now I’m a professional soccer player’s muse. His good luck charm...”
Soccer star Rhys Maddox’s recovery from an injury isn’t going well—until one night with a beautiful American and a few terrible pick-up lines changes everything. With Laura at his side, he plays smarter, runs faster, and fights harder than he ever has on the pitch. She’s just the good luck charm he needs to turn his flailing career around.
Laura Bennet begins her semester in Madrid with plans to ditch bad habits and worse boyfriends. But when she unexpectedly gets caught up in Rhys's A-list life, her plans are put on hold. Who wouldn’t skip class to fly on a private jet with a studly Welsh footballer? It’s a no brainer, or so she thinks. Turns out Rhys’s glamorous lifestyle hides an obsession with appearances—an obsession that makes her totally miserable. Determined to take back her happiness, Laura decides to dump Rhys and tackle a “Spain Bucket List” on her own.
But Rhys isn’t letting his good luck charm go without a fight. He’s spent his entire life trying to earn his way into the big leagues, and he’ll do anything to win—even risk his carefully crafted image to help Laura with her bucket list. Will he be able to let go of his ego? Or will he and Laura ultimately let go of each other?
Excerpt from LESSONS IN LETTING GO – Copyright 2016 by Jessica Peterson/Peterson Paperbacks
I wonder if Rhys Maddox would be an unreal lay. A trophy lay, one for the books, and not just because he’s the super hot footballer of my dreams. He’d be intense, athletic. Hard in all the right places.
For God’s sake he is smoking hot. He’s an athlete, with an athlete’s hard, delectable body. He’s got an accent, and a British one at that, and he is charming as hell.
He is asking me up to his penthouse suite.
“Are you really so generous?” I say, breathless.
He runs his tongue along the slick inseam of his bottom lip. “Why don’t you come up to my room and find out?”
My heart skips a beat. “Liar,” I say. “God, Rhys, you’re such a liar.”
“I am?”
“You said you weren’t good at pick-up lines.”
He smirks.
I shouldn’t.
I shouldn't take him up on his offer. But oh, I want to. And isn’t that what that bucket list I just drew up is all about? Doing what I want, eating what I want, being who I want without worrying about what anyone else thinks?
Tonight I want to be the girl who makes her footballer fantasies come true.
Tonight I’m going to do what I want.
And I really want Rhys.
Soccer star Rhys Maddox’s recovery from an injury isn’t going well—until one night with a beautiful American and a few terrible pick-up lines changes everything. With Laura at his side, he plays smarter, runs faster, and fights harder than he ever has on the pitch. She’s just the good luck charm he needs to turn his flailing career around.
Laura Bennet begins her semester in Madrid with plans to ditch bad habits and worse boyfriends. But when she unexpectedly gets caught up in Rhys's A-list life, her plans are put on hold. Who wouldn’t skip class to fly on a private jet with a studly Welsh footballer? It’s a no brainer, or so she thinks. Turns out Rhys’s glamorous lifestyle hides an obsession with appearances—an obsession that makes her totally miserable. Determined to take back her happiness, Laura decides to dump Rhys and tackle a “Spain Bucket List” on her own.
But Rhys isn’t letting his good luck charm go without a fight. He’s spent his entire life trying to earn his way into the big leagues, and he’ll do anything to win—even risk his carefully crafted image to help Laura with her bucket list. Will he be able to let go of his ego? Or will he and Laura ultimately let go of each other?
Excerpt from LESSONS IN LETTING GO – Copyright 2016 by Jessica Peterson/Peterson Paperbacks
I wonder if Rhys Maddox would be an unreal lay. A trophy lay, one for the books, and not just because he’s the super hot footballer of my dreams. He’d be intense, athletic. Hard in all the right places.
For God’s sake he is smoking hot. He’s an athlete, with an athlete’s hard, delectable body. He’s got an accent, and a British one at that, and he is charming as hell.
He is asking me up to his penthouse suite.
“Are you really so generous?” I say, breathless.
He runs his tongue along the slick inseam of his bottom lip. “Why don’t you come up to my room and find out?”
My heart skips a beat. “Liar,” I say. “God, Rhys, you’re such a liar.”
“I am?”
“You said you weren’t good at pick-up lines.”
He smirks.
I shouldn’t.
I shouldn't take him up on his offer. But oh, I want to. And isn’t that what that bucket list I just drew up is all about? Doing what I want, eating what I want, being who I want without worrying about what anyone else thinks?
Tonight I want to be the girl who makes her footballer fantasies come true.
Tonight I’m going to do what I want.
And I really want Rhys.
400 pages, ebook
First published December 12, 2016
237 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Peterson
34 books4,417 followersJessica Peterson writes romance with heat, humor, and heart. Heroes with hot accents are her specialty. When she’s not writing, she can be found bellying up to a bar in the south’s best restaurants with her husband Ben, reading books with her adorable daughters Gracie and Madeline, or snuggling up with her 70-pound lap dog, Martha.
A Carolina girl at heart, she fantasizes about splitting her time between Charleston and Asheville, but currently lives in Charlotte, NC.
A Carolina girl at heart, she fantasizes about splitting her time between Charleston and Asheville, but currently lives in Charlotte, NC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
December 9, 2016
3 Couldn't Connect Stars...
I'll be honest I had a little trouble getting into this book. I've picked it up and put it down on several occasions. The writing was good and the plot flowed well. The sex scenes were steamy. The setting was wonderful.
So why just 3 stars? I just didn't like Rhys. He was a douchenoodle through most of the book. He does eventually get his head out of his ass, but by that time I was just sort of over him. Laura I did enjoy slightly better, but her character was ALL over the place sometimes that it felt like I was watching a tennis match. Thier lack of communication and the way they both behaved at times disconnected me from them as a couple.
In then end, even though the writing was great, my dislike for Rhys, and my disconnect of them as a couple made this just an OK read for me. That said, I wouldn't think twice about giving this author another go.
December 5, 2016
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
For Laura Bennet, studying in Madrid is about self-improvement and exploring the beauty of Spain guided by her bucket list. Everything is organized and planned until Rhys Maddox came in the picture. He's a well-known Football player who recently came back after an injury. After their hook up, Rhys can't stay away and considered her as his lucky charm. As they hang out more, it progressed into a casual relationship. Laura adjusts in his glamorous lifestyle but when she noticed he's getting more obsessed with fame, she decides to leave him. She can't keep up and this time, she'll prioritize what she wants first before him.
I understand where Rhys is coming from and give him the benefit of the doubt. His perseverance to reach the top of his career is admirable and it's kind of him to help his family on their burdens. However, he really gets on my nerves for being selfish, immature, arrogant, inconsiderate, jerk and showy. It took me a while to read this book for such reason. When he gets a wake up call for his actions, he tries to win Laura back and he can't take her off his mind. These two have a hot romance but their relationship is toxic. They lacked communication which is unhealthy and I don't like Rhys's treament on Laura (particularly near the last chapter) and I hate him for that. Laura has a better character development than Rhys. The low moments in her life helped her to become stronger and braver. Unfortunately, Rhys and Laura's story was a let down for me though they get a happy ending they deserved. I just wish Rhys treated her with more respect.
Despite of my disappointment, I am still looking forward for the upcoming books for this series. Getting a hint for the next book, oh man.. I can't help getting more curious about it.
For Laura Bennet, studying in Madrid is about self-improvement and exploring the beauty of Spain guided by her bucket list. Everything is organized and planned until Rhys Maddox came in the picture. He's a well-known Football player who recently came back after an injury. After their hook up, Rhys can't stay away and considered her as his lucky charm. As they hang out more, it progressed into a casual relationship. Laura adjusts in his glamorous lifestyle but when she noticed he's getting more obsessed with fame, she decides to leave him. She can't keep up and this time, she'll prioritize what she wants first before him.
I understand where Rhys is coming from and give him the benefit of the doubt. His perseverance to reach the top of his career is admirable and it's kind of him to help his family on their burdens. However, he really gets on my nerves for being selfish, immature, arrogant, inconsiderate, jerk and showy. It took me a while to read this book for such reason. When he gets a wake up call for his actions, he tries to win Laura back and he can't take her off his mind. These two have a hot romance but their relationship is toxic. They lacked communication which is unhealthy and I don't like Rhys's treament on Laura (particularly near the last chapter) and I hate him for that. Laura has a better character development than Rhys. The low moments in her life helped her to become stronger and braver. Unfortunately, Rhys and Laura's story was a let down for me though they get a happy ending they deserved. I just wish Rhys treated her with more respect.
Despite of my disappointment, I am still looking forward for the upcoming books for this series. Getting a hint for the next book, oh man.. I can't help getting more curious about it.
October 29, 2016
Oh gosh. All the feels. So many feels.
