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Higher Education #1
Learned Behaviors: Library Edition
Two single dads meet at the office, where it's hate at first sight in this new series from acclaimed author Jayce Ellis.
Sending his daughter off to college is the proudest day of single dad JaQuan Reynolds's life. Everything took a back seat to raising her--including his career. He has no idea what comes next, but his newfound freedom is quickly curtailed by a crash deadline at work and the uptight, hovering presence of consultant Matthew Donaldson. He's surly and insufferably sexy, and Jaq's ready to check him out and write him off--right up until a work assignment forces them together.
Every day. From now until Thanksgiving.
Work and fatherhood have been Matt's whole world for years now, ever since his marriage ended. His eldest son is getting hitched over Thanksgiving weekend, and he's not going to let a work deadline get in the way of celebrating with his family--not this time. The hours aren't a problem, but the executive assistant on the project might be. Jaq's sexy voice makes Matt yearn for things he let go of a long time ago.
Lust isn't on the schedule, and neither is longing. But as the weeks go by, Matt and Jaq are forced to reevaluate their plans ... and discover that even the most tight-knit of families can make room for one more.
Sending his daughter off to college is the proudest day of single dad JaQuan Reynolds's life. Everything took a back seat to raising her--including his career. He has no idea what comes next, but his newfound freedom is quickly curtailed by a crash deadline at work and the uptight, hovering presence of consultant Matthew Donaldson. He's surly and insufferably sexy, and Jaq's ready to check him out and write him off--right up until a work assignment forces them together.
Every day. From now until Thanksgiving.
Work and fatherhood have been Matt's whole world for years now, ever since his marriage ended. His eldest son is getting hitched over Thanksgiving weekend, and he's not going to let a work deadline get in the way of celebrating with his family--not this time. The hours aren't a problem, but the executive assistant on the project might be. Jaq's sexy voice makes Matt yearn for things he let go of a long time ago.
Lust isn't on the schedule, and neither is longing. But as the weeks go by, Matt and Jaq are forced to reevaluate their plans ... and discover that even the most tight-knit of families can make room for one more.
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First published November 9, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
February 7, 2021
Learned behavior is about two workaholic single dads trying to maintain relationships with their adult children all while trying to finally get a life of their own. When Matt and JaQuan first meet it's dislike at first sight but they quickly learn to respect and admire one another, the process sped along by their extreme attraction to one another and the story plays out from there.
I have to say from the beginning I was really sold on this, the main characters were interesting to me and I loved their personal journeys, Matt and his attempt to reconnect with his daughter Angela, and JaQuan, trying to finally get a life and some friends of his own after sending his only child off to college. I found these elements to be really strong and made me fall pretty quickly for both MCs! Their chemistry was fun and for the most part I enjoyed them as a couple, I was almost fully prepared to give this 5 stars. But once we reached the halfway mark it felt like the story was pretty much just spinning it's wheels and there wasn't much going on beyond a work project the two had to collaborate on which was utterly dull to read about for chapters on end. Their relationship just felt like it stopped developing after the 50% mark and as such I sorta lost interest for the rest of the novel. Also the conflict in the end was a bit...eh
It was nice but the execution left something to be desired for me. 3 stars
I have to say from the beginning I was really sold on this, the main characters were interesting to me and I loved their personal journeys, Matt and his attempt to reconnect with his daughter Angela, and JaQuan, trying to finally get a life and some friends of his own after sending his only child off to college. I found these elements to be really strong and made me fall pretty quickly for both MCs! Their chemistry was fun and for the most part I enjoyed them as a couple, I was almost fully prepared to give this 5 stars. But once we reached the halfway mark it felt like the story was pretty much just spinning it's wheels and there wasn't much going on beyond a work project the two had to collaborate on which was utterly dull to read about for chapters on end. Their relationship just felt like it stopped developing after the 50% mark and as such I sorta lost interest for the rest of the novel. Also the conflict in the end was a bit...eh
It was nice but the execution left something to be desired for me. 3 stars
February 1, 2021
4.5*
The more I read Jayce Ellis, the more I fall in love with the worlds she creates and the men who inhabit them.
This was a beautiful romance between two single dads, one only 35, the other a bit older, who get thrown together in a work environment and find out that they're not as adverse to each others' company as first suggested.
This is a narrative which also puts the focus front and centre on two black men, their experiences of life, their culture, their family expectations, are all fully explored and it's such a pleasure to see more of this contemporary romance coming from authors of colour.
I've really enjoyed the other books I've read from Jayce and this one was no different. The plot loosely follows along with a workplace romance trope, but adds in more depth through complicated families and two daughters who also fall in love with each other while at college.
I did think this plotline ended up dropped without a firm resolution, both girls seemed to be still pining for the other, but there wasn't any movement once their feelings had been revealed.
But, I guess that's a mirror of life! We don't always get a satisfactory conclusion to relationships even when residual feels still exist.
There was a great supporting cast of characters and I'm hoping the two men that Jaq makes friends with at his daughter's college are going to be the subjects of the other books in this series. I'm intrigued by both of them.
I also loved the strong female secondary characters sprinkled throughout this book. All in all another great read from Jayce.
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review
The more I read Jayce Ellis, the more I fall in love with the worlds she creates and the men who inhabit them.
This was a beautiful romance between two single dads, one only 35, the other a bit older, who get thrown together in a work environment and find out that they're not as adverse to each others' company as first suggested.
This is a narrative which also puts the focus front and centre on two black men, their experiences of life, their culture, their family expectations, are all fully explored and it's such a pleasure to see more of this contemporary romance coming from authors of colour.
I've really enjoyed the other books I've read from Jayce and this one was no different. The plot loosely follows along with a workplace romance trope, but adds in more depth through complicated families and two daughters who also fall in love with each other while at college.
I did think this plotline ended up dropped without a firm resolution, both girls seemed to be still pining for the other, but there wasn't any movement once their feelings had been revealed.
But, I guess that's a mirror of life! We don't always get a satisfactory conclusion to relationships even when residual feels still exist.
There was a great supporting cast of characters and I'm hoping the two men that Jaq makes friends with at his daughter's college are going to be the subjects of the other books in this series. I'm intrigued by both of them.
I also loved the strong female secondary characters sprinkled throughout this book. All in all another great read from Jayce.
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review
December 2, 2020
I really wanted to like this more than I did, wouldn't rule out another by this author but in no rush. 2.5* in the I'm unlikely to re-read but glad I picked it up bracket.
It's a POC writing POC and I didn't understand every phrase and reference which isn't a negative.
There is an age difference but while we're repeatedly reminded of Jaq's age we never learn Matt's. I found there were several instant close friendships made, and felt a bit weirded out by how everyone was assuring Jaq that Matt was 'the one' at first mention of him, without meeting him.
A bugbear was how hard it was to respect any of the female characters, they'd have powerful roles but seem overly emotional, incapable or abusive of it. However great they might seem on introduction I lost respect by the end. Even Jaq's mother would be all supportive then immediately set up a situation guarenteed to end in tears.
But unfortunately the problem for me was I couldn't respect Matt, by the end I actively disliked him. Jaq makes all the effort and is not supported. Matt makes promises but we're not really shown any change of priority beyond fancy speeches. I needed to see him get a wakeup. Tend to think Jaq could do better, employment and partner wise he deserved more.
That said I'm sure other readers will love the big dramatic public finale, it's just a device that always falls flat with me, grump curmudgeon as I tend to be.
It's a POC writing POC and I didn't understand every phrase and reference which isn't a negative.
There is an age difference but while we're repeatedly reminded of Jaq's age we never learn Matt's. I found there were several instant close friendships made, and felt a bit weirded out by how everyone was assuring Jaq that Matt was 'the one' at first mention of him, without meeting him.
A bugbear was how hard it was to respect any of the female characters, they'd have powerful roles but seem overly emotional, incapable or abusive of it. However great they might seem on introduction I lost respect by the end. Even Jaq's mother would be all supportive then immediately set up a situation guarenteed to end in tears.
But unfortunately the problem for me was I couldn't respect Matt, by the end I actively disliked him. Jaq makes all the effort and is not supported. Matt makes promises but we're not really shown any change of priority beyond fancy speeches. I needed to see him get a wakeup. Tend to think Jaq could do better, employment and partner wise he deserved more.
That said I'm sure other readers will love the big dramatic public finale, it's just a device that always falls flat with me, grump curmudgeon as I tend to be.
November 17, 2020
This was a slow burn, both Matt and JaQuan taught each other something about being fathers and juggling their time and prioritizing their personal life. I think JaQuan was the one that taught Matt the most about putting family first and the job second where Matt taught LaQuan that he also had to have a life outside of being a single dad. Once these two realized they had feelings for each other there was no holding back with these two alpha males. 🔥 Their chemistry was off the charts and a really enjoyable read!I 😍
October 1, 2020
“I don’t want to just go back to the old us. I want to be a better us.”
There's so so much that I loved about this book. I read it with permanent heart eyes glued to my face. It was so great to read some queer black love, in a really cute setup that combined some choice tropes and realistic scenarios, and had characters that felt like real people. It's an office romance, enemies to lovers, between two single black fathers who are trying to find their footing in their work lives, do their jobs as parents, while navigating love. It had a light easy vibe that made it a breeze to read. It wasn't laugh out loud funny, but it had fun moments that made me smile. There's a subplot with their kids that I really enjoyed.
