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Lessons for a Lifetime
A second language, a first chance at love. When high school English teacher Patrick signs on to teach an adult ESL course on the weekends, he doesn’t know his life is about to change. Into the makeshift community center classroom walks Salim—tall, soulful, a refugee from Ethiopia with a heart for storytelling and a talent for music. A midwinter offer to drive Salim home after class one week leads to the breakdown of the student-teacher boundary. As their relationship grows, the prospect of moving in together brings out both their insecurities about commitment and money. But working through differences makes them stronger and Patrick soon realizes that perhaps he had been the student all along.
36 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2020
37 people want to read
About the author
Hudson Lin
17 books87 followersHudson Lin was raised by conservative immigrant parents and grew up straddling two cultures with oftentimes conflicting perspectives on life. Instead of conforming to either, she has sought to find a third way that brings together the positive elements of both.
Having spent much of her life on the outside looking in, Lin likes to write stories about outsiders who fight to carve out their place in society, and overcome everyday challenges to find love and happily ever afters.
When not engrossed in a story, Lin knits, drinks tea, and works the 9 to 5 in the beautiful city of Toronto, Canada.
Having spent much of her life on the outside looking in, Lin likes to write stories about outsiders who fight to carve out their place in society, and overcome everyday challenges to find love and happily ever afters.
When not engrossed in a story, Lin knits, drinks tea, and works the 9 to 5 in the beautiful city of Toronto, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 2, 2020
At times, I’ve wondered whether Salim’s musical genius had anything to do with that concept—that the heart is the seat of the intellect.
A sweet little novella about an ESL teacher who falls in love with an Ethiopian immigrant. It's pretty short, but the way the story is told (looking back from years in the future) helps it feel well-paced and natural. It takes us through all of their big milestones and getting together. I liked the relationship, it was really cute. I liked the aspects of cultural exchange and expanding your boundaries, learning within a relationship.
3.5 stars.
A sweet little novella about an ESL teacher who falls in love with an Ethiopian immigrant. It's pretty short, but the way the story is told (looking back from years in the future) helps it feel well-paced and natural. It takes us through all of their big milestones and getting together. I liked the relationship, it was really cute. I liked the aspects of cultural exchange and expanding your boundaries, learning within a relationship.
3.5 stars.
February 3, 2022
This is a really nice and short contemporary romance set in Canada. It's a sweet friends-to-lovers plot. An ESL teacher falls in love with his student, Salim, who's from Ethiopia. It's a slice-of-life story, with several lovely moments in their relationship written in detail, in between weeks or months that are just loosely sketched. The MCs just sort of fall naturally into a relationship. There's a real warmth to this story, and I really liked it. It's a freebie right now (here).
December 4, 2022
3.5 stars
This story was short and sweet. And that was my problem. I wish it were longer! I would loved to have read, in more detail, about all of the relationship milestones that are only skimmed over. But I did still enjoy what we were shown.
I also think that, despite the length, the author did a pretty good job of making each MC feel distinctive.
This story was short and sweet. And that was my problem. I wish it were longer! I would loved to have read, in more detail, about all of the relationship milestones that are only skimmed over. But I did still enjoy what we were shown.
I also think that, despite the length, the author did a pretty good job of making each MC feel distinctive.
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February 10, 2022DNF.
This started out well for me, but before halfway through I stopped cold in disbelief.
This started out well for me, but before halfway through I stopped cold in disbelief.
July 17, 2020
First person POV, this short story with two disparite characters charts a budding romance. More a narrative than a tale, it is well written to leave me all warm-and-fuzzy. I recommend for a quick read to all, there is no "heat" in the delightful passion.
As I am a gatherer of books, I collect books and ebooks from a variety of sources: Goodreads wins, Bookhub, BookFunnel, emails from authors and publishers, and others. I do lose track of their sources. But, as a reader, I feel I should give an honest, unencumbered review for all I read.
