Love Lessons

Heavenly Bites #2

by Christine S. Feldman

Self-assured Nadia Normandy knows everything there is to know about men and dating, which seems to be why little old Mrs. Beasley maneuvers her into taking unsuspecting and bookish accountant Benji Garner under her wing. Her mission? Shape him up for the opposite sex, preferably in time for New Year’s Eve.

A challenge? Sure, but Nadia discovers that Benji’s got a charm all his own, and she finds herself avoiding her usual social scene in favor of time spent with him—all in the name of mentoring him, of course.

Except that after a while, it starts to feel less like mentoring and more like something else—which could present a problem, because just as Nadia begins to realize she didn’t know quite as much about men as she thought, other women are starting to notice her unlikely protégé.

Much like Nadia is beginning to notice him in a whole new way herself…

(This novella is the 2nd in the Heavenly Bites series)

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Short Stories, Holiday

139 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2013

About the author

Christine S. Feldman writes both novels and feature-length screenplays, and she has placed in screenwriting competitions on both coasts. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her ballroom-dancing husband and their beagle.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Lessons is book two in the Heavenly Bites novella series by Christine S. Feldman and Elaina Lee.

Its Christmas season and business is booming at the Heavenly Bites Bakery. Nadia and Trish couldn’t be more pleased. Nadia doesn’t think twice about dishing out advice, especially of a romantic nature. It worked out well for Trish didn’t it?! But she wasn’t prepared for meddling matchmaker old Mrs. Beasley when she came in one day and wanted Nadia to help her young accountant make himself more desirable to the ladies. What could be so wrong with this guy that he needs a makeover? And Nadia doesn’t have time for this right now. But, no is not an answer Mrs. Beasley is prepared to accept.



Nadia finds herself pleasantly surprised upon her first meeting with Benji Garner. He’s a little nerdy in his buttoned up shirt and tie and glasses. But those are the bluest eyes she has ever seen. But it seems that Benji is the one that had the biggest surprise. He didn’t realize the real purpose of this meeting. It seems as though Mrs. Beasley has been a little bit devious in getting Benji to meet with Nadia. Hesitantly, though, he agrees to let her help him.



Nadia enjoys her dating life but she is a bit of a commitment-phobe. She never lets anyone get close. She enjoys the club scenes on the weekends and lots of casual dates. The more time she spends with Benji, no one is more surprised than she is that she in having so much fun just spending time with him. It seems as though perhaps she might be the one that learns something here. She is supposed to be helping Benji get dates right? Then, on the night they go salsa dancing, why does it bother her so much when the other women notice him and want to dance with him?



The deal was one week which ends on New Year’s Eve. That way Benji could find himself someone to kiss at midnight at his party. But does Nadia really want someone else to be the one getting that New Year’s kiss?



This is a super sweet story about finding love when you least expect it. As an added bonus, we get a little glimpse of little Kelsey, Ian’s little girl from the first book. That little girl definitely stole my heart. I’m loving this series and am so excited to read the next one, Playing Cupid, and to get to know Aimee, the newest employee of the Heavenly Bites Bakery and Mrs. Beasley’s granddaughter. Thank you so much to Christine Feldman for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

[Kim Reads (Read Your Writes Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Kim
for Read Your Writes Book Reviews

Do you want to read a book and smile the whole time? Then Love Lessons is the book for you. In classic Christine S. Feldman style, she has you laughing in the beginning and anxiously waiting for the couple to get together. I love stories where the couple actually dates each other, but don’t realize that’s what they're doing. That’s exactly what happens in this book.

Benji Garner (an accountant) and Nadia Normandy (a baker) are thrown together by mutual client/friend, Mrs. Beasley who has a love match in her sights. After getting the two together under false pretenses, Nadia convinces Benji that it would be better for him to just go along. But what Nadia doesn’t expect is to fall for the seemingly square, strait-laced accountant who is more than he seems.

Be prepared to fall in love with two people who seem to be so totally opposite and wrong for each other. While this is the second novella in the Heavenly Bites Series, it is a stand alone.

Source: Author

[Emily (Mrs B's Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this novella. The author has a brilliant knack at bringing out the humour and I got stuck right in.

I was completely bummed when a couple of hours I had finished to note that the other novella was not coming out until January 2014.