And once again, it just does my heart and body good to read black romance, which I categorise a little differently in my head than romance that includes black characters. We all already know that it just makes me happy to see slang in books, and in the same way I especially enjoy it in fantasy, I also really enjoy it in romance? IDK, probably because for a long time (at least to my reckoning) slang like AAVE wasn't seen as a love language? So its inclusion feels revolutionary to me in a way that it probably isn't, lol, but still! It made me happy!
Really, the book only has one flaw, but it's major enough that it could have tanked my enjoyment a lot. And it almost did, but the aspects of the book/writing that I loved served to balance things out. Basically, I feel like the pacing is really off, in the progression of almost all of the relationships. This isn't insta-love, thank goodness (the enemies thing didn't last as long as I expected, but it lasted long enough). It's just that relationship milestones, and the ways that they talked about each other, and the ways that their family and friends perceived the relationship wasn't on par with where they actually were at in their relationship. If that makes sense? So while it's not insta-love, it did permanently feel like things were just slightly off-kilter, and that was maddening.
An early example is Matt's best friend telling him that JaQuan is The One for Matt, before she's even met him. This happens to varying degrees with other characters. There were also a few time-skips (a week long, a month long) that threw me off so much, because it assumes that certain things have changed, but we haven't gotten to SEE any of that progression. I want to see the progression! Or at least get a sense of it, so that when the L word come up, I don't feel like I've been cheated. Also, JaQuan is a bit of a loner at the beginning and makes a couple new friends. But they very quickly start playing a role in his life that would be more suited to old, close friends. Which, I get it, he didn't have any of those. But I feel like the decision to make Carlton and Lawrence brand new additions to JaQuan's life was a misstep.
This was still a really sweet romance, really steamy, great characters. I'm very sure I'd have found the aforementioned flaws a little harder to overlook if I wasn't continuously chomping at the bit for queer black romance that's as cute and well-written as this. I'd still recommend this, and I'll definitely read more from Ellis in the future (I'm really hoping that Tanisha and Angela's story continues!).
3.5 stars. (I waffled a lot on whether I'd round up or down. The book made me really happy so: up.)
☆ Review copy provided via NetGalley.
There's so so much that I loved about this book. I read it with permanent heart eyes glued to my face. It was so great to read some queer black love, in a really cute setup that combined some choice tropes and realistic scenarios, and had characters that felt like real people. It's an office romance, enemies to lovers, between two single black fathers who are trying to find their footing in their work lives, do their jobs as parents, while navigating love. It had a light easy vibe that made it a breeze to read. It wasn't laugh out loud funny, but it had fun moments that made me smile. There's a subplot with their kids that I really enjoyed.
And once again, it just does my heart and body good to read black romance, which I categorise a little differently in my head than romance that includes black characters. We all already know that it just makes me happy to see slang in books, and in the same way I especially enjoy it in fantasy, I also really enjoy it in romance? IDK, probably because for a long time (at least to my reckoning) slang like AAVE wasn't seen as a love language? So its inclusion feels revolutionary to me in a way that it probably isn't, lol, but still! It made me happy!
Really, the book only has one flaw, but it's major enough that it could have tanked my enjoyment a lot. And it almost did, but the aspects of the book/writing that I loved served to balance things out. Basically, I feel like the pacing is really off, in the progression of almost all of the relationships. This isn't insta-love, thank goodness (the enemies thing didn't last as long as I expected, but it lasted long enough). It's just that relationship milestones, and the ways that they talked about each other, and the ways that their family and friends perceived the relationship wasn't on par with where they actually were at in their relationship. If that makes sense? So while it's not insta-love, it did permanently feel like things were just slightly off-kilter, and that was maddening.
An early example is Matt's best friend telling him that JaQuan is The One for Matt, before she's even met him. This happens to varying degrees with other characters. There were also a few time-skips (a week long, a month long) that threw me off so much, because it assumes that certain things have changed, but we haven't gotten to SEE any of that progression. I want to see the progression! Or at least get a sense of it, so that when the L word come up, I don't feel like I've been cheated. Also, JaQuan is a bit of a loner at the beginning and makes a couple new friends. But they very quickly start playing a role in his life that would be more suited to old, close friends. Which, I get it, he didn't have any of those. But I feel like the decision to make Carlton and Lawrence brand new additions to JaQuan's life was a misstep.
This was still a really sweet romance, really steamy, great characters. I'm very sure I'd have found the aforementioned flaws a little harder to overlook if I wasn't continuously chomping at the bit for queer black romance that's as cute and well-written as this. I'd still recommend this, and I'll definitely read more from Ellis in the future (I'm really hoping that Tanisha and Angela's story continues!).
3.5 stars. (I waffled a lot on whether I'd round up or down. The book made me really happy so: up.)
☆ Review copy provided via NetGalley.
November 19, 2020
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Two single dads find love in Learned Behaviors, a steamy m/m workplace romance. This feels like a good autumnal read and the characters have to overcome very real relationship challenges.
JaQuan is sending his daughter off to college and finally might feel free to date, though a big work project overseeing the design a line of home goods for a a prestigious brand is going to keep him busy. Matt is the pansexual, divorced father of adult children (with his youngest daughter in college with Jaq's daughter) and a definite workaholic. He's also the liason on the project JaQuan is involved with and there is definite chemistry.
But Matt's intense dedication to his job may be a challenge, not to mention the complication of something more than friendship brewing between their daughters. In general I enjoyed this, getting to see the characters work through challenges and come together. A few of the steamy scenes I was a bit more iffy on- particularly anything involving sex in the workplace I'm not a fan of, and some of the conversations around Jaq's mom and daughter were a little uncomfortable. That said, I think this has a lot going for it and it a nice option for this time of year. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Two single dads find love in Learned Behaviors, a steamy m/m workplace romance. This feels like a good autumnal read and the characters have to overcome very real relationship challenges.
JaQuan is sending his daughter off to college and finally might feel free to date, though a big work project overseeing the design a line of home goods for a a prestigious brand is going to keep him busy. Matt is the pansexual, divorced father of adult children (with his youngest daughter in college with Jaq's daughter) and a definite workaholic. He's also the liason on the project JaQuan is involved with and there is definite chemistry.
But Matt's intense dedication to his job may be a challenge, not to mention the complication of something more than friendship brewing between their daughters. In general I enjoyed this, getting to see the characters work through challenges and come together. A few of the steamy scenes I was a bit more iffy on- particularly anything involving sex in the workplace I'm not a fan of, and some of the conversations around Jaq's mom and daughter were a little uncomfortable. That said, I think this has a lot going for it and it a nice option for this time of year. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 3, 2020
4.5 Stars!
Whenever I read a Jayce Ellis book, I feel a sense of contentment because it's always so AUTHENTIC . By this, I mean her stories unapologetically tell the POC queer romance story which always makes my POC heart extremely happy.
Like with her previous books, the writing in this was great, the characterisation was excellent and I rooted for both our MCs from start to finish. It also told a pretty well rounded POC story from the language, to the interactions and even to the HBCUs that the young adults in the story attended. I was in heaven reading and could not put this book down when I started.
This was even better because our MCs, Matt and Jaq, were mature men so they communicated clearly and apologised when they needed to leading to zero unnecessary drama. Of course, the road to their happiness was not easy but like I've said, with mature MCs, you really cannot go wrong.
With this being the first book of a series, I suspect the next books would probably be about Carlton(who's boundless energy I loved and Lawerence who got that whole sexy sophisticated thing going on). Bring it on Jayce, you know I got you girl. :D
***eARC Graciously Provided by Publisher via Netgalley in Exchange for an honest, unbiased review ***
Whenever I read a Jayce Ellis book, I feel a sense of contentment because it's always so AUTHENTIC . By this, I mean her stories unapologetically tell the POC queer romance story which always makes my POC heart extremely happy.
Like with her previous books, the writing in this was great, the characterisation was excellent and I rooted for both our MCs from start to finish. It also told a pretty well rounded POC story from the language, to the interactions and even to the HBCUs that the young adults in the story attended. I was in heaven reading and could not put this book down when I started.
This was even better because our MCs, Matt and Jaq, were mature men so they communicated clearly and apologised when they needed to leading to zero unnecessary drama. Of course, the road to their happiness was not easy but like I've said, with mature MCs, you really cannot go wrong.
With this being the first book of a series, I suspect the next books would probably be about Carlton(who's boundless energy I loved and Lawerence who got that whole sexy sophisticated thing going on). Bring it on Jayce, you know I got you girl. :D
***eARC Graciously Provided by Publisher via Netgalley in Exchange for an honest, unbiased review ***
January 3, 2021
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
I liked the sound of this one and decide to request it when it showed up on Netgalley. When I was in the mood for a contemporary romance book I decided to pick this one up. I liked reading this book, although something was missing to fully make this a win for me. Learned Behaviors is the story of two workaholics who fall in love and have to navigate their beginning relationship while also navigating their work and family life.
I liked the set up of this book with both main characters being single dads and their only/ youngest kid being off to college now. I was especially curious to see how Jaq would deal with it, he became a dad when he was young and most of the past years resolved around his kid, now he has to figure out who he is. Sadly there wasn't as much focus on that as I had hoped, it mostly was about his work and the romance.
On the topic of work there are a lot of scenes resolving around that. And I have to admit at times it made me a bit uncomfortable with how their work lives went, these are both big workaholics who aren't always treated right by their boss or assistant. There are plenty of relatable scenes here and as someone who struggled with life and work balance in the past that part definitely felt realistic, but at the same time I just didn't find it that interesting to read about. The solution to some of the work problems is pretty clear while reading, but they didn't really seem to work on it at all until the last few chapters.
I liked both main characters. Matt had a bit of a gruff exterior at first, but it was nice to see him warm up to Jaq and the people they worked with. I liked reading about their relationships with other characters and how they dealt with it, although at times I would've liked a deeper look at their personalities.
Then there are plenty of side characters as well. I liked Matt and Kendra's friendship. As well as seeing how Matt interacted with his family, especially Halo and I had hoped for a bit more scenes were he tries his best to better relate to her. It was clear he wanted to, but it felt like it never quite made it into the book. It was fun to read about Jaq and his daughter and how they interact and resolve things. Jaq's new friends were nice enough, but it felt like they got added just so Jaq had his group of friends to talk with and ask for help at times. I never felt like I really got a good feel for their personalities. There are also some side plot lines regarding some side characters that don't get resolved, although I feel that some of Jaq's friends will get their own book and those were simply the set ups for their stories.
For a long time I didn't really feel the romance between Jaq and Matt. At first it just felt like mutual attraction and they didn't quite like each other. It had a bit of enemies to lovers vibe at first, but not quite, as that dislike part got resolved quite easily once they worked together more. I just didn't really get why they fell for each other and would've liked to see more scenes of them spending time together outside of work, especially the early start of their romance was mostly set at work. By the end I did warm up to them and liked the romance more. Until the forced drama at the end and the weird way one of them was going to solve it and then it was weeks later. Then there was the big gesture scene which didn't feel as fitting for the characters as what I initially expected to happen. I would've liked to see an epilogue as it would've been nice to get a glimpse of their future.
To summarize: this was a solid work place romance type story. I mostly enjoyed reading this book, but it was missing something to make me fully invested. I liked the set up of them both being single dads and how Jaq now had to figure out who he was without having to focus fully on providing for his kid, but I felt like that wasn't developed as much. I liked how relatable and realistic the works scenes were, but sadly I just didn't find it as interesting to read about. I would've liked a bit more scenes with the couple connecting outside of work. I liked the main characters, but didn't quite feel the romance for a long time. I didn't care for the drama toward the end and the way it resolved it felt a bit off. There are some interesting side characters and some plot lines that are left open probably for future books in the series. I felt that a work related plot line got resolved a bit too sudden and easily toward the end and would've liked a bit more build-up/ talking about that earlier. All in all if you're looking for a work place romance with a hint of enemies to lovers at the start this one might be for you.
I liked the sound of this one and decide to request it when it showed up on Netgalley. When I was in the mood for a contemporary romance book I decided to pick this one up. I liked reading this book, although something was missing to fully make this a win for me. Learned Behaviors is the story of two workaholics who fall in love and have to navigate their beginning relationship while also navigating their work and family life.
I liked the set up of this book with both main characters being single dads and their only/ youngest kid being off to college now. I was especially curious to see how Jaq would deal with it, he became a dad when he was young and most of the past years resolved around his kid, now he has to figure out who he is. Sadly there wasn't as much focus on that as I had hoped, it mostly was about his work and the romance.
On the topic of work there are a lot of scenes resolving around that. And I have to admit at times it made me a bit uncomfortable with how their work lives went, these are both big workaholics who aren't always treated right by their boss or assistant. There are plenty of relatable scenes here and as someone who struggled with life and work balance in the past that part definitely felt realistic, but at the same time I just didn't find it that interesting to read about. The solution to some of the work problems is pretty clear while reading, but they didn't really seem to work on it at all until the last few chapters.
I liked both main characters. Matt had a bit of a gruff exterior at first, but it was nice to see him warm up to Jaq and the people they worked with. I liked reading about their relationships with other characters and how they dealt with it, although at times I would've liked a deeper look at their personalities.
Then there are plenty of side characters as well. I liked Matt and Kendra's friendship. As well as seeing how Matt interacted with his family, especially Halo and I had hoped for a bit more scenes were he tries his best to better relate to her. It was clear he wanted to, but it felt like it never quite made it into the book. It was fun to read about Jaq and his daughter and how they interact and resolve things. Jaq's new friends were nice enough, but it felt like they got added just so Jaq had his group of friends to talk with and ask for help at times. I never felt like I really got a good feel for their personalities. There are also some side plot lines regarding some side characters that don't get resolved, although I feel that some of Jaq's friends will get their own book and those were simply the set ups for their stories.
For a long time I didn't really feel the romance between Jaq and Matt. At first it just felt like mutual attraction and they didn't quite like each other. It had a bit of enemies to lovers vibe at first, but not quite, as that dislike part got resolved quite easily once they worked together more. I just didn't really get why they fell for each other and would've liked to see more scenes of them spending time together outside of work, especially the early start of their romance was mostly set at work. By the end I did warm up to them and liked the romance more. Until the forced drama at the end and the weird way one of them was going to solve it and then it was weeks later. Then there was the big gesture scene which didn't feel as fitting for the characters as what I initially expected to happen. I would've liked to see an epilogue as it would've been nice to get a glimpse of their future.
To summarize: this was a solid work place romance type story. I mostly enjoyed reading this book, but it was missing something to make me fully invested. I liked the set up of them both being single dads and how Jaq now had to figure out who he was without having to focus fully on providing for his kid, but I felt like that wasn't developed as much. I liked how relatable and realistic the works scenes were, but sadly I just didn't find it as interesting to read about. I would've liked a bit more scenes with the couple connecting outside of work. I liked the main characters, but didn't quite feel the romance for a long time. I didn't care for the drama toward the end and the way it resolved it felt a bit off. There are some interesting side characters and some plot lines that are left open probably for future books in the series. I felt that a work related plot line got resolved a bit too sudden and easily toward the end and would've liked a bit more build-up/ talking about that earlier. All in all if you're looking for a work place romance with a hint of enemies to lovers at the start this one might be for you.
February 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this. It’s my first time reading Jayce Ellis, and I came in with zero expectations. Just seeing two queer Black men on the cover and I wanted to give this a chance. What I found to be so fantastic about this story was the character development. I’m not a regular romance reader, but one pet peeve of mine is insta-love. And though these characters clearly were attracted to each other from the moment they met, Jayce Ellis did a great job of building their lives outside of the romance, establishing family, history, and feelings outside of the relationship between the central characters. Matt & Jaq are a sexy ass couple, and I enjoyed reading about their interactions and wondering when they would finally kiss (and do more). It was also written very clearly, with detail, like Jayce Ellis having the characters subtly code-switch between work and their more private moments (even their tone with friends), which made everyone feel authentic and relatable. I’m super excited to read the next book in this series. I definitely would recommend.
(S/N: Jayce Ellis is a queer black woman, who wrote queer Black men with care, much respect.)
(S/N: Jayce Ellis is a queer black woman, who wrote queer Black men with care, much respect.)
December 14, 2020
Older MCs? Single dads? Divorced bisexual with adult children? A story filled with characters of color written by an author of color?
Yes to all of the above, please!
I very much enjoy Jayce Ellis' characters and stories. She creates rich, multi-dimensional characters that come alive on the page. The DC setting and surrounding areas are descriptive enough without being distracting.
Learned Behaviors is a great start to a series of single, Black queer men looking for love. I love that the MCs aren't twenty-year-olds; they are older and have already established themselves in a career and know who they are. I enjoyed getting to know JaQuan and Matt and there journey to couple-dom. The adult children play an important role throughout the story without feeling out of place or merely there to provide drama.
The theme of family (biological and found) is strong in all of Ellis' stories, and the same goes for Learned Behaviors. The author has nicely set up the next two books in the series, and I am ready for them!
Yes to all of the above, please!
I very much enjoy Jayce Ellis' characters and stories. She creates rich, multi-dimensional characters that come alive on the page. The DC setting and surrounding areas are descriptive enough without being distracting.
Learned Behaviors is a great start to a series of single, Black queer men looking for love. I love that the MCs aren't twenty-year-olds; they are older and have already established themselves in a career and know who they are. I enjoyed getting to know JaQuan and Matt and there journey to couple-dom. The adult children play an important role throughout the story without feeling out of place or merely there to provide drama.
The theme of family (biological and found) is strong in all of Ellis' stories, and the same goes for Learned Behaviors. The author has nicely set up the next two books in the series, and I am ready for them!
February 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this a lot more than I expected from the tropes. I guess it goes to show that those tropes just need to be done well: and they are here.
.
JaQuan and Matt don’t like each other but are forced to work together on a rushed project. (Please suspend disbelief about the deadline they’re under. It wouldn’t work in real life but it’s a choice that works for the story.) They definitely have the hots for each other right from the start.
.
What Jayce Ellis did so well here, is that she gave room for the relationship to actually develop before the sexytimes started. First, Jaq and Matt realize that they are actually very similar, and their previous clashes were because they are both trying to do their jobs well, with different styles. Respect grows, then empathy and liking, and only then to do they let the barriers fall and hook up.
.
Both of them are older, single dads, and this part of them was integral to the way the relationship builds and falters and recovers. Neither one really knows how to date, and they mess up.
.
What really did it for me in this book is that they are both honest about that. I am a total sucker for a misunderstanding and hurt feelings that only last 10 minutes before someone opens their mouth and says what’s wrong. COMMUNICATION YAY YAY YAY.
.
I would have liked to see Matt actually do the work on page to change his workaholic habits, and not just quit his job as a promise of this, but what we got in the story was really strong.
.
I’m delighted to discover a new-to-me author and went out and pre-ordered the next book, Learned Reactions.
.
JaQuan and Matt don’t like each other but are forced to work together on a rushed project. (Please suspend disbelief about the deadline they’re under. It wouldn’t work in real life but it’s a choice that works for the story.) They definitely have the hots for each other right from the start.
.
What Jayce Ellis did so well here, is that she gave room for the relationship to actually develop before the sexytimes started. First, Jaq and Matt realize that they are actually very similar, and their previous clashes were because they are both trying to do their jobs well, with different styles. Respect grows, then empathy and liking, and only then to do they let the barriers fall and hook up.
.
Both of them are older, single dads, and this part of them was integral to the way the relationship builds and falters and recovers. Neither one really knows how to date, and they mess up.
.
What really did it for me in this book is that they are both honest about that. I am a total sucker for a misunderstanding and hurt feelings that only last 10 minutes before someone opens their mouth and says what’s wrong. COMMUNICATION YAY YAY YAY.
.
I would have liked to see Matt actually do the work on page to change his workaholic habits, and not just quit his job as a promise of this, but what we got in the story was really strong.
.
I’m delighted to discover a new-to-me author and went out and pre-ordered the next book, Learned Reactions.
August 10, 2022
3.5 stars. C+/B-
I didn’t hate this m/m bi romance but I thought I was going to like it more than I did - it started strong but the story never really came together for me.
There were lots of interesting parts but it didn’t feel very unified and there wasn’t enough relationship development for my taste.
I didn’t hate this m/m bi romance but I thought I was going to like it more than I did - it started strong but the story never really came together for me.
There were lots of interesting parts but it didn’t feel very unified and there wasn’t enough relationship development for my taste.
December 3, 2020
Originally posted on You Have Your Hands Full
When Jaq and Matt meet at work, it’s not very cute, but there’s no time for drama because if they don’t collaborate, they aren’t going to get everything together before the big product launch—with only three months away, the deadline is looming. But even though they don’t seem to have anything in common, there’s an ever-present undercurrent of desire.
Jaq was a single teenage father, who raised his daughter with the help of his mother. At the beginning of the book, he drops her off at Howard University, a huge accomplishment considering that he never had the opportunity to go to college himself. Now that his baby girl is settled, he plans to finally focus on his own career, as well as relax for the first time in 18 years—Jaq hasn’t had time for relationships because he always prioritized his daughter.
Matt, on the other hand, was married for 20+ years until his wife cheated on him with a much-younger man. He’s devoted himself to his career as a consultant and hasn’t prioritized relationships either.
When they finally get together, wow, the chemistry is amazing. There’s a bit of an age difference, which makes things interesting, and Matt is a bit (ha!) bossy, which also makes things interesting. They’re both trying to act like this is something casual, but it’s meaningful for both of them, even if they don’t want to admit it.
Jaq and Matt are supported by a great cast of secondary characters. It’s hard to pick a favorite among the group, but if I had to, it would be Jaq’s mom Gran, who stole every scene she appeared. She had me howling at some of the things she said.
I would absolutely recommend Learned Behaviors. This is a sweet romance, with more of an emphasis on family life than one might expect from a “workplace romance”. This book was great, and I’m already excited for the next book in the series, featuring two of Jaq’s friends.
I received an ARC of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley.
When Jaq and Matt meet at work, it’s not very cute, but there’s no time for drama because if they don’t collaborate, they aren’t going to get everything together before the big product launch—with only three months away, the deadline is looming. But even though they don’t seem to have anything in common, there’s an ever-present undercurrent of desire.
Jaq was a single teenage father, who raised his daughter with the help of his mother. At the beginning of the book, he drops her off at Howard University, a huge accomplishment considering that he never had the opportunity to go to college himself. Now that his baby girl is settled, he plans to finally focus on his own career, as well as relax for the first time in 18 years—Jaq hasn’t had time for relationships because he always prioritized his daughter.
Matt, on the other hand, was married for 20+ years until his wife cheated on him with a much-younger man. He’s devoted himself to his career as a consultant and hasn’t prioritized relationships either.
When they finally get together, wow, the chemistry is amazing. There’s a bit of an age difference, which makes things interesting, and Matt is a bit (ha!) bossy, which also makes things interesting. They’re both trying to act like this is something casual, but it’s meaningful for both of them, even if they don’t want to admit it.
Jaq and Matt are supported by a great cast of secondary characters. It’s hard to pick a favorite among the group, but if I had to, it would be Jaq’s mom Gran, who stole every scene she appeared. She had me howling at some of the things she said.
I would absolutely recommend Learned Behaviors. This is a sweet romance, with more of an emphasis on family life than one might expect from a “workplace romance”. This book was great, and I’m already excited for the next book in the series, featuring two of Jaq’s friends.
I received an ARC of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley.
March 19, 2021
I enjoyed it!
It had a very strong beginning/first third, and an actually good third act conflict/break-up!! Those are rare.
It did drag in the middle and there were a few scenes that made me roll my eyes at just how bad the communication was. I wasn't a huge fan of the sex scenes either but I'm ace and I'm Difficult About Those.
Good characters, including the side characters that will be featured in the rest of the series, and I love central family dynamics in romance, so this was a nice read overall.
It had a very strong beginning/first third, and an actually good third act conflict/break-up!! Those are rare.
It did drag in the middle and there were a few scenes that made me roll my eyes at just how bad the communication was. I wasn't a huge fan of the sex scenes either but I'm ace and I'm Difficult About Those.
Good characters, including the side characters that will be featured in the rest of the series, and I love central family dynamics in romance, so this was a nice read overall.
December 17, 2024
I binge read this super enjoyable, steamy, believable romance between two middle-aged Black dads. It’s super nice to see Black queer representation, written by a black queer writer. If you read my romance reviews before you know the thing I dislike most about the genre is the inevitable contrived break up - often for a ridiculous reason - and reconciliation that is a hallmark of the genre. Although the two main characters do have an argument towards the end of the book, this felt like a more adult and believable context that was quickly and sweetly resolved for a HEA.
November 29, 2020
It seems like most books with the single-father trope are set when the child is younger, while the father is focusing on the struggle of raising a child alone. As a parent going through the other side, grown children leaving the nest, it was refreshing to read a story focused on that struggle. Although JaQuan has a successful career, he finds himself at loose ends and trying to figure out who he is as a person when his daughter goes off to college. When Matt enters the picture, there are instant misunderstandings caused by assumptions, but the story does a good job of working through them without unnecessary drama. The ways that work and family commitments almost come between them are very realistic and the characters are well developed enough that I was rooting for their happy ending. The cast of side characters, including JaQuan's mother and his boss, are endearing. A very satisfying read.
Read
July 2, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Racism
Homomisia
Racism
Homomisia
November 23, 2020
I think what I like best about this book though is not the romance, though that is fine. I love the other relationships that Ellis’ builds throughout the story. There are two other gentlemen who are on the LGBTQ+ spectrum and no one sleeps with each other, they become friends. They come together to have fun and to ask for advice.
Then there are the relationships built within families in Learned Behaviors, instead of making people abhor each other they end up listening to each other.
Of course Ellis also writes a fine romance for Jaq and Matt. Two very similar men who took a slightly different route in regards to family, but not in work ethic. Put two type A personalities together and steam is sure to happen. Hot, intelligent, and can apologize? Ellis has created dream men and we get to watch them fall in love in Learned Behaviors.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
Then there are the relationships built within families in Learned Behaviors, instead of making people abhor each other they end up listening to each other.
Of course Ellis also writes a fine romance for Jaq and Matt. Two very similar men who took a slightly different route in regards to family, but not in work ethic. Put two type A personalities together and steam is sure to happen. Hot, intelligent, and can apologize? Ellis has created dream men and we get to watch them fall in love in Learned Behaviors.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
November 9, 2020
Check out our full post for LEARNED BEHAVIORS on Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Learned Behaviors is another wonderful office romance from Jayce Ellis. Jaq, a personal assistant, meets Matt when he comes to assist his boss with an upcoming product launch. There is instant attraction, but the men don’t initially get along. But the single dads find themselves meeting outside the office when they discover their college-aged daughters are friends.
I loved that this story has single dads with adult children. The men are at a different point in their lives to those in many books of this genre. As a result, the issues that arise and cause conflict and uncertainty are different and those issues were things that were easy to relate to but not always easily resolved.
I really enjoyed the connection between Jaq and Matt because it is clear when the men connect and acknowledge their attraction for the first time that what is between them is serious right from the beginning. This was one of the things that had me fully invested in their romance. Also their working lives, which involve long hours that make it hard to stop work from overtaking your entire life, was definitely something I can personally relate to. It helped that the men are hot as hell too.
