Matt Parker's wife, Andrea, died six years ago saving a fellow service member while deployed overseas as a nurse. Matt has been busy raising their nine-year son, Jordan, holding down a job as a children's book author, writing lesbian erotica on the side, and dealing with her nosy in-laws. She hasn't had time nor the desire to begin dating again. So her well meaning friends, Sandra and Becca, decide to send Matt on a two week trip to Turks and Caicos while Jordan attends the military camp that he has wanted to go to for the last couple of years. Sandra and Becca will join Matt on the trip, but their goal is for Matt to meet another single lesbian and have some adult fun.

Kelly Newsome, is a newly single owner of an all female electrical company in Atlanta. Kelly was to visit Turks and Caicos with her girlfriend of three years, but she found her cheating with her best friend in Kelly's home a few weeks before the trip.

This book was a positive to me on so many levels. Matt and Kelly's chemistry was electric (no pun intended!) from the first moment they met on the plane to the time they spent on the island. The vulnerability that Matt exuded wanting to remember her wife, but torn to try to move on with her life makes your heart break. I also enjoyed the island activities that Matt and Kelly experienced and how they got to know one another. Finally, the ending with Matt's son put the reader on edge and demonstrated a mother's love. The ending did feel a bit rushed, but other than that this book was well written and kept a good pace. 4 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sexy romance novel that takes place on a resort for lesbians on an island in the Turks and Caicos. I received this e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, and my rating is 2.5/5.

Matt, a widow and a single mom, is a butch who hasn't had sex since her wife Andrea died while deployed oversees as a military nurse. Kelly, a recently single femme, had planned on going to the resort with her ex-girlfriend who had ended up cheating on her with her best friend in her own home. The two first meet on the plane on the way there and instantly connect, igniting something in each other.

I liked how there were flashbacks to give reader's context and fill in the gaps to understand the main characters' baggage. There were a couple of flashbacks that were repetitive and unnecessary, however I liked this added dimension as so often in romances like this, we don't get to know much about the characters beforehand.

The sex scenes were well-written, but it seemed like most of the other plot points were an afterthought. Besides the backstories and sex scenes between Matt and Kelly, there wasn't much of a plot. There was also quite a bit of fatphobia, and especially at the end I was shocked by how awful some observations were. Many comments about the military and people/countries wherever Andrea was deployed that were quite dehumanizing and very Western-centric. The overwhelmingly white patriotism of it all was overbearing. Along with how pushy Matt's friends were when it came to sex and getting details, at many times I was uncomfortable reading the book and these parts overshadowed the parts I enjoyed.

The classic mishap of the romance genre that occurs towards the end of the book seemed forced: the jealousy Kelly had was unrealistic and a bit ridiculous. The emergency with Jordan, Matt's son, at the end was overly predictable. It was almost as if the author wanted to create a conflict but wasn't able to do that organically.

Overall, I'm glad it didn't take me long to read. Although it was pretty well-written, it wasn't all that interesting beyond the sex and it didn't seem like there was much of a romantic spark between Kelly and Matt.

CW: military, bombing, death, homophobia, alcohol, public sex, cheating, hospital, brain injury, hurt child

I really enjoyed this book and I felt that the first 90% was perfectly written. The last 10% felt really rushed to me like the author got to a certain word count and just was done. I loved the MC’s because they were real and down to earth. I felt for Mattie who was stuck in the past and a part of her wanted to move on. But she couldn’t. The dialogue was perfect, the secondary characters were great and I wanna head to that resort!

This was overall and enjoyable read full with lots of heat. Matt Parker is dragged to a Lesbian resort for two weeks by her two best friends. Her wife died 6 years ago. She works and spends the rest of her time raising her son and dealing with her obnoxious in-laws. This trip is just what she needs. Kelly Newsome was going on this trip with her girlfriend of 3 years until she found her cheating with her best friend in her bed. She wants to back out but can't get a refund. So she figures she will have a nice relaxing time at a wonderful beach resort.

I liked The Last First Kiss. It is filled with normal insecurities, attraction, chemistry and total hotness on the physical side. This also had enjoyable supporting characters. I liked how the mains actually didn't just focus on having sex. They spent time together and got to know each other. Sure a few things were omitted but it did start as a fling. They just didn't expect to really connect with each other. The main thing that was off about this one for me is the angst. After spending that amount of time together you would think that the mains would have handled things differently. Also the epilogue was off for me. Once you read it you will see what I am saying. Overall still enjoyable and recommended.

4 stars

This arc was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

This was a enjoyable read.

Matt lost her wife Andrea six years ago and even though that lost is still felt she wants to start living her life but with her nine year old son Jordan and her in-laws stopping her from moving on well mainly her in-laws she feels trap. When her best friends Sandra and Becca take her on vacation so she can get laid and start living because they thinks it’s wrong to keep her life on hold because everyone except her to and they know Andrea wanted her happy.

Kelly decides to go on vacation why because it was plan months ago despite her ex girlfriend Suzanne cheated on her with her ex best friend Lorraine she wasn’t going to humiliate herself by canceling the trip.

Matt and Kelly are instant attracted to each other when they see each on the airplane they both are surprise by the attraction they felt immediately. When they run into each other at the resort they get the talking and decides to have vacation fling but what they didn’t count on the feelings that invoke between them and realizing they want to be each other last first kiss.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.