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Love At Last #3
One Last Kiss
Rian
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Rian Kerry, and I’m in huge trouble.
This is how it happened: I had a crush. You know those teenage crushes, which I’m sure you’ve all experienced, too. It was that kind of crush that makes your knees tremble, that makes you blush violently and stammer when you’re with that person. One of those crushes that you assume you’ll just grow out of, the way the seasons change.
The problem is that my crush didn’t go anywhere. Actually, it only got worse, transforming into something absurd and unbearable, which no one could seem to understand.
Especially not him.
Because he’s off-limits. He’s barricaded himself within his walls, from a sense of fear and guilt. He’s locked up his heart forever, and seems to have no intention of letting anyone in ever again.
My friends, Jordan, Anya, and Holly, say that he just needs a little push. They say that he needs to learn to believe again.
But I don’t think he’ll ever be ready, because he simply doesn’t want to be.
He doesn’t want to believe.
Not in something like us.
Parker
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Parker Hayes, and I’m an idiot.
Yep, you heard me right. I’m a real idiot. And, I swear, that’s putting it lightly.
But I’m a lot of other things, too. I’m a fireman, and a single father to two cheeky, hyperactive six-year-old twins. I’m a brother to Tyler, another fireman – and another idiot – who always seems to stick his nose into my business. I’m a kind-of friend to Niall, yet another idiot with nothing to do but barge into my life, uninvited.
Let’s get back to the point, here: the reason I’m an idiot.
Well, it’s pretty simple. I’ve lost my mind. Literally. It happened again. I fell for it. With my head, with my body, and with the heart I was sure I’d never be able to piece back together after another inevitable disaster.
The problem is that she’s not like the others.
She bakes cakes with my daughters, laughs with them, and shows them her magic bag. They’re crazy about her.
And so am I.
And now she knows it, and I know it, and everyone around us knows it. But I can’t take that step. I can’t let everything go to start over.
I can’t live through this again – because this time, I won’t be left standing.
Not if she’s the one to break my heart.
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Rian Kerry, and I’m in huge trouble.
This is how it happened: I had a crush. You know those teenage crushes, which I’m sure you’ve all experienced, too. It was that kind of crush that makes your knees tremble, that makes you blush violently and stammer when you’re with that person. One of those crushes that you assume you’ll just grow out of, the way the seasons change.
The problem is that my crush didn’t go anywhere. Actually, it only got worse, transforming into something absurd and unbearable, which no one could seem to understand.
Especially not him.
Because he’s off-limits. He’s barricaded himself within his walls, from a sense of fear and guilt. He’s locked up his heart forever, and seems to have no intention of letting anyone in ever again.
My friends, Jordan, Anya, and Holly, say that he just needs a little push. They say that he needs to learn to believe again.
But I don’t think he’ll ever be ready, because he simply doesn’t want to be.
He doesn’t want to believe.
Not in something like us.
Parker
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Parker Hayes, and I’m an idiot.
Yep, you heard me right. I’m a real idiot. And, I swear, that’s putting it lightly.
But I’m a lot of other things, too. I’m a fireman, and a single father to two cheeky, hyperactive six-year-old twins. I’m a brother to Tyler, another fireman – and another idiot – who always seems to stick his nose into my business. I’m a kind-of friend to Niall, yet another idiot with nothing to do but barge into my life, uninvited.
Let’s get back to the point, here: the reason I’m an idiot.
Well, it’s pretty simple. I’ve lost my mind. Literally. It happened again. I fell for it. With my head, with my body, and with the heart I was sure I’d never be able to piece back together after another inevitable disaster.
The problem is that she’s not like the others.
She bakes cakes with my daughters, laughs with them, and shows them her magic bag. They’re crazy about her.
And so am I.
And now she knows it, and I know it, and everyone around us knows it. But I can’t take that step. I can’t let everything go to start over.
I can’t live through this again – because this time, I won’t be left standing.
Not if she’s the one to break my heart.
500 pages, Unknown Binding
Published August 20, 2021
2 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
January 15, 2022
I went into this book blindly.
But heck yes, this one turned out to be quite fun and delivered more than what I expected.
The writing is quite fun I say. I just flew through the boon once I started it.
The endless sibling bickerings. The second hand embarrassment. The romance and the chemistry. Everything just clicked!
The whole family vibes made me laugh out loud on so many occasions throughout the read.
Rian is secretly in love with Parker who she feels is something not possible to happen in real. Parker is a single dad of two hyperactive young daughters. This is their story. And it's a freaking good good-feel one!
The characters are so much fun and the writing gets really hilarious at times. The humour is on spot.
Things do get difficult in between but then I love how the characters deak with them in a mature way. Something to look forward to if you're picking up the book. It makes the book more endearing.
The book made me so happy. There's warmth throughout the story. I love the characters so much! Not just the main characters, you will find it difficult not to love all the characters.
I feel the cover does justice to the contents. The vibe it gives matches exactly with the plot and the characters.
The best summer romcom I read this year!
Thank you, author and publisher, for the advance reading copy.
But heck yes, this one turned out to be quite fun and delivered more than what I expected.
The writing is quite fun I say. I just flew through the boon once I started it.
The endless sibling bickerings. The second hand embarrassment. The romance and the chemistry. Everything just clicked!
The whole family vibes made me laugh out loud on so many occasions throughout the read.
Rian is secretly in love with Parker who she feels is something not possible to happen in real. Parker is a single dad of two hyperactive young daughters. This is their story. And it's a freaking good good-feel one!
The characters are so much fun and the writing gets really hilarious at times. The humour is on spot.
Things do get difficult in between but then I love how the characters deak with them in a mature way. Something to look forward to if you're picking up the book. It makes the book more endearing.
The book made me so happy. There's warmth throughout the story. I love the characters so much! Not just the main characters, you will find it difficult not to love all the characters.
I feel the cover does justice to the contents. The vibe it gives matches exactly with the plot and the characters.
The best summer romcom I read this year!
Thank you, author and publisher, for the advance reading copy.
August 7, 2021
ARC Provided by Netgalley
Me dejé llevar por la portada y la sinopsis.
Single Dad, Nanny I´M IN!!!
PEEERO no contaba con que era age gap esos no me gustan, en los libros tabú puede ser pero en romance NOPE.
Desde el principio eso hizo que no lo pudiera disfrutar, mi ánimos cayeron y mi ilusión se hizo añicos.
Lo quería dejar pero no pude porque me lo dieron.
Es que verán ella tiene 19 años y el 41 con dos niñas de 6, ella acaba de entrar a la edad adulta, no ha madurado y vivido lo suficiente para saber lo que quiere y asa edad la diferencia si pesa por eso ese tipo de romance no se me hacen viables. No le pudieron poner a ella 10 años más?
Y luego salen con que él tuvo a las niñas con una de 18 años, I mean.. WTF?? .
Lo único que me gustó fueron las escenas de Rian con las niñas.
No puedo decir que es un libro malo porque mis prejuicios impidieron que fuera objetiva, estaba muy predispuesta y por eso no lo disfruté.
Y me da coraje porque es de esos libro que yo hubiera amado.
No sé si le de otra oportunidad a la autora porque creo que le gusta el age gap.
Siento que esto es debut y despedida.
Me dejé llevar por la portada y la sinopsis.
Single Dad, Nanny I´M IN!!!
PEEERO no contaba con que era age gap esos no me gustan, en los libros tabú puede ser pero en romance NOPE.