Jaq and Matt’s romance was lovely and sexy and when the story ended, I wanted more. I felt like we just got to the beginning of the rest of their lives and I wanted more time with them. A solid four stars from me.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
November 7, 2020
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Learned Behaviors is another wonderful office romance from Jayce Ellis. Jaq, a personal assistant, meets Matt when he comes to assist his boss with an upcoming product launch. There is instant attraction but the men don’t initially get along. But the single dads find themselves meeting outside the office when they discover their college aged daughters are friends.
I loved that this story has single dads with adult children. The men are at a different point in their lives to those in many books of this genre. As a result, the issues that arise and cause conflict and uncertainty are different and those issues were things that were easy to relate to but not always easily resolved.
I really enjoyed the connection between Jaq and Matt because it is clear when the men connect and acknowledge their attraction for the first time that what is between them is serious right from the beginning. This was one of the things that had me fully invested in their romance. Also their working lives, which involve long hours that make it hard to stop work from overtaking your entire life, was definitely something I can personally relate to. It helped that the men are hot as hell too.
Jaq and Matt’s romance was lovely and sexy and when the story ended I wanted more. I felt like we just got to the beginning of the rest of their lives and I wanted more time with them. A solid 4 stars from me.
Learned Behaviors is another wonderful office romance from Jayce Ellis. Jaq, a personal assistant, meets Matt when he comes to assist his boss with an upcoming product launch. There is instant attraction but the men don’t initially get along. But the single dads find themselves meeting outside the office when they discover their college aged daughters are friends.
I loved that this story has single dads with adult children. The men are at a different point in their lives to those in many books of this genre. As a result, the issues that arise and cause conflict and uncertainty are different and those issues were things that were easy to relate to but not always easily resolved.
I really enjoyed the connection between Jaq and Matt because it is clear when the men connect and acknowledge their attraction for the first time that what is between them is serious right from the beginning. This was one of the things that had me fully invested in their romance. Also their working lives, which involve long hours that make it hard to stop work from overtaking your entire life, was definitely something I can personally relate to. It helped that the men are hot as hell too.
Jaq and Matt’s romance was lovely and sexy and when the story ended I wanted more. I felt like we just got to the beginning of the rest of their lives and I wanted more time with them. A solid 4 stars from me.
November 11, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Learned Behaviors is the first in a new series by Ellis and she lays the groundwork here for future books without going overboard. Jaq makes some new friends who become a support, and I won’t be surprised when these other single dads show up in upcoming books. That being said, this is absolutely Jaq and Matt’s story, and focuses primarily on them. Ellis does a great job fleshing the two MCs out and making them well rounded characters. And since it’s dual third person POV, we get to really delve into their thoughts and see where they are coming from.
Right from the start, Jaq was the more likeable character for me. He’s wholly devoted to his daughter, and he’s exceptional at his job. He’s just all around a really good guy.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Learned Behaviors is the first in a new series by Ellis and she lays the groundwork here for future books without going overboard. Jaq makes some new friends who become a support, and I won’t be surprised when these other single dads show up in upcoming books. That being said, this is absolutely Jaq and Matt’s story, and focuses primarily on them. Ellis does a great job fleshing the two MCs out and making them well rounded characters. And since it’s dual third person POV, we get to really delve into their thoughts and see where they are coming from.
Right from the start, Jaq was the more likeable character for me. He’s wholly devoted to his daughter, and he’s exceptional at his job. He’s just all around a really good guy.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
February 13, 2021
It was nice to read about two African American men. I didn't buy the relationship and the "feels" fell flat. The emotional vibe was robotic.
This makes me continue to question how ciswomen write about MM. I remain convinced that they shouldn't. They plainly don't get it and/or they don't do the research and use what they've learned.(There have been very few exceptions.)
I won't be reading the followup titles.
This makes me continue to question how ciswomen write about MM. I remain convinced that they shouldn't. They plainly don't get it and/or they don't do the research and use what they've learned.(There have been very few exceptions.)
I won't be reading the followup titles.
March 30, 2021
Aww, this was EXTREMELY cute.
July 22, 2023
On the surface, this is an enemies-to-lovers plot about two single dads who can’t overcome their incredible horniness for each other, but ultimately it’s about two guys who really haven’t let themselves live their lives in a really long time and have to learn to make time for themselves and their own wants.
Hero #1 is JaQuan Reynolds. JaQuan, or Jaq, is the father of eighteen-year-old Tanisha, who was born when Jaq was seventeen. He’s also the personal assistant to Patti Kingsley, who owns design business producing home décor and bedding and such and is the kind of boss who calls her assistant thirty-nine times while he’s moving his daughter into the dorms on his day off. As one might imagine, Jaq does not get out much. Though he makes a friend, Carlton, when moving Tanisha to university for her freshman year of college, things are poised to get even busier at work: Bernhardt, a department store which has been going back and forth on whether they’ll offer Kingsley a deal to do a line of home goods for their store, has given them eight weeks to get an exclusive line of products ready for a Black Friday release.
Hero #2 is Matt Donaldson. Matt is a point person for Bernhardt and a bonafide workaholic, to the point where it ended his marriage. Though he’s been working at Bernhardt for decades, and he recently got a promotion, he’s not happy there. He and his boss Nichole—she as a white woman, he as a Black man—are both struggling to hold their influence in the face of up-and-coming weasel Steven, who’s dating the daughter of grand-boss Mr. Wiltshire and advancing within the company despite his incompetence. His son, Josh, is getting married Thanksgiving weekend, which is a deliberate dare to his father, who’s always been working Thanksgiving for Black Friday product releases, and his youngest daughter Angela isn’t really talking to him.
Matt and Jaq rub each other the wrong way—Jaq thinks Matt is a bossy asshole, and Matt thinks Kingsley Enterprises is a shitshow of goofy unprofessionalism. (Patti, in addition to being a very needy boss, is a kind of quirky genius type and basically needs Jaq to keep her on track and be her “interacting with normal people” translator.) This is unfortunate for them for a few reasons: one, because they’ll need to work extremely long hours together to get the product launch ready for Black Friday, and two, because they’re horny AF for each other. And then, after they start hooking up and dipping their toes into dating, Angela and Tanisha throw another complication into the mix by dating each other at university and having a messy breakup.
I liked this one. I especially sympathized with Jaq, who’s basically having to re-learn how to socialize with other people outside of work now that his daughter is living away from home. Having had Tanisha so young and moved in with his mom, with Tanisha’s mom out of the picture early on, Jaq’s never really had a chance to explore having a dating life. Fortunately, as previously mentioned, when moving Tanisha into the dorms, he meets Carlton, who introduces him to another friend, Lawrence, and Jaq gets a chance to make friends with other queer Black men for the first time in his life. This whole ‘getting a life’ thing, though, requires him to let Tanisha grow up and make her own mistakes and have her own life, which is a challenge for Jaq.
Overall, it was nice to read about characters who were adults, with more adult problems like parenting college-age children, dealing with exes, and running up against professional obstacles. I don’t know anything about launching a line of products for a department store, but the issues that came up and the way it worked seemed plausible enough for me. Another thing I enjoyed was that both Jaq and Matt had to make adjustments to their lives to make their relationship work. Sometimes in romance novels it’s really obvious that someone’s supposed to be right the majority of the time and someone’s supposed to be the wrong one who has to change, and that’s fine, but I also enjoy a narrative where both parties have reasons behind what they’re doing and both parties make mistakes. Matt’s a workaholic, to the point that it damages his relationships, but his company is toxic enough and he cares enough about providing for his family financially that you can see why and how that happened. Jaq is overprotective of Tanisha, but again, it makes that makes perfect sense given that for so long, it was him, his mom, and Tanisha against the world. I liked that ultimately, both men are ready to shift their priorities somewhat in order to have better work-life balance and actually try and make a relationship successful.
Hero #1 is JaQuan Reynolds. JaQuan, or Jaq, is the father of eighteen-year-old Tanisha, who was born when Jaq was seventeen. He’s also the personal assistant to Patti Kingsley, who owns design business producing home décor and bedding and such and is the kind of boss who calls her assistant thirty-nine times while he’s moving his daughter into the dorms on his day off. As one might imagine, Jaq does not get out much. Though he makes a friend, Carlton, when moving Tanisha to university for her freshman year of college, things are poised to get even busier at work: Bernhardt, a department store which has been going back and forth on whether they’ll offer Kingsley a deal to do a line of home goods for their store, has given them eight weeks to get an exclusive line of products ready for a Black Friday release.
Hero #2 is Matt Donaldson. Matt is a point person for Bernhardt and a bonafide workaholic, to the point where it ended his marriage. Though he’s been working at Bernhardt for decades, and he recently got a promotion, he’s not happy there. He and his boss Nichole—she as a white woman, he as a Black man—are both struggling to hold their influence in the face of up-and-coming weasel Steven, who’s dating the daughter of grand-boss Mr. Wiltshire and advancing within the company despite his incompetence. His son, Josh, is getting married Thanksgiving weekend, which is a deliberate dare to his father, who’s always been working Thanksgiving for Black Friday product releases, and his youngest daughter Angela isn’t really talking to him.