I can tell you right now this review will be long and overly gushy, thus I’m going to offer something different with this review. I’ll write a quick short one, no more than a paragraph, just so that you can get a general idea, and then I’ll give you all the feels in the rest of the review. Through this, you have the option to simply know what it is all about, or you can join me in the emotional rollercoaster as I try to organise my thoughts into something resembling coherence.
THE SHORT REVIEW:
This is easily my favourite book in the series thus far. With each book that is added, the stories become stronger and stronger. This one isn’t a simple romance, as this one has much more depth. It’s about finding yourself, coming to love yourself. Honestly, the depth to this one was amazing. The characters were wonderful, the storyline beautiful. I worked through it in no time at all, unable to put the book down, as I needed to find out what happened next. It truly is a beautiful piece.
THE LONG GUSHY REVIEW:
As the inaugural member of Jessica Peterson’s advance read team (this isn’t an empty boast, in case anyone is thinking such a thing, as I have the email to prove my claim to the title), I would like to start by saying a great big massive ‘oh my word’.
Jessica Peterson is one of the authors who has secured my status as a romance fan. For the longest of times, I was someone who would only accept romance as a subplot in a story. I would ship couples like nobody’s business, and yet I found myself shying away from purely romance books. After reading Spanish Lessons, I knew I wanted more. It was such a cute story, with such a great group of characters, that I needed more. After reading Lessons in Gravity, I knew I was a goner. I could no longer deny it: I was a romance fan. I am a romance fan. I’ll chant it loud and proud… or, at least, I’ll try to do such a thing. I’m really not the kind for crazy displays of my feelings – but still, the fact remains, I was hooked.
Thus, an impatience grew within. I wanted the next read. I was super excited to see what comes next. I hate reading series when they’re not complete, even when the stories work as standalone, as I’m nowhere near as patient as I let people believe I am when it comes to books. It should come as no surprise, therefore, to find out there was a crazy amount of excitement when the advance read of Lessons in Letting Go appeared in my inbox. I was on that thing like – well, I’m sure you can come up with your own analogies of jumping things.
I sat reading through a meeting. I sat reading through dinner. I sat reading until the early hours of the morning. I simply could not put the book down. It pulled me in even more than the prior books – and they both managed to grab me good. I know, I know, you’re probably questioning why this is only a four star rating. I’m really mean when it comes to my five star reviews. I hold them closer to my heart than I should. This book was a solid four-point-five read. It was so close to reaching that five star rating I hold so close to my chest. However, I’m super mean when it comes to handing it out. If nothing else, through being so close to receiving the five star rating, it shows Jessica Peterson has the potential to pull five stars out of me. Such a thing translates to other people giving this book a five star rating, and me sitting to the side bouncing up and down with excitement due to the belief that the next book will pull that five star rating from me.
Don’t just take my word for it; Jessica Peterson’s editor seems to be of the same belief. Whilst in touch with Jessica she mentioned how her editor is of the belief this is her best book by far – and I wholeheartedly agree with the statement. Can you not tell by the amount of gushing that I’m doing? I’ve yet to mention why it’s my favourite and we’re already at a lengthy review. It’s just… well, the feels. So many damn feels for this book. It’s so wonderful, so close to perfection.
In books one and two, we got to meet Laura. Laura is the lucky devil who has managed to grab the heart of a celebrity, catching the attention of everyone’s favourite football player. I’ll admit the whole British thing and playing football (soccer, to those over the ocean) never really did much for me. I’m from the UK myself, and I’m more than a little bit bored of the football crazy fans. Nevertheless, I know there’s an allure there. Moreover, even if I wasn’t interested in Rhys due to the two aspects that make him so sexy to the characters in the books, I was interested in getting to know Laura’s story. How did such a thing happen?
Lessons in Letting Go takes us back to the very start. We get to see this story from the first moment they meet, watching the interactions mentioned in the prior books play out. From the very start, things are hot; from the very start, you’re pulled into their way of life. It’s quite different to the prior books in the series, something else despite how it manages to stay so in line with the prior books. It’s hard to explain exactly what I mean, but it’s so wonderfully done. It’s not a carbon copy of the prior books, it is entirely unique, and yet it stays with the feel of the prior books. You’re pulled in. You want more. It’s cute. It’s hot. It’s everything you want it to be, all from the very first chapter.
As with the second book in the series, this one is told from the two perspectives. I loved getting inside of the minds of both of the characters. I’ll admit to some tentatively at first, as I’m always worried when American authors write British characters. I find, more often than not, characters fall into one of two boxes. Characters either fall into the stereotypically British box – a box that really does not reflect our little island, leaving people to view us in the completely wrong way. Alternatively, characters fall into the American box – that is, they’re written just like an American, and whilst we’re not that far apart it is really strange to read a British character using American slang and doing something extremely non-British. It’s something I notice far too much, something that bugs me more than it should. I just feel weird when characters fall into one of the two boxes. Well, have no fear with Jessica Peterson. Within a chapter, I had concluded this woman was more than capable of depicting a British person without falling back on the clichés. I admit that there were one or two slips regarding wording; but outside of those slight slips, it was perfect. It was honestly like listening to anyone I know. Rhys really was wonderfully written.
As wonderful as Rhys was, he had nothing on Laura. I could go on and on about how great Rhys is as a character – as the story grows he becomes more and more complex, we slowly get to see more of him – and I came to love him more than I ever anticipated. I think Javier is my biggest book crush of the series, but I would love to have Rhys as a friend. He’s such fun, so complex. Nevertheless, Laura was just that little bit more.
In the first two books, I was surprised by how real Jessica Peterson’s female leads were. You can truly relate to them. Viv and her emotions, Maddie with her philosophy on life. They were both very real people, people I could easily relate to. Laura, however, was something more. I cannot begin to explain how deeply her story resonated with me. Laura… damn, I don’t even know where to start. The girl has serious layers. There is so much to her. Her trip to Spain is supposed to be a way to reinvent herself, a way to reinvent herself in the best way possible. The poor girl is lost, unaware of who she is. She has spent her whole life searching for perfection, putting other people above herself, that she has lost sight of herself. It was heart wrenching, and yet it struck so many chords. It is so easy to get lost in such a way of life, it’s so easy to find yourself losing sight of who you are and what you want to be because you’re unwilling to put yourself first. Honestly, I cannot begin to explain the depth of her character. Without a doubt, Laura has become my favourite of the females. After Maddie, I did not expect such a thing to happen, and yet it did. It isn’t simply because of how easily I connected with her, it wasn’t just because it felt like the author was trying to send me a message to remind myself to live, it was because she was so beautifully crafted. She was so real, and watching her grow… I honestly have no words. The depth of this book blew my mind. We see how the real world is, how finding yourself and where you belong in the world will be a bumpy ride. Jessica Peterson doesn’t try to hide the truth of the world from us, she shows us how brutal it can be and yet we’re still left with hope. Laura left me believing that anything is possible. Hell, I want Jessica Peterson to write my future for me – even with all the bumps in the road, despite everything Laura dealt with, I cannot imagine a more deeply moving tale of finding your place in the world.
For all those romance fans out there, don’t worry, this is still one hot story. We still have all the romance drama of the prior books – it’s just that this has that something more as well. Honestly, the rollercoaster I experienced. Every few minutes I had a friend checking up on me, making sure I was okay. My emotions were all over the place. One minute I was laughing out loud. The next I was curled into a ball chewing on my nails. The next I was muttering away about characters. Before long, I had shifted into another emotional state – and the cycle continued. It really did play me like a guitar, expertly playing my emotions so that I was left a mess by the end of it.
Just the damn feels.
Seriously, this review is ridiculously lengthy and yet I feel as though I’ve said nothing at all. There’s just so much to the story, so many layers, and I fear mentioning any single specific will ruin it all. It’s a delicate house of cards, with one wrong move knocking it all down. I have no wish to be the one to knock it down, to spoil the beautiful story before you’ve had a chance to read it.
Due to the length, I’ll come to an end shortly. You’re probably still questioning about why this isn’t that full five stars. For me, it was the ending. It was a great ending – I wouldn’t have accepted anything else in terms of where the story ended up – and yet I felt as though it was a bit too quick compared to the rest of the story. We’d had such depth, and then a movie cliché appeared. It probably has something to do with the fact that I wouldn’t accept such a movie cliché if a guy was to do such a thing to me, but still… I just felt as though the conclusion was slightly less wonderful than the rest of the book. I loved it, and yet it felt as though it slipped ever so slightly. Not enough to ruin the book – oh no, I just wanted more. I have no idea what this more is, I cannot think of such a thing myself, but I felt as though it wasn’t quite on par with the rest of the book.
