Last First Kiss: a second chance romance after loss and the uncertainty of the future

Last First Kiss is the first book in the Legacy of the Maguires series by Stella Holt. The Maguire family is particularly law enforcement royalty in her hometown. Sadly, law enforcement makes Charlotte Maguire James a young widow when her husband is killed in the line of duty. In order to distract herself from her grief, Charlotte throws herself into work creating promotional campaigns. When her new boss is Caleb Kincaid, a blast from her past. Still gorgeous as ever, Caleb awakens something in her; but, she is afraid to love and lose again. Caleb is a survivor and is no stranger to second chances. Now that his path has crossed with Charlotte again, he is determined to fight for her this time. Knowing they can be great together, but can he promise a future when he is unsure himself? 

I love second chance romances. So I was looking forward to this story. From the beginning, I liked Charlotte. She was a strong woman trying to find herself and sees her promotion as a way to escape the constant reminder that her husband is gone. I liked Caleb as a man who views every day as a second chance for life and seeing Charlotte again, he wants to take the opportunity to finish what they started so many years ago. It started as a great story; however, I wasn’t as invested in the story as I would have liked. I felt as if I started in the middle of the series with references I didn’t understand. Overall, it was a good story but I wasn’t as connected to the characters as I thought I would be. If you enjoy second chance romance, you may enjoy Last First Kiss. 

Last First Kiss is available in paperback and eBook

Hello Goodbye: a shocking murder and closure to a deeply personal case

Hello Goodbye by Kay Bratt is the seventh book of the Hart’s Ridge series. The once tranquil small town of Hart’s Ridge is once again rocked to the core with a shocking crime which leaves two parents brutally murdered and three adopted children orphaned. With twists and turns, the couple’s seemingly perfect image is opened to secrets and possible motives. Deputy Taylor Gray throws herself into solving the case while dealing with turmoil in her personal life. First, Sam, her fiancé, is blindsided by the sudden appearance of a 12 year old girl, Alice, claiming to be his daughter. Second, there is a sudden development from a case from her personal past that could threaten her entire family. Even in a small town, there are secrets hidden in every nook and cranny, is the killer hiding among them? 

From the opening chapter, Hello Goodbye hits readers with a brutal crime and the mystery swirls to secrets, lies and the usual suspects. The case itself was intriguing and engaging. Will the killer be a surprise? Unfortunately, I found Taylor hard to like in this story. While she usually has a hardened exterior, with hidden emotions, I found her a little too harsh and a few times, I even commented out loud with “Yikes, Taylor.” I like Sam more and more with each book and I loved how he opened himself to the possibility of being Alice’s father and engaged in a relationship with her. Overall, Hello Goodbye was an engaging, roller coaster of a story which kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend Hello Goodbye as well as the rest of the Hart’s Ridge series. 

Hello Goodbye is available in paperback and eBook

Hart's Ridge: One small town, one missing mother and one woman's determination to discover the truth

Hart’s Ridge is the first book in a new series by Kay Bratt. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Hart’s Ridge is a quaint, small town where Taylor Gray grew up. She clawed her way out of poverty, foster care and through the police academy to be a member of the town’s law enforcement. She is determined to protect and serve not just her town but her family as well. One day, five year old Molly walks into a gas station on the outskirts of town. Taylor is one deputy who is determined to discover where Molly came from and locate her missing mother. Time is of the essence in a missing person case and the sheriff brings in help. A familiar face that brings up old feelings for Taylor. As she works the case, her family’s past begins to reveal more secrets than answers. Can she focus on the case at hand? Can she find Molly’s mother before it’s too late? 

Hart’s Ridge is a new direction for Ms. Bratt who hasn’t done a police procedural before, although true crime stories have always intrigued her. There is a lot going on in this story. As the first book in the series, Hart’s Ridge is more than the case of Molly and her missing mother. There is Taylor's history and her family’s past. Issues within the department. Someone obviously doesn’t want her there. The characters are real to life and Taylor isn’t the typical heroine. She has some deep issues with even deeper scars. She works hard to be the best she could be. There is something familiar and real to life about this story with a lone female in an all-male police department. A sad truth that many women still face in stereotypically male occupations. Ms. Bratt knows how to write characters with deep hurts and challenges but has the determination to rise above them. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I recommend Hart’s Ridge. 

Hart’s Ridge is available in eBook on January 10, 2023.