Matt and Jaq rub each other the wrong way—Jaq thinks Matt is a bossy asshole, and Matt thinks Kingsley Enterprises is a shitshow of goofy unprofessionalism. (Patti, in addition to being a very needy boss, is a kind of quirky genius type and basically needs Jaq to keep her on track and be her “interacting with normal people” translator.) This is unfortunate for them for a few reasons: one, because they’ll need to work extremely long hours together to get the product launch ready for Black Friday, and two, because they’re horny AF for each other. And then, after they start hooking up and dipping their toes into dating, Angela and Tanisha throw another complication into the mix by dating each other at university and having a messy breakup.
I liked this one. I especially sympathized with Jaq, who’s basically having to re-learn how to socialize with other people outside of work now that his daughter is living away from home. Having had Tanisha so young and moved in with his mom, with Tanisha’s mom out of the picture early on, Jaq’s never really had a chance to explore having a dating life. Fortunately, as previously mentioned, when moving Tanisha into the dorms, he meets Carlton, who introduces him to another friend, Lawrence, and Jaq gets a chance to make friends with other queer Black men for the first time in his life. This whole ‘getting a life’ thing, though, requires him to let Tanisha grow up and make her own mistakes and have her own life, which is a challenge for Jaq.
Overall, it was nice to read about characters who were adults, with more adult problems like parenting college-age children, dealing with exes, and running up against professional obstacles. I don’t know anything about launching a line of products for a department store, but the issues that came up and the way it worked seemed plausible enough for me. Another thing I enjoyed was that both Jaq and Matt had to make adjustments to their lives to make their relationship work. Sometimes in romance novels it’s really obvious that someone’s supposed to be right the majority of the time and someone’s supposed to be the wrong one who has to change, and that’s fine, but I also enjoy a narrative where both parties have reasons behind what they’re doing and both parties make mistakes. Matt’s a workaholic, to the point that it damages his relationships, but his company is toxic enough and he cares enough about providing for his family financially that you can see why and how that happened. Jaq is overprotective of Tanisha, but again, it makes that makes perfect sense given that for so long, it was him, his mom, and Tanisha against the world. I liked that ultimately, both men are ready to shift their priorities somewhat in order to have better work-life balance and actually try and make a relationship successful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2021
4.5 Stars
JaQuan “Jaq” Reynolds is a single, Black, gay dad with a college-aged daughter, Tanisha, leaving for her first semester. He’s so into his daughter and loves that she’s finding her wings. While he is helping her move in to the dorms at Howard, he makes the acquaintance of a couple of other out Black men raising college-aged kids, Carlton and Lawrence. He doesn’t have a lot of community, so he’s happy to build some new friendships. Jaq is the right-hand man to eccentric Patricia Kingsley, owner and head designer of Kingsley Enterprises, a home furnishings design company. They had a bid to design a line of products for Bernhardt’s stores. They hadn’t heard back, but suddenly the company wants designs for a Black Friday surge, and it’s all hands on deck for the next few months to meet the ridiculous deadlines. Jaq is not pleased to work closely with Matthew Donaldson as they bring Patricia’s designs to market–mostly because Matthew is pompous and his attitude is beyond the pale. Even if he is one fine man…
Matthew Donaldson is a Bernhardt’s analyst who usually takes nine months to a year with his new accounts to help them acclimate to the Bernhardt’s process, and ensure a successful partnership. This unexpected account with Kingsley designs is breaking all the patterns for his usual project management. He’s worked for the Bernhardt’s for two decades, to the chagrin of his ex-wife and grown children. They all have had their fill of his excuses for ignoring them on behalf of work. Matthew’s female boss has made it clear that she only trust his with this roll out because management is looking for reasons to axe either of them. As a Black bisexual man, he’s definitely outside the white culture of management at Bernhardt’s and failing to meet deadlines on this rushed project could be the end of Matthew’s tenure at Bernhardt’s. Add to that his eldest son is about to get married at Thanskgiving–the day before Black Friday, and his youngest daughter is having struggles at Howard. So, he’s not interested in Jaq’s excuses for Patricia’s seeming flightiness. Even if Jaq is a delicious-looking dude…
Thing is, the more these two work together the more they recognize that their animosity is fueled by frustrated attraction. Maybe if they take a little “professional” break they could get some clarity and also some sexual satisfaction. Interestingly, they only get more taken with one another–because they finally start to appreciate the struggles the other has faced. They are the hardest workers in the office and their commitment to the project is common ground. Also, it turns out Tanisha and Matthew’s daughter are acquainted–although this causes some conflict when Jaq recognizes that Matthew’s daughter kinda broke her heart. That said, they can’t shake the other man, so they decide to go for it. It seems to be developing well, until the wedding, to which Matthew has invited Jaq as his guest. If they bust their humps they should be able to relax at the occasion. Unfortunately, it’s a total mess. Why? Because Matthew can’t turn off work, as per his usual. And, because Tanisha has an emergency that increases the conflict.
This is a fantastic and delicious romance between two determined, driven and strong Black men. Their personalities were so strong on the page, and their dedication and responsibility was honored and celebrated in the most poignant ways. Matthew has a long way to go to make amends to his family, and to Jaq for his recent behavior. Matthew is used to being autonomous, and his struggles to include people and be vulnerable are interesting. Jaq has been a caregiver for his whole adult life. it’s hard for him to be independent, but he grows his wings once Tanisha leaves home, encouraged by his loving mother. This story has a strong theme of family and self-sacrifice, which both men need to overcome. I really loved it, and I loved Carlton and Lawrence and their absolutely stone cold, but loving, advice for Jaq. I’m glad that we will see these characters in future stories. A happy ending and a strong recommendation from me.
JaQuan “Jaq” Reynolds is a single, Black, gay dad with a college-aged daughter, Tanisha, leaving for her first semester. He’s so into his daughter and loves that she’s finding her wings. While he is helping her move in to the dorms at Howard, he makes the acquaintance of a couple of other out Black men raising college-aged kids, Carlton and Lawrence. He doesn’t have a lot of community, so he’s happy to build some new friendships. Jaq is the right-hand man to eccentric Patricia Kingsley, owner and head designer of Kingsley Enterprises, a home furnishings design company. They had a bid to design a line of products for Bernhardt’s stores. They hadn’t heard back, but suddenly the company wants designs for a Black Friday surge, and it’s all hands on deck for the next few months to meet the ridiculous deadlines. Jaq is not pleased to work closely with Matthew Donaldson as they bring Patricia’s designs to market–mostly because Matthew is pompous and his attitude is beyond the pale. Even if he is one fine man…
Matthew Donaldson is a Bernhardt’s analyst who usually takes nine months to a year with his new accounts to help them acclimate to the Bernhardt’s process, and ensure a successful partnership. This unexpected account with Kingsley designs is breaking all the patterns for his usual project management. He’s worked for the Bernhardt’s for two decades, to the chagrin of his ex-wife and grown children. They all have had their fill of his excuses for ignoring them on behalf of work. Matthew’s female boss has made it clear that she only trust his with this roll out because management is looking for reasons to axe either of them. As a Black bisexual man, he’s definitely outside the white culture of management at Bernhardt’s and failing to meet deadlines on this rushed project could be the end of Matthew’s tenure at Bernhardt’s. Add to that his eldest son is about to get married at Thanskgiving–the day before Black Friday, and his youngest daughter is having struggles at Howard. So, he’s not interested in Jaq’s excuses for Patricia’s seeming flightiness. Even if Jaq is a delicious-looking dude…
Thing is, the more these two work together the more they recognize that their animosity is fueled by frustrated attraction. Maybe if they take a little “professional” break they could get some clarity and also some sexual satisfaction. Interestingly, they only get more taken with one another–because they finally start to appreciate the struggles the other has faced. They are the hardest workers in the office and their commitment to the project is common ground. Also, it turns out Tanisha and Matthew’s daughter are acquainted–although this causes some conflict when Jaq recognizes that Matthew’s daughter kinda broke her heart. That said, they can’t shake the other man, so they decide to go for it. It seems to be developing well, until the wedding, to which Matthew has invited Jaq as his guest. If they bust their humps they should be able to relax at the occasion. Unfortunately, it’s a total mess. Why? Because Matthew can’t turn off work, as per his usual. And, because Tanisha has an emergency that increases the conflict.
This is a fantastic and delicious romance between two determined, driven and strong Black men. Their personalities were so strong on the page, and their dedication and responsibility was honored and celebrated in the most poignant ways. Matthew has a long way to go to make amends to his family, and to Jaq for his recent behavior. Matthew is used to being autonomous, and his struggles to include people and be vulnerable are interesting. Jaq has been a caregiver for his whole adult life. it’s hard for him to be independent, but he grows his wings once Tanisha leaves home, encouraged by his loving mother. This story has a strong theme of family and self-sacrifice, which both men need to overcome. I really loved it, and I loved Carlton and Lawrence and their absolutely stone cold, but loving, advice for Jaq. I’m glad that we will see these characters in future stories. A happy ending and a strong recommendation from me.
March 11, 2021
Content warnings:
When I saw that cover with those two gorgeous men smiling at each other, I couldn’t resist picking this up. It’s also a workplace romance, which is trope I generally enjoy. I’m not sure I’d say this is enemies-to-lovers, but it’s definitely bordering on that: they’re not even sure they like each other as people but their chemistry is off the charts.
Matt works for Bernhardt, a large department store, and the Kingsley design studio is set to do an exclusive line of home goods for them. The problem? Bernhardt waited until the last minute, and now they only have a few months to get the items ready for a Black Friday launch. The only way to make it work is for Matt to go onsite until Thanksgiving. JaQuan is the executive assistant to the chief designer at Kingsley, and he’s just recently dropped his daughter Tanisha off for her first year at Howard. But even with his newly empty nester status, the amount of hours Matt wants them to work – and his attitude – rub Jaq the wrong way. But they’re both very attracted to each other, and as the project progresses, things progress in ways they don’t expect. But between the demands of their kids and their jobs, is there any time for them to figure out their relationship?
Jaq was very easy to like. Jaq’s girlfriend got pregnant and her parents kicked her out, so she moved in with Jaq and his mom, then took off when Tanisha was little. Jaq’s been too busy being a dad to even think about dating, but now that she’s in college, things seem a little more possible… even if he’s still living with his mom at thirty-five. But it also means he has pretty much zero dating experience. Matt was a harder sell. From the start, he’s very blunt and, well, rude. Like Jaq, he’s a single dad. Matt has three kids with his ex, one of whom is getting married Thanksgiving weekend, and the youngest is an RA at Howard. They’re both workaholics, though Jaq’s a bit better about putting his daughter first, and his company is more understanding of that. Matt, on the other hand, literally cannot delegate to save his life, and takes on way too much under the auspices of taking care of his family financially – to the point where his kids don’t want to invite him to things just to have him not show up because he got caught up in work.
The relationship between Jaq and Matt was very slow-burn and a bit stop-and-go. They’re both so confused about what’s going on that they skip a couple of relationship steps. Neither of them have much dating experience and there’s a lot of misunderstandings and communication they have to work through. Pretty much everyone else around them thinks they’re in a relationship before they are, and it takes a lot of discussion from others, including Matt’s ex, before they realize what they have is worth working for. When they’re together, though, they’ve got incredible chemistry and they’re really quite sweet.
The secondary characters were fun, especially Jaq’s mom, but my favorite was his group of new friends. While dropping Tanisha off at Howard, Jaq meets another dad and ends up part of a group of non-straight Black dads that meet for coffee every once in a while. I liked Lawrence and Carlton a lot and the hints of their own stories we got throughout the book. I liked how they supported each other through their relationship and kid problems, though it did feel like they bonded quite quickly. As for cons, my biggest issue was the pacing. It bogged down in the middle of the book, and the relationship seemed to stall interminably.
Overall, though, I enjoyed the writing, the characters and their interactions, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
When I saw that cover with those two gorgeous men smiling at each other, I couldn’t resist picking this up. It’s also a workplace romance, which is trope I generally enjoy. I’m not sure I’d say this is enemies-to-lovers, but it’s definitely bordering on that: they’re not even sure they like each other as people but their chemistry is off the charts.
Matt works for Bernhardt, a large department store, and the Kingsley design studio is set to do an exclusive line of home goods for them. The problem? Bernhardt waited until the last minute, and now they only have a few months to get the items ready for a Black Friday launch. The only way to make it work is for Matt to go onsite until Thanksgiving. JaQuan is the executive assistant to the chief designer at Kingsley, and he’s just recently dropped his daughter Tanisha off for her first year at Howard. But even with his newly empty nester status, the amount of hours Matt wants them to work – and his attitude – rub Jaq the wrong way. But they’re both very attracted to each other, and as the project progresses, things progress in ways they don’t expect. But between the demands of their kids and their jobs, is there any time for them to figure out their relationship?
“Matt wanted him there because he wanted to see him, to watch him work, to spend hours on end next to him. That he wasn’t entirely sure if he even liked JaQuan wasn’t the point.
“You want him.” Not a question. Didn’t need to be.
“Absolutely.” Matt wasn’t prepared for the relief he felt at admitting it to himself.”
Jaq was very easy to like. Jaq’s girlfriend got pregnant and her parents kicked her out, so she moved in with Jaq and his mom, then took off when Tanisha was little. Jaq’s been too busy being a dad to even think about dating, but now that she’s in college, things seem a little more possible… even if he’s still living with his mom at thirty-five. But it also means he has pretty much zero dating experience. Matt was a harder sell. From the start, he’s very blunt and, well, rude. Like Jaq, he’s a single dad. Matt has three kids with his ex, one of whom is getting married Thanksgiving weekend, and the youngest is an RA at Howard. They’re both workaholics, though Jaq’s a bit better about putting his daughter first, and his company is more understanding of that. Matt, on the other hand, literally cannot delegate to save his life, and takes on way too much under the auspices of taking care of his family financially – to the point where his kids don’t want to invite him to things just to have him not show up because he got caught up in work.
The relationship between Jaq and Matt was very slow-burn and a bit stop-and-go. They’re both so confused about what’s going on that they skip a couple of relationship steps. Neither of them have much dating experience and there’s a lot of misunderstandings and communication they have to work through. Pretty much everyone else around them thinks they’re in a relationship before they are, and it takes a lot of discussion from others, including Matt’s ex, before they realize what they have is worth working for. When they’re together, though, they’ve got incredible chemistry and they’re really quite sweet.
The secondary characters were fun, especially Jaq’s mom, but my favorite was his group of new friends. While dropping Tanisha off at Howard, Jaq meets another dad and ends up part of a group of non-straight Black dads that meet for coffee every once in a while. I liked Lawrence and Carlton a lot and the hints of their own stories we got throughout the book. I liked how they supported each other through their relationship and kid problems, though it did feel like they bonded quite quickly. As for cons, my biggest issue was the pacing. It bogged down in the middle of the book, and the relationship seemed to stall interminably.
Overall, though, I enjoyed the writing, the characters and their interactions, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
February 18, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book. I am providing a voluntary review. All thoughts and views are my own.
You know those books—I know you do—the ones where your heart aches and you can’t stop reading until the characters find their HEA because you want it so dang bad?? Yeah, well, Learned Behaviors is absolutely one of those books. I fell hard for Matt and Jaq, and I was so dang invested in them finding their HEA that I, more than once, just completely stopped everything so I could sit in random places to read until I got through a part of the story that had me on the edge of my seat. Because I couldn’t not know everything was okay. For a bit, at least.
Goodness, this story brings the feels. It just does. Ellis does such a fabulous job of hitting all those important beats in her stories, keeping things interesting and the reader engaged. She’s never guilty of having a “soggy middle” with her stories because there is always a bit of a gray moment for the characters to fight through that keeps things moving forward at a fast and intriguing pace.
Where to begin with Jaq and Matt? One of the things I love about Ellis’s character development is that she never writes one-dimensional characters who are too perfect or without relatable flaws. Even her side characters are always unique and possess their own brand of imperfection. It brings her world alive and makes every moment feel real and down-to-earth. Like, it takes some serious skill to be able to create so many different and easily distinguishable side characters. Ones that heighten the story beyond words. But this is especially true of Jaq and Matt. Neither is perfect. In fact, they each have some fairly substantial flaws—in my opinion, Matt especially. There were times I wanted to bop him over the head. However, there isn’t a single thing about the way he is that isn’t 100% realistic. I’ve known many, many people who have the issues he does, and his rationale for being the way he is makes so much sense it hurts. As for Jaq? I was shocked when the black moment hit… I thought for sure it would be all Matt screwing up, but Jaq managed to play a role as well. Of course, I’m not going to tell you what he did, because you’ve gotta read it for yourself, but it was so real.
That’s one of Ellis’s other (of many) strengths. Her black moments are never contrived, nor do they ever feel forced. They flow with the story and match the characters and are never just randomly there. You might not see them coming until they happen, but then you realize she’s been carefully crafting their eruption throughout the entire story and it’s just perfection.
Anyway… I could probably ramble forever and ever if I don’t put a muzzle on myself. Suffice it to say, I would recommend anything by Jayce Ellis to pretty much all readers. Now, I know not everything is for everyone. Some people just aren’t into romance, and that’s cool. But if you enjoy love stories even a little bit, I highly encourage you to give this fabulous author and all of her works a read. In fact, next week, I’ll be doing another review of the second book in the Higher Education series… which, shocker, I will also be rambling and in love with. Trust me. (Because, yeah, I’ve already written that review. Don’t ask. lol)
You know those books—I know you do—the ones where your heart aches and you can’t stop reading until the characters find their HEA because you want it so dang bad?? Yeah, well, Learned Behaviors is absolutely one of those books. I fell hard for Matt and Jaq, and I was so dang invested in them finding their HEA that I, more than once, just completely stopped everything so I could sit in random places to read until I got through a part of the story that had me on the edge of my seat. Because I couldn’t not know everything was okay. For a bit, at least.
Goodness, this story brings the feels. It just does. Ellis does such a fabulous job of hitting all those important beats in her stories, keeping things interesting and the reader engaged. She’s never guilty of having a “soggy middle” with her stories because there is always a bit of a gray moment for the characters to fight through that keeps things moving forward at a fast and intriguing pace.