Desde el principio eso hizo que no lo pudiera disfrutar, mi ánimos cayeron y mi ilusión se hizo añicos.
Lo quería dejar pero no pude porque me lo dieron.
Es que verán ella tiene 19 años y el 41 con dos niñas de 6, ella acaba de entrar a la edad adulta, no ha madurado y vivido lo suficiente para saber lo que quiere y asa edad la diferencia si pesa por eso ese tipo de romance no se me hacen viables. No le pudieron poner a ella 10 años más?
Y luego salen con que él tuvo a las niñas con una de 18 años, I mean.. WTF?? .
Lo único que me gustó fueron las escenas de Rian con las niñas.
No puedo decir que es un libro malo porque mis prejuicios impidieron que fuera objetiva, estaba muy predispuesta y por eso no lo disfruté.
Y me da coraje porque es de esos libro que yo hubiera amado.
No sé si le de otra oportunidad a la autora porque creo que le gusta el age gap.
Siento que esto es debut y despedida.
August 19, 2021
Aspettavo la storia di Parker, il papà single dal cuore spezzato, ma sono rimasta un po' delusa...
La storia sempre esilarante, ma a tratti forzata, spiccava più tutto il contorno dei personaggi, con le loro battute, il loro supporto e i loro consigli, mentre i protagonisti sono rimasti sullo sfondo, molto sbiaditi, caratterialmente non li ho amati molto, un po' privi di personalità, comunque rimane una storia carina che si fa leggere, adorabili le gemelle ❤️...
La storia sempre esilarante, ma a tratti forzata, spiccava più tutto il contorno dei personaggi, con le loro battute, il loro supporto e i loro consigli, mentre i protagonisti sono rimasti sullo sfondo, molto sbiaditi, caratterialmente non li ho amati molto, un po' privi di personalità, comunque rimane una storia carina che si fa leggere, adorabili le gemelle ❤️...
August 21, 2021
✨Sooo this book is a good example of why I get nervous around age gap romances. ✨
This book shook me to the core. Not it a good way. It took me two days to seperate myself and come up with words for this review.
This story is about a 19 year old yoga instructor, Rian, in a small town who starts to have feelings for a 40 year old fireman with kids from the same town.
I had multiple issues with this book. I have no desire to trash this book because it really did try it's best and it didn't have anything blatantly problematic, it was just really not for me.
The writing felt very juvenile and definitely contributed to why I felt so icky around the age gap element of the book. The dialogue was just downright cringey and hard to read. It took everything in me to keep going. (I don't like DNFing ARCs)
The hero was extremely intense for no reason and very creepy. Don't get me wrong, I love me an intense or brooding hero. This hero was just extremely off. I felt so slimy any time this man was on the page. The age gap provided nothing to the story. Normally, in age-gap romances I like, I will see wonderful conversations about their age. I will see a healthy and mature relationship. I will see healthy sex. I will see two stable people find happiness in each other. This relationship had neither of those things. I was just getting those weird vibes when I see crusty old white men marry a girl only a couple of years older than his own daughter, you know what feeling I am talking about? Yeah, super creepy. I was just not there for it. He dated a teenager before he met the heroine and he was being super pity poo about it. Was I supposed to be feeling sympathy? All I could think was how icky he was. The worst thing? This relationship begins because he took advantage of a vulnerable situation. He even admits it! Major ew. The hero could have easily been her age or a little older and nothing would have changed. Maybe it could have increased my enjoyment? Probably not. The romance was so lackluster, I felt no connection or real chemistry from the characters. These two had nothing going for them. Nothing.
The good dirty talk could have been a plus for this book but since the relationship creeped me out so much, I was just not there for it. If you want dirty talk, go read a Tessa Bailey instead, I promise it would be a much better investment. I just felt like I was reading a creepy guy trying to coerce a little girl at the park. Major major ick.
The side characters were so irrelevant and poorly written, I was practically forced to only pay attention to the main couple, who incredibly poorly written too. I normally am super apprehensive about kids in romance because it is very tricky to write them correctly; it is super easy to make them very annoying. This book took it in the opposite direction. The children were practically just plot devices to move the story forward. If you asked me what their names were, I could not tell you. Children have the potential to really add to the romantic relationship/intimacy in a romance, this book was very, very far from that.
The plot holes. Oh my goodness the plot holes. This plot was all over the place and so hard to follow. The hero had a myriad of issues that came out of nowhere. It was like the author never wrote their plot down and just forgot what they already wrote. It was seriously like the author forgot their own plot. I was not having a good time.
This book was also listed as a standalone. It is not. I was genuinely so lost throughout the book. But I am not sure if it was from the mess this book created and the plot holes or because the previous books weren't explained in this one.
I was honestly just not having a good time at all with this book. I don't really have anything else to say. I always like finding something good when I review a book but I honestly can't think of anything right now. I am so sorry, I am sure this book means so much to the author. I am not normally this intense about a book, this book just did not sit right with me at all. I have no intention of bashing on this book, but I did not connect with it at all and I really don't think I will be reading the other books in the series.
1 star for that cute cover. It's what gravitated me towards the book.
1/5 stars | 2/5 steam
Thank you to A.S.Kelly, the publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book shook me to the core. Not it a good way. It took me two days to seperate myself and come up with words for this review.
This story is about a 19 year old yoga instructor, Rian, in a small town who starts to have feelings for a 40 year old fireman with kids from the same town.
I had multiple issues with this book. I have no desire to trash this book because it really did try it's best and it didn't have anything blatantly problematic, it was just really not for me.
The writing felt very juvenile and definitely contributed to why I felt so icky around the age gap element of the book. The dialogue was just downright cringey and hard to read. It took everything in me to keep going. (I don't like DNFing ARCs)
The hero was extremely intense for no reason and very creepy. Don't get me wrong, I love me an intense or brooding hero. This hero was just extremely off. I felt so slimy any time this man was on the page. The age gap provided nothing to the story. Normally, in age-gap romances I like, I will see wonderful conversations about their age. I will see a healthy and mature relationship. I will see healthy sex. I will see two stable people find happiness in each other. This relationship had neither of those things. I was just getting those weird vibes when I see crusty old white men marry a girl only a couple of years older than his own daughter, you know what feeling I am talking about? Yeah, super creepy. I was just not there for it. He dated a teenager before he met the heroine and he was being super pity poo about it. Was I supposed to be feeling sympathy? All I could think was how icky he was. The worst thing? This relationship begins because he took advantage of a vulnerable situation. He even admits it! Major ew. The hero could have easily been her age or a little older and nothing would have changed. Maybe it could have increased my enjoyment? Probably not. The romance was so lackluster, I felt no connection or real chemistry from the characters. These two had nothing going for them. Nothing.
The good dirty talk could have been a plus for this book but since the relationship creeped me out so much, I was just not there for it. If you want dirty talk, go read a Tessa Bailey instead, I promise it would be a much better investment. I just felt like I was reading a creepy guy trying to coerce a little girl at the park. Major major ick.
The side characters were so irrelevant and poorly written, I was practically forced to only pay attention to the main couple, who incredibly poorly written too. I normally am super apprehensive about kids in romance because it is very tricky to write them correctly; it is super easy to make them very annoying. This book took it in the opposite direction. The children were practically just plot devices to move the story forward. If you asked me what their names were, I could not tell you. Children have the potential to really add to the romantic relationship/intimacy in a romance, this book was very, very far from that.
