Last First Kiss by Lia Riley Series: Brightwater #1
Published by Avon Impulse
Publication Date: June 23rd, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 2549
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
Goodreads
Buy Online: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ Kobo
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
New to Avon author Lia Riley makes a splash with her first sexy, hilarious book in the sizzling Brightwater series!
A kiss is just the beginning…
Pinterest Perfect. Or so Annie Carson’s life appears on her popular blog. Reality is… messier. Especially when it lands her back in one-cow town, Brightwater, California, and back in the path of the gorgeous six-foot-four reason she left. Sawyer Kane may fill out those wranglers, but she won’t be distracted from her task. Annie just needs the summer to spruce up and sell her family’s farm so she and her young son can start a new life in the big city. Simple, easy, perfect.
Sawyer has always regretted letting the first girl he loved slip away. He won’t make the same mistake twice, but can he convince beautiful, wary Annie to trust her heart again when she’s been given every reason not to? And as a single kiss turns to so much more, can Annie give up her idea of perfect for a forever that’s blissfully real.
Annie Carson has got her life in order: the perfect child, a happy life with no worries and she’s got the best advice and fun stories. Well, online that is. In reality, Anne is a divorced single mom who’s back in her hometown of Brightwater, California to prepare the family farm for sale and provide for her son with her share of the proceeds from the sale. Being back brings back painful memories for Annie of being the odd one out, of being the butt of everyone’s jokes and of the boy that broke her heart and made her leave ten years ago.
Sawyer Kane’s family has deep roots in Brightwater and he loves his life as the sheriff but Annie Carson’s return reminds him of his biggest regret – letting her go without a fight. Sawyer and Annie were teenage sweethearts, in spite of a generations-long feud between their families, until a mean-spirited prank made Annie leave but she’s back and Sawyer has got plans to convince her that she and her son belong with him, in Brightwater. Will Annie give Sawyer a second chance, especially when her reason for returning comes to light?
Sawyer is definitely one of the sweetest heroes I’ve read about. He’s not the alpha male we always read about but that is exactly why he stood out for me. He’s actually a good guy, responsible and gentle but confident and determined. He enjoys his small-town life with his dog, his grandmother and their family ranch, but after his ex dumped him for a movie star, he’s been okay with being alone until Annie’s return. Now, he can’t stop thinking about his first love and he’s pulling out the stops to romance her and show her that he is the man for her. He’s fixing things around the farm, getting to know her son and reminding Annie of the fearless girl she used to be, the one who leaped over the cliff without a safety net. But the sweetest thing by far was him learning how to cook tofu for Annie!
I definitely felt for Annie. Who hasn’t been tempted a time or two to paint a rosy picture of their life? But even though the divorce dealt her a blow, she’s brave and determined to make a happy life for her son and herself. In spite of her unhappiness at being back, it’s the best thing for them and getting back together with Sawyer, watching her son bond with Sawyer warms her heart.
LAST FIRST KISS is a fun and lighthearted second-chance romance and I really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the dialogue which made me laugh and the author’s writing style, enough that I am interested in reading the rest of the books in the series.
About Lia Riley
Lia Riley writes offbeat New Adult and Contemporary Adult romance. After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, she scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. She counts shooting vodka with a Ukranian mechanic in Antarctica, sipping yerba mate with gauchos in Chile and swilling XXXX with stationhands in Outback Australia among her accomplishments.
A British literature fanatic at heart, Lia considers Mr. Darcy and Edward Rochester as her fictional boyfriends. Her very patient husband doesn't mind. Much. When not torturing heroes (because c'mon, who doesn't love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about future books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. Right now, Icelandic hot springs and Scottish castles sound mighty fine.
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