This is the second book in the series and I will definitely be going back for book one.  This story was a sweet romance with friends to lovers’ vibe.  Apparently Hawk and Ali were great friends in the past but that was interrupted when Hawk marries Ali’s sister thus breaking her heart and leading her to not trust easily.  Hawk is still dealing with feelings for his ex and discovering his new attraction to Ali.  Now if only his ex and her sister, the one and only, Bridget, would step aside the road to romance would be smooth but where’s the fun in that??  I liked this story a lot.  It was light and fun with a story that I thought was a little forbidden at first due to their family connection but it grew on me and I was cheering for them the whole way.

"Feels Like Forever" is the second book in the Destiny Bay series and focuses on Bradley Hawk who was mentioned in the first book of the series. Hawk is a retired hockey player who now produces and bottles hard cider in the town of Destiny Bay. He has left a disastrous marriage behind and feels he is moving on with his life.

That is until his ex-wife comes to town to flaunt her new engagement and to have a huge party to celebrate. Her sister, Ali, has been in love with Hawk since before she became his sister-in-law (and now ex-sister-in-law). Ali struggles with her identity and has always set aside her dreams so others could pursue theirs. In a moment of desperation, she blurts out that she and Hawk are together and thus the ruse begins.

But is it really a faux-mance??? Is Hawk truly over his failed marriage? Can Ali finally put herself and her dreams ahead of everyone else? These are the questions that build the story.

This is a great book and holds true to Marina’s style of writing. She draws us in with humor, drama and of course romance! I loved the playful bantering between Ali and Hawk,

Take the time to visit Destiny Bay and enjoy the ambiance. It is worth your time!

Hawk and Ali!!! ❤️❤️❤️ I absolutely loved them! I loved the foundation of friendship that they had before they started a relationship. I love friends to lovers stories! This book was about more than just Hawk and Ali. It was about a family torn apart finally healing. There were tender moments that made me tear up. It is the power of Marina Adair's writing that had me liking Bridget when I was certain in the beginning that I didn't. I would 100% recommend this book!

This wild and crazy ride was every bit as delightful as the two characters the author created in this slap-happy tale about second chances.

Ali had loved Hawk with every part of her being since they were kids growing up in Destiny bay. What she hadn't realized was how her sister's appearance would steal him away. She convinced herself she could get through him marrying her sister. She could convince herself that their friendship would weather his divorce from said sister. Seriously, she had a much better relationship with him than her sister Bridget. Falling for him again, though, would be sheer lunacy.

That's what we romance readers call a trope. In fact, it's a trope I can't resist. Maybe because I only had brothers, but I hold a soft spot for sisters. This pair, however...

All Hawk knew was that he really was tired of standing between Ali and her family. Sure, he got it. Marrying and then getting dumped by her sister was a huge hurdle to get over for both of them. He, because of his broken heart; and Ali because of her insecurity about not being enough. What would this fauxmance do to their relationship? And why was the thought of being with Ali for real so tempting?

A fake relationship brought all kinds of luscious and sinful thoughts into Ali's head--and definitely into Hawk's hands. The possibility of a real romantic relationship between them seemed possible, but could Ali ever trust enough that he really wanted her for her and not as the consolation prize?

I really loved how the slow heat simmered and burned between these characters. At times I really wanted to take a bite out of Bridget and Gail, their mom, but Martina Adair made sure to humanize both. Thanks for a beautiful and sweet romance with some extra sizzle on the grill. Thanks!

Ah, it was nice to be back in Destiny Bay. Once you’re so far away and only just come back to it, you remember exactly how much you missed a good small town romance. And I’ve read some good ones, but there’s nothing like the pleasure of coming back to a familiar voice.

I may have forgotten a few details, but I knew I was looking forward to this story ever since finishing the previous book. As a sucker for friends-to-lovers stories, knowing the hero Hawk was a hockey player was the cherry on top of a most delicious pie, cause let’s just say that’s some sort of magic word for me, hockey. So major points there for this reader.

This book, apart from being a good, solid romance, had me for the heroine. I felt like I saw myself in Ali, something I neither have done before nor sought out to do so. I take the heroes and heroines as they come, and read through their lives as a happy audience, but this time Ali had me with all that she was. You’ll definitely find loyal, caring, vulnerable and yet strong with Ali. I’m sure she’s the kind of woman who’s out there in all of us, and that right there touched me like nothing else. I could see her faults clear as crystal mind you, and her being a book I could easily read made me connect with her, which in the end made this such an easy, fulfilling read.

