Learning to Love: Sugar and Spice / Love by Degree

by Debbie Macomber

Sugar and Spice

Librarian Jayne Gilbert needs a man—a man she can bring to her high school reunion. She wants to prove to her former classmates that she isn't the lonely bookworm they predicted she'd become. So, naturally, Jayne turns to a book. It's called How to Pick Up a Man . And it works, even if she attracts the attention of good-looking Riley Chambers only because she's carrying that book, not because she followed its advice!

Love by Degree

Going back to college, hitting the books. That's Ellen Cunningham's new life. But money's a little tight and she's lucky enough to find inexpensive lodging in a house with three young college boys. Ellen plays housemother, a situation that works for everyone—except Reed Morgan, the absentee owner. He's not pleased to find his house occupied by a bunch of college kids and Ellen. Especially Ellen.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Contemporary

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 22, 2011

About the author

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

Reviews

[Ann Mat · Rating 5 out of 5]

You tie me up in knots a sailor couldn't undo



This was unexpected and refreshing from Debbie Macomber. I was used from the way she writes about harsh reality of life that this was shocking. It felt like a real romance story, a mid-step between historical romance and modern one.

"What happened?" Ellen was almost afraid to ask.
"Nothing much. Derek forgot to turn off the burner and the fat caught fire. Then he tried to beat it out with a dish towel, but that burst into flames, too. The real mistake was throwing the burning towel into the sink because when he did, it set the curtains on fire."
"Oh, good grief."
"It's not too bad though. reed said he wanted new kitchen walls, anyway."
"The walls too?"
"Well, the curtains started burning the wallpapers"

Hilarious and witty! A good book to start my day. One of the best from Debbie.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both of these stories were cute and funny. Found myself shaking my head and chuckling just a little at each one.

[Lisa Beckelhimer · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I usually love anything by this author, I just couldn't stomach these two stories. I hesitate to give the book/collection one star because that seems so harsh. But two is probably generous. Characters are flat. Dialogue is stilted. Stories show little to no progression and/or are predictable. What drove me nuts most of all was how the characters in both stories bickered endlessly. I wanted to yell at them to wake up and stop arguing over the same old thing time after time. Not an enjoyable read at all.

[Virginia Markhart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. Can't believe I read the whole thing. It was just dumb. I usually really like Debbie Macomber. Not this time. I do appreciate a book that I can read without a bunch of mooshy sexy crap. Usually. But this two-book novel was just awful. Seemed like none of the issues between the two main couples were ever resolved before the ending which was oh, so , predictable. Nah....can't go beyond a two on this one.

[gwen and books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sugar and Spice (⭐⭐⭐)

It was ok and fun to read, but I knew the plot after four or five pages. It was most improbable that two adults could have had these backgrounds and have a happy-ever-after ending.

This story had a heroine who was well-read on many subjects; however, she was naive to a fault. Jayne lacked self-esteem and confidence in her ability to meet a man who would care for her as she is. She didn't seem to know how to develop and build a relationship because she doubted herself. I didn't like that weakness in her character. I would have liked her to confront Riley about what she discovered instead of huge assumptions she made. Overall, the story plot fell a little short.

Love By Degree (⭐⭐)

I have enjoyed every book by this author but this seems weaker than some of the others. Ellen and Reed both seem to be artificial. The plot is missing depth. It will not stop me looking for another of this author's books though. On the side, I love Derek, Monte and Pat's characters.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Na verdade eu estou avaliando só a primeira história 'Sugar and Spice'; ia dar 3 estrelas (é água com açúcar), mas porque teve momentos que me surpreenderam (parece previsível e as vezes é mesmo) e me arrancaram sorrisinhos vou dar 4 mesmo! Fora que talvez a segunda história fosse muito boa... nunca vou saber! Bem, eu peguei esse livro da biblioteca do meu curso de inglês e a proposta era DOIS EM UM (como resistir?) leve, gostosinho, tudo 'inho' haha então por cumprir com o proposto e me dar tudo que esperava sem surpresas desagradáveis eu gostei :)

[Jenna Whalen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Debbie Macomber's books. They're light and fun books that always involve happy endings. This book was no different. There are 2 short stories in this book, and I enjoyed both. I felt the main characters in both stories could have been a lot better with communication when it came to their love interests, but I guess that would have made for much shorter stories. If you need a light read with happy endings, I'd recommend this book.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two little stories that I found I couldn't stop reading.

