Review: Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan

I was fortunate enough to receive and ARC of Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan.  Based on the premise, I was looking forward to reading this story.  Having grown up in a very small town in Appalachia much like Sycamore Falls, I was excited to see how she described such a unique place. 

I was not disappointed.

I have read a lot of stories that take place in the south.  Some authors try to make the characters feel more genuine by writing their dialect (and dialogue) in a way that they feel is honest.  And few succeed.  Sydney Logan not only succeeds, but she writes them in a way that makes it seem effortless.  Her characters speak in a way that is true to the region, and all their interactions never feel forced or obnoxious.

Our heroine is Sarah who is returning to Sycamore Falls from Memphis.  She is coping with something traumatic, and while we don’t exactly know what it is in the beginning, little by little, her story is revealed.  She meets our hero, Lucas – a man who has come to Sycamore Falls in attempt to get away from something in his past as well.

I loved reading the progression of their relationship.  It flowed in a way that felt truly real.  And Lucas is one of those heroes that melts your heart in the smallest ways.  His care and concern for Sarah was what won me over completely.  He was exactly what she needed when she needed it.

What I loved most about the romance in this story was the lack of contrived and manufactured drama.  While Sarah and Lucas are falling in love, they are faced with something that tests them, both as individuals and a new couple.  Sycamore Falls is a small town in the Bible Belt.  And with that, comes small-minded people who have a limited view of the world outside their hometown.  And their prejudices are exposed in different ways – from their opinions on pre-marital sex to their feelings on homosexuality.

Which brings us to the real issue in this book.

Matt, a student of both Lucas and Sarah, admits to Sarah that he is gay.  And the news also becomes public knowledge.  And from there, he is bullied and ostracized for his sexuality.  Not only by his peers, but also by the adults in this small community.  I can’t lie and say that this part wasn’t heart wrenching to read, but I can say that I feel like it was written honestly, considering the region of the country in which this story takes place.

I must admit that my views on this particular subject are far more liberal and accepting than the views expressed in this book.  I believe that homosexuality isn’t a choice.  You don’t choose who you fall in love with any more than you can choose the race to which you’re born.  And even though I grew up in a place similar to world the author describes, I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by parents who taught me that people are different and that’s okay.  And most importantly, that acceptance and love are the most important things in the world.

I also live in a reality where gay marriage is still a dividing issue, and hateful and violent bullying is a very real problem for so many people who are deemed different than the societal norm.   And while it’s hard for me to admit, the kind of persecution that Matt experiences in this book is a very true and accurate portrayal of what actually happens in society.

It’s sad.

It’s painful.

But it’s also honest.

This book had a little bit of everything.  I swooned, I cried, I was angry, but at the heart of the story, I also fell in love with the two main characters.  And at the end of the day, that’s why I read.