Where to begin with Jaq and Matt? One of the things I love about Ellis’s character development is that she never writes one-dimensional characters who are too perfect or without relatable flaws. Even her side characters are always unique and possess their own brand of imperfection. It brings her world alive and makes every moment feel real and down-to-earth. Like, it takes some serious skill to be able to create so many different and easily distinguishable side characters. Ones that heighten the story beyond words. But this is especially true of Jaq and Matt. Neither is perfect. In fact, they each have some fairly substantial flaws—in my opinion, Matt especially. There were times I wanted to bop him over the head. However, there isn’t a single thing about the way he is that isn’t 100% realistic. I’ve known many, many people who have the issues he does, and his rationale for being the way he is makes so much sense it hurts. As for Jaq? I was shocked when the black moment hit… I thought for sure it would be all Matt screwing up, but Jaq managed to play a role as well. Of course, I’m not going to tell you what he did, because you’ve gotta read it for yourself, but it was so real.
That’s one of Ellis’s other (of many) strengths. Her black moments are never contrived, nor do they ever feel forced. They flow with the story and match the characters and are never just randomly there. You might not see them coming until they happen, but then you realize she’s been carefully crafting their eruption throughout the entire story and it’s just perfection.
Anyway… I could probably ramble forever and ever if I don’t put a muzzle on myself. Suffice it to say, I would recommend anything by Jayce Ellis to pretty much all readers. Now, I know not everything is for everyone. Some people just aren’t into romance, and that’s cool. But if you enjoy love stories even a little bit, I highly encourage you to give this fabulous author and all of her works a read. In fact, next week, I’ll be doing another review of the second book in the Higher Education series… which, shocker, I will also be rambling and in love with. Trust me. (Because, yeah, I’ve already written that review. Don’t ask. lol)
November 22, 2020
This was the first novel I’ve read by Jayce Ellis, and I loved it! I’ve got all the rest of Jayce’s novels on my wishlist.
JaQuan Reynolds is a dedicated, hardworking, young single-father. At 35 he’s dropping his daughter off for her first days of college and finding out who he is outside of fatherhood. He loves his job, but being thrown head first into a time crunch with a partner company to release a line of home goods for Black Friday, it’s stressful.
What JaQuan didn’t factor in was Matt and how, smart, determined, and undeniably attractive the man was. Matt is a little too married to his job and it shows in his family life. He almost doesn’t get an invitation to his son’s wedding, his daughter doesn’t talk to him about her personal life, and his ex-wife has little faith in him when it comes to anything besides work.
What I loved what how distinctive JaQuan and Matt were. I could hear their voices in my head as I read, and oh my, it felt like fingertips dancing down my spine. I was in the office they worked in, on campus with their girls and at Matt’s son’s wedding. I could picture their daughters, Jaq’s mother like they were my family. The secondary characters, were strong, independent women. I don’t think we get that enough in books. They were just as important to Jaq and Matt’s storyline as their interactions were. Ellis paints a vivid picture with her writing.
JaQuan, while younger than Matt, taught Matt more about the important things in life. Your family, friends, and individual happiness is more important than the whir of work. Someone is always there to take your place at work, but not with your family.
The chemistry between Jaq and Matt *fans self* oh from the moment they laid eyes on each other I could feel the heat. They may not have liked each other all that much in the beginning, but the more they worked together the more intense their feelings became. I do wish there was a little more to the romance scenes.
I’m going to go see which book I’m going to buy next!
JaQuan Reynolds is a dedicated, hardworking, young single-father. At 35 he’s dropping his daughter off for her first days of college and finding out who he is outside of fatherhood. He loves his job, but being thrown head first into a time crunch with a partner company to release a line of home goods for Black Friday, it’s stressful.
What JaQuan didn’t factor in was Matt and how, smart, determined, and undeniably attractive the man was. Matt is a little too married to his job and it shows in his family life. He almost doesn’t get an invitation to his son’s wedding, his daughter doesn’t talk to him about her personal life, and his ex-wife has little faith in him when it comes to anything besides work.
What I loved what how distinctive JaQuan and Matt were. I could hear their voices in my head as I read, and oh my, it felt like fingertips dancing down my spine. I was in the office they worked in, on campus with their girls and at Matt’s son’s wedding. I could picture their daughters, Jaq’s mother like they were my family. The secondary characters, were strong, independent women. I don’t think we get that enough in books. They were just as important to Jaq and Matt’s storyline as their interactions were. Ellis paints a vivid picture with her writing.
JaQuan, while younger than Matt, taught Matt more about the important things in life. Your family, friends, and individual happiness is more important than the whir of work. Someone is always there to take your place at work, but not with your family.
The chemistry between Jaq and Matt *fans self* oh from the moment they laid eyes on each other I could feel the heat. They may not have liked each other all that much in the beginning, but the more they worked together the more intense their feelings became. I do wish there was a little more to the romance scenes.
I’m going to go see which book I’m going to buy next!
Read
June 18, 2021"I'd like to think I know your heart," Jaq said, his words careful. "But I have to look at your actions."
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This was a really surprising read for me bec it's my first one from Jayce Ellis and it hit all of my favorite tropes, scenes, and dialogues. The story also went beyond my expectations and it had been a really nice read in the middle of this pandemic.
JaQuan is a workaholic, but his narrative was fully fleshed out and made sense why he would become like that. He really loved his work and at the beginning, really wasn't emotionally ready to connect with his daughter. He loved her so much, yes, no question, but he needed to come to terms that his little girl was growing into a woman now and he wasn't getting nay younger too. The way that evolved within the book was lovely to see and experience.
Matt, on the other hand, seems to have it all figured out, except on matters of the heart. I don't want to say much (bec spoilers) except that the conflict I was expecting would come from his life situation didn't happen. I got a better, more nuanced conflict, instead, making the resolution and HEA even more delicious.
I really liked this and I have the second book in the series! I'm saving it for really bad reading slumps, but if you're thinking about trying out this book, I highly recommend it.
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*The eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review. It doesn't affect my opinion of the book. Thank you.
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Learned Behaviors (Higher Education #1) by Jayce Ellis
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#bookstagram #readingismyhappyplace #lovetoreadbooks #booklover #bookaesthetic #alwaysreading
#romancetagram #diverseromance #diversebooks #diversereads #kindlebooks #JayceEllis #LearnedBehaviors #HigherEducation #PrideBookstagram
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This was a really surprising read for me bec it's my first one from Jayce Ellis and it hit all of my favorite tropes, scenes, and dialogues. The story also went beyond my expectations and it had been a really nice read in the middle of this pandemic.
JaQuan is a workaholic, but his narrative was fully fleshed out and made sense why he would become like that. He really loved his work and at the beginning, really wasn't emotionally ready to connect with his daughter. He loved her so much, yes, no question, but he needed to come to terms that his little girl was growing into a woman now and he wasn't getting nay younger too. The way that evolved within the book was lovely to see and experience.
Matt, on the other hand, seems to have it all figured out, except on matters of the heart. I don't want to say much (bec spoilers) except that the conflict I was expecting would come from his life situation didn't happen. I got a better, more nuanced conflict, instead, making the resolution and HEA even more delicious.
I really liked this and I have the second book in the series! I'm saving it for really bad reading slumps, but if you're thinking about trying out this book, I highly recommend it.
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*The eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review. It doesn't affect my opinion of the book. Thank you.
•
Learned Behaviors (Higher Education #1) by Jayce Ellis
.
.
.
.
#bookstagram #readingismyhappyplace #lovetoreadbooks #booklover #bookaesthetic #alwaysreading
#romancetagram #diverseromance #diversebooks #diversereads #kindlebooks #JayceEllis #LearnedBehaviors #HigherEducation #PrideBookstagram
July 15, 2025
JaQuan Reynolds already has his hands full upwardly managing his creative but erratically demanding boss and he resents the arrival of Matthew Donaldson who is seconded to the company to make sure they deliver on a line of fabrics and soft furnishings for the chain of stores that Matthew works for. The two men are both driven to work hard but they couldn’t be more different. JaQuan has raised his daughter as single father while Matt has been an absentee husband to his ex-wife and children, prioritising work above all else. Matt starts to gain respect for JaQuan when he sees how well he operates but the two still clash regularly until they can’t keep their hands off each other. But is Matt doomed to fail at yet another relationship with so many deadlines and demands on his time?
I’m not familiar with American corporate culture so I couldn’t tell if Matt’s all-consuming workload was realistic or not, but either way this was a gripping and satisfying enemies-to-lovers / workplace romance! I loved the race to get the catalogue ready for the Black Friday sales, the sparks of anger and lust between JaQuan and Matt, and the secondary story about their daughters. It all worked for me and confirmed I’ve found a great author in Jayce Ellis, and I love her focus on strong African-American main characters with amazing chemistry. There’s always a lot happening in her stories, with major and minor subplots woven through each other, and not all of these always resolve during the novel—which feels more like real life. 🎧 Actor and narrator K. Bernard inhabited the characters well, although I found his voice a little halting at times.
I’m not familiar with American corporate culture so I couldn’t tell if Matt’s all-consuming workload was realistic or not, but either way this was a gripping and satisfying enemies-to-lovers / workplace romance! I loved the race to get the catalogue ready for the Black Friday sales, the sparks of anger and lust between JaQuan and Matt, and the secondary story about their daughters. It all worked for me and confirmed I’ve found a great author in Jayce Ellis, and I love her focus on strong African-American main characters with amazing chemistry. There’s always a lot happening in her stories, with major and minor subplots woven through each other, and not all of these always resolve during the novel—which feels more like real life. 🎧 Actor and narrator K. Bernard inhabited the characters well, although I found his voice a little halting at times.
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