Overall, though, I adored this book. It is easily my favourite in the series thus far. It has left me more than ready for what else is to come.
Speaking of what else is to come – we’re getting a novella. Honestly, it sounds so cute. I cannot wait to read it. Moreover, the next book is going to be slightly different – our setting is changing, and I cannot wait for such a thing. Seriously, I’m so addicted to this series.
As a final note, I’d like to apologise for how lengthy this review ended up being. I know you probably wanted more, but as I said, I felt as though I needed to be careful so I didn’t give anything away. Jessica Peterson was wonderful enough to allow me to advance read this story – I cannot thank her enough – and I have no wish to spoil things for the other fans.
Just know it’s truly astounding.
I can tell you right now this review will be long and overly gushy, thus I’m going to offer something different with this review. I’ll write a quick short one, no more than a paragraph, just so that you can get a general idea, and then I’ll give you all the feels in the rest of the review. Through this, you have the option to simply know what it is all about, or you can join me in the emotional rollercoaster as I try to organise my thoughts into something resembling coherence.
THE SHORT REVIEW:
This is easily my favourite book in the series thus far. With each book that is added, the stories become stronger and stronger. This one isn’t a simple romance, as this one has much more depth. It’s about finding yourself, coming to love yourself. Honestly, the depth to this one was amazing. The characters were wonderful, the storyline beautiful. I worked through it in no time at all, unable to put the book down, as I needed to find out what happened next. It truly is a beautiful piece.
THE LONG GUSHY REVIEW:
As the inaugural member of Jessica Peterson’s advance read team (this isn’t an empty boast, in case anyone is thinking such a thing, as I have the email to prove my claim to the title), I would like to start by saying a great big massive ‘oh my word’.
Jessica Peterson is one of the authors who has secured my status as a romance fan. For the longest of times, I was someone who would only accept romance as a subplot in a story. I would ship couples like nobody’s business, and yet I found myself shying away from purely romance books. After reading Spanish Lessons, I knew I wanted more. It was such a cute story, with such a great group of characters, that I needed more. After reading Lessons in Gravity, I knew I was a goner. I could no longer deny it: I was a romance fan. I am a romance fan. I’ll chant it loud and proud… or, at least, I’ll try to do such a thing. I’m really not the kind for crazy displays of my feelings – but still, the fact remains, I was hooked.
Thus, an impatience grew within. I wanted the next read. I was super excited to see what comes next. I hate reading series when they’re not complete, even when the stories work as standalone, as I’m nowhere near as patient as I let people believe I am when it comes to books. It should come as no surprise, therefore, to find out there was a crazy amount of excitement when the advance read of Lessons in Letting Go appeared in my inbox. I was on that thing like – well, I’m sure you can come up with your own analogies of jumping things.
I sat reading through a meeting. I sat reading through dinner. I sat reading until the early hours of the morning. I simply could not put the book down. It pulled me in even more than the prior books – and they both managed to grab me good. I know, I know, you’re probably questioning why this is only a four star rating. I’m really mean when it comes to my five star reviews. I hold them closer to my heart than I should. This book was a solid four-point-five read. It was so close to reaching that five star rating I hold so close to my chest. However, I’m super mean when it comes to handing it out. If nothing else, through being so close to receiving the five star rating, it shows Jessica Peterson has the potential to pull five stars out of me. Such a thing translates to other people giving this book a five star rating, and me sitting to the side bouncing up and down with excitement due to the belief that the next book will pull that five star rating from me.
Don’t just take my word for it; Jessica Peterson’s editor seems to be of the same belief. Whilst in touch with Jessica she mentioned how her editor is of the belief this is her best book by far – and I wholeheartedly agree with the statement. Can you not tell by the amount of gushing that I’m doing? I’ve yet to mention why it’s my favourite and we’re already at a lengthy review. It’s just… well, the feels. So many damn feels for this book. It’s so wonderful, so close to perfection.
In books one and two, we got to meet Laura. Laura is the lucky devil who has managed to grab the heart of a celebrity, catching the attention of everyone’s favourite football player. I’ll admit the whole British thing and playing football (soccer, to those over the ocean) never really did much for me. I’m from the UK myself, and I’m more than a little bit bored of the football crazy fans. Nevertheless, I know there’s an allure there. Moreover, even if I wasn’t interested in Rhys due to the two aspects that make him so sexy to the characters in the books, I was interested in getting to know Laura’s story. How did such a thing happen?
Lessons in Letting Go takes us back to the very start. We get to see this story from the first moment they meet, watching the interactions mentioned in the prior books play out. From the very start, things are hot; from the very start, you’re pulled into their way of life. It’s quite different to the prior books in the series, something else despite how it manages to stay so in line with the prior books. It’s hard to explain exactly what I mean, but it’s so wonderfully done. It’s not a carbon copy of the prior books, it is entirely unique, and yet it stays with the feel of the prior books. You’re pulled in. You want more. It’s cute. It’s hot. It’s everything you want it to be, all from the very first chapter.
As with the second book in the series, this one is told from the two perspectives. I loved getting inside of the minds of both of the characters. I’ll admit to some tentatively at first, as I’m always worried when American authors write British characters. I find, more often than not, characters fall into one of two boxes. Characters either fall into the stereotypically British box – a box that really does not reflect our little island, leaving people to view us in the completely wrong way. Alternatively, characters fall into the American box – that is, they’re written just like an American, and whilst we’re not that far apart it is really strange to read a British character using American slang and doing something extremely non-British. It’s something I notice far too much, something that bugs me more than it should. I just feel weird when characters fall into one of the two boxes. Well, have no fear with Jessica Peterson. Within a chapter, I had concluded this woman was more than capable of depicting a British person without falling back on the clichés. I admit that there were one or two slips regarding wording; but outside of those slight slips, it was perfect. It was honestly like listening to anyone I know. Rhys really was wonderfully written.
As wonderful as Rhys was, he had nothing on Laura. I could go on and on about how great Rhys is as a character – as the story grows he becomes more and more complex, we slowly get to see more of him – and I came to love him more than I ever anticipated. I think Javier is my biggest book crush of the series, but I would love to have Rhys as a friend. He’s such fun, so complex. Nevertheless, Laura was just that little bit more.
In the first two books, I was surprised by how real Jessica Peterson’s female leads were. You can truly relate to them. Viv and her emotions, Maddie with her philosophy on life. They were both very real people, people I could easily relate to. Laura, however, was something more. I cannot begin to explain how deeply her story resonated with me. Laura… damn, I don’t even know where to start. The girl has serious layers. There is so much to her. Her trip to Spain is supposed to be a way to reinvent herself, a way to reinvent herself in the best way possible. The poor girl is lost, unaware of who she is. She has spent her whole life searching for perfection, putting other people above herself, that she has lost sight of herself. It was heart wrenching, and yet it struck so many chords. It is so easy to get lost in such a way of life, it’s so easy to find yourself losing sight of who you are and what you want to be because you’re unwilling to put yourself first. Honestly, I cannot begin to explain the depth of her character. Without a doubt, Laura has become my favourite of the females. After Maddie, I did not expect such a thing to happen, and yet it did. It isn’t simply because of how easily I connected with her, it wasn’t just because it felt like the author was trying to send me a message to remind myself to live, it was because she was so beautifully crafted. She was so real, and watching her grow… I honestly have no words. The depth of this book blew my mind. We see how the real world is, how finding yourself and where you belong in the world will be a bumpy ride. Jessica Peterson doesn’t try to hide the truth of the world from us, she shows us how brutal it can be and yet we’re still left with hope. Laura left me believing that anything is possible. Hell, I want Jessica Peterson to write my future for me – even with all the bumps in the road, despite everything Laura dealt with, I cannot imagine a more deeply moving tale of finding your place in the world.
For all those romance fans out there, don’t worry, this is still one hot story. We still have all the romance drama of the prior books – it’s just that this has that something more as well. Honestly, the rollercoaster I experienced. Every few minutes I had a friend checking up on me, making sure I was okay. My emotions were all over the place. One minute I was laughing out loud. The next I was curled into a ball chewing on my nails. The next I was muttering away about characters. Before long, I had shifted into another emotional state – and the cycle continued. It really did play me like a guitar, expertly playing my emotions so that I was left a mess by the end of it.
Just the damn feels.
Seriously, this review is ridiculously lengthy and yet I feel as though I’ve said nothing at all. There’s just so much to the story, so many layers, and I fear mentioning any single specific will ruin it all. It’s a delicate house of cards, with one wrong move knocking it all down. I have no wish to be the one to knock it down, to spoil the beautiful story before you’ve had a chance to read it.