The plot holes. Oh my goodness the plot holes. This plot was all over the place and so hard to follow. The hero had a myriad of issues that came out of nowhere. It was like the author never wrote their plot down and just forgot what they already wrote. It was seriously like the author forgot their own plot. I was not having a good time.
This book was also listed as a standalone. It is not. I was genuinely so lost throughout the book. But I am not sure if it was from the mess this book created and the plot holes or because the previous books weren't explained in this one.
I was honestly just not having a good time at all with this book. I don't really have anything else to say. I always like finding something good when I review a book but I honestly can't think of anything right now. I am so sorry, I am sure this book means so much to the author. I am not normally this intense about a book, this book just did not sit right with me at all. I have no intention of bashing on this book, but I did not connect with it at all and I really don't think I will be reading the other books in the series.
1 star for that cute cover. It's what gravitated me towards the book.
1/5 stars | 2/5 steam
Thank you to A.S.Kelly, the publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 18, 2022
1 STAR for the cover (it's cute, what can I say?) *some spoilers ahead
• The BIGGEST problem this book has is the dialogue. a) too much of it (dozen of pages at a time without any breaks or specification as to who’s speaking); b) it reads super stiff, awkward and repetitive (like that’s not how people talk in real life).
• Characters have little to no inner thoughts. This book is 99% dialogue and 1% self-pitying thoughts.
• Character’s ‘voices’ are too similar to distinguish between them.
• If this is a standalone, then conflicts needs more explanation/backstory.
• Niall being bullied for laughs is not cute.
• It took FOREVER for anyone to get to the point- there are so many crutch words it gets annoying real quick
• Chapters are too short, too choppy (15% in and already chapter20???)
• Hello, dear reader, The Conflict couldn’t come to the phone because it’s too freaking weak to even move. He wants her, he dreams about her, but he’s not doing anything because…. Another 18yo he was involved with left him and their twins? She wants him, dreams about him, but she not doing anything other than feel sorry for herself because…he’s a dad and he had his heart broken. Okay, book, sure.
• ⚠️ Problematic consent acknowledgement followed by sweeping it under the proverbial rug ⚠️
“ ‘You kissed me!’
‘I did.’
‘Without my consent!’
‘You’re right.’
‘You took advantage of my vulnerability.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘I never asked you to kiss me. I asked you for help! And you…made me confused. You’ve flipped everything upside-down!’ ”
Jesus take the freaking wheel cuz I’m thinking of jumping out if this train wreck.
• Ughhhh the 🚨angst🚨 is recycled in two of the following ways:
Him: You’re so beautiful, so beautiful I think about you all day and night and want to kiss you…god, sorry. Don’t know what came over me. You’re young, too young. And beautiful.
Her: I want one last kiss. I know I’m too young and please kiss me and then I’m running away because you’re a MAN and have kids and issues and I want you so bad. Kiss me.
• TW!! the hero (who is a firefighter) responded to a call made by the heroine who slipped and broke her shoulder while getting out of the shower (aka, sis was obv naked). He comes in, tells her he’s keeping his eyes closed to make her feel better, but she’s crying (cos, ya know, broken bones and whatnot) and our hero — get this: he fucking kisses her. Excuse you? What the hecking heck. Is that supposed to get me hot? Especially since we’ve established that the heroine labels it as an non-consensual act above.
This is how the hero refers to that scene:
“ ‘She was trying not to cry from the pain, and she was so embarrassed and I…I kissed her.’ ”
• we get it book: she’s nineteen- almost twenty! - and he’s a forty-one year old divorcee. Age gap. Gap age. Old-young. Age shmage. Stop hitting me over the head with it since NEITHER mcs finds that hot. It’s just another thing to cringe at.
• 🚩🚩🚩🚩he spies on her for hours after seeing her go to work with a dude then he goes to her place to confront her about it 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
• Oh, hi there third act conflict that dropped out of the sky with the same grace of a piano smashing the ground. How you doing?
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
• The BIGGEST problem this book has is the dialogue. a) too much of it (dozen of pages at a time without any breaks or specification as to who’s speaking); b) it reads super stiff, awkward and repetitive (like that’s not how people talk in real life).
• Characters have little to no inner thoughts. This book is 99% dialogue and 1% self-pitying thoughts.
• Character’s ‘voices’ are too similar to distinguish between them.
• If this is a standalone, then conflicts needs more explanation/backstory.
• Niall being bullied for laughs is not cute.
• It took FOREVER for anyone to get to the point- there are so many crutch words it gets annoying real quick
• Chapters are too short, too choppy (15% in and already chapter20???)
• Hello, dear reader, The Conflict couldn’t come to the phone because it’s too freaking weak to even move. He wants her, he dreams about her, but he’s not doing anything because…. Another 18yo he was involved with left him and their twins? She wants him, dreams about him, but she not doing anything other than feel sorry for herself because…he’s a dad and he had his heart broken. Okay, book, sure.
• ⚠️ Problematic consent acknowledgement followed by sweeping it under the proverbial rug ⚠️
“ ‘You kissed me!’
‘I did.’
‘Without my consent!’
‘You’re right.’
‘You took advantage of my vulnerability.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘I never asked you to kiss me. I asked you for help! And you…made me confused. You’ve flipped everything upside-down!’ ”
Jesus take the freaking wheel cuz I’m thinking of jumping out if this train wreck.
• Ughhhh the 🚨angst🚨 is recycled in two of the following ways:
Him: You’re so beautiful, so beautiful I think about you all day and night and want to kiss you…god, sorry. Don’t know what came over me. You’re young, too young. And beautiful.
Her: I want one last kiss. I know I’m too young and please kiss me and then I’m running away because you’re a MAN and have kids and issues and I want you so bad. Kiss me.
• TW!! the hero (who is a firefighter) responded to a call made by the heroine who slipped and broke her shoulder while getting out of the shower (aka, sis was obv naked). He comes in, tells her he’s keeping his eyes closed to make her feel better, but she’s crying (cos, ya know, broken bones and whatnot) and our hero — get this: he fucking kisses her. Excuse you? What the hecking heck. Is that supposed to get me hot? Especially since we’ve established that the heroine labels it as an non-consensual act above.
This is how the hero refers to that scene:
“ ‘She was trying not to cry from the pain, and she was so embarrassed and I…I kissed her.’ ”
• we get it book: she’s nineteen- almost twenty! - and he’s a forty-one year old divorcee. Age gap. Gap age. Old-young. Age shmage. Stop hitting me over the head with it since NEITHER mcs finds that hot. It’s just another thing to cringe at.
• 🚩🚩🚩🚩he spies on her for hours after seeing her go to work with a dude then he goes to her place to confront her about it 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
• Oh, hi there third act conflict that dropped out of the sky with the same grace of a piano smashing the ground. How you doing?
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
September 6, 2021
Favorite Quotes:
Niall brings his hand to his chest in a dramatic flourish. “I can’t get any more black marks against my name. I’m getting old and I won’t have time to make up for it.”
He couldn’t be more handsome if he tried, and I couldn’t be in more trouble even if I’d dug myself the hole with my own two hands.
I’m nervous. Not because I don’t want to be here, but because I wanted to be here so badly.
Plan? What plan? Come on. You know I’m not some plotting evil genius. I just let things run their course and waited patiently for the stars to align.
