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Learning Curves
(Learning Curves #1)
by
Elena Mendez has always been career-first; with only two semesters of law school to go, her dream of working as a family lawyer for children is finally within reach. She can't afford distractions. She doesn't have time for love.
And she has no idea how much her life will change, the day she lends her notes to Cora McLaughlin.
A freelance writer and MBA student, Cora is j ...more
And she has no idea how much her life will change, the day she lends her notes to Cora McLaughlin.
A freelance writer and MBA student, Cora is j ...more
Kindle Edition, 93 pages
Published
August 16th 2018
(first published July 28th 2018)
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Start your review of Learning Curves (Learning Curves #1)

3.5 Stars.
Learning Curves is only my second ever F/F read so I’m definitely not what I’d class a seasoned reader, but this year I did say I wanted to expand the reading horizon and this was a short and sweet addition.
Y’all really are just adorable together.”
Centralising on lesbian, Elena from Puerto Rico and Cora, an asexual panromantic, Ceillie Simpkiss brings us a low-drama, cute story as these young women grow closer, realising that together they have something special.
We’ll figure o
...more
Learning Curves is only my second ever F/F read so I’m definitely not what I’d class a seasoned reader, but this year I did say I wanted to expand the reading horizon and this was a short and sweet addition.

Centralising on lesbian, Elena from Puerto Rico and Cora, an asexual panromantic, Ceillie Simpkiss brings us a low-drama, cute story as these young women grow closer, realising that together they have something special.


Review on my blog • Twitter • Instagram
Rep: Fat Puerto Rican lesbian main character, asexual panromantic main character with ADHD, f/f romance
ARC provided by author in exchange for a free and honest review
Learning Curves was a really sweet and quick novella. It follows to women meeting in grad school and forming a romance. They meet after one asks for notes in class. They quickly form a friendship afterward, and the book is pretty much fluff.
I really enjoyed this novella. It was the right am ...more

This was a free and quick read that was available on kindle unlimited and it was quite nice.
I really appreciated the representation that was included in this novella. Cora is panromatic asexual and has ADHD and Elena is a lesbian young woman and she's also Puerto-Rican. I really enjoyed Elena's family's Christmas party, it was very cute. Also, I loved the fact that Elena likes to cook since it's one of my passions too. ...more
I really appreciated the representation that was included in this novella. Cora is panromatic asexual and has ADHD and Elena is a lesbian young woman and she's also Puerto-Rican. I really enjoyed Elena's family's Christmas party, it was very cute. Also, I loved the fact that Elena likes to cook since it's one of my passions too. ...more

Cute novella, festive themed so probably wasn't the best time of year to read it!
...more

LEARNING CURVES is a super sweet, low-drama romance between a puerto rican lesbian and a panromantic asexual girl that is 100% liable to make you hungry. I kinda wish it was a little longer, or perhaps more introspective in its characterization, because I was barely starting to know these girls and root for them before it was over. I also wish the careers mentioned in the blurb came up as more than conversation bits--I think I was expecting them to be part of the obstacles to the relationship. B
...more

Super quick short story involving two graduate students who begin dating. One a chubby latina lesbian, other short thinner Methodist asexual.
Family and Christmas play largish role in story.
Story mostly from Elena's POV, though Cora's POV appears briefly, I believe twice.
Story somewhat ended abruptly and I wasn't immediately sure if next chapter, titled 'sneak peak', was next chapter in book or first chapter in next book.
Rating: 3.45
July 14 2020 ...more
Family and Christmas play largish role in story.
Story mostly from Elena's POV, though Cora's POV appears briefly, I believe twice.
Story somewhat ended abruptly and I wasn't immediately sure if next chapter, titled 'sneak peak', was next chapter in book or first chapter in next book.
Rating: 3.45
July 14 2020 ...more

This was a cute and easy read!
Rep: fat Puerto Rican lesbian + panro ace with ADHD
Rep: fat Puerto Rican lesbian + panro ace with ADHD

Hmm. Honestly, the last chapter saved this story for me - super cute and sweet, probably the best written part, and the main characters finally started to have distinct personality and voice. Also, this chapter had the strongest emotional tension and story arc - I think it could have made the basis for a fantastic short story.
A couple other positives for the novella as a whole: the depiction of anxiety felt very real, which is always something I appreciate seeing done well, and there were lots o ...more
A couple other positives for the novella as a whole: the depiction of anxiety felt very real, which is always something I appreciate seeing done well, and there were lots o ...more