This novella was totally made up from awesome-sauce and was although was better than the first in the series, I am totally glad that I gave this author a chance.

Well with the read! :)

[Desi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

Me encantó Benji.... fue lo mejor del libro!!

.... en cambio Nadia no me agradó mucho.

Una historia corta y muy entretenida.

¡Quiero un Benji para míiii!!

[Krissy loves to read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this short story series!! After reading Pastels and Jingle Bells I was hungry for more! I was so lucky to recieve a copy from the author Christine S.Feldman herself! Thank you so much for giving the opportunity to reading such a funny care free read!! I could just sit down, smile and chuckle through the whole read! This was truly a breath of fresh air to me!! I love the concept of the story, Mrs. B is up to her old tricks of matchmaking. Nadia thinks she can outwitt her, well think again,( this old lady is good!) need I say more! And Bengi I did have to do a double take for his name, but this adds to the charm of this story! Don't wanna give to much away, cause this is a much needed read for this christmas and new year season. Both books in this series so far are 10 worthy! I have read many novellas and these are by far my favorites. Christine knows the secret of writing shorties she gets it all in and at good pace. Oh yeah and did I mention there is a third one is coming out in January!! I can't wait!! Keep them coming Christine!! I also feel like this should be made into a Hallmark movie, been obsessed with them lately! See so excited I got off track! So Nadia and Benji get to know each other with hysterical moments between a guy and girl, I loved it!! And the ending was perfect!! Got those goose bumps all over and what a huge smile it put on my face!! So again everyone needs reads like these for their busy and maybe stressful christmas season. Make that hot cocoa, grab that cozy blanket and pick up these yummy reads. Take a trip into Heavenly bites you won't wanna leave!

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book Pastels and Jingle Bells back in November and I just loved it. So I've been meaning to read Love Lessons for a while now but never really got to it until today when I decided to just buy and read it right away. I'm definitely not regretting that decision!

Love Lessons features Nadia Normandy (who was also in Pastels and Jingle Bells). I love her. I really do. She's very self-assured unlike accountant Benji Garner who's a little awkward (but totally adorable!) to say the least. I think this is a very nice change from the usual cocky guy going after a woman who isn't so self-assured as Nadia is. I really liked the idea of Nadia taking it upon herself to teach Benji how to approach and talk to women. She definitely enjoyed herself and I love how she didn't expect to fall for the guy in the meantime. Which brings us to Benji... he was so cute and really funny. He's a great fit for Nadia I have to say. It was all a very cute and romantic but clean story. I really love stories like these from time to time. I had a blast reading it!

Quick, romantic and so much fun, Love Lessons was a great addition in the Heavenly Bites series. Christine S. Feldman once again managed to draw me in the story with her clever writing and witty dialogue. Love Lessons was just the thing I needed to get out of a bad reading funk. I had no problem at all focusing, which had been bothering me for a few weeks now with other books. That's how much I enjoyed this book!

[Marlena Smith-Burris · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE LESSONS is about Nadia Normandy, who is very self-assured and not afraid to speak her mind. She is also very knowledgeable in the laws of dating. Coaxed by Mrs. Beasley, the town match-maker, Nadia is going to help accountant Benji Garner find a lady. What begins as a challenge turns into something neither could have expected.

LOVE LESSONS is such a delightful read! The story pulls you in from the very beginning. And once you finish, you are anxious for the next story.

We get to continue on a journey with one of the characters from the first novella of this series—Nadia, with her adorable quirkiness. She’s not afraid to be herself OR express herself. Which is the total opposite of Benji. When we first meet him, he comes off as shy and reserved. Together they bring a very witty and interesting combination to the story.

LOVE LESSONS will make your heart melt, but you’ll also find yourself smiling or even laughing out loud with the humor throughout this awesome little story. A fabulous read that is more than worthy of 5 stars!

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review will be in perfect timing with New Years Eve today! If you've got a couple of spare hours until the ball drops and a dollar, consider cozy-ing up with "Love Lessons". This sweet novella is set right around New Years and will have you raising your glass in cheers. :)

I am really loving this novella series by Christine Feldman. This is the second book in the Heavenly Bites series and it is so cute. Nadia is all confidence and focus and loves a challenge. She is a fun, energetic character. It was easy to like her.