My Review:
I wasn’t sure about this one since I was jumping into a series on book number three, and while I’m sure I probably would have enjoyed it even more had I read the previous two, I found the installment to have strong enough legs to stand well on its own. The storylines were original and engaging and I adored all the characters by the end of the book, although they often annoyed me with their indecision, anxious fears, and alternating periods of cowardice.
There were hefty servings of tormented and debilitating angst, yet the emotional tone balanced out overall due to the smirk-worthy and rapid-fire levity provided by the highly amusing banter and witty barbs tossed back and forth between the main and secondary characters of friends and family. The romance was sweet and tender and I fell for the grumpy single-dad fireman myself by the time the steamy sensuality was added to the mix and the sexy fireman was no longer cranky but a romantic silver-tongued sex god instead.
This was my first foray into A.S. Kelly’s work and I landed well indeed. Having gotten to know the characters, I feel the pull to read the previous books in the series as well. I have added this clever wordsmith to my list of favorites.
Niall brings his hand to his chest in a dramatic flourish. “I can’t get any more black marks against my name. I’m getting old and I won’t have time to make up for it.”
He couldn’t be more handsome if he tried, and I couldn’t be in more trouble even if I’d dug myself the hole with my own two hands.
I’m nervous. Not because I don’t want to be here, but because I wanted to be here so badly.
Plan? What plan? Come on. You know I’m not some plotting evil genius. I just let things run their course and waited patiently for the stars to align.
My Review:
I wasn’t sure about this one since I was jumping into a series on book number three, and while I’m sure I probably would have enjoyed it even more had I read the previous two, I found the installment to have strong enough legs to stand well on its own. The storylines were original and engaging and I adored all the characters by the end of the book, although they often annoyed me with their indecision, anxious fears, and alternating periods of cowardice.
There were hefty servings of tormented and debilitating angst, yet the emotional tone balanced out overall due to the smirk-worthy and rapid-fire levity provided by the highly amusing banter and witty barbs tossed back and forth between the main and secondary characters of friends and family. The romance was sweet and tender and I fell for the grumpy single-dad fireman myself by the time the steamy sensuality was added to the mix and the sexy fireman was no longer cranky but a romantic silver-tongued sex god instead.
This was my first foray into A.S. Kelly’s work and I landed well indeed. Having gotten to know the characters, I feel the pull to read the previous books in the series as well. I have added this clever wordsmith to my list of favorites.
August 19, 2021
Me gustó demasiado aparte de que se me hizo súper sencillo de leer en inglés. No paraba de reír con los personajes secundarios, más que nada con los hombres.
No me había dado cuenta que este es el tercero de una serie y si este me gustó, espero que me gusten los anteriores.
Me gustó que hubiera mucho diálogo porque así no me pude perder tanto en las descripciones.
La primera mitad los personajes me parecieron muy cute pero en la otra mitad estaba haciendo corajes con los principales y llegué a un momento donde me estaba desesperando; al final todo bien porque hubo final feliz.
Este libro tiene un age gap demasiado grande, así que si tienes problemas con eso, no lo leas pero si a ti no te importa este tipo de cosas y te quieres reír, este libro es para ti.
Thanks Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
No me había dado cuenta que este es el tercero de una serie y si este me gustó, espero que me gusten los anteriores.
Me gustó que hubiera mucho diálogo porque así no me pude perder tanto en las descripciones.
La primera mitad los personajes me parecieron muy cute pero en la otra mitad estaba haciendo corajes con los principales y llegué a un momento donde me estaba desesperando; al final todo bien porque hubo final feliz.
Este libro tiene un age gap demasiado grande, así que si tienes problemas con eso, no lo leas pero si a ti no te importa este tipo de cosas y te quieres reír, este libro es para ti.
Thanks Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2021
arc provided by net galley
this book would’ve been better if the age gap wasn’t that bad, i know it’s legal but the main character being 19yr old and the love interest being 41yr made me a bit uncomfortable.
the writing was light and fun but the second hand embarrassment this book gave me was like.. too much.
rian’s brother (niall) and his daughters are the reason i finished the book tbh and they were the only characters i really enjoyed reading about.
this book would’ve been better if the age gap wasn’t that bad, i know it’s legal but the main character being 19yr old and the love interest being 41yr made me a bit uncomfortable.
the writing was light and fun but the second hand embarrassment this book gave me was like.. too much.
rian’s brother (niall) and his daughters are the reason i finished the book tbh and they were the only characters i really enjoyed reading about.
August 8, 2021
what a disappointing one. i was so very excited about single father parker, who's got his walls up, with twin daughters who falls in love with his babysitter, rian, who his daughters are fond of and she seems fond of them too. bonus: she's been yearning for him for so long! like, what an exciting plot, right?! spoilers to follow, i'm sorry... i know i usually don't but ugh.
*spoilers in depth below, read at your own risk*
unfortunately, the book fell flat when you learn parker is 41 and rian is... 19. the age gap was incredibly unnecessary and as i read it, rian (or parker) doesn't really read like their age. rian reads like she could be anywhere from 22 to 27. she's got her life so figured out and from what i remember being 19, i don't remember being that mature or ready for life. i'm pretty sure no one would have fainted or dropped dead if she were just 25. (i promise 25 is not that old) parker also doesn't read like a 41 year old, neither do his other 40-something year old friends. it was all such a weird dynamic. it was all sort of confusing and had me questioning what the deal was with this old man not being able to find anyone his own age. i hardly have anything i can talk to my 18 year old cousin as a 26 year old so what does a 41 year old have to talk about with a 19 year old besides how much she's been a dream for him for so long and that he's the first man she'll be with? so so weird and predatory. parker read more like someone who could be in his 30's while rian read more like she could be in her mid 20's. i don't see why she HAD to be 19.
another odd part of the plot that just adds to the mix: parker claims he has to be protective of his heart as well as his daughters. so why does he not even think of his daughters or how he'll tell them about his relationship with her after having slept with rian? no matter how many pretty words are written into his character, there's no way it doesn't come off weird.
the writing wasn't all that bad but it was so very hard to look past that age difference. the only thing about the writing that made me cringed is that at various points from rian and parker's narrations, they speak directly to the reader. i don't need any conversation from them, i just want a story. this was also the 3rd book in kelly's series and when i read 2nd or 3rd books in the series, it makes me wanna read the ones before but this one did not make me interested in tyler (parker's brother) or niall's (tyler's best friend) story. and not because of this disappointing book but because they didn't seem very likable to me. they were annoying and childish for 40 year olds. they all need to grow up and parker forsure needs therapy for himself and his daughters. an overall yikes for me. rian, please run.