Sugar and Spice was a funny story with a bit of a mysterious element to it.

Librarian Jayne Gilbert is looking for a man to take to her high school reunion. Naturally Jayne turns to books to solve her problem, but she never thought it would actually work. It does work, but it's her neighbor Riley Chambers she attracts and not even because she was following the books advice, only because she was carrying the book. The only question is, who is Riley Chambers really?

Jayne reminded me of myself with her love of books. She really takes it seriously and learns a lot of things by reading. She is actually a very likable character. I can completely be on her side to be wary of Riley and what he's really up to. It makes it a little more interesting trying to figure out what exactly Riley is up to and what he is really doing throughout the story.

Riley is also a great character. I found him very interesting the moment I was introduced to him and didn't want to stop reading at any moment. I wanted to know what he was lying about and what he was keeping from Jayne.

Love by Degree was the second story and I found myself liking it better than the first in some ways and it was even funnier than the first one.

Ellen Cunningham is going back to school and has found a great inexpensive logging in a house with 3 other college students, all younger boys. Playing housemother works for Ellen and the boys, until Reed Morgan, homeowner, happens upon the scene and isn't happy to find this group in his house. Especially Ellen.

I found Ellen really fun to read and I liked her for the most part. My only issue was her concern about her growing relationship with Reed and how she fit into it. I can see why there are moments when Reed is confused and upset with her because some of her logic is flawed. Unlike Jayne in the previous story, Ellen has less of a reason to suspect Reed of wrongdoing, but yet she does so anyways.

Reed is a better hero than Riley was before because I felt he was more rounded out. Riley would come off as a bit whiny at times which was quite annoying, Reed was a bit more firm. However, there were times when it seemed as though he was overly firm as well. I felt that Reed though was a bit more rounded out and some of his reasoning for being upset with Ellen made more sense than Riley with Jayne at times.

Overall, I liked both stories and would read both again in a heartbeat.

[Cas H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learning to Love by Debbie Macomber has two individual stories, each 150 pages long published under one title, which is, Learning to Love. The first of these two stories is about a lovely repressed librarian who is worried that her friends from high school will think she is a failure, or exactly what they predicted, when she comes to their ten year class reunion without a husband, or even a boyfriend. She decides that she needs to find someone, even if she has to pay them to go to the dance with her. She starts out with going to a bar, and once she decides that the bar is a bad idea, she turns to books. In this amazing love story, she finds true love, by being herself and in the end she wins the guy of her dreams.

The second story in this book has a great start. Derek puts out an add for roommates and Ellen answers that add. So in exchange for her cooking and cleaning, she pays less rent. One day, she comes downstairs and is taking the pie out of the oven in nothing but her bra, Derek's brother, Reed, walks in the door and asks her what she is doing there, and then there is a lot of explaining to do. the book starts to go downhill when Ellen shows one bout of being jealous after another. She always accepts Reed's explanations and does second guess herself and then ignores her feelings. It was not well written, there should have been more explanations, or dialogue. The end of that book left me feeling very confused. Read the first story, not the second. Since I have to rate both stories in one book, I will rate it a 3, the first story gets a 4 and the second story gets a 1, so I give both stories a 3.

[Char (1RadReader59) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally enjoyed both stories. "Sugar and Spice was about a shy mousie Librarian who actively looking for a date for her high school reunion. She is desperate to find one since she went to an all girls school & you know how catty girls can be in high school. Well, she happens to run into her surly neighbour in the elevatorwho make her feel less then after she had seen him at a seedy bar that she thought she would try some technical moves she read in a how to me a man book. Of course she never used cuz she was to shy. Poo! So, as she leaves the elevator the next day they see each other & as she exits she drops more how to books. Well, now he says some things to her about what a prime & proper girl was doing in a seedy place & he better not see her there again. Hence, a crazy funny relationship that has moments of sheer tenderness in it also happen right before your eyes. Loved it!!!

