Love Lessons

Draycott Cove #2

by B.L. Morticia

Two men brought together by an annoyingly intelligent child.

Moving to Draycott Cove hadn’t been Leander’s plan, but the opportunity of working in a school that didn’t care he was openly gay was too good to pass up. Leander was raring for a new start in a place that was off the grid. He knew loneliness would set in, but that’s what hobbies and his hand were for.

Thorne grew up and married before discovering that a straight fairy tale life wasn’t for him. After separating from his wife, Thorne had no intention of marrying again. Humble and unselfish, Thorne was happy to raise their son, Roddy, alone. Men like him didn’t deserve love – no one wanted a dumb jock.

Thorne didn’t expect to be bowled over by Roddy’s sexy god of a teacher. He pledges to coerce Leander into his bed, hoping he’ll accept his flaws and past. More importantly, will Roddy tolerate Thorne putting someone on a pedestal along with him?

Not all lessons are easily learned.

Love Lessons is the second book in the Draycott Cove series. This book is an opposites attract interracial romance novella between a teacher who loves frilly things and a jock who can charm the pants off of anyone and is parent to a cute little kid that makes everyone smile.

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2020

About the author

BLMorticia is the alternate personality of Sharita Lira who pens lighthearted stories with beautifully flawed characters, steamy romance, snark, and kink.

Reviews

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars Thorne and Leander bumped into each other at the airport and their ways split again. Thorne had one goal to find this gorgeous man and take him to bed.
He didn’t expect him to be his young sons' teacher.
Roddy, Thorne’s son, tries everything to bring them together, after a few weeks Leander finally gives in. They fit well. When they are real items together Thorne has more and more trouble to hide his big secret.

I had mixed feelings with this story. It was a sweet read and the content was attractive, I love me some lace, but where I loved Leander I didn’t like Thorne. They had a lot of sexual encounters and for me even a bit too much. The vocabulary and behavior of Thorne’s son Roddy didn’t match his age in my head. What I loved was the content about opportunities to start a new life and find new love, I loved the open mind of this little town and I loved the sugarcoated romance with a loud sexy kink.
Overall a sweet read.

[Cee Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨)
✮ (¸.•´Not all lessons are easily learned.

Partaking in the second book in the Draycott Cove series, BL Morticia infused interracial characters with the presence of a child smart enough to see what even the adults could not. It always amazes me the stories author BL pulls from her mind. I am a fan of interracial romances and the fact that it is MM makes it even that much better. In this story, the author faces another challenge...one that when bought to light could have dire consequences. I've recently read a similar book that took on this, and it is fascinating how each writer tackles things differently.

I enjoyed the three main characters in the book. The delightful and somewhat precocious Roddy, who, though is missing his mom, is willing to push his father toward another relationship. Then there is Leander, the newcomer to their town, Roddy's teacher, who has the boy's father salivating with one meeting. Leander was determined not to rush into a relationship, and I am glad he stood his ground as long as he did considering past relationships. Then there was Thorne, big, blond and buff. Thorne had his hands full being a single father with a secret of his own. At first I was annoyed with his pushy attitude, but ten i realised he was like a big child. His history made him the man he was and you just couldn't help but like him eventually.

This was a good book and I will be passing on a few recommendations. Give it a read and let me know what you think. Remember, everyone has their own take on a book.

I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story... characters were fun.. i enjoyed the writing and plot.. it was fun and i liked it

[Kashonna Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely

This was a lovely book. I love both men. I'm glad Thorne was able to admit his secret and accepted the help he was offered. My only gripe, is there wasnt a wedding. ;-)

[Deb Swietek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling for your son's teacher? Persistence pays off.