*spoilers in depth below, read at your own risk*
unfortunately, the book fell flat when you learn parker is 41 and rian is... 19. the age gap was incredibly unnecessary and as i read it, rian (or parker) doesn't really read like their age. rian reads like she could be anywhere from 22 to 27. she's got her life so figured out and from what i remember being 19, i don't remember being that mature or ready for life. i'm pretty sure no one would have fainted or dropped dead if she were just 25. (i promise 25 is not that old) parker also doesn't read like a 41 year old, neither do his other 40-something year old friends. it was all such a weird dynamic. it was all sort of confusing and had me questioning what the deal was with this old man not being able to find anyone his own age. i hardly have anything i can talk to my 18 year old cousin as a 26 year old so what does a 41 year old have to talk about with a 19 year old besides how much she's been a dream for him for so long and that he's the first man she'll be with? so so weird and predatory. parker read more like someone who could be in his 30's while rian read more like she could be in her mid 20's. i don't see why she HAD to be 19.
another odd part of the plot that just adds to the mix: parker claims he has to be protective of his heart as well as his daughters. so why does he not even think of his daughters or how he'll tell them about his relationship with her after having slept with rian? no matter how many pretty words are written into his character, there's no way it doesn't come off weird.
the writing wasn't all that bad but it was so very hard to look past that age difference. the only thing about the writing that made me cringed is that at various points from rian and parker's narrations, they speak directly to the reader. i don't need any conversation from them, i just want a story. this was also the 3rd book in kelly's series and when i read 2nd or 3rd books in the series, it makes me wanna read the ones before but this one did not make me interested in tyler (parker's brother) or niall's (tyler's best friend) story. and not because of this disappointing book but because they didn't seem very likable to me. they were annoying and childish for 40 year olds. they all need to grow up and parker forsure needs therapy for himself and his daughters. an overall yikes for me. rian, please run.
June 24, 2022
2,5 stars
Well written good editing no errrors nice side characters
But she is 21 years younger than him
HARD PASS FOR ME
So again we’ll done but not for me
Well written good editing no errrors nice side characters
But she is 21 years younger than him
HARD PASS FOR ME
So again we’ll done but not for me
August 6, 2021
Rian Kerry - yoga instructor and Parker Hayes -fireman are dreaming about eachother. They have brothers and friend that spend.lot of.time.tohether. The big age difference is there and it is interesting see how this gap is melt down.. Is there ebough of courage to build a realationship and be a father as the same time?
I think every body dream about last kiss that is memorable and even better if we know that there will be more kisses. Tender, passionate... a trevel of discovering our first love and a second chance
Special thanks for the opprtunity you gave me Netgalley.com and Xpresso book tour
I think every body dream about last kiss that is memorable and even better if we know that there will be more kisses. Tender, passionate... a trevel of discovering our first love and a second chance
Special thanks for the opprtunity you gave me Netgalley.com and Xpresso book tour
April 15, 2022
3+
Un po’ deludente, protagonisti insipidi e senza carattere.
Ho apprezzato i personaggi secondari e le simpatiche gemelline.
Un po’ deludente, protagonisti insipidi e senza carattere.
Ho apprezzato i personaggi secondari e le simpatiche gemelline.
September 3, 2022
Purtroppo la serie, a mio parere, è andata peggiorando.
In sintesi: lui vuole stare con lei ma, tragedia tragedia, la sua ex l'ha lasciato sei anni prima; lei vuole stare con lui, ma ha vent'anni in meno e si sente ferita e abbandonata perché suo fratello maggiore, raggiunta l'età adulta, se ne è andato dal paesello per farsi una vita e una carriera, e ha evitato le feste comandate in famiglia; parenti e amici vorrebbero che si mettessero insieme e cospirano per creare occasioni di incontro.
Ho trovato Rian e Parker poco interessanti e la storia molto scontata, con tanti tira e molla da soap opera. E niente, mi sono annoiata.
Recensione sintetica: no
In sintesi: lui vuole stare con lei ma, tragedia tragedia, la sua ex l'ha lasciato sei anni prima; lei vuole stare con lui, ma ha vent'anni in meno e si sente ferita e abbandonata perché suo fratello maggiore, raggiunta l'età adulta, se ne è andato dal paesello per farsi una vita e una carriera, e ha evitato le feste comandate in famiglia; parenti e amici vorrebbero che si mettessero insieme e cospirano per creare occasioni di incontro.
Ho trovato Rian e Parker poco interessanti e la storia molto scontata, con tanti tira e molla da soap opera. E niente, mi sono annoiata.
Recensione sintetica: no
July 25, 2021
I loved this book! I loved the strained relationship between Rian and Niall, I loved the supportive and loving friendships between all the characters, the father/daughter bond was so so sweet. Niall was a hoot! I loved his and Parker's banter throughout and I literally laughed out loud, which doesn't happen often. I was forever kept on the edge of will they/won't they, and the steam when they do...perfect.
The only thing I will say is that I had to keep reminding myself it was set in Ireland. I kept getting the vibe it was set in America.
This was my first time experiencing a A.S Kelly book and I will continue to read her books!
The only thing I will say is that I had to keep reminding myself it was set in Ireland. I kept getting the vibe it was set in America.
This was my first time experiencing a A.S Kelly book and I will continue to read her books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2021
This was just the fun read I needed. I enjoyed the style of storytelling and the family banter/bickering reminded me of my own brothers. Older brothers best friend is a favourite trope for me and adding single dad into the mix made it even better. It’s funny, it’s witty and it’s just the right amount of sweet. I loved it!
I received an arc of this book
I received an arc of this book
July 22, 2021
Ho letto questo libro senza potermene staccare per quasi un giorno intero.. l ho divorato letteralmente!! Amo il modo di scrivere dell’autrice e amo il suo modo di raccontare i personaggi. L amore e l amicizia la fanno da padrona: l’amore a prima vista, al primo bacio tra Parker e Rian mi ha conquistato dalle prime righe e l amicizia di Niall ( è stato un personaggio importantissimo)!! Non mi aspettavo nulla di meno che il capolavoro che ho letto,. Assolutamente lo consiglio come consiglio gli altri libri dell autrice !!
December 7, 2021
One Last Kiss follows our main character, Rian Kerry, a 19-year-old yoga instructor and Parker Hayes, a 41-year-old firefighter. Rian is asked to babysit Parker's two daughters for him by Parker's brother, Tyler. You learn later on that there is some history and tension between Parker and Rian, but as both of them are cautious and don't want to be hurt, especially Parker after his divorce, they run into some trouble expressing how they feel around each other.
I went into this book blindly, so I was very excited once it got going, as I found it started at a pretty quick pace. I really liked the idea behind this book, I loved that Parker was a single dad and that Rian had relatively no interest in boys. Not only that, but I also really liked the fact that there had been mutual yearning between them. Rian had an excellent relationship with Parker's girls as well, I thought it made everything work well together that she was so close with them. I found that this book had a lot of tension, which definitely kept me interested, and it was also pretty fast-paced.
The age gap in this book doesn't necessarily bother me in general, except that in this case I don't feel like it was very well written. I felt like the characters seemed very similar in terms of values and stages in their lives, which definitely is not a bad thing, except that this wouldn't be true for a 19-year-old and a 41-year-old. Those ages are just so different that they wouldn't realistically have a lot of the same interests. I think that the way they did have the same interests and values in the book was a good thing, I just think that for it to make a bit more sense the author could have aged Rian up a bit more. I think that the idea of an age gap isn't a bad thing, as that is one part of the plot, but it could still be an age gap if she was around 23-25 years old. Furthermore, I felt like although Rian had a good relationship with Parker's girls, we barely got to see Parker's relationship with them. Which, this isn't that important, but I think it would have added just another cute aspect to have some more scenes of just Parker and the girls. Lastly, I found that although I usually like when there is a lot of dialogue in books, it still needs descriptive parts and parts to let you know who's speaking. I found this got a bit confusing at times since there wasn't much indication of who was speaking.
In conclusion, this book was enjoyable to read, but I think there could have been some things switched or modified that could have made it even better. A big thank you to NetGalley, A.S. Kelly, and the publisher for providing me with this E-ARC.