As I am a gatherer of books, I collect books and ebooks from a variety of sources: Goodreads wins, Bookhub, BookFunnel, emails from authors and publishers, and others. I do lose track of their sources. But, as a reader, I feel I should give an honest, unencumbered review for all I read.
August 11, 2022
A sweet, quick read about Patrick, a HS English teacher who also teaches ESL to adults at night, and Salim, a jazz pianist from Ethiopia in his ESL class.
It’s told from Patrick’s POV and I loved the scenes where he is sensitive, recognizes their differences and checks himself, e.g. when Salim is at his house for the first time, sees his dog Coco and calls her dirty. Instead of being immediately defensive, he explains that in Canada, people keep dogs as pets and Salim explains that in Ethiopia, they’re dirty and kept outside. P offers to send Coco the basement if it makes S uncomfortable but he says it’s OK…and over the course of their relationship, we see S come to love Coco with a scene where she’s on his lap upside down and he’s rubbing her belly. There’s also a lovely scene when P finally asks S to move in with him and they discuss male gender roles in relationships because S is still a student and as a man, he should be able to support his partner financially which is why he can’t move in with P. I’ve read 4 novella/shorts by Lin now and this has been my favorite.
It’s told from Patrick’s POV and I loved the scenes where he is sensitive, recognizes their differences and checks himself, e.g. when Salim is at his house for the first time, sees his dog Coco and calls her dirty. Instead of being immediately defensive, he explains that in Canada, people keep dogs as pets and Salim explains that in Ethiopia, they’re dirty and kept outside. P offers to send Coco the basement if it makes S uncomfortable but he says it’s OK…and over the course of their relationship, we see S come to love Coco with a scene where she’s on his lap upside down and he’s rubbing her belly. There’s also a lovely scene when P finally asks S to move in with him and they discuss male gender roles in relationships because S is still a student and as a man, he should be able to support his partner financially which is why he can’t move in with P. I’ve read 4 novella/shorts by Lin now and this has been my favorite.
August 24, 2020
Sweet little novella about Chinese-Canadian ESL teacher Patrick meeting Ethiopian refugee aspiring music composer Salim and it’s about them falling in love. It was a lovely read. Despite the short length, both of the main characters were fully realized, I liked reading about them.
The one strange thing I feel like I already read this novella but my goodread shelf says no. Could I have read it last year and not mark on goodreads? I don’t think so.
Anyways, that’s not really important. If you want a quick sweet read (with no sex on page), I recommend this novella!
The one strange thing I feel like I already read this novella but my goodread shelf says no. Could I have read it last year and not mark on goodreads? I don’t think so.
Anyways, that’s not really important. If you want a quick sweet read (with no sex on page), I recommend this novella!
September 10, 2020
I rarely give five stars, especially to a short story, but this story really moved me. Yes, it was sweet, but it was also tender, gentle and very inspiring. I loved that Patrick and Salim were an interracial couple from very different cultures. I also appreciated how much I could feel their love and affection and yet there is not a single graphic sex scene within the pages. I will be looking for more by this author.
November 15, 2020
A lovely quick read during a power outage. Luckily I already had it downloaded before the internet went out. It's a beautiful story wrapped around a wonderful characters. After reading this it made me realize we need more stories where music plays a prominent role.
January 27, 2022
A nice but fast paced short story, Salim a refugee from Ethiopia and his English as a second language teacher, Patrick. It's totally touching how the student/teacher slowly moves to friends and then more. A lovely tale over too soon.
June 1, 2021
Heart warming
It's nice to read about brown men meeting and starting a relationship. How they learn and accept their different cultures.
It's nice to read about brown men meeting and starting a relationship. How they learn and accept their different cultures.
January 31, 2022
Four and a half stars
Lessons for a Lifetime is about Salim and Patrick, who meet when Salim takes Patrick’s class for English Language learners.
Lessons for a Lifetime is about Salim and Patrick, who meet when Salim takes Patrick’s class for English Language learners.
February 12, 2022
This was a quiet story for me, not fluff, not action or suspense. Two people got to know each other over the course of the book. Patrick and Selim both grew as people and as a couple.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews