Lonely Hearts (Love Lessons) Paperback – April 17, 2017

I finished reading this several days ago. I have not recovered from reading it. I'm still thinking about Baz and Elijah. They pop up in my head at home, at work and while reading other stories. That's an incredibly talented author to make me think about a story long after it's finished. Right now as I'm trying to write this review, I feel inadequate in saying I don't have the words to tell you just how gutted I continue to be. This was not a light happy read for me. It was painful. It was heart shattering. It brought back college memories that made me uncomfortable. I didn't have a lot of friends. I understand Elijah in this regard. I yearned for them. I didn't know how to get them or keep them. I didn't know how to share myself with others. Then there was Baz. Baz caught me off guard. I didn't see his story coming. I naively thought I had an idea, but omg, Heidi took me down a road that messed with my head and my heart. It made me anxious and angry. It made me sad. Heidi made me feel for these 2 lost and damaged boys in a way I wasn't prepared for. 2 boys who found each other in their darkest moments. I'm going to re-read this story. I need to re-read this story. Thank you Heidi for another incredible story. For bringing back Ed and Laurie (my first Heidi read), and showing me how strong and supportive Baz and Elijah's friends are, old ones and new ones. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, the one that still hasn't recovered.

You need to read the other books in this series to enjoy this book to its fullest but enjoy it you will.As always, Heidi Cullinan writes compelling flawed lovable characters. Neither Bas nor Elijah are nice. Elijah has massive trust issues and Baz too easily use power. But they are both kind.They each have so many open and closed wounds and have physical and mental disabilities created by the events of their past. They have coping mechanism that are not healthy.They are drawn to each other and they come to love each other. And we can believe that while not easy, they will be each others soft place to fall.They love.A great circle of friends and all kinds of support systems, reaching out, healing of others, and fun details make this a really great book and romance.

There are a handful of authors who can alternately have me howling with laughter or sobbing with tears on my face, but Heidi Cullinan is one of them. I first discovered her by reading "Fever Pitch", and then I read "Love Lessons" (out of order, but it didn't matter). This whole series is just wonderful, and instead of too much sex and not enough plot like so many other tiresome books published these days, we're given the time to get to know the characters, and all of their strengths and weaknesses. I love Elijah's voice; his caustic wit and sarcasm were hilarious. Those same qualities were heartbreaking as well, because he was so obviously trying to protect himself from further hurt. Baz, who seemed like such a player in "Fever Pitch", did a lot of growing and healing, and I was left with the rock solid belief that Baz and Elijah will be together forever, happily ever after. Although I have a tendency to speed read, I actually slowed down for the last two or three chapters, unwilling to leave their world behind. As a result of these three wonderful books, this author is going on my auto buy list. Thank you, Heidi Cullinan!

This book was amazing. I had to stop a couple of times and collect myself through the tears. Beautifully written, full of emotion, angst and love. Baz and Elijah, both broken and hiding from themselves find hope and acceptance in each other, so much so that they open their hearts and souls, gambling they can make it through. Family interference and well meaning friends help along the way to their happy ending.I was impressed with how Baz's assault was handled, the depth of his feelings, and how he hides behind one night stands, never getting close to anyone. And Elijah, abused by his parents, devastated that his father tried to kill him and ended up shooting Baz instead, doesn't believe he is worth anything, and that no one would ever want him. Being with them on this journey was heartbreaking and intense. And oh so worth it!

I really thought that "Love Lessons" (Walter and Kelly's story) was my favorite of the three. Then came "Fever Pitch" (Giles and Aaron's story). Now comes "Lonely Hearts" (Sebastian, aka Baz and Elijah's story) which in reality crept up to me to becoming one of my favorites. It was so difficult at first, because as Baz and Elijah were introduced, they really were not "likable" characters because both were already flawed and broken by tragedy. This is why it became my favorite in the end, it slowly crept up to me as I read through the whole story. I really liked how the characters were so deep and complicated that each one's depth reached through the core. The author meticulously writes in such detail how these two halves were joined as a whole. They are really destined to be soul mates in the end.Despite the seriousness of the two characters, I also liked the fact that both have hot chemistry, especially the "Black Butler" role play... Very well played (funny and intense at the same time). I am very well versed to the Manga.I also liked the fact that the whole crew were back with Ed Maurer and Laurie from "Dance with Me". I like authors who revisit other characters in other books and surprise you...So, who are the next characters to be woven Heidi Cullinan's "golden" web? I can't wait for Lewis' (Lejla) and hopefully, "Mr. Bulk" (I know how he was awful to Lejla). But, he (aka, Mr. Bulk) who protest the most sometimes ended up to be the gayest of them all... We will see (I can almost feel it)! Funny how the author sometimes introduce new characters that would lay groundwork for the next book... Will there be one?