Due to the length, I’ll come to an end shortly. You’re probably still questioning about why this isn’t that full five stars. For me, it was the ending. It was a great ending – I wouldn’t have accepted anything else in terms of where the story ended up – and yet I felt as though it was a bit too quick compared to the rest of the story. We’d had such depth, and then a movie cliché appeared. It probably has something to do with the fact that I wouldn’t accept such a movie cliché if a guy was to do such a thing to me, but still… I just felt as though the conclusion was slightly less wonderful than the rest of the book. I loved it, and yet it felt as though it slipped ever so slightly. Not enough to ruin the book – oh no, I just wanted more. I have no idea what this more is, I cannot think of such a thing myself, but I felt as though it wasn’t quite on par with the rest of the book.
Overall, though, I adored this book. It is easily my favourite in the series thus far. It has left me more than ready for what else is to come.
Speaking of what else is to come – we’re getting a novella. Honestly, it sounds so cute. I cannot wait to read it. Moreover, the next book is going to be slightly different – our setting is changing, and I cannot wait for such a thing. Seriously, I’m so addicted to this series.
As a final note, I’d like to apologise for how lengthy this review ended up being. I know you probably wanted more, but as I said, I felt as though I needed to be careful so I didn’t give anything away. Jessica Peterson was wonderful enough to allow me to advance read this story – I cannot thank her enough – and I have no wish to spoil things for the other fans.
Just know it’s truly astounding.
April 5, 2017
5 Amazing Stars!!!!
To say that I've been dying to get my hands on this book is a bit of an understatement. I fell completely in love with this series when my fellow sister Shannon gifted me Spanish Lessons. Little did she know it was my first hit in my addiction.
I just love the whole concept of this series and adore it even more because the author is writing from her experience from her semester abroad. I loved the connection that she put into the first two novels, but it's even more apparent in Lessons in Letting Go. This book is different than the first two, and by far my favorite. Not only do I see how this series is changing and evolving, but I'm witnessing first hand Peterson grow as an author.
We first met Laura as one of the Madrilenas in both Spanish Lessons and Lessons in Gravity. We learn mostly in Lessons In Gravity that Laura becomes involved with a very well know sexy Welsh football player that plays for Madrid. When we get to see a glimpse of them in LIG I just had this gut feeling that Laura and Rhys' story was going to get me.
Laura and Rhys have a lot of things in common. They both have a lot on their shoulders, expect more from themselves than what they would ever expect of anyone else, and feel like everyone is watching their every move just waiting for them to make a mistake. I feel like every woman will be able to identify with Laura. We are our own worst critics and often our own downfall.
I always felt less than. Less than pretty. Less than smart. And because I wasn't pretty and perfect and bubbling with intelligent things to share with the world, I thought I didn't deserve a place at the table. I didn't deserve anything. I was nobody.
Peterson is pretty much a genius when it comes to meet-cutes. In Lessons in Letting Go we get a first-hand experience of Rhys's awful attempts of pick-up lines.
"Hey Girl. Do you work at Starbucks? Because I like you a-latte." He leans in. "Get it? A-latte?"
"I do," I manage. "Keep going. The 'hey girl' part is amazing."
It's completely adorable. Another thing Peterson is a genius at…well, you'll have to check out chapter 18 on that!
Just as we start to see this incredible connection form between Laura and Rhys we also start to unveil a lot of their flaws and self-destructive behaviors. Laura and Rhys were so carefully crafted to have us fall in love with them, accepting them for who they are and what they become through this journey. There's points in this novel that I thought to myself that this wouldn't work in other books that I've read, but with Laura and Rhys, it's perfection.
Rhys' drive to drown himself in his success, playing against the ghost of his father's tainted reputation, starts to become incredibly overwhelming for Laura. She finds herself reverting back into her past, putting her in a dark place.
I'm starting to get the feeling that Rhys is a man of many faces. One he wears for his fans. One he wears for me. And one he keeps for himself. Maybe the faces he shows to the world are just masks he hides behind. I don't know why I want to dig deeper, and uncover what it is those masks hide.
Rhys slowly sees her slipping away. This is my favorite part in the book, watching Laura reform herself into this confident woman that strives to reach her goals.
The Laura who lives in the moment. I admire her. I want to be more like her.
When the downfall starts to spiral, I became furious with Rhys. I wanted Laura to scream at him, stand up to him, pound on his chest to make him see clearly. At one point I questioned how this could resolve. What grand gesture could Rhys provide that would flip my emotions from one end of the spectrum to the other?? The last 10% was a perfect volley of perspectives. I mean, honestly, it was perfection. Rhys starts to recognize that you can't buy happiness, and when you are lucky enough to stumble upon it, you latch on to it, guarding it close to your heart. Rhys' gesture was a-dork-able and incredibly genuine. I smiled, I laughed, I teared up a bit.
I'm beyond happy that I was granted the ability to read this book early and I'm just as ecstatic that Lessons in Letting Go was beyond my expectations!!! Like I mentioned before, this book is different but still fits so well in the series. It's deeper, it's stronger, it's the game changer!!!
To say that I've been dying to get my hands on this book is a bit of an understatement. I fell completely in love with this series when my fellow sister Shannon gifted me Spanish Lessons. Little did she know it was my first hit in my addiction.
I just love the whole concept of this series and adore it even more because the author is writing from her experience from her semester abroad. I loved the connection that she put into the first two novels, but it's even more apparent in Lessons in Letting Go. This book is different than the first two, and by far my favorite. Not only do I see how this series is changing and evolving, but I'm witnessing first hand Peterson grow as an author.
We first met Laura as one of the Madrilenas in both Spanish Lessons and Lessons in Gravity. We learn mostly in Lessons In Gravity that Laura becomes involved with a very well know sexy Welsh football player that plays for Madrid. When we get to see a glimpse of them in LIG I just had this gut feeling that Laura and Rhys' story was going to get me.
Laura and Rhys have a lot of things in common. They both have a lot on their shoulders, expect more from themselves than what they would ever expect of anyone else, and feel like everyone is watching their every move just waiting for them to make a mistake. I feel like every woman will be able to identify with Laura. We are our own worst critics and often our own downfall.
I always felt less than. Less than pretty. Less than smart. And because I wasn't pretty and perfect and bubbling with intelligent things to share with the world, I thought I didn't deserve a place at the table. I didn't deserve anything. I was nobody.
Peterson is pretty much a genius when it comes to meet-cutes. In Lessons in Letting Go we get a first-hand experience of Rhys's awful attempts of pick-up lines.
"Hey Girl. Do you work at Starbucks? Because I like you a-latte." He leans in. "Get it? A-latte?"
"I do," I manage. "Keep going. The 'hey girl' part is amazing."
It's completely adorable. Another thing Peterson is a genius at…well, you'll have to check out chapter 18 on that!
Just as we start to see this incredible connection form between Laura and Rhys we also start to unveil a lot of their flaws and self-destructive behaviors. Laura and Rhys were so carefully crafted to have us fall in love with them, accepting them for who they are and what they become through this journey. There's points in this novel that I thought to myself that this wouldn't work in other books that I've read, but with Laura and Rhys, it's perfection.
Rhys' drive to drown himself in his success, playing against the ghost of his father's tainted reputation, starts to become incredibly overwhelming for Laura. She finds herself reverting back into her past, putting her in a dark place.
I'm starting to get the feeling that Rhys is a man of many faces. One he wears for his fans. One he wears for me. And one he keeps for himself. Maybe the faces he shows to the world are just masks he hides behind. I don't know why I want to dig deeper, and uncover what it is those masks hide.
Rhys slowly sees her slipping away. This is my favorite part in the book, watching Laura reform herself into this confident woman that strives to reach her goals.
The Laura who lives in the moment. I admire her. I want to be more like her.
When the downfall starts to spiral, I became furious with Rhys. I wanted Laura to scream at him, stand up to him, pound on his chest to make him see clearly. At one point I questioned how this could resolve. What grand gesture could Rhys provide that would flip my emotions from one end of the spectrum to the other?? The last 10% was a perfect volley of perspectives. I mean, honestly, it was perfection. Rhys starts to recognize that you can't buy happiness, and when you are lucky enough to stumble upon it, you latch on to it, guarding it close to your heart. Rhys' gesture was a-dork-able and incredibly genuine. I smiled, I laughed, I teared up a bit.
I'm beyond happy that I was granted the ability to read this book early and I'm just as ecstatic that Lessons in Letting Go was beyond my expectations!!! Like I mentioned before, this book is different but still fits so well in the series. It's deeper, it's stronger, it's the game changer!!!
November 28, 2016
Original review: The Daydreaming Bookworm
*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
I’ve been eagerly awaiting Rhys and Laura’s story after seeing snippets of them together in Lessons in Gravity and I needed to know more about these two. I also was excited because this is a sports romance and I’m such a sucker for a good sports romance novel, I can never pass on them!