I went into this book blindly, so I was very excited once it got going, as I found it started at a pretty quick pace. I really liked the idea behind this book, I loved that Parker was a single dad and that Rian had relatively no interest in boys. Not only that, but I also really liked the fact that there had been mutual yearning between them. Rian had an excellent relationship with Parker's girls as well, I thought it made everything work well together that she was so close with them. I found that this book had a lot of tension, which definitely kept me interested, and it was also pretty fast-paced.
The age gap in this book doesn't necessarily bother me in general, except that in this case I don't feel like it was very well written. I felt like the characters seemed very similar in terms of values and stages in their lives, which definitely is not a bad thing, except that this wouldn't be true for a 19-year-old and a 41-year-old. Those ages are just so different that they wouldn't realistically have a lot of the same interests. I think that the way they did have the same interests and values in the book was a good thing, I just think that for it to make a bit more sense the author could have aged Rian up a bit more. I think that the idea of an age gap isn't a bad thing, as that is one part of the plot, but it could still be an age gap if she was around 23-25 years old. Furthermore, I felt like although Rian had a good relationship with Parker's girls, we barely got to see Parker's relationship with them. Which, this isn't that important, but I think it would have added just another cute aspect to have some more scenes of just Parker and the girls. Lastly, I found that although I usually like when there is a lot of dialogue in books, it still needs descriptive parts and parts to let you know who's speaking. I found this got a bit confusing at times since there wasn't much indication of who was speaking.
In conclusion, this book was enjoyable to read, but I think there could have been some things switched or modified that could have made it even better. A big thank you to NetGalley, A.S. Kelly, and the publisher for providing me with this E-ARC.
August 6, 2021
First of all, I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me an e-ARC of the book.
Disclaimers: All my reviews are my thoughts of the book and according to my personal preferences. Even though I had received a review copy, it does not affect my review and honest thoughts for the book.
Personal Ratings: 2.95/5🌟
An age-gap romance with heavy family influence
I came in not expecting anything from this book, and although I have a few quirks about this book, I loved the family aspects and the friendship in here.
Short Summary
Rian and Parker lives in a town where everybody knows everybody and when an incident that led to Parker literally saving Rian's life, a crush leads to full blown feelings bursting. Its a story of handling trauma, family and a whole load of friendship with a spice of romance in between.
My thoughts
Personally, I had enjoyed the overall idea of the story. I don't have too much of a problem with age gap romance, but I would enjoyed it more if the characters acts more maturely in some sense. This will review will be divided into two parts,
Part 1: Aspects of the book that I love
Part 2: Why I felt it a missed opportunity
Part 1: Aspects of The Book that I Loved
Family Bond
I love the family aspects and the friendship in this novel. It was one of the most wholesome things I've ever read. I love Rian's relationship with Parker's daughter. The way that the author wrote the family moments was entirely wholesome and I love the aspects of Rian trying to mend her relationship with her brother. This was what saved the book for me as I loved the banters going on between both pair of siblings and the twins interactions with Rian and Parker. They certainly made a cute family.
Friendship
I ABSOLUTELY ADORE Rian's friends. The whole trinity is such a loud bunch and I love the aspects of the town, where although everyone's knows each other business, it has a warmth that I simply love. It makes the story more relatable and I love their friendship moments.
Now, moving on to the aspects of the book that made this book a 3 star.
Part 2: Why I felt it a missed opportunity
Writing Style
Why I particularly am okay with the plot in general, I personally felt entirely confused especially when reading dialogues. Never in my life that I had to read multiple times to know who is talking during the whole story. There were times that the dialogues were inconsistent too and it definitely disrupted my reading experience while reading which I felt was a big missed opportunity.
Characters
While I personally don't really mind an age-gap romance, for this particular story, I felt that both the main characters are entirely frustrating. While I loved all of the side characters, Rian and Parker are both immature for me. Its understandable for Rian, but what made me frustrated was Parker as he has a tendency to brood for quite awhile which didnt' really suit his age :') Its a missed opportunity for me cause if done right, the age-gap romance can be executed perfectly.
Nontheless, it was not entirely a bad book. I had enjoyed some instances especially the family and friendship aspects in the book. I might look up more works from the author.
Disclaimers: All my reviews are my thoughts of the book and according to my personal preferences. Even though I had received a review copy, it does not affect my review and honest thoughts for the book.
Personal Ratings: 2.95/5🌟
An age-gap romance with heavy family influence
I came in not expecting anything from this book, and although I have a few quirks about this book, I loved the family aspects and the friendship in here.
Short Summary
Rian and Parker lives in a town where everybody knows everybody and when an incident that led to Parker literally saving Rian's life, a crush leads to full blown feelings bursting. Its a story of handling trauma, family and a whole load of friendship with a spice of romance in between.
My thoughts
Personally, I had enjoyed the overall idea of the story. I don't have too much of a problem with age gap romance, but I would enjoyed it more if the characters acts more maturely in some sense. This will review will be divided into two parts,
Part 1: Aspects of the book that I love
Part 2: Why I felt it a missed opportunity
Part 1: Aspects of The Book that I Loved
Family Bond
I love the family aspects and the friendship in this novel. It was one of the most wholesome things I've ever read. I love Rian's relationship with Parker's daughter. The way that the author wrote the family moments was entirely wholesome and I love the aspects of Rian trying to mend her relationship with her brother. This was what saved the book for me as I loved the banters going on between both pair of siblings and the twins interactions with Rian and Parker. They certainly made a cute family.
Friendship
I ABSOLUTELY ADORE Rian's friends. The whole trinity is such a loud bunch and I love the aspects of the town, where although everyone's knows each other business, it has a warmth that I simply love. It makes the story more relatable and I love their friendship moments.
Now, moving on to the aspects of the book that made this book a 3 star.
Part 2: Why I felt it a missed opportunity
Writing Style
Why I particularly am okay with the plot in general, I personally felt entirely confused especially when reading dialogues. Never in my life that I had to read multiple times to know who is talking during the whole story. There were times that the dialogues were inconsistent too and it definitely disrupted my reading experience while reading which I felt was a big missed opportunity.
Characters
While I personally don't really mind an age-gap romance, for this particular story, I felt that both the main characters are entirely frustrating. While I loved all of the side characters, Rian and Parker are both immature for me. Its understandable for Rian, but what made me frustrated was Parker as he has a tendency to brood for quite awhile which didnt' really suit his age :') Its a missed opportunity for me cause if done right, the age-gap romance can be executed perfectly.
Nontheless, it was not entirely a bad book. I had enjoyed some instances especially the family and friendship aspects in the book. I might look up more works from the author.
August 6, 2021
- Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book -
I read this book pretty quickly, but that is not necessarily a good thing and I have a few thoughts. I wasn't initially going to read this book after realizing it is book 3 in a series but I decided since it was just sitting in my kindle library waiting, I would give it a chance.
Things I liked:
- The timeline and the sequence of events that happened worked for me.
- I enjoyed some of the side characters like Niall and the twins. Specifically the back and forth with the twins and other characters was great.
Things I didn’t like:
-The dialogue was hard to follow sometimes. I had to go back in multiple instances to double-check who was saying what. Also in some instances, I couldn’t tell who was talking…. at all
- I wasn’t pulled into our two main characters and I think that was because they were always going in circles. They would never get anywhere in advancing their relationship. Any step forward ended up with them going back a few steps.
- The biggest problem for me was the age gap of 22 years with our two main characters, with Rian being 19 and Parker being 41. I couldn’t get past it throughout the entire book. At one point she mentioned seeing him for the first time when she was 14, she said “I was just a teenager when he came into our school with his father and his brother to give us a lesson about safety. I was fourteen, and he had already met her: the woman who would ruin him forever.” I think there was talk about them being family friends which would make me think they knew each other when she was a teenager… and that’s gross. I don’t know why the author clung so hard to her being 19 when she could’ve been mid-to-late 20s, and the age gap trope could have still been used. Repeatedly they bring up the age gap and how young she is… YES SHE IS YOUNG
- To TOP it off. That “woman who would ruin him forever” was 18 when he met her and he would have been around 34-35. So his relationship with Rian is not the first relationship with a much younger woman.
I read this book pretty quickly, but that is not necessarily a good thing and I have a few thoughts. I wasn't initially going to read this book after realizing it is book 3 in a series but I decided since it was just sitting in my kindle library waiting, I would give it a chance.
Things I liked:
- The timeline and the sequence of events that happened worked for me.
- I enjoyed some of the side characters like Niall and the twins. Specifically the back and forth with the twins and other characters was great.
Things I didn’t like:
-The dialogue was hard to follow sometimes. I had to go back in multiple instances to double-check who was saying what. Also in some instances, I couldn’t tell who was talking…. at all
- I wasn’t pulled into our two main characters and I think that was because they were always going in circles. They would never get anywhere in advancing their relationship. Any step forward ended up with them going back a few steps.
- The biggest problem for me was the age gap of 22 years with our two main characters, with Rian being 19 and Parker being 41. I couldn’t get past it throughout the entire book. At one point she mentioned seeing him for the first time when she was 14, she said “I was just a teenager when he came into our school with his father and his brother to give us a lesson about safety. I was fourteen, and he had already met her: the woman who would ruin him forever.” I think there was talk about them being family friends which would make me think they knew each other when she was a teenager… and that’s gross. I don’t know why the author clung so hard to her being 19 when she could’ve been mid-to-late 20s, and the age gap trope could have still been used. Repeatedly they bring up the age gap and how young she is… YES SHE IS YOUNG
- To TOP it off. That “woman who would ruin him forever” was 18 when he met her and he would have been around 34-35. So his relationship with Rian is not the first relationship with a much younger woman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2021
This is Rian and Parker’s story, which is told over the course of 60 chapters (+ Epilogue). Now that sounds like a lot however the chapters are a good length meaning it doesn’t seem like it goes on forever. Also if anything readers may be in awe that there is 60 chapters due to being immersed in the story.
One thing that stands out in this book to this reader is that both Rian & Parker talk to the reader. This breaks the fourth wall down and immerses the reader even more into their story. The interaction with the reader is something unique that this book lover doesn’t see often but enjoyed immensely. It felt there was another reader having the exact same thoughts.
Now the characters of Rian and Parker are exciting and interesting. From the very beginning it is clear that these two have something simmering between them just below the surface. Not only that but there is also hints of a shared history, which neither character wants to divulge at the start but no fears that history does come to light.
This book is filled with laugh out loud funny moments that readers will adore. Not only that but the entire story as well as the characters make this one addictive and consuming read. Readers will love immersing themselves in this story as well as finding out about the other characters.
Overall this is a brilliant book and readers will love watching Rian & Parker’s story as well as finding out about their history. It was after I finished this book that this reader discovered it is actually the third instalment of the ‘Love at Last’ series. The other books look at Niall Kerry and Tyler Hayes. Two characters you will fall in with in this book. I for one will be checking the rest of this series out.
One thing that stands out in this book to this reader is that both Rian & Parker talk to the reader. This breaks the fourth wall down and immerses the reader even more into their story. The interaction with the reader is something unique that this book lover doesn’t see often but enjoyed immensely. It felt there was another reader having the exact same thoughts.
Now the characters of Rian and Parker are exciting and interesting. From the very beginning it is clear that these two have something simmering between them just below the surface. Not only that but there is also hints of a shared history, which neither character wants to divulge at the start but no fears that history does come to light.
This book is filled with laugh out loud funny moments that readers will adore. Not only that but the entire story as well as the characters make this one addictive and consuming read. Readers will love immersing themselves in this story as well as finding out about the other characters.
Overall this is a brilliant book and readers will love watching Rian & Parker’s story as well as finding out about their history. It was after I finished this book that this reader discovered it is actually the third instalment of the ‘Love at Last’ series. The other books look at Niall Kerry and Tyler Hayes. Two characters you will fall in with in this book. I for one will be checking the rest of this series out.
August 7, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I feel very conflicted about this book as, on the one hand, I enjoyed the romance and the idea of the story. But on the other, the age gap was quite a big issue for me.
When requesting this book, I didn’t realise that the characters have an age gap of twenty one years. Rian is nineteen and Parker is forty. If you are able to look past that gap, then the romance is quite cute and worth reading, but it was a struggle for me. I had to pretend that Rian was twenty five and Parker was thirty five in order to read and enjoy this book as it was just too weird for me and made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I personally don’t think Rian acts like a nineteen year old in this book, and I originally thought she was older than me (21). The other characters also don’t seem to be fazed by the age gap and are actively encouraging the relationship, which didn’t seem very realistic to me. I also think Rian’s friends are older than her by a fair amount.
If you look look past the age gap, then the story and romance between the characters is good as there is a decent amount of tension. It’s told from both Rian and Parker’s perspectives and they both appear to be pining for each other, but not acting upon their feelings. There is a lot of back and forth between them, as neither of the characters want to hurt each other and are protecting their own hearts. I did enjoy this book, but I felt very weird whilst reading it, which ruined my experience a fair amount.
I feel very conflicted about this book as, on the one hand, I enjoyed the romance and the idea of the story. But on the other, the age gap was quite a big issue for me.
When requesting this book, I didn’t realise that the characters have an age gap of twenty one years. Rian is nineteen and Parker is forty. If you are able to look past that gap, then the romance is quite cute and worth reading, but it was a struggle for me. I had to pretend that Rian was twenty five and Parker was thirty five in order to read and enjoy this book as it was just too weird for me and made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I personally don’t think Rian acts like a nineteen year old in this book, and I originally thought she was older than me (21). The other characters also don’t seem to be fazed by the age gap and are actively encouraging the relationship, which didn’t seem very realistic to me. I also think Rian’s friends are older than her by a fair amount.
If you look look past the age gap, then the story and romance between the characters is good as there is a decent amount of tension. It’s told from both Rian and Parker’s perspectives and they both appear to be pining for each other, but not acting upon their feelings. There is a lot of back and forth between them, as neither of the characters want to hurt each other and are protecting their own hearts. I did enjoy this book, but I felt very weird whilst reading it, which ruined my experience a fair amount.
August 26, 2021
One Last Kiss - A.S. Kelly
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Rian
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Rian Kerry, and I’m in huge trouble.
This is how it happened: I had a crush. You know those teenage crushes, which I’m sure you’ve all experienced, too. It was that kind of crush that makes your knees tremble, that makes you blush violently and stammer when you’re with that person. One of those crushes that you assume you’ll just grow out of, the way the seasons change.
Parker
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Parker Hayes, and I’m an idiot.
Yep, you heard me right. I’m a real idiot. And, I swear, that’s putting it lightly.