OMG I loved this book! The town of Draycott Cove comes alive from the start. I fell in love with the characters as they enveloped me in their lives. This book has hot men, secrets, an adorable, precocious little boy. And sexy lingerie. What's not to love!
Being a gay, black teacher with locs, Leander finds acceptance and a job in Draycott Cove. He literally runs into the most gorgeous man, who knocks him on his butt. And his secret is out... he likes to wear sexy lingerie. So he does what anyone else would do, he runs away. Damn. Thorne though, likes the thought of Leander in sexy undies. Now if he can find him and persuade him to date him. Leander never expects Thorne to be the father of his best kindergarten student, Roddy. With Roddy pushing them together, they have to acknowledge the attraction between them. Acting on it will change everything. But Thorne has a secret he fears will drive Leander away.
Come. Watch them face their fears, admit their kinks, and fall in love. You will be amazed at Roddy, as the boy tries to cement the relationship between his Dad and Leander. You are gonna love this book!
Trigger: this book deals with illiteracy. It shows that just because you can't read doesn't mean you're stupid. The subject it treated with respect and is in no way demeaning.
This book contains adult themes and language, mm sex and is intended for mature readers only.

[Justine Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about trust and self acceptance. I love this beautiful steamy, steamy book about Leander and Thorne. I love Thorne's reaction to Leander, that inta love, even knowing a little about Leander's kink when his things spill out of his bag after Thorne bumped into him. Thorne's son Roddy is just the cutest. He really has a hand in getting his Dad and Leander, who just happens to be his teacher, together.

*Spoilers*
Thorne's in such fear about his secret getting out I think he avoids it with sex. It gives him something to focus on besides his secret. And he found Leander that has a kink he likes which just adds to his avoidance. I love how Leander and Roddy are able to help him and they get their happily ever after as a family.
I recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this story and it made me cry like a baby. This story has so many good feels but at the same time it touch on points that we sometimes as human beings try to ignore it. Falling for your son teacher is is one of my favorites as I feel like it’s a big no-no. In all this is a great read!!

[Patricia Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, grab-you-by-the-feels, charming, engaging, sexy, lovely, beautiful, poignant, and totally awesome story. Thorne and Leander were from completely different worlds, but love and an adorable, intelligent young man found a way to give them a wonderful HEA ending.

[AND 1515 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Stars....
by and1515

I'm an avid reader who loves finding books by authors I've never read before and wow let me count all five stars. This story is absolutely sweet,charming and oh so good.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kaylee Cooper · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finish (stopped @ chapter 4)

I had high hopes for this story because I feel like multiracial couples don't get enough positive page time, and I love me some kink. However, I struggled with the choppy storytelling, the stark shifts between character perspectives that weren't marked, and was completely put off by Thorne's interactions with Leander in his classroom.

[Mx Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

B.L. Morticia gives readers a sweet, romantic, and funny story in Love Lessons (Triad Literary, 2020). If you have to have someone chasing you, Thorne should be your guy. His one-liners are hysterical and I would have given in too.

Leander is cute and sexy and a fantastic catch. Watching Thorne and Leander’s mating dance is fun. Morticia gives them a couple of hurdles, but nothing that is too dramatic. I loved this romance and I think you will too.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

[Cynthia Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the breakup of his marriage Leander moves to Draycott Cove with his son to start over. He gets a job as a teacher. Roddy's marriage broke up too. When he meets his son's teacher he knows that's he wants something with him. I enjoyed this book.

[Linda A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorne is just out of a unhappy marriage and wants to concentrate on his son, Roddy.
Leander has been accepted for a teaching job in Draycott Cove. It’s a big move for him, leaving New York and moving away from his parents but it’s a place he can be himself.
Roddy is the brightest pupil in the class and he makes it his mission to play Cupid.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fay MMBookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.. A great start as they bump into each other. Thorne had married and now had a son but he has a secret. I liked Thorne's persistence in going after Leanders. Somethings in this I liked, but others scenes not so much. A story of and mc not being able to write/read with a bit of kink included. I liked the sexy scenes and the ending of this. The low rating is because of Roddy's character which annoyed me in scenes.

Leander just landed a kindergarten teachers job in a new place.
Thorne literally bumbs into someone at the airport and couldn't take his eyes of him and his pink lacy panties..Lol Thorne newly Out as pan with his 6yr son Roddy to care for.