Hoping to reinvent herself, Laura Bennet starts her new semester in Madrid letting go of excess baggage from the past. With her bucket list in hand, she’s ready to experience everything Madrid has to offer. But her plans get put on hold when she meets Rhys Maddox, a famous football player and the main lead in all of her daydreams. Rhys has been stuck in a rut, but his luck starts to change after he meets Laura. As they start spending more and more time together, Laura becomes wrapped up in Rhys’ extravagant lifestyle which causes her to revert to old habits in order to feel accepted. But when it all becomes too much and Laura decides to walk away, will Rhys chase after his good luck charm, or will his own baggage force him to let her go?
Going into Lessons in Letting Go, I wasn’t sure what to expect since we didn’t really know much about our two main characters beforehand. While this book starts off flirty and fun, with lots of steamy moments and cheesy pick up lines, there is also a bit heaviness to the story as both of our characters are dealing with their own separate issues. Laura puts the needs of others before her own and this has unfortunately led to her feeling self-conscious and not loving herself for who she is. Rhys on the other hand is struggling to balance family obligations, football and fame. While I liked the conflicts, my main issue with the plot was that there just wasn’t enough depth to it. I wanted to know more about Rhys and his family and maybe even seen them interact with him. Instead of just having Rhys tell us about his family issues, maybe we could’ve actually seen him fighting with his family or even show his family putting pressure on him to succeed. The same goes for Laura. I would’ve liked to known more about her past and what made her so self-conscious in the first place, besides just telling us that she is a people-pleaser. More showing, less telling would’ve ultimately made this book more enjoyable for me.
As for the characters, I had a hard time connecting with either of them in the beginning. I actually found Rhys to be very unlikable and even selfish. It takes him quite a long time before he realizes that the world doesn’t revolve around him and even though he may have good intentions, the way he goes about doing things just didn’t sit right with me. As for Laura, while I couldn’t connect with her, I did grow to like her in the end and I loved seeing her take a stand and do what was right for her instead of continuing to suffer in silence. The lack of communication between these two also bothered me, especially since communication is key when it comes to relationships! To be honest, Laura deserved better than Rhys, but I’m happy that things worked out for them in the end.
Lessons in Letting Go was a steamy, fun read that fell short when it came to the plot and characters. Javier Montoya still remains as my favorite guy in this series so far and I’m excited to see what’s in store for our next couple. I’m ready for more adventures in Spain…and maybe take a trip north to say London?
*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
I’ve been eagerly awaiting Rhys and Laura’s story after seeing snippets of them together in Lessons in Gravity and I needed to know more about these two. I also was excited because this is a sports romance and I’m such a sucker for a good sports romance novel, I can never pass on them!
Hoping to reinvent herself, Laura Bennet starts her new semester in Madrid letting go of excess baggage from the past. With her bucket list in hand, she’s ready to experience everything Madrid has to offer. But her plans get put on hold when she meets Rhys Maddox, a famous football player and the main lead in all of her daydreams. Rhys has been stuck in a rut, but his luck starts to change after he meets Laura. As they start spending more and more time together, Laura becomes wrapped up in Rhys’ extravagant lifestyle which causes her to revert to old habits in order to feel accepted. But when it all becomes too much and Laura decides to walk away, will Rhys chase after his good luck charm, or will his own baggage force him to let her go?
Going into Lessons in Letting Go, I wasn’t sure what to expect since we didn’t really know much about our two main characters beforehand. While this book starts off flirty and fun, with lots of steamy moments and cheesy pick up lines, there is also a bit heaviness to the story as both of our characters are dealing with their own separate issues. Laura puts the needs of others before her own and this has unfortunately led to her feeling self-conscious and not loving herself for who she is. Rhys on the other hand is struggling to balance family obligations, football and fame. While I liked the conflicts, my main issue with the plot was that there just wasn’t enough depth to it. I wanted to know more about Rhys and his family and maybe even seen them interact with him. Instead of just having Rhys tell us about his family issues, maybe we could’ve actually seen him fighting with his family or even show his family putting pressure on him to succeed. The same goes for Laura. I would’ve liked to known more about her past and what made her so self-conscious in the first place, besides just telling us that she is a people-pleaser. More showing, less telling would’ve ultimately made this book more enjoyable for me.
As for the characters, I had a hard time connecting with either of them in the beginning. I actually found Rhys to be very unlikable and even selfish. It takes him quite a long time before he realizes that the world doesn’t revolve around him and even though he may have good intentions, the way he goes about doing things just didn’t sit right with me. As for Laura, while I couldn’t connect with her, I did grow to like her in the end and I loved seeing her take a stand and do what was right for her instead of continuing to suffer in silence. The lack of communication between these two also bothered me, especially since communication is key when it comes to relationships! To be honest, Laura deserved better than Rhys, but I’m happy that things worked out for them in the end.
Lessons in Letting Go was a steamy, fun read that fell short when it came to the plot and characters. Javier Montoya still remains as my favorite guy in this series so far and I’m excited to see what’s in store for our next couple. I’m ready for more adventures in Spain…and maybe take a trip north to say London?
Read
October 18, 2016Like hot footballers (the European kind) and hotter sex scenes? Then you'll love my Study Abroad sports romance, LESSONS IN LETTING GO (Study Abroad #3). While this is the third book in my series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. Check out the first three chapters on my website here.
Happy reading! Can't wait to know what you think of Rhys and Laura's story.
Happy reading! Can't wait to know what you think of Rhys and Laura's story.
December 12, 2016
That ending though. <3
Review to come!
Review to come!
November 12, 2016
3.5 stars
This was my first book from this author and over all it was pretty good.
Rhys is a superstar soccer player and Laura is the regular girl next door that meets him while studying abroad.
I think there were more things that didn't work for me in this book that did and thats why I went with 3.5. Their chemistry was off the charts and their steam was right up my alley.
However there were a few things that bugged me. Rhys is doing all of the fame and stuff for his family but he never visits or talks to them. I would think if he was putting himself out there then at least they would have a relationship. They kind of just existed in his head. It just didn't make sense to me. He was also an asshole most of the book. He was pretty selfish and didn't take her feelings into consideration too long. After he had his "aha" moment he was much better to read.
Laura has many insecurities and that gave me a bit of a whiplash sometimes. Her inner thoughts took me on a roller coaster ride. She as well never talked about her family. I needed more depth.
Overall this was a quick and steamy read that lacked the depth I wanted.
*The Review Lift*
**arc provided by author for honest review*
This was my first book from this author and over all it was pretty good.
Rhys is a superstar soccer player and Laura is the regular girl next door that meets him while studying abroad.
I think there were more things that didn't work for me in this book that did and thats why I went with 3.5. Their chemistry was off the charts and their steam was right up my alley.
However there were a few things that bugged me. Rhys is doing all of the fame and stuff for his family but he never visits or talks to them. I would think if he was putting himself out there then at least they would have a relationship. They kind of just existed in his head. It just didn't make sense to me. He was also an asshole most of the book. He was pretty selfish and didn't take her feelings into consideration too long. After he had his "aha" moment he was much better to read.
Laura has many insecurities and that gave me a bit of a whiplash sometimes. Her inner thoughts took me on a roller coaster ride. She as well never talked about her family. I needed more depth.
Overall this was a quick and steamy read that lacked the depth I wanted.
*The Review Lift*
**arc provided by author for honest review*
March 15, 2023
3.5
The relationship started/developed exponentially in my opinion which caused the problems of the second half of the book to feel kind of repetitive. It also felt a bit cliché. A cute story but not the best.
The relationship started/developed exponentially in my opinion which caused the problems of the second half of the book to feel kind of repetitive. It also felt a bit cliché. A cute story but not the best.
March 13, 2019
A solid 3.75. I have mis problemas con la story pero it was still divertido to leer.
November 16, 2016
Note: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an unbiased review.
I was so, so excited to hear the next book in Jessica Peterson’s Study Abroad series was going to be Rhys and Laura’s book! I’ve been waiting for their story ever since I met them in Spanish Lessons. The bits and pieces I got of them in the first two books really intrigued me.
Lessons in Letting Go was a great story, but it wasn’t exactly the story I was expecting. That’s not a bad thing, but it surprised me. I thought Lessons in Letting Go would be a lighter sports romance. It wasn’t. It was a complex story about two imperfect people who didn’t see their true reality. Lessons in Letting Go was filled with very real and raw feelings. I loved that!
Rhys and Laura’s chemistry was undeniably sexy. The heat they put off had me fanning myself so often throughout the book. Their sexual connection wasn’t the only thing they had going, though. They truly brought out the best in each other, like all couples should.