I cannot simply walk away without making it clear that Hawk was the solid, reliable-wonderful, if I may say so- hero that’s out there. One who I not so secretly wish I had in my life. Together with Ali they made a sexy-never forget the sexy!- and perfect couple. 

Small town romance doubled with friends who become lovers, tripled with hockey player hero and metal welding heroine, this was right up my alley. And if any of those things I mentioned, plus some sexy times on the beach is the thing for you, then don’t skip this one. In fact, go back and grab the first book and make a day of it.

I’m adding four spoonfuls of this story into my hodgepodge. Now, allow me to sigh into my coffee cup while I think about finding love next door in your best friend.

I so badly wanted to like this book - I really enjoyed both Ali and Hawk as characters & watching them figure out their stuff but I was super confused be a lot of the interactions within this family.  The fact that Hawk still thought he loved Bridget was a little icky and I was super confused about how good of friends Ali & Hawk actually are because we aren't given a lot of details about their history (which would have been a nice way to get a feel for their connection).  I didn't think that Ali's dad was all that fair to her - I understand that he's compensating for his bad relationship with Bridget but it isn't very supportive of his other daughter.  I get that it is hard to separate the couple from their misc baggage but if it had just been about them I think that it would have gotten rave reviews for the couple and Adair's good style.  I just think that maybe some of the drama missed the mark for me.

Feels Like the First Time by Marina Adair.......10 FABULOUS STARS!!! I absolutely loved this fabulous story and fantastic characters. This story is full of sassy characters, bantering, fun, chemistry and family drama, which is what we grow to love from Marina Adair. Ali is the perfect heroine beautiful, strong, sassy and caring. Hawk the perfect hero he is a hot former pro hockey player, alpha male, sweet and so caring. These two are so fun together, but there is a problem Hawk is the ex husband of Ali's sister, did he pick the wrong sister. This is one book you will want to read, so make sure you pick this one up. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Okay, I pretty much read Feels Like the First Time in a day. Once I started I couldn't stop. We have a lot going on in this story: 1) Friends to Lovers 2) Best friend trying to help with fake relationship. (I think that's my favorite part of the book) 3) Emotional read (at least to me. I had to ugly cry going on a couple of times). 4) Ex-wife being a problem (it probably doesn't help the ex-wife is sister with the best friend). 5) Best friend had been in love with the hero forever. The list can go on and on. 

I love Marina's books because they have a perfect balance of romance and complication. I normally can't handle friends to lovers tropes; seriously, they can either go some many ways. However, I think it was balanced out with the fact that Hawk ex-wife happen to be Ali's sister, which makes the perfect complication. We have Ali who feels like she comes second to her sister. I mean her sister hogs the limelight, and I truly wished that Ali decked her sister at times. A girl to hope. Ali carried this persona that she would stick a steel-toe boot up anyone's derrière. Ali has a soft spot for her family. She would put her own needs on hold in order make the family happy. Very self-sacrificing. Then we have Hawk who gives this vibe that he's not over his ex. So, you could see why Ali would be a little unsure about the circumstances between them. However, Hawk is the best guy you could ever have. Oh man, seriously love that sexy beast of a man. Plus, he's totally fun when he's with Ali. 

Seriously, one of the best books I have read so far this year. Yes, I totally cursed Marina for putting me through an emotional ringer in Feels Like the First Time, but would I take back the time spent? HELL NO! I loved every moment, and totally the best use of my time. LOVE IT! It's definitely a reread kind of book. 

Copy provided by Forever Romance via NetGalley

Every book I pick up by Marina Adair turns out to be a solid read, and this one was no exception.  Feels Like the First Time brings us back to Destiny Bay where we first met Ali Marshal in Luke and Kennedy’s book.  This wasn’t your run of the mill friends to lovers story.  Marina Adair took that classic plot and added a complicated twist – one that had me wondering right up until the end how it was going to work out.
Ali and Hawk have a history, but not a romantic one.  For as long as she can remember, Ali has been in love with Hawk.  Unfortunately, Hawk fell in love with her sister Bridget instead.  Watching from the sidelines as the former NHL star fell for and married Bridget while keeping her own feelings inside was one of the hardest things Ali has ever done.  Taking care of her family, putting other’s needs before her own, is what she’s used to, so for years Ali focused on her career and spent her time taking care of her ailing father.  
Hawk was devastated when his marriage to Bridget fell apart.  He poured himself 100% into their relationship and he had to work hard to redefine himself after he lost the woman he loved as well as his career due to injury.  He only asked for one thing in the divorce:  his hometown.  He had a plan to pick up the pieces of his shattered dreams, but he couldn’t do that with Bridget still in his life.  She left, he stayed, and he carved out a new life that he loved….a life that kept him in close contact with his former father-in-law and Ali.  
Hawk wasn’t sure when he finally got over Bridget and started looking at Ali as a woman instead of his ex-wife’s sister, but a pretend date and a hotter than hot kiss had things changing in a hurry.  Suddenly his future seemed a whole lot brighter and a lot less lonely.  What started out as a fake romance turned real overnight and Hawk was determined to show Ali they could be more than just “sexy friends”.  Ali was devastated when her mother left – and took Bridget with her - after her parents’ divorce, and secretly crushed when her sister wound up with the man she’d wanted for herself.  Even though she’s all grown up and Bridget had been away for a long time, all it took was her sister sweeping back into town for Ali’s doubts and insecurities to rise back up.  
I really loved Ali and Hawk.  They were both real, honest and vulnerable.  I loved the way they each took care of the other in their own way, and I like the way the author took them from friendship to flirtation so easily.  This book was heartfelt and sexy.  I enjoyed the little cameos by Destiny Bay’s other residents, and I was desperately hoping for a happy ending right alongside Ali.
I give Feels Like the First Time 4 stars

