Love Lessons by Sidney Halston will have you ready for back-to-school

There are certain romances that just call your name and after seeing the cover for Love Lessons and a comparison to Abbott Elementary, I was in.

The thing I didn’t know before this is that Sidney Halston has a massive backlist and released The Valentine’s Hate in 2022. She also has a massive backlist if you’re looking to read more from her.

However, if you’re starting with Love Lessons like me, then there’s no shame in that as I feel like this was the best place to start. This one might end up being the biggest surprise if you’re a fan of Abbott Elementary.

I’d like to thank Avon for sending me an ARC so I was able to read this early and share my thoughts with all of you.

Love Lessons will have you ready for back-to-school.

If you’ve watched Abbott Elementary, Love Lessons feels like the perfect next chapter for you because it’s incredibly similar. This story follows Valerie Marquez who is a kindergarten teacher and is all about having fun and teaching in a more unorthodox way. As you might imagine, the other kindergarten teacher alongside her is Andrew Wexler, a strict, stuffy, and buttoned-up guy who is all about rules.

From the start, these two haven’t gotten along and it gets so bad that they end up almost getting fired for their arguing. Thankfully, they’re able to keep it under wraps until the school year ends and they go their separate ways. Of course, things aren’t as wrapped up as they might seem as these two hook up before departing for summer.

As you might imagine, this hook-up results in Valerie getting pregnant. Things get even more complicated as they’re forced to become co-teachers due to a fire in their wing. What I adored was how Sidney Halston gave us their romance slowly but also paired it with how big the baby was growing. It was such a fun touch and had me looking forward to every chapter.

Despite their relationship being a slow burn, it’s clear that Andrew and Valerie were pining for each other and just didn’t realize it. There is something so delicious about that. It was also fun to see how everyone in their lives reacted as their friends and family had such strong reactions. I especially loved the moment with KFC which felt utterly relatable.

While the third-act conflict came a little bit late, it made sense given their situation. It did damper my enjoyment by a bit but other than that, this was a fun one. If you’re craving more Abbott Elementary, then Love Lessons is a must.

Love Lessons by Sidney Halston is out now where books are sold.