4.5 stars
pairing: Puerto Rican lesbian MC / white panromantic ace girl MC with ADHD
you might be surprised by my rating if you were following my updates, but I actually loved this! I did have a couple of issues but they were mostly unimportant/subjective things
also the ace rep was A+
(proper review to come)
pairing: Puerto Rican lesbian MC / white panromantic ace girl MC with ADHD
you might be surprised by my rating if you were following my updates, but I actually loved this! I did have a couple of issues but they were mostly unimportant/subjective things
also the ace rep was A+
(proper review to come)

I hope it becomes a trend for more authors to release short novellas with less drama and 100x more fluff. Learning Curves is a perfect read for those who are fans of Chelsea M. Cameron or Soft on Soft by Em Ali.
A peer in Elena's class named Cora approaches her one day, asking her to trade notes since she has ADHD and it's difficult for her to concentrate in class. Elena offers to let Cora sit next to her in the class and they slowly develop a friendship filled with library visits and coffee dat ...more
A peer in Elena's class named Cora approaches her one day, asking her to trade notes since she has ADHD and it's difficult for her to concentrate in class. Elena offers to let Cora sit next to her in the class and they slowly develop a friendship filled with library visits and coffee dat ...more

Just the soft fluff I needed
Learning Curves follows Elena and Cora as they meet in a College class and gradually get to know one another. Their relationship has a sweet slow burn quality to it and there’s very low angst involved. I love how Cora’s asexuality isn’t an issue or a point of conflict, but is still something discussed and looked at because there are people who feel sex is a necessary part of a romantic relationship. I also really liked the scene where they talk about how disclosing so ...more
Learning Curves follows Elena and Cora as they meet in a College class and gradually get to know one another. Their relationship has a sweet slow burn quality to it and there’s very low angst involved. I love how Cora’s asexuality isn’t an issue or a point of conflict, but is still something discussed and looked at because there are people who feel sex is a necessary part of a romantic relationship. I also really liked the scene where they talk about how disclosing so ...more

2.75 stars - this was an okay read. Some of the dialogue felt off and it ended quite abruptly.

Oh this one is so sweet, and I don't know that I will find a character who reminds me so much of myself as Cora does.
It's a short story, the first release from Ceillie Simkiss, and outlines the early relationship between Elena, a lesbian Puerto Rican law student, and Cora, an openly queer, asexual business student with ADHD, both studying at the same university.
When Cora first comes up to Elena, it's to ask her for notes from a class in which Cora hyperfocused by accident on one of the other s ...more
It's a short story, the first release from Ceillie Simkiss, and outlines the early relationship between Elena, a lesbian Puerto Rican law student, and Cora, an openly queer, asexual business student with ADHD, both studying at the same university.
When Cora first comes up to Elena, it's to ask her for notes from a class in which Cora hyperfocused by accident on one of the other s ...more

This was so adorable ad handled anxiety and asexuality in relationships so WELL. I love it.

This review originally appeared on Novel Ink.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
*4.5 stars*
When I saw that my friend Ceillie was publishing her first novella– a cis ace f/lesbian f novella with #ownvoices ace, ADHD, and anxiety rep– I immediately jumped at the chance to review it. And, friends, it was exactly the sweet f/f story my heart needed!
Learning Curves follows two main characters whose f ...more
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
*4.5 stars*
When I saw that my friend Ceillie was publishing her first novella– a cis ace f/lesbian f novella with #ownvoices ace, ADHD, and anxiety rep– I immediately jumped at the chance to review it. And, friends, it was exactly the sweet f/f story my heart needed!
Learning Curves follows two main characters whose f ...more

buddy read with: Cande
cute romance between:
♥ Elena, a fat Puerto rican lesbian. She's a law student, loves her big family, knows how to cook. She has anxiety (#ownvoices)
♥ Cora, a white panromantic ace. She's an ADHD (#ownvoices), she always has a book with her, needs hug.
They're both cutie and the romance between them is THE BEST! A part of the plot is set during Christmas ...more
cute romance between:
♥ Elena, a fat Puerto rican lesbian. She's a law student, loves her big family, knows how to cook. She has anxiety (#ownvoices)
♥ Cora, a white panromantic ace. She's an ADHD (#ownvoices), she always has a book with her, needs hug.
They're both cutie and the romance between them is THE BEST! A part of the plot is set during Christmas ...more

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Representation: Fat MC who is Puerto Rican Amercian/Lesbian, MC who is ADHD/Panromantic asexual
Learning Curves by Ceillie Simkiss is one of the few novels I've found that hits the right time period for me that balances between young adult and adult, the coveted New Adult genre that I wish was better marketed at large. This book is one of excellent quality and represents NA books well.
The story of graduate students Elena and Cora, as short as Learning Curves is considering it is ...more
Representation: Fat MC who is Puerto Rican Amercian/Lesbian, MC who is ADHD/Panromantic asexual
Learning Curves by Ceillie Simkiss is one of the few novels I've found that hits the right time period for me that balances between young adult and adult, the coveted New Adult genre that I wish was better marketed at large. This book is one of excellent quality and represents NA books well.
The story of graduate students Elena and Cora, as short as Learning Curves is considering it is ...more