I make no secret of my love for Marina Adair’s books, and even though I’m always a bit iffy on romances involving sibling exes and wasn’t overly enamored with the first book in this series, I was still excited to read this one. Hawk and Ali are definitely worth reading about and their romance is lovely beneath all the drama. Of which there is a lot. And that’s kind of what spoiled this a little for me.

Because while Hawk’s marriage to Bridget might have ended badly and not always been that great, they were married for five years. Five years! I expected the marriage to be something short and bitter and obviously a mistake that's better best forgotten, but Hawk still has real feelings for Bridget – or at least thinks he does – for a good chunk of this book and, despite her engagement, it’s obvious Bridget has no intention of loosening her hold on him. Even though she’s the one who wrecked their marriage.

I was so confused about Bridget. She’s selfish and careless and knows exactly what she’s doing when it comes to both Ali and Hawk, yet they both love her. They say they see her faults, but they also continuously ignore them because it’s just the way she is. Nope. Plus, Ali’s dad makes it worse. It’s not a compromise if only one person is always giving in. The more the story tried to make me feel sympathy for Bridget, the less and less patience I had with her stunts. She’s awful and should have been called out on her behaviour, not petted and cosseted and supported. She needs to grow up. (As does Ali’s dad, to a certain extent.)

Sadly, Bridget completely overshadowed the rest of the book. Which was pretty much necessary, because without her there is absolutely no reason why Hawk and Ali don’t get together in chapter one and live happily ever after forever and ever, the end. Having said that, I was a little confused about their relationship. They were supposedly friends before Hawk ever met Bridget and were possibly moving towards something more – in fact Ali at one point says he was her best friend – yet we learn pretty much nothing about their early friendship. I can’t even see how it came about, given their age difference. It felt like another bit of manufactured drama to explain why Ali never trusted relationships – because she broke her heart over Hawk when they were kids and he never even knew. Since they don’t even discuss it, this felt either utterly underused or completely superfluous.

Which is a massive shame. I would have loved to have read more about the deeper connection between these two. It’s obvious they’re great friends and know each other better than pretty much anywhere else. They have good chemistry and the way Hawk pampers Ali is downright adorable. They’re wonderful together and I loved the moments when it was just the two of them. Which are sadly few and far between, because even when they’re together the spectre of Bridget often looms large.

I was also annoyed at the way the book kept leading up to big showdown moments – the first family dinner, the “game” at the engagement party, Ali’s interview – and then jumped forward to the next day, or a few days later, leaving only sketchy recaps. For a book that’s full of family drama, it was strangely lacking in actual dramatics at times.

So overall, while I enjoyed this book and think it was a solid read with a lovely friends-to-lovers romance under the family drama, in terms of Adair’s work, it wasn’t a favourite. I blame Bridget.

Feels Like The First Time was an incredible read from Marina Adair!!

I absolutely fell in love with this author when I read the first book in the series: Last Kiss of Summer. What I didn't expect, was for me to fall even more in love with Marina's writing style in this book!!
Every single detail had me swooning, as well as oohing and aahhing! 

Ali and Bradley had such a phenomenal chemistry!! What started out as something fake and unromantic, turned into the complete opposite! You could tell right from the start that these two characters shared something special!

Go and pick up this novel for yourself today! You will not be sorry that you did!!
5/5 Stars!

I love this book, she weaves a world you can instantly get lost into and I have to say that I am so glad I read her words.