Things couldn’t always be sunshine and rainbows, though. This is an NA romance after all. Rhys and Laura’s drama was very intense and angst filled. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but I will say that it affected how I felt about Rhys. I expected to fall in love with him a lot faster than I did. He wasn’t as easy to love as I wanted him to be. Rhys was so consumed by the pressures placed on him that he let them takeover his life. I didn’t like who he was when he wasn’t with Laura. It took a long while to feel he was worthy of her.
Laura was probably one of the most true-to-life heroines I’ve read. I loved her. Despite being beautiful, she had so many insecurities. Her thoughts and emotions were so easy to identify with. I felt like I was experiencing the ups and downs of 20-something life all over again. I honestly don’t know if I could have made the same choices Laura did toward the end. She was a lot stronger than I probably would have been in the same situation.
Lessons in Letting Go was a great book. I truly enjoyed the journey this story took me on, and now I can’t wait for the next couple of books. I am so excited to read Rachel’s novella and to take a trip to London in Peterson’s next full length novel!
I was so, so excited to hear the next book in Jessica Peterson’s Study Abroad series was going to be Rhys and Laura’s book! I’ve been waiting for their story ever since I met them in Spanish Lessons. The bits and pieces I got of them in the first two books really intrigued me.
Lessons in Letting Go was a great story, but it wasn’t exactly the story I was expecting. That’s not a bad thing, but it surprised me. I thought Lessons in Letting Go would be a lighter sports romance. It wasn’t. It was a complex story about two imperfect people who didn’t see their true reality. Lessons in Letting Go was filled with very real and raw feelings. I loved that!
Rhys and Laura’s chemistry was undeniably sexy. The heat they put off had me fanning myself so often throughout the book. Their sexual connection wasn’t the only thing they had going, though. They truly brought out the best in each other, like all couples should.
Things couldn’t always be sunshine and rainbows, though. This is an NA romance after all. Rhys and Laura’s drama was very intense and angst filled. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but I will say that it affected how I felt about Rhys. I expected to fall in love with him a lot faster than I did. He wasn’t as easy to love as I wanted him to be. Rhys was so consumed by the pressures placed on him that he let them takeover his life. I didn’t like who he was when he wasn’t with Laura. It took a long while to feel he was worthy of her.
Laura was probably one of the most true-to-life heroines I’ve read. I loved her. Despite being beautiful, she had so many insecurities. Her thoughts and emotions were so easy to identify with. I felt like I was experiencing the ups and downs of 20-something life all over again. I honestly don’t know if I could have made the same choices Laura did toward the end. She was a lot stronger than I probably would have been in the same situation.
Lessons in Letting Go was a great book. I truly enjoyed the journey this story took me on, and now I can’t wait for the next couple of books. I am so excited to read Rachel’s novella and to take a trip to London in Peterson’s next full length novel!
November 17, 2016
They're finally here! Rhys and Laura are HERE!! *throws confetti*
OHHHHHH Jessica Peterson... what have you done? *flails arms around in a dramatic fashion*
Lessons in Letting Go is book number three in the Study Abroad series by smooth talking romance author Jessica Peterson. And honestly after Javier (book 2,) I was super skeptical that she could match the level of heat or depth of emotion that was attained in that story.
As with many things in life - I was wrong and I happily admit it. LILG was every bit as full of light, dark, hot, cold and sexysexsex... as the previous two books. YESSSS! It was beautiful and it transported me yet again to Spain and the magical world of these 6 young lives that I had previously been so engrossed in. It starts over basically to when Laura and Rhys first meet - Rhys with his horrid pick up lines and Laura his good luck charm on the soccer/football field. Their relationship was very realistic in its development, I felt. The author did a wonderful job keeping everything as descriptive and real as possible. As with the first two books, I loved this couple and the POVs that let me get into their heads and understand how and what they were feeling as their relationship grew and developed. It really was a wonderful story and I was sad to see it come to an end.
Rhys might not have taken the #1 spot away from Javier but he has definitely earned a sacred place among my book boyfriends.
Thank you again, JP!
5***** WickedGoodReads
OHHHHHH Jessica Peterson... what have you done? *flails arms around in a dramatic fashion*
Lessons in Letting Go is book number three in the Study Abroad series by smooth talking romance author Jessica Peterson. And honestly after Javier (book 2,) I was super skeptical that she could match the level of heat or depth of emotion that was attained in that story.
As with many things in life - I was wrong and I happily admit it. LILG was every bit as full of light, dark, hot, cold and sexysexsex... as the previous two books. YESSSS! It was beautiful and it transported me yet again to Spain and the magical world of these 6 young lives that I had previously been so engrossed in. It starts over basically to when Laura and Rhys first meet - Rhys with his horrid pick up lines and Laura his good luck charm on the soccer/football field. Their relationship was very realistic in its development, I felt. The author did a wonderful job keeping everything as descriptive and real as possible. As with the first two books, I loved this couple and the POVs that let me get into their heads and understand how and what they were feeling as their relationship grew and developed. It really was a wonderful story and I was sad to see it come to an end.
Rhys might not have taken the #1 spot away from Javier but he has definitely earned a sacred place among my book boyfriends.
Thank you again, JP!
5***** WickedGoodReads
Want to read
November 13, 2016pre-ordered from Amazon.
February 6, 2017
Final Score - 5 Bucket List Worthy Stars!!!
Review to come...
Review to come...
March 6, 2021
Letting go is probably the most difficult thing in the world. We all cling to the world we know or the world we want to know. However, letting go can also give you freedom and give you a calm you’ve never known before. Just like a coin though it has two sides. How tight are you gripping that coin? What has you holding on so tight? On the other hand what brought you to where you are at this present moment? Why do we not let others see the real us? What are we afraid of? How far are you willingly to go to keep up the mirage of who you are? What are you afraid of? Why are we such people pleasers? On the other side of this why can’t we see our true potential? At what point do you finally decide to live for you and realize if you’re not happy how can you truly make someone else happy?
Yes, these are just some of the questions I came up with while reading this book.
Lauren, is a student, who is pretty, intelligent, not poor but not super rich. She’s just recently met a superstar by chance. She has her own goals in life she wants to accomplish and she is still trying to find herself. She is a people pleaser and is now trying to live life on her own terms....until....
Rhys, superstar soccer player, trying to make his comeback after an injury. He’s also trying to live down a past by building up his present at almost any cost. Remember the famous saying, “Image is Everything”. He is the poster boy for that saying. Even though he doesn’t intentionally try to impose this on other people or purposely use them (even though he sort of does) he maneuvers or rather manipulates things, people to his own advantage....until...
This is the story of yin and yang until...
Until one day you need to have your own happiness, even if it breaks your heart.
There’s another famous saying, “You don’t realize what you have until you lose it”.
I don’t do spoilers. It’s not fair to the author. You need to read the story for your own enjoyment. What I will say is this is part of the Study Abroad or Lessons series. If you’ve read the other books you’ll be happy to know you’ll be reacquainted with the other characters in the series. If not it won’t inhibit your enjoyment of this book.
I have to be truthful at times these characters frustrated me. However, isn’t that what happens in real life with all of us? Of course there’s those moments when you are enthralled by these two. The push and pull of this book and the truth of this story is what really drew me in.
It’s a story that really made me think and put things in perspective. That’s always a good thing!
Yes, these are just some of the questions I came up with while reading this book.
Lauren, is a student, who is pretty, intelligent, not poor but not super rich. She’s just recently met a superstar by chance. She has her own goals in life she wants to accomplish and she is still trying to find herself. She is a people pleaser and is now trying to live life on her own terms....until....
Rhys, superstar soccer player, trying to make his comeback after an injury. He’s also trying to live down a past by building up his present at almost any cost. Remember the famous saying, “Image is Everything”. He is the poster boy for that saying. Even though he doesn’t intentionally try to impose this on other people or purposely use them (even though he sort of does) he maneuvers or rather manipulates things, people to his own advantage....until...
This is the story of yin and yang until...
Until one day you need to have your own happiness, even if it breaks your heart.
There’s another famous saying, “You don’t realize what you have until you lose it”.
I don’t do spoilers. It’s not fair to the author. You need to read the story for your own enjoyment. What I will say is this is part of the Study Abroad or Lessons series. If you’ve read the other books you’ll be happy to know you’ll be reacquainted with the other characters in the series. If not it won’t inhibit your enjoyment of this book.
I have to be truthful at times these characters frustrated me. However, isn’t that what happens in real life with all of us? Of course there’s those moments when you are enthralled by these two. The push and pull of this book and the truth of this story is what really drew me in.
It’s a story that really made me think and put things in perspective. That’s always a good thing!
December 13, 2016
I was lucky enough to have Jessica Peterson email a request to review the first book in this series and that book, and ultimately this series, holds a special place in my heart. So, admittedly I'm a bit biased. That being said, here is my honest review.
