Review: Love Lessons by Heidi Cullinan

Love doesn’t come with a syllabus. Kelly Davidson has waited what seems like forever to graduate high school and get out of his small-minded, small town. But when he arrives at Hope University, he quickly realizes finding his Prince Charming isn’t so easy. Everyone here is already out. In fact, Kelly could be the only virgin on campus. Worst of all, he’s landed the charming, handsome, gay campus Casanova as a roommate, whose bed might as well be equipped with a revolving door. Walter Lucas doesn’t believe in storybook love. Everyone is better off having as much fun as possible with as many people as possible…except his shy, sad little sack of a roommate is seriously screwing up his world view. As Walter sets out to lure Kelly out of his shell, staying just friends is harder than he anticipated. He discovers love is a crash course in determination. To make the grade, he’ll have to finally show up for class…and overcome his own private fear that love was never meant to last.
Warning: This story contains lingering glances, milder than usual sexual content for this author, and a steamy dance-floor kiss. Story has no dairy or egg content, but may contain almonds.

 

 A version of this review has previously been posted on GoodReads.
 

I read this book on my birthday and have you ever had that moment where you really believe that the universe is your friend and the whole time you are in that moment you keep thinking "how perfect is this?" That was Love Lessons for me.  I honestly believe that Heidi Cullinan wrote this book specifically for me. She put in everything I love in a book, all of my favorite idiosyncrasies represented in the pages of one book.

Kelly is the sweet naïve boy from a small town who  is away from home for the first time. 
I love the fact that he is unapologetically Pollyanna.... he wants the whole Disney HEA and is not ashamed to demand something special for his first time or his first relationship . Why does his innocence and sweetness make the story dirtier for me?
 For all of his sweetness Kelly is really smart about life and some of the wisest comments come out of his mouth. ( out of the mouths of babes, right, hee-hee)
 
His unexpected college roommate is Walter; the college Casanova- of course.  Oh how I love the college bad boy with the hidden heart of gold in books. Walter is described as a Flynn Ryder lookalike and Ms. Cullinan introduces us to Flynn as we have never seen him before.

If you don't look up David Kawena while reading this book then really just stop reading my review because it is a perfect representation of who I am and what I read. Disney for Adults... ahh paradise.

I just love the geek/bad boy romance, it sings to me. It is sweet innocence that will then throw you up against the wall behind closed doors and leave you screaming for more.
There is hot dirty talk and wonderful family and friends, there are Jane Austen, Princess Bride,  and yes Taylor Swift shout outs; which for anyone who knows me will understand why currently Heidi is my Goddess.

I love the fact that the book does not drag out the relationship angst. You, along with all of Walter and Kelly's friends and family see exactly where this is going. There is no big misunderstanding that frustrates you along with these characters. Not that there is no drama and heartbreak, but that comes from outside forces. I love how strong Kelly and Walter are for each other even when they are only friends.

There is a quote though that touched me the most:

sometimes the ones we love are like butterflies, flitting all over, and we have to sit and wait patiently for them to land

My husband has always let me flitter wherever I needed to in a thousand different ways making sure he is a solid rock foundation for me to touch home.
Those are the books I love the best, the ones that remind me how important that is for those of us whose heads are always in the clouds or I guess, in a book.