Now, "Love by Degree" it was very good to. A lot of the time I found myself asking what is up with this week female character that Debbie has written about. But, when you look at it when has any women at sometime in a relationship not given a man little to much wiggle room to call all the shots on our lives. She struggled with it you could tell so I think that might have been what Debbie was going for that Hmmmm factor. I loved her relationship with her roommates so much. For the most part I love the romance between her & her roommates brother it was just some of his lack of thoughtfulness & her willingness to be a door mat but you get answers to some of it so that helps. Totally enjoyed!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book that Debbie has combined two of her older works. I find this a little annoying, especially if you don't realize it and then you get home and read the back cover more closely and then say "oh, crap, I've already read (one or both of) these". Fortunately I had not read either of the stories included in the book so I was good to go.

This book combines Sugar And Spice and Love By Degree. Both were good reads and I liked the characters a lot. In Sugar and Spice the main character is a librarian looking for a man to take to her high school reunion. In the second story the main character is an older college student that shares a house with three other college students.

That's all that I'm going to say. They are both typical Debbie Macomber so you know they will be good.

[April Suter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two oldies but goodies of Debbies: Sugar and Spic--Jayne, a children's librarian, needs a date for her reunion so she reads all the books to teach her how to attract a guy. The guy she really wants to avoid is this standoffish Riley, who lives in her building, but he keeps showing up and distracts her from finding anyone else. So what is his real story...did he really go on a fishing trip?
Love by Degree: Ellen moves in a large house with a bunch of college guys. It suits her perfect, she's older than them, has peace and quiet when she needs it and gets to cook, etc when she wants to and makes a somewhat of a family. Perfect arrangement until an older brother, Reed with his Porsche, shows up and grabs Ellen's attention and changes her living arrangments.

381 pages

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the first story, Sugar and Spice, Jayne is a stereotypical children's librarian looking for a date to her ten year high school reunion. She becomes friends with Riley, a mysterious neighbor, who agrees to be her date for the reunion. Misunderstandings, mishaps, and mystery occur before the final happy ending.

In the second story, Love by Degree, Ellen is an older college student playing house mother to three freshman boys. In exchange for cooking and other house hold tasks, she receives a cut rate on rent. Enter Reed, owner of the house and brother to one of the boys. He is unaware of the housing arrangements and not too happy. Misunderstandings and misery occur before the final happy ending.

This book was borrowed from the Edward Ward Carmack public library.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short stories, very quick read the stories were cute. The author make you invest in the story and the people.

[Deborah Gebhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read, of two romances.
1. Sugar and Spice - Jayne, a librarian, has her 10 year reunion, to a all girls school, on the horizon. She's hesitant to go, as she has no accomplishments (romantic) to show for those 10 years. So, she tries to remedy that by trying to pickup a man (in the wrong place as it happens). She garners the attention of two men, one is a neighbor, who initially she was wary of, but, the more time she spends with him... But something is off with him and the more she knows, the more afraid she becomes.
2. Love by Degree - Ellen delayed going to college to help her widowed mother raise her siblings, but now that they're out of the house and her mother has a love life, she's getting on with her life. She found a room in a mansion, with 3 younger men, whom she cooks and cleans for to offset some of her rent. One of the "boys" is housesitting for his older stepbrother, who he hasn't informed of the current living arrangements (i.e. his housemates). When Reed returns home, he's shocked and initially determined to oust the housemates, especially Ellen, when he misconstrues the relationship. He changes his mind and actually starts dating Ellen, but, he takes her to obscure places and is hesitant to introduce her to people, and he happens to have a girlfriend. Ellen leaves the house and Reed when she decides that he is ashamed of her. What ca Reed do to win her back, does he want to?

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

1) Sugar and Spice
Don’t really get the title...she is sugar and he is spice? Or just the cooking part? Anywho, this story was too bland. It’s read like a small town Librarian’s porno dreams. Heroine is suppose to be smart but wow she makes some terrible judgement calls through out the book. Hero was very generic, heroic, good looking, and completely interested in the heroine because the plot tells him so. If it had been longer the excitement could have built but it’s just this random tacked on dramatic moment that didn’t fit in with the rest of the story. And of course meeting the parents who we’ve never spoke to or heard about before the last page.

2) Love by Degree
Another title not fitting. Is it because they are all in college? Anywho, liked the boys, they were fun and dense like most guys that age are. Hero kinda flitted around not really fitting in the story. Heroine is kind but she seems very dumb. A lot of crazy talk about a Porsche, and impulsively moving, not asking the hero anything relating to the other woman, when really she was the other woman first! Ending kinda slapped on there.

Both these stories had really foolish behaving heroines and that’s hard to root for.

[Kayli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learning to Love by Debbie Macomber is actually a 'two stories for one binding' situation with both novels being early works from the author. Sugar and Spice is the first story and features quiet children's librarian Jayne Gilbert as a woman on a mission: to snag a man who will blow the socks off her former school mates at her high school reunion. Sure enough Jayne peaks the interest of Riley Chambers, a good-looking enigma of a man who lives in her building and catches her reading 'How to Pick Up a Man'. From there the two form a friendship based on bickering transformed into affection and desire. Love by Degree is the second story and features sassy and independent Ellen Cunningham as an older university student with the full-time position as House Mom to three 19 year-old classmates thanks to their living arrangements. Ellen likes all of this just fine until Reed Morgan, Derek's half-brother and owner of their house, shows up and is instantly agitated at Ellen's presence. Something about Ellen and her no-nonsense, 'I can do anything' attitude irks him and Ellen begins to wonder if it comes from a protective place, which causes them both to look at each other with fresh eyes.

As a Debbie Macomber fan I was super excited to find this at my local thrift shop and found both stories charming. Sugar and Spice was a quick favorite for me and was what led me to keep the novel itself. The tension between Jayne (referred to as 'sugar and spice and everything nice' by Riley) and Riley is perfect, steamy and a wonderful juxtaposition of personalities. Though a little frustrating with the lead up Riley's backstory makes sense and actually had me swoon when Jayne seems to tame him bit. Love by Degree, however, took a little longer for me to grow to love. Ellen was a lovely character and I thoroughly enjoyed her can-do attitude (there's one scene that had me giggling out loud) but Reed on occasion was just too much and reminded me loosely of a Mr. Rochester. Overall I'm glad I picked up these two stories and would give Sugar and Spice a 5/5 and Love by Degree a 3/5 which brings us to the 4 out of 5 star rating. I will say that you can tell this is early writing by the author since it's not nearly as compelling or developed as some of her other works. I'd recommend this set to anyone who love Debbie Macomber and is looking for a quick, charming read.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a two books in one deal. These books were originally published in 1987 so the "romance" is much tamer and gentler than today's standards. Fun, light reads, puts a smile on your face and is great for in-between heavier reads like thrillers and suspense/crime.

Sugar and Spice is love blossoming between a librarian and an FBI agent who are also neighbours.

Love By Degree is about a 25 year old female college student who rents a room in a big house with three male younger students. Love unravels when the owner/big brother of one of the students arrives home months earlier.

Again, both stories are nice and sweet, which is a rarity nowadays.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second story was better with palpable chemistry, but had a bit of an awkward last few chapters where everything could have been avoided by not assuming anything. I assume macomber thought of that, and therefore added the part about her struggles with algebra, where she is assuming too much as well. It was still pretty awkward.
In summary, a decent romance read, but nothing extraordinary.
As usual, her characters are believable and not disturbed like they can be in novellas.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the second story much more than the first. The first story felt a bit too much of a cut and dry story, a set up. The second story offered some laughs and hilarious situations that felt more like real life. It was still a bit formula but much much better than the first and I would read it again.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Light,easy fluff.

[Carol Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debbie always writes great books and this didn’t let me down.

[Briana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book - loved both of the stories!

[Elohor Egbordi · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, an excellent feel-good romance. Just what the doctor recommended. 👌🏽

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

[Carol Ilott]

Last name starts with same initial

[Denise West · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the second story more than the first. Sugar and Spice drug out a little for me, but Love By Degree had a bit
of humor in it and that was nice.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical good Debbie Macomber!

[Sandy Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hadn't tried Macomber in a while and still really not my kind of book. Little too "squeeky clean" for my personal taste.
2/6/25

[Kristi Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light- hearted moral romance. Both quiet stories and better than watching t.v.

Enjoyed them both.