Jan 29, 2019
Sinead Anja (Huntress of Diverse Books)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
2018-releases
Check out my book blog for more book reviews and other bookish posts!
I received Learning Curves from the author, my friend, Ceillie Simkiss. Sometimes I like to read a soft and cute romance, so I definitely wanted to read this. I also had read a few earlier drafts of some of the scenes.
It’s #ownvoices.
___
Isn’t the cover gorgeous? I love the different blue tones on it.
It’s such an adorable and cute story. So adorable! So cute! I also love how it was slow-moving and how it shows their love for eac ...more
I received Learning Curves from the author, my friend, Ceillie Simkiss. Sometimes I like to read a soft and cute romance, so I definitely wanted to read this. I also had read a few earlier drafts of some of the scenes.
It’s #ownvoices.
___
Isn’t the cover gorgeous? I love the different blue tones on it.
It’s such an adorable and cute story. So adorable! So cute! I also love how it was slow-moving and how it shows their love for eac ...more

This was a sweet little novella about a fat Latinx girl and an ace girl with ADHD, who fall in love. It was a nice, low-stakes, relaxing read where I didn't have to worry about anything bad happening. If you're interested in something really calm and gentle, I feel it would totally work well.
Understandably, as it is a novella, this book is very short. I did feel this might have been to its detriment slightly as I would have loved everything to feel just a little bit more fleshed out. Things see ...more
Understandably, as it is a novella, this book is very short. I did feel this might have been to its detriment slightly as I would have loved everything to feel just a little bit more fleshed out. Things see ...more

The ace rep is for sure ownvoices, and it’s possible the ADHD rep is too.

Rep:
Panromantic asexual love interest with ADHD.
Fat, Puerto Rican lesbian main character with anxiety.
Own Voices.
Panromantic asexual love interest with ADHD.
Fat, Puerto Rican lesbian main character with anxiety.
Own Voices.

What a cute and fluffy little novella about two best friends falling in love. Featuring a fat Puerto Rican lesbian main character with anxiety and an asexual panromantic love interest with ADHD this story is perfect for readers who love slow burn f/f romances filled with endearing characters, plenty of sweet stolen moments, a tight-knit family and lots of delicious food. There is something so comforting and genuine about these types of stories that are filled with so much positive representation
...more

This is a very gentle, soft book of two 20-something girls in a relationship with each other. It's a bit like reading fluff fanfics, as each scene shows them being happy and domestic together in really cute ways.
There was one scene I absolutely loved. One girl's family has come into town, and her teenaged cousin is staying with her, but the cousin brings over her friends and boyfriend and throws a party in her living room that gets out of control. The girlfriend shows up and immediately handles ...more
There was one scene I absolutely loved. One girl's family has come into town, and her teenaged cousin is staying with her, but the cousin brings over her friends and boyfriend and throws a party in her living room that gets out of control. The girlfriend shows up and immediately handles ...more

This is a really cute, really short fluffy panromantic asexual/lesbian story. It features ADHD, anxiety, fat, and Puerto Rican representation as well as black and Latinx side characters being Cora’s roommates. This story is mostly focused on Elena’s and Cora’s relationship to each other, but it does mention their family’s religions and how that plays a part in the fact that they both want to date girls. The author also brings up a reference of cockygate!
It was nice to read another story where on ...more
It was nice to read another story where on ...more

Okay, so I’m 100% biased because this is my sister’s book and I’m super proud of her, so I’m giving it five stars no matter what. BUT. This book is actually a super cute, light little romance. It’s not my usual genre of reading, but it’s definitely enjoyable and sweet.
As someone who grew up along side her, I can definitely see a LOT of things borrowed from our own family, which is quite large and loud - albeit not Puerto Rican. And this creepy cat statues she mentioned? That’s me, right there. ...more
As someone who grew up along side her, I can definitely see a LOT of things borrowed from our own family, which is quite large and loud - albeit not Puerto Rican. And this creepy cat statues she mentioned? That’s me, right there. ...more
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Ceillie Simkiss is an author from southern Virginia. She started writing fiction as an escape from her day job as a small town journalist, and has been at it ever since, with the support of her partner, her dog and her cats.
Ceillie Simkiss is an author from southern Virginia. She started writing fiction as an escape from her day job as a small town journalist, and has been at it ever since, with the support of her partner, her dog and her cats.
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Learning Curves
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“Cora would want to be friends or not - Elena being too forward in an email wouldn’t change anything but how long it took them to figure it out.”
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