I went into this book blindly, I have not read the previous two books in the series but I don't think that ruined my enjoyment. The writing is engaging and I flew through this book.
There is a warming element to this book that will make you love all of the characters. There are difficult moments but all of these are covered in mature way. Complete with humour and a witty dialogue, I thought that this was an enjoyable book to read and would recommend.
Rating 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Rian
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Rian Kerry, and I’m in huge trouble.
This is how it happened: I had a crush. You know those teenage crushes, which I’m sure you’ve all experienced, too. It was that kind of crush that makes your knees tremble, that makes you blush violently and stammer when you’re with that person. One of those crushes that you assume you’ll just grow out of, the way the seasons change.
Parker
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Parker Hayes, and I’m an idiot.
Yep, you heard me right. I’m a real idiot. And, I swear, that’s putting it lightly.
I went into this book blindly, I have not read the previous two books in the series but I don't think that ruined my enjoyment. The writing is engaging and I flew through this book.
There is a warming element to this book that will make you love all of the characters. There are difficult moments but all of these are covered in mature way. Complete with humour and a witty dialogue, I thought that this was an enjoyable book to read and would recommend.
Rating 4/5
August 7, 2021
Let me start off by saying thet this book just wasn´t for ME, but if youre interested in a slowburn, small town, age gap, single dad romance you should give it a try .
I really enjoyed the friend group dynamic, i love a good chosen family and this delivers on that, also Niall the heroines brother is probably my fave character, he is really lovable and i enjoyed the fact that he wanted to build a relationship with his sister. Also the daughters of the hero are super fun to read about and theyre relationship with the heroine is really cute. But as far as things that I liked thats it :(
My main problem with this book is the lack of communication between the main couple and how awkward it made the book, I just didnt feel like they had any chemistry, and to be honest theyre relationship felt really forced. Rian the heroine is a grumpy yoga teacher and thats about her whole personality, and Parker, the hero, is just a grumpy awkward firefighter and thats about his whole personality. And togother they just didnt work for me.
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
I really enjoyed the friend group dynamic, i love a good chosen family and this delivers on that, also Niall the heroines brother is probably my fave character, he is really lovable and i enjoyed the fact that he wanted to build a relationship with his sister. Also the daughters of the hero are super fun to read about and theyre relationship with the heroine is really cute. But as far as things that I liked thats it :(
My main problem with this book is the lack of communication between the main couple and how awkward it made the book, I just didnt feel like they had any chemistry, and to be honest theyre relationship felt really forced. Rian the heroine is a grumpy yoga teacher and thats about her whole personality, and Parker, the hero, is just a grumpy awkward firefighter and thats about his whole personality. And togother they just didnt work for me.
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
August 22, 2021
First, I would like to thank NetGalley for providing this ARC for me. Next, I loved this cover! It’s so cute.
The six-year-old twins in this story were my favorite characters. They constantly made me laugh and they were sweet. This book had a great storyline, and was well-written except for the age gap. Before I go into it, I just want to say that these are my own opinions. Everyone else has different views to a book, and this a good, light, fast read.
In reality, I have dated with an age gap, so the way the characters thought about one another is what threw the entire story off, I felt. I didn’t like how they looked at one another and thought little kid or too old for me. The first time would have been okay, but they continuously thought it throughout the novel. Honestly, I feel if you’re in love with someone, then you see them for who they are personality wise. It turned out to make me not like Parker at all, and I felt creeped out by him. Some of the things he said and did just didn’t sit well with me, but other than that, like I said, it was a good read. I also enjoyed Niall’s and Tyler’s comments. They made me laugh.
The six-year-old twins in this story were my favorite characters. They constantly made me laugh and they were sweet. This book had a great storyline, and was well-written except for the age gap. Before I go into it, I just want to say that these are my own opinions. Everyone else has different views to a book, and this a good, light, fast read.
In reality, I have dated with an age gap, so the way the characters thought about one another is what threw the entire story off, I felt. I didn’t like how they looked at one another and thought little kid or too old for me. The first time would have been okay, but they continuously thought it throughout the novel. Honestly, I feel if you’re in love with someone, then you see them for who they are personality wise. It turned out to make me not like Parker at all, and I felt creeped out by him. Some of the things he said and did just didn’t sit well with me, but other than that, like I said, it was a good read. I also enjoyed Niall’s and Tyler’s comments. They made me laugh.
August 15, 2021
I cherish books about second chances, single parenting, and the struggles that come along with it. To all that if we add great characters, romance, sex, comedy, and drama we'd have a can't-put-down book. That's what this one is about.
I fell in love with the main characters of this book, I felt them very authentic and unique, and they were the perfect complement for a great plot. Even when they made me cried more than once, it was worth the lesson between the lines.
Being heartbroken and a single parent is something that only the one that has been through this can comprehend. No matter how much you think you know about it if you are not a single parent it is very hard to have an idea of what you have to go through or what you have to give up when you are one.
Just, don't give up!
I fell in love with the main characters of this book, I felt them very authentic and unique, and they were the perfect complement for a great plot. Even when they made me cried more than once, it was worth the lesson between the lines.
Being heartbroken and a single parent is something that only the one that has been through this can comprehend. No matter how much you think you know about it if you are not a single parent it is very hard to have an idea of what you have to go through or what you have to give up when you are one.
Just, don't give up!
July 23, 2021
Unfortunately I couldn't get past the age gap. 19 year old female with a 41 year old man. Technically legal but makes me cringe. I also felt like reading the previous books would have given me more insight into the characters.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2021
Voto libro - 4.5
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui: https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui: https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
dnf
August 6, 2021DNF at 26%. This one made me cringe too much. Characters are annoying as hell and the MCs which are attracted to each other are 19 and 41... which makes me very uncomfortable. Not for me.
August 23, 2021
An interesting premise of heartbroken father of two who meets young damsel in distress. I hadn’t read the previous stories in the series and maybe that might have helped in my understanding of the links between the different characters. I loved the twin daughters - so sparky and full of fun and Niall and Tyler were great to read about. I didn’t quite get the relationship between Parker and Rian though and thought it never felt very real to me.
August 10, 2021
Thank you to @askelly and @netgalley for the ARC copy.
One Last Kiss is available to purchase from the 20th August.
Things I loved about this book.
✨ Rian was quite mature, she has her own place, her career and knows what she wants in life. She also has a great group of friends.
✨ Niall the heroines brother was hilarious. He and Tyler, as well as the rest of the supporting characters, have great banter which I loved.
✨ Parker’s adorable twins and their relationship with both Parker and Rian, I loved every scene with the girls.
I’ll be honest and say this book might not be for everyone as there is a 22 year age gap between the main characters (19-41). On the other hand if you like an age gap romance and a grumpy Irish Firemen then this book is for you!
One Last Kiss is available to purchase from the 20th August.
Things I loved about this book.
✨ Rian was quite mature, she has her own place, her career and knows what she wants in life. She also has a great group of friends.
✨ Niall the heroines brother was hilarious. He and Tyler, as well as the rest of the supporting characters, have great banter which I loved.
✨ Parker’s adorable twins and their relationship with both Parker and Rian, I loved every scene with the girls.
I’ll be honest and say this book might not be for everyone as there is a 22 year age gap between the main characters (19-41). On the other hand if you like an age gap romance and a grumpy Irish Firemen then this book is for you!
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