Laura is under a lot of pressure, pressure that mostly comes from her own head. Pressure to conform, to be better, prettier, more successful. I think we can all find a little bit of ourselves in Laura and her insecurities. She is a different kind of character from the other heroines in this series. She is not as easily likable, which I think was carefully crafted on Peterson's part. Laura strives to appear perfect, but we get to see the flaws. So, in the beginning, it was hard to read her struggles and really like her as a person. BUT, as the book progresses, so does Laura and that is when she really shines.
Rhys also has enormous pressure on his shoulders. Pressure to live up to his family's expectations and to break free of the tainted shadow of his father's legacy in the football world. Rhys is sexy and a little cheesy at times and he is easy to fall in love with and yet it hurts to see him try so hard and always feel he isn't good enough.
Laura and Rhys have a great start, but begin to struggle as their relationship grows. Rhys isn't handling himself well and Laura doesn't like who she is becoming.
The story is really one of learning to love yourself and accept the love of others without stipulations. L & R have some brilliant moments and some not so brilliant ones, but ultimately it makes their relationship quite realistic and I loved that. They are sweet and sexy and fun and a hot mess at times and that, for me, was perfect.
I really enjoyed Laura and Rhys's story. Kudos to Jessica Peterson for giving us another great read in an all around great series!
Laura is under a lot of pressure, pressure that mostly comes from her own head. Pressure to conform, to be better, prettier, more successful. I think we can all find a little bit of ourselves in Laura and her insecurities. She is a different kind of character from the other heroines in this series. She is not as easily likable, which I think was carefully crafted on Peterson's part. Laura strives to appear perfect, but we get to see the flaws. So, in the beginning, it was hard to read her struggles and really like her as a person. BUT, as the book progresses, so does Laura and that is when she really shines.
Rhys also has enormous pressure on his shoulders. Pressure to live up to his family's expectations and to break free of the tainted shadow of his father's legacy in the football world. Rhys is sexy and a little cheesy at times and he is easy to fall in love with and yet it hurts to see him try so hard and always feel he isn't good enough.
Laura and Rhys have a great start, but begin to struggle as their relationship grows. Rhys isn't handling himself well and Laura doesn't like who she is becoming.
The story is really one of learning to love yourself and accept the love of others without stipulations. L & R have some brilliant moments and some not so brilliant ones, but ultimately it makes their relationship quite realistic and I loved that. They are sweet and sexy and fun and a hot mess at times and that, for me, was perfect.
I really enjoyed Laura and Rhys's story. Kudos to Jessica Peterson for giving us another great read in an all around great series!
November 11, 2016
This was the first book I've read by this author and I couldn't put it down. I finished it all in one day. There was something about Laura and Rhys that intrigued me. With that said....Rhys is the first male hero that after I finished the book, I love him, but I hate him, too. Both he and Laura live for other people. What they do in every day life is about making others happy, not themselves. When they first get together, Rhys just takes from Laura. She is his good luck charm and even though she wants more, she is just a thing to him and in return she is a shell of a person. When Laura finally decides that she wants to live for her and start checking things off of her bucket list, that is when Rhys finally opens his eyes. He sees the beautiful strong person she is. Not the shell that has been on his arm. That strong woman, is the one he falls for. They fall for each other hard and Rhys starts to play soccer for him and starts to live his life for him as he has learned from Laura. Then an unfortunate incident threatens to tear them apart. This is where I had a hard time with Rhys, what he did to Laura and how she could come back to him. He tore me apart while I read it, so I can only imagine how Laura felt and how she could come back from that. I loved how they found their happiness in each other and how they learned they needed to truly make themselves happy and not worry about the world around them. I just hope that Rhys has learned through his mistakes and they get their happily ever after. And no this isn't a cliff hanger :) I just always wonder about down the road. Really great read though....I couldn't put it down.
May 31, 2017
After surprisingly enjoying the second book of the series as much as I did I was excited to get started straight away on this one. At first I hated this book. I found Rhys to be selfish and disliked him intensely although not as much as I hated Laura. She just stood back and allowed Rhys to take what he wanted.
I stuck with it though, despite wanting to put it down a few times, and than god I did. This is my favourite book of the series so far, by a mile. I loved how much Laura grew a backbone and grew in confidence because of it. I love that she stood up to Rhys and told that she not only wanted better but that she deserved. I loved that she stuck to her guns and started to live life how she wanted to.
I also loved watching the change in Rhys, watching him understand the type of person he had become and the type of person he wanted to be.
Once they started to open up to each other that's when they story really started.
This is the first book in the series that had me laughing out loud and crying tears for their heartbreak. When Rhys makes it through to the departure gates at the airport I held my breath hoping that that he would be able to convince Laura to forgive him his mistakes, to take him back and make him whole again.
I loved this book. It surprised me in just how much I liked it as well which is unusual nowadays for the third book in a series to be able to do.
I stuck with it though, despite wanting to put it down a few times, and than god I did. This is my favourite book of the series so far, by a mile. I loved how much Laura grew a backbone and grew in confidence because of it. I love that she stood up to Rhys and told that she not only wanted better but that she deserved. I loved that she stuck to her guns and started to live life how she wanted to.
I also loved watching the change in Rhys, watching him understand the type of person he had become and the type of person he wanted to be.
Once they started to open up to each other that's when they story really started.
This is the first book in the series that had me laughing out loud and crying tears for their heartbreak. When Rhys makes it through to the departure gates at the airport I held my breath hoping that that he would be able to convince Laura to forgive him his mistakes, to take him back and make him whole again.
I loved this book. It surprised me in just how much I liked it as well which is unusual nowadays for the third book in a series to be able to do.
September 8, 2017
I enjoyed the characterization for the hero, Rhys Maddox, but I cannot say the same for the heroine, Laura Bennet. [Note that her last name is "Bennet" and she is "Laura," but not "Lizzy," and Laura attends Meryton University. If this book was meant to be a modern day "Pride and Prejudice," it missed the mark.] That may be my reason for not hating the book, but certainly finding it in search of an identity. Mayhap I thought it was to be a modern P&P and was persuaded in that manner.
Laura is clingy and insecure. This would certainly not be Elizabeth Bennet. Meanwhile, in many ways, Rhys has some Darcy characteristics, which are explained away by his occupation as a footballer (soccer) player who needs to keep his head in the game.
I did wonder after everything blows up in his face regarding his return to the Barcelona team why Rhys does not have a Public Relations person. It seemed odd for a "super star."
I also thought it a bit odd when he was assisting the drunk on the street that the woman immediately thought he was also drunk. Rhys did not previously hold a bad reputation - a bit of a playboy, but not a substance abuser. If anything, he watches his diet and his exercise to the point of obsession.
Split infinitives are numerous: to really walk, to not make, to hopefully see, to just keep, to finally eat, ETC.
Laura is clingy and insecure. This would certainly not be Elizabeth Bennet. Meanwhile, in many ways, Rhys has some Darcy characteristics, which are explained away by his occupation as a footballer (soccer) player who needs to keep his head in the game.
I did wonder after everything blows up in his face regarding his return to the Barcelona team why Rhys does not have a Public Relations person. It seemed odd for a "super star."
I also thought it a bit odd when he was assisting the drunk on the street that the woman immediately thought he was also drunk. Rhys did not previously hold a bad reputation - a bit of a playboy, but not a substance abuser. If anything, he watches his diet and his exercise to the point of obsession.
Split infinitives are numerous: to really walk, to not make, to hopefully see, to just keep, to finally eat, ETC.
December 1, 2016
First, this book spans several months, so it tends to jump in time more than the other two books in the series have. What I liked about that is that it showed that not all character growth happens quickly, and sometimes we backtrack before we get it right.
Love, love, love Rhys!! We all have preconceptions about professional sports players, and Peterson has created a fictional bad-boy footballer whom I will be revisiting again and again. I think what I liked most about him was that he was a relatively small fish in the big money-making pro sports player pool. His materialism stemmed from wanting to provide for a large extended family, as much as it was to quash the similarities between him and his father. This made him a likeable rich, famous person.
Laura's struggle with perfectionism and societal expectations are something almost every woman I know can relate to. Her quest for self-acceptance spoke to me in ways that few heroines' stories do.
And, well, the sex was freaking hot! I don't want to get into spoilers, so I will end by saying I recommend this book to anyone who can handle realistically flawed characters and graphic sex.
Love, love, love Rhys!! We all have preconceptions about professional sports players, and Peterson has created a fictional bad-boy footballer whom I will be revisiting again and again. I think what I liked most about him was that he was a relatively small fish in the big money-making pro sports player pool. His materialism stemmed from wanting to provide for a large extended family, as much as it was to quash the similarities between him and his father. This made him a likeable rich, famous person.