[Amy Dufera - Amy's MM Romance Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

BL Morticia's Love Lessons, the second book in the Draycott Cove series, is a sweet and tender read.

After Thorne and Leander meet with a cute airport mishap, Thorne is relentless in his pursuit of Leander, who happens to be his son's teacher. It's a story of secrets and some kinky lace.

I definitely enjoyed Leander and how well he's described physically, but it took me longer to become as invested in Thorne. My favorite character was young Roddy though. He's just funny and cute. I always enjoy stories with young kids.

I very much appreciated the way the author explored Thorne's secret. It's a serious issue, causes great shame, and yet is completely avoidable. Thorne is definitely a sympathetic character as this point and you can't help but to root for him.

Love Lessons is romantic and feel good book. This BL Morticia tale is perfect when you're in the mood for a warm, comforting read.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leander moves to Draycott Cove for a teaching position bumps into Thorne.
Leander was moving to start a new job at the elementary school in Draycott Cove and a place where he would be free to be openly gay. Arriving at Wolfden international Airport he is shocked be how small it is. As he is walking through the terminal a large man bumps into him causing him to drop his carry-on bag out of which spills several items including his lacy underwear so he quickly bends and packs them away. The man asks him to go for a drink but embarrassed he states that someone is picking him up and rushes off.When he starts having meetings with each child parents Leander is shocked to find that the hulk that knocked into him is Roddy's father Thorne and that he is still interested in a date.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Miss · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish.

I have seen this book in so many newsletters that I subscribe to from other authors and I was really looking forward to it. I got to chapter 5 before I realized that I just don't care to see if it improves. Ignoring the first flag of Leander being hired on as a teacher "outside" the U.S. yet magically able to take this job immediately without any talk about passports, visas and proper certifications because it's obviously more like he's teaching in another state, not country even though states have certification requirements to be met. Maybe the author doesn't know that or care to do much research on the topic for their story. A mark against them, in my opinion, but not the end of the world.

The next flag and definitely a bigger issue, is the panties. I love that element in stories and think it adds another level of sensuality. When done right. This? Done terribly. Yes, super embarrassing to have intimate items spill out and be exposed if you drop a bag, but Thorne was clearly interested from first sight yet Leander grabbed his stuff and fled. Then he thinks about how guys just don't like that he likes lingerie but Thorne is trying to get with him every time their paths cross but Leander keeps running from him because guys don't really like guys in lingerie and Leander is meant to be alone forever. It's a stupid approach to that element of the story, but I haven't quit yet.

Now the first flag on Thorne specific plot and another item that just doesn't make sense in how it's written. The illiteracy. Yes, it's still an issue these days and I sympathize. I also question the whole brief grocery shopping scene that was meant to make us feel for Thorne's specific plight. First, people that I know to be wanting to keep their illiteracy secret make sure they can always cover. Such as learning their grocery store layout completely so that they can find what they need without asking unless the store has rearranged aisles. Then him always paying with a "Benjamin Franklin" because it seemed to always cover whatever he was purchasing. First, isn't this story supposed to be happening in another country with a potentially different currency? Second, priority number one in hiding that you know nothing about money is figuring out your own system of understanding currency to prevent yourself getting ripped off. I'm sure this story is meant to build in so beautiful arc where Leander figures out how/why Thorne is illiterate and teaches him to read, but he's too old and apparently doing too well in his life for it to make sense that Leander's going to have to help him with pretty much everything; especially money.

Then there's Roddy. Seems like an annoying kid, but not in this enough for me to like or hate him by the time I quit this. There is a glaringly stupid moment, though, with Thorne where he's supposedly looking high and low for the gorgeous man with pink panties that he bumped into, but it goes right over his head when Roddy says his new teacher is cute with braids. This is supposed to be a small little community yet it doesn't immediately occur to Thorne that the new guy he's looking for is the same new teacher for his son, but as he is obviously just ignoring his son's talk about his first day of school, Thorne does think that maybe this new guy is a teacher. This is the point that I begin to realize it's not the author or characters, it's me. I'm stupid to be reading this.

