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Just a Kiss by Denise Hunter Review

Hello Bookish Friends :)

I hope you're all doing well, and I want to thank you for joining me for another book review here on The Preppy Book Princess.

October 2019 was apparently a month where I really enjoyed reading Denise Hunter books. I finished not one, not two, but three of her titles last month, and I loved each of them so much.

Denise Hunter continues to be one of my all time favorite authors, and you guys know I love Christian contemporary romances more than words could possibly express.

Today I thought it would be fun to share with all of you guys my review for the last book in the Summer Harbor series.


Just a Kiss by Denise Hunter:



Source: Library

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: September 6th, 2016

Genre: Christian Fiction/Contemporary Romance

Series: Summer Harbor


Synopsis:

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are ruined when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.


Watching the love of his life falling for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.


But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.


Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances he’s adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. He has nightmares and mood swings, and his unwavering independence keeps him from accepting help from anyone, including her. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up the money needed to save it.


As the weeks wear on with the two in such close proximity, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into unchartered territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his corded arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?


(synopsis from goodreads)



My Review:

I've been looking forward to reading Riley's story ever since his character was first introduced in Falling Like Snowflakes. His character stole my heart with the agony he felt over his feelings for his best friend Paige being unrequited, and the way he refused to put their friendship on the line to ever act on those feelings. In Just a Kiss, my heart broke even more for Riley. He's injured from an IED explosion over seas, and is coming back home brokenhearted and missing part of his leg. He left for the marines in the first place because he couldn't have the girl that he's wanted from afar for so many years, and now that she's finally single, he's feeling incomplete from his injuries and his struggles with PTSD and like he's nowhere near a good enough man for her.

I'm personally a big fan of friends to something more type of romances, and I thought this one was written beautifully. Riley's feelings have been there all along, but Paige's start to build more gradually, and this felt very realistic to me as their relationship started to change. Both are hesitant with their feelings as their friendship is not something either of them wants to loose, and I loved that so much emphasis was placed on their true relationship and not just on acting on feelings. 

One of my favorite aspects of any Denise Hunter novel is the way that she portrays hurting and grieving so realistically, and this one is no exception. Paige has always struggled with feeling out of place; especially with the revelations that come to light about her family when she's a teenager. She struggles with feelings of inadequacy, and fails to see her own self worth. Riley struggles with the limitations he's forced to face with the aftermath of his injuries, and can't see a future ever including the things he'd always dreamed of having. Both characters go on a journey of self discovery that includes realizing and understanding that healing can never truly come about without His help, and His understanding.

From start to finish, I truly adored this one. I loved Paige and Riley together, I loved the added bonus of getting more of Aunt Trudy and Sheriff Colton's story, I loved how seamlessly the faith element is blended in, and I loved that it was a truly satisfying conclusion to the Summer Harbor series. 

Final Rating: 5/5

I honestly can't recommend this one enough!


This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me and all rights to the respective owners. 

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