Marina Adair is one of those go to authors that you can rely on to deliver a solid romance that will make you fall in love with the characters and world. Feels Like the First Time was no exception though I was in for a surprise. I despised Bridget so much through most of the book and couldn't wait to see Ali win Hawk but surprisingly by the end I was interested in seeing Bridget have her own story. I would love to see her grow and find her own HEA.

Ali and Hawk were both great characters and I fell head over heels for Hawk. The chemistry between the two is amazing and the side stories were just as great as the main story. Can't wait for the next Destiny Bay installment!

I did enjoy this book but it wasn't the best book i have read .  The story is decent .

Feels Like The First Time makes for a feel good romance with a hint of taboo thrown in for good measure. Marina Adair  has a knack for writing poignant stories that can easily make a readers eyes water with laughter and/or tears.  What began as a matter of prideful insecurity turns into a mouthwatering love affair.  Ali and Hawk appeal to sentimental card carrying romantics everywhere.  With each and every word, Ms. Adair touches the heart while resurrecting the dreamer in us all.

He could hold her all night and still itch to touch her. Kiss her until the sun went down and she’d still taste like his.

After falling in love with the town of Destiny Bay and its quirky band of characters in Last Kiss of Summer, I was eager to return and find out—once and for all—what was up with Hawk and Ali. It was always going to be a little trying, this relationship between a man and his ex-wife’s sister. A little angsty. A little heartbreaking. What I didn't expect was for it also to be a little sexy, a little funny, and—unfortunately—a little frustrating. 

I love, love, loved Hawk and Ali together. They had sparks flying like a blowtorch on metal, and their friendship-to-lovers journey was deeply rewarding. It was swoony and humorous and the good kind of tense. You know what I mean, right? The sexy kind. The romantic, cake-pops-and-glitter kind. I wanted them to give in—and when they did? It was absolutely worth the wait. 

But the wait itself was, at times, a little too drawn out. Bridget, Hawk’s ex and Ali’s sister, was very present in this book, and while that worked for the story more often than not, it didn't always work for ME. She was selfish and childish, and for a strong, sassy woman, Ali let her run roughshod for too long. And as for Hawk… while it was clear that Bridget was something different to him than what we saw (and I really appreciated that), some of the doubts and second-guessing lingered longer than I would have liked—or expected. 

However, when I try to imagine Feels Like the First Time differently, it's hard. Because there is so much about this story that is right. The inclusion of Marty as a parallel to Hawk, and his need to get over the past. The glimpses of Kennedy and Luke. The old ladies who wanted to handle ex-NHL star, Hawk’s stick. This book was charming, funny and incredibly well-written. Yes, the pacing was a little off, but the story? 

The story was wonderful. A little angsty, a little heartbreaking, and a lot of fun. The trip back to Destiny Bay made me fall in love all over again—and I wouldn't change it. 

“God, Bradley.” 
“I like it when you call me that.” 
“Bradley?” 
“God.”

~ FOUR Sunshine STARS ~

Feels like the First Time
Ali and Hawk are just sweet together. There is a lot of family drama on Ali's side not to mention that Hawk was once married to Ali's sister. I loved the humor in the story and how the family all pulled together when needed.
This is a sweet love story.
I received a copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

Ali is not always the girly girl everyone, her sister and mother mainly wants her to be, but she loves her chocolate, her dad  and loves her friendship with Hawk more then anything. When her sister comes back into town on the night of one of Ali's biggest nights and she hopes that one lie to her will get her going back where she came from.  Hawk can only handle one Marshal sister at a time they both have explosive personalities and he goes along with the crazy plan Ali comes up with but hers just not sure what he's thinking. He is ready to put his ex in the past and move on in the future. Will Ali be able to show love and keep those around her happy or will it all finally come crashing down?

The biggest thing that comes to mind about this book is "coming home". I have fallen in love with the town Destiny Bay the small town feel the way everyone has each others back and the gossip. There is a ton of chemistry coming off the pages and a ton of fun through out. There is some strong language and adult scenes through out. The storyline is well written and totally enjoyable. Totally worth the read you can't go wrong.

I enjoyed the journey that Hawk and Ali took to find their happily ever after.  I liked the side plots involving Ali's dad, mom and sister.  I wonder if Bridget will find her true love in an upcoming novel.

I love a friends to lovers book, add in a small town and I can't wait to read it! But, I'm truly struggling to come to terms with my feelings regarding Feels Like the First Time. On one hand, I loved the relationship that moved from friends to lovers between Ali and Hawk. I loved their true friendship, their love for each other as friends that neither wanted to screw up with admitting that there was really more to their relationship. 

But I greatly disliked, no, I hated how Ali's sister, Bridget, and Bridget and Hawk's marriage and divorce "hung around