The final nail. The red flag. Thorne is a sleazebag. Seriously. He finally officially meets Leander and learns he's his son's teacher. The second Roddy leaves the room, he's hitting on Leander. Leander says that he can't date a student's parent. Thorne implies there would be no dating. Leander says he doesn't do one night stands. Thorne says stick with me and you will. Gross. I flip ahead just a page or two and Thorne's a stalker acting like Leander is the one only things to be sexual between them and Thorne totally wants to date if that's what Leander wants.

Forget this. I am not committing any more of my time trying to make sense of a story that can't even stay consistent on topics from one page to the next. It's aggravating enough to me when an initial plot point is lost or gets messed up toward the end of the story, but I'm a small fraction of the way into this and the author is messing up just paragraphs apart.

Thank you for making this available to borrow so that I did not make the mistake of buying it.

[C Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The setting of Draycott Cove is bland and almost oddly utopian, which is understandably not important as it is merely a flimsy backdrop to the amorous affairs of Thorne and Leander. But the point of this story isn’t meant to be its world building; the point of this story is hot and steamy sex. To its credit, it does achieve its goal of getting sexual in record time. Unfortunately, whenever the smut felt like it was getting good, it fell flat. If you’re not looking for subtlety, this book does that job; but if you’re looking for something with grace, this isn’t the story for you. It has all the right heartwarming and sexy elements it needs to be successful but juggles them to cheesy effect.

On the whole, Love Lessons is a quick romp that tries its best to be charming. I appreciate that it does try to create an idyllic scenario where a black pansexual nerd can hook up with a hunky dad with a reading disability (with full approval from their parents and everyone else in their small town). In that respect, it crafts a quaint and charming fantasy that unfortunately falls short of feeling genuine. The relationship between Thorne and Leander often felt so heavily predicated on their mutual sexual attraction that they began to feel hollow as characters.

From a queer perspective, these characters didn’t feel that well rounded and that was incredibly disappointing. Early nods to Leander’s struggle as a young gay black man in education left me wanting to know more about his experiences. The concept doesn’t seem to get much development, abandoned in the wake of how easily his new town embraces him and his subsequent love affair with Thorne. Thorne’s character really boils down to “hot (and not to mention horny) dad”, with no expansion on brief mentions of experiences with his ex wife and being adopted. I appreciate the Author’s admirable goal of wanting queer people to know they can be happy with who they are and be loved for it, but I feel like this lacked the kind of authenticity and personality I am looking for in gay erotica.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tiaesha Jacobs · Rating 1 out of 5]

Who OK this book?

This book is why a good editor or a beta readers are need. Where does one begin. 1st they story takes place in a town this is in Great Britain but one of the characters payes with Benjamin Franklin's! Also, he is supposed to be illiterate and only pays with $100 Bill's but works at a gym. And the letter the son wrote who's in 1st grade! Give me a break, as an adult I sometimes forget how to spell spaghetti, but this kid can write an entire paragraph!
Dont look at all the good reviews, this book is not that great. And the only reason I am writting this because I hate when authors think their readers will just glaze over the stupidity in a book. Needless to say, I did not finish this story!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorne is a big guy and people think of him as a jock. He thinks of himself as a dumb jock. Leander is gay and now going to work in a small school, in a small town and be out and proud. The two men run into each other, really, and with a pair of pink lace panties drawing them together, they start reaching for love. Leander finds out why Thorne thinks of himself as dumb and he and Roddy, Thorne's young son start working on him to improve his life and his feelings of self worth. A sweet, sexy story that will completely entertain you. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC book.

[Jasmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of this book - it was about new beginnings for both Throne and Leander, and acceptance. The sex scenes were steamy and could make you hot under the collar, but the book tied together the sex, love, and real life issues. I wish the book flowed a little better when changing perspectives, but I liked the message it conveyed.

[Moten Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was kinda bland.