Laura's struggle with perfectionism and societal expectations are something almost every woman I know can relate to. Her quest for self-acceptance spoke to me in ways that few heroines' stories do.
And, well, the sex was freaking hot! I don't want to get into spoilers, so I will end by saying I recommend this book to anyone who can handle realistically flawed characters and graphic sex.
October 12, 2018
Lessons in Letting Go is another entertaining addition to the Study Abroad series. And while I did enjoy this story a lot, it wasn't my favorite. I had a hard time with Rhys in the beginning and did not like how he treated Laura. It was all about what he wanted to do, but never anything she did. Yes, Laura went along with it for the most part.....but then she realized how toxic their relationship had been. I was so proud of her for walking away, as it truly was in her best interest. Did they kiss and make up after that? Of course they did, and Rhys finally realized how he had been treating Laura. It definitely wasn't easy for them, but ultimately after one heck of a rocky road, they did find their happily ever after.
And after that piggyback ride that Fred gave Rhys, I cannot wait to read his story next!!
And after that piggyback ride that Fred gave Rhys, I cannot wait to read his story next!!
February 19, 2021
It took me a minute to get into this book. I didn't like either of the main characters at first. The more I read, the more I kind of understood where they were coming from.
Rhys is under an enormous amount of pressure to succeed. Granted he puts most of that pressure on himself but it's there none the less.
Laura feels the need to be perfect. She carries what she perceives as other people's expectations on her shoulders.
When Laura goes to Spain for a semester, she makes a bucket list of things she wants to do for her. The first night in Spain she meets Rhys and her bucket list flies out the window.
It was a very long and winding road but they eventually find their happy ever after by learning to let go of all of it and live in the moment.
Rhys is under an enormous amount of pressure to succeed. Granted he puts most of that pressure on himself but it's there none the less.
Laura feels the need to be perfect. She carries what she perceives as other people's expectations on her shoulders.
When Laura goes to Spain for a semester, she makes a bucket list of things she wants to do for her. The first night in Spain she meets Rhys and her bucket list flies out the window.
It was a very long and winding road but they eventually find their happy ever after by learning to let go of all of it and live in the moment.
March 17, 2017
Amount of sex 4 / 5
How explicit 4 / 5
Romance 4 / 5
OVERALL 4 / 5
Laura Bennet is super excited to begin her semester abroad in Spain. She creates a bucket list of different activities she would like to accomplish while there. She then meets the hot and sexy Welsh Footballer, Rhys Maddox, who plays for the Madrid team. Rhys has just recovered from a knee injury and hasn’t gotten his game back. His coach, agent, and team all are concerned if he ever will get it back. Having a lot on his shoulders, Rhys tries to put strict guidelines on his life. Although, still frustrated, he goes out and happens to meet Laura.
Their chemistry is hot and steamy, but Rhys is more focused on sponsorship than a relationship, so he doesn’t call her back. He then surprises everyone by having a great game and deems Laura his good luck charm. I see that some reviewers have written that they didn’t like Rhys, but I believe he has gotten a bad rap. His number one concern is helping his family. Granted, he lost focus of what really matters, but his heart was in the right place.
Lessons in Letting Go by Jessica Peterson is the third book in the Study Abroad Series and a complete standalone. I have not read the first two books and had no issues with following this story. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend you add it to your TBR list!
*Voluntarily reviewed from a given copy*
How explicit 4 / 5
Romance 4 / 5
OVERALL 4 / 5
Laura Bennet is super excited to begin her semester abroad in Spain. She creates a bucket list of different activities she would like to accomplish while there. She then meets the hot and sexy Welsh Footballer, Rhys Maddox, who plays for the Madrid team. Rhys has just recovered from a knee injury and hasn’t gotten his game back. His coach, agent, and team all are concerned if he ever will get it back. Having a lot on his shoulders, Rhys tries to put strict guidelines on his life. Although, still frustrated, he goes out and happens to meet Laura.
Their chemistry is hot and steamy, but Rhys is more focused on sponsorship than a relationship, so he doesn’t call her back. He then surprises everyone by having a great game and deems Laura his good luck charm. I see that some reviewers have written that they didn’t like Rhys, but I believe he has gotten a bad rap. His number one concern is helping his family. Granted, he lost focus of what really matters, but his heart was in the right place.
Lessons in Letting Go by Jessica Peterson is the third book in the Study Abroad Series and a complete standalone. I have not read the first two books and had no issues with following this story. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend you add it to your TBR list!
*Voluntarily reviewed from a given copy*
August 2, 2018
I DNF’d around 15%
I usually just don’t bother with college age main characters... I’m in the mood for soccer/football (proper football) stories and I thought maybe I could soldier through the college age heroine thing.
Nope. I find her annoying and I don’t want to bother.
So if you’re checking to see why this isn’t all that helpful.
Also... the author writes at least the French teammate in this awful dialectic transcription that I found annoying. It was a lot of little things that annoyed me
I usually just don’t bother with college age main characters... I’m in the mood for soccer/football (proper football) stories and I thought maybe I could soldier through the college age heroine thing.
Nope. I find her annoying and I don’t want to bother.
So if you’re checking to see why this isn’t all that helpful.
Also... the author writes at least the French teammate in this awful dialectic transcription that I found annoying. It was a lot of little things that annoyed me
February 3, 2021
Love is about finding yourself first!
This was probably my least favorite of the books in this series - while I liked Rhys and Laura, I felt that too much time was spent with them being on and off again and not enough time in allowing the characters to really show some growth and maturity. Laura - in particular - had some issues that could have and should have been dealt with using therapy (even if it was mentioned off screen) rather than getting a HEA with Rhys. And I also felt that the ending of this one was rushed quite a bit... and to be honest, Rhys' grand gesture wasn't that amazing!
3.5 stars
This was probably my least favorite of the books in this series - while I liked Rhys and Laura, I felt that too much time was spent with them being on and off again and not enough time in allowing the characters to really show some growth and maturity. Laura - in particular - had some issues that could have and should have been dealt with using therapy (even if it was mentioned off screen) rather than getting a HEA with Rhys. And I also felt that the ending of this one was rushed quite a bit... and to be honest, Rhys' grand gesture wasn't that amazing!
3.5 stars
June 21, 2021
A really good emotional and sexy read! Had several mistakes though so needed a better editor. Real Madrid is my favorite soccer team so was so excited for this book. She only said this team was Madrid, so not sure if it was Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid but then cited Barcelona as their rivals so thinking RM. Even though she described Rhys with blonde hair, I kept picturing Gareth Bale lol.
Over all, I really enjoyed this book and am excited for the next one, also need to find out if we get a book about Emily and Kit!
Over all, I really enjoyed this book and am excited for the next one, also need to find out if we get a book about Emily and Kit!
December 4, 2023
I originally gave this a 1⭐ be cause I was so pissed that Rhys was just so horrid. I'm coming back to change it to a 3 ⭐ becauae the writing was done well, I just wanted the characters. I'd honestly give this author another shot because again, the writing itself was good. I just hope none of her other MMCs are so douchey in the future.
DNF'd at 47% Horrendous. Rhys sucks. He's a truly terrible human being. Someone please let me know if he ever pulls his head out of his arse and this author somehow manages to convince the readers that Rhys isn't a sorry waste of space. Please and thanks.
DNF'd at 47% Horrendous. Rhys sucks. He's a truly terrible human being. Someone please let me know if he ever pulls his head out of his arse and this author somehow manages to convince the readers that Rhys isn't a sorry waste of space. Please and thanks.
February 13, 2019
I really enjoyed this series. Fred was one of my favorite book boyfriends. The only negative that I have is the constant crying that the female lead does in each of the book. It’s just a personal peeve of mine. I liked the funny quirks that the males had and appreciated the humor in each of the books in the series. It was refreshing to have new cultural aspects in these books. I recommend this series!
March 2, 2024
Idk if it should be three our four star. Like this was so angsty and tbh there were two times reading where I actively was like “there’s just no coming back from that” and stopped rooting for them. But also there was something very real in their relationship as the his and then went through becoming who they really are with each other, which was not seamless. This was different from other reads and I was glad for that but also a little shaken.
July 21, 2018
Meh ... it’s too bad because the first two books in this series were really good! But this one I just skimmed.
It’s predictable and it was hard to get over her seeming like a “cleat chaser” and obsessed fan initially. Instead read AMY DAWS football series (THE CHALLENGE, ENDURANCE, KEEPER, SURRENDER, and DOMINATE).
It’s predictable and it was hard to get over her seeming like a “cleat chaser” and obsessed fan initially. Instead read AMY DAWS football series (THE CHALLENGE, ENDURANCE, KEEPER, SURRENDER, and DOMINATE).
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