Review: Learning to Forgive by RD Cole

This isn't your Typical Everyday fairytale. 
This story isn't sweet or sugary.
Instead... 
It's Raw and Dark
It's Rough and Dangerous
And It's Definitely not for kids under 17 years of age.

So turn back now if you're not ready for Lyric and Blaire's story. Because shit just got Real.


“I’ve learned a lot this past year, but there are two things I’ll never forget: one, People aren’t what they seem, and two, I fucking hate liars.” –Blaire

Blaire Morgan was a quiet, grief stricken girl when she left Mobile, Alabama, a year ago after her brother’s unexpected death. She returns a year later with fresh wounds from another betrayal, and she’s not the same person. A woman letting her tortured past rule her life, her “take no shit” attitude is catching the attention of everyone that crosses her path, including the bad boy front man of Lyrical Obsessions—the new band that plays at Jay Jay’s. When she learns he has something she wants, she plans on doing whatever it takes to get it.

What is a demon? An evil spirit possessing a person, acting as a tormentor in Hell?

Lyric “The Demon” Devereux is that tormentor and Hell is any place he sees fit, either in the fighting ring or on the streets. He killed his first person at seventeen years old, and that list has grown over the years—as well as his list of enemies—but his biggest enemy is himself and he doesn’t know how to win that battle.
When Blaire comes into town like wildfire and turns heads, Lyric’s temper emerges—uninvited and unexpected. His plan to stay at a distance for her safety, and his sanity, changes when she continuously shows up with her defiance and seductive pull. He now has no choice but to face his past that could possibly destroy the both of them.


Tempers will detonate. Lust will consume. Truth will destroy. But will love forgive?

4.5 Star Review by Jen Skewes

Learning to Forgive is the third book in the Learning series.  I absolutely love this series and R.D. Cole has quickly become one of my favorite authors.  I fell in love with Trudy and Jax in the first book and wasn’t sure that any couple could top them but I think I may have been wrong.  This is Blaire and Lyric’s story and while the other books in this series have drama and angst I must say that Ms. Cole completely stepped it up a notch with this one.  There is a bit of a dark edge to Blaire and Lyric’s story that I loved.  It has mystery, suspense, angst and drama with a love story in between.  Blaire and Lyric are intense and I loved every minute of their story.

We briefly met Blaire in the first two books and I wasn’t quite sure what to make of her to be honest.  After reading her story and seeing her hurt and pain over losing her brother and finding out about her past, you cannot help but love and admire her.  She had a tough childhood, actually tough isn’t even the word.  What she went through was horrific.  The one person that she could always count on was her brother, but he had his own battles that he was facing with drugs and unfortunately the drugs won.  Blaire left town after her brother’s death because she just couldn’t face it.  But a year later she is back and trying to get back on her feet.  She meets Lyric at the bar she works at and while she knows that she should stay away from him she cannot help the feelings that he brings out in her.  Staying away is not that simple.

Lyric is a sexy, tattooed bad boy who I just loved. He is certainly dangerous and intense but he also has a compassionate side to him especially when it comes to Blaire.  He has his own issues from his past that he is dealing with.  He knows that he needs to stay away from Blaire.  She just doesn’t belong in his life right now and she deserves better.  But Lyric finds himself following his heart and giving into his feelings where Blaire is concerned.  These two together are intense and passionate.  Blaire opens up to Lyric and has let her guard down with him.  But in the back of Lyric’s mind he knows that being with Blaire means putting her in danger.  He has a secret that he is keeping and that secret could destroy everything.  How far will someone go to protect the one they love?  Will hurting them be worth keeping them safe?

Learning to Forgive is dark and gritty and filled with drama and suspense.  Lyric and Blaire were amazing together.  I loved how much Lyric wanted to protect her and comfort her.  He may be a bad boy but he has a heart and he completely captured mine.  Blaire was a bit complicated.  She was so broken and hurt over her childhood and the loss of the one person who meant anything to her.  And I think that hurt and pain clouded her judgement when it came to certain people.  We finally see why she has harsh feelings towards Trudy.  Between that and her childhood you begin to truly understand why she is so angry and broken.  But Lyric helps take that anger away, he makes her happy and makes her feel things she hasn’t felt in a really long time.  Together they learn to forgive and heal as well. 

I love how intense this book was at times.  Lyric and Blaire’s story is one hell of a roller coaster ride.  But so worth it!