The growing attraction and tension in this book is fantastic. It all leads up to New Years Eve and believe me, you won't want to miss it. :) Humina, Humina.

This novella was sweet and clean. Cheers to that! :)

[Deborah Cordes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The following review will be written for the entire Heavenly Bites Collection by Christine S. Feldman.

Delightful, witty, cute, funny, engaging, well-written... did I say delightful? Yes, I did. I've fallen in love with Ian, Benji, and Doyle, and the trio of ladies who fall for them. I love the character of Gran as well; her "meddling" was spot on and reminded me of one of my great-grannies, whom I was lucky enough to know. I hope Ms. Feldman considers doing sequels for each story, as I would be interested in knowing what happens next in their lives. Oh, and I ADORED the fact one of the heroes was a history professor. He is a treasure, Ms. Feldman. Five stars for this entire series!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another very good story! I found myself laughing aloud at certain points. The characters are lovable and humorous in their own way. Nadia and Benji seem to be an unlikely coupling and you can't help but chuckle at the way they come together. It was also nice to see characters from the first novella in "Heavenly Bites" . Great writing style. If you like this story, which can stand as it's own story, you will enjoy other stories by Christine.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another short and sweet story with the characters from the first book.

[Christy Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute novella about matchmaking gone wrong or was it just right? You'll have to read it to find out. Some laugh out loud moments too. Looking forward to more books by Christine S. Feldman.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read the previous novella in this series but I found this could easily be read as a standalone.

Nadia Normandy has been conned into giving some dating advice to Benji Garner by one of her neighbours, Mrs. Beasley. She has a lot of experience having dated a lot, but never for very long.

Benji is a slightly geeky book-keeper. Not bad-looking, just a bit clueless with the opposite sex. He has no idea that he has been set up and doesn't actually want any assistance, but as Nadia reminds him, if he doesn't accept her help Mrs Beasley will probably do worse.

But as Nadia takes Benji in hand she finds that his quiet good humour and manners are a stark contrast to the flashy guys she normally dates, and as she restyles him she finds all the extra female attention he attracts is giving her unusual feelings.

This was a sweet enough novella but it was all a bit too predictable.

[Kelli Santistevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here’s what this book is about:”Self-assured Nadia Normandy knows everything there is to know about men and dating, which seems to be why little old Mrs. Beasley maneuvers her into taking unsuspecting and bookish accountant Benji Garner under her wing. Her mission? Shape him up for the opposite sex, preferably in time for New Year’s Eve. A challenge? Sure, but Nadia discovers that Benji’s got a charm all his own, and she finds herself avoiding her usual social scene in favor of time spent with him—all in the name of mentoring him, of course. Except that after a while, it starts to feel less like mentoring and more like something else—which could present a problem, because just as Nadia begins to realize she didn’t know quite as much about men as she thought, other women are starting to notice her unlikely protégé. Much like Nadia is beginning to notice him in a whole new way herself…”

This is the second book in this series and I enjoyed reading this book.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally read contemporary romance, but this was cute and sweet; a bit of a rom-com about a woman who plays dating coach to a slightly nerdy accountant, on behalf of an older woman who's really playing match maker. It was a fun and funny short story, part of a trilogy of inter-related standalones, which I will probably read. A sort of reverse She's All That but with late twenty-somethings instead of high schoolers.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect romantic example of judging a bookish by it's cover! Love both characters and how their friendship grows into more fondness then either expected as she "helps" him along his romantic journey to finding love. Love her feistiness and boldness, and how she stands by her man. Love how he handles himself, such a charming, patient and welcoming personality.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like the character of Nadia at all so it made it difficult to enjoy this story. There didn't seem to be any real connection or chemistry between Benji & Nadia. They were thrown together by a matchmaking friend and just hung out for a week & then are "in love". Ugh-their personalities just didn't fit at all.

[Kyra Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Lessons (Heavenly Bites Novella #2)

This was an absolutely adorable novella! Made me think of an old Mary Wells song:The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game! ( check out Motown on YouTube) Nadia was the Hunter, but Benji won! So did Nadia. Happy New Year! More please.

[Nati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can Nadia show Benji how to flirt with women and not fall for him in the meantime? A matchmaking with a great result. Lovely story.

[Adricrisuruta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved seeing how Nadia stepped out of her comfort zone and took a risk to find her happiness.

[Anali Posadas Cabrera · Rating 3 out of 5]

📚:5/2
🌟:5/3.2

[Karen B McMichael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heavenly Bites #2

Great follow up book to the first Heavenly Bites. Characters were fun and believable, and who doesn’t root for the underdog?

[Jessica Bosma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute! Wished it was longer.

[Anne Wondra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and easy read, except not a fan of Mrs. Beasley character. Liked seeing co-worker Trish from earlier book. Story flowed well.

[Charlotte Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nadia Normandy is asked by her sneaky older customer, Mrs. B, to help Benji, short for Benjamin, become a ladies’ man. Mrs. B sets up a meeting for December 26th at a coffee house for the two to meet and get started. From the very first meeting both Benji and Nadia know they have been set up by the ultimate matchmaker, but also know that if they don’t follow this through Mrs. B will be working on setting them up with someone else. Nadia continues to spend time with Benji, giving him directions on how to talk to a woman, how to flirt with a woman, how to dress to attract a woman, and how to dance with a woman. The more time they spend together, the more this “chore” starts being something more enjoyable and feelings start developing.

My Review:

Christine Feldman wrote the perfect follow up to the first book, Pastels and Jingle Bells, in this novella series. Each book is written expertly. The stories move along at a great pace and manage to keep the reader entertained and with enough knowledge of the characters to truly enjoy the story.

Nadia is a fun character, who throughout the story discovers things about herself that she didn’t know or chose to ignore. Benji appears to be clueless to women, but I am not convinced that this wasn’t a little bit of an act. Reading how the two of them both circled each other, not wanting to make the first step was great.

I read the book in one setting and cannot wait to read the next book, Playing Cupid, due out in 2014. I definitely recommend this series and this book, which can be read as a standalone, to all my chic-lit lovers.

[Nadine Keels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certainly, all that borderline-stiff accountant Benji needs to amp up his social life and find a woman of his own are lessons from an outspoken, confident baker and dating expert like Nadia. But, certainly nothing Nadia teaches Benji would be an opening for anything romantic-like to happen between him and Nadia herself. Certainly not...

As the first book in this series by Christine S. Feldman is a Christmas novella, I'm sure Love Lessons can safely be called a New Year's novella. There's humor and quirkiness, smart romantic chemistry between the main players, and believable seriousness underlying Nadia's central challenge. And two enthusiastic thumbs up from this bookworm for the idea of being able to "meet someone" in a bookstore!

Now, while Benji's physical features are described well, if there are details in the book beyond the cover image to describe what Nadia physically looks like, I missed them. But as far as who these people are, the characters are nicely developed, and the pacing of the story is excellent.

A fun and even touching example of a holiday novella done well. Thorough enjoyment on my part!

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a gift from the author; however, this in no way influenced my review and all opinions are my own.


One of my favorites things about reading Feldman's work is the vast amount of quality character she develops in each and every story. Most short stories/novellas don't grab me because there isn't enough time to create a full, rounded character, but Feldman's? They get me every time.


If we're going to be honest, I fell for Benji pretty much on the spot (as I suspect Nadia might have as well). He has that sweet, smart way about him, so properly dressed that Nadia (rightly) tells him it makes women want to muss him up. Nadia herself is the confident, take-no-prisoners, but still kind-hearted type of girl that you want on your sides at all times.

Read the rest of my review here! http://canireadeverything.blogspot.co...

[Lola Karns · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got stuck waiting for my kids and discovered this gem on my kindle. Co-owner of the Heavenly Bites bakery, Nadia, gets suckered into doing a favor for an elderly friend - making her accountant Benji more outgoing with the ladies. After learning they were both suckered, Nadia and Benji have to decide whether to play out the charade or whether Mrs. B had a different plan all along. Benji was so charming. This was a wonderful way to spend some downtime.

[Alysia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of the story made me laugh out loud, which I loved. I love Benji's character. I actually felt like Nadia was too much of a player for him and that he deserved better. I felt like her character, in real life, would dump him in a month or two. Cute story, though the implications at the end got a bit steamy.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is in a series on three short stories. My favorite is the 3rd. This one was silly but cute. They take about an hour to read so not that long. They have good movement and good character development for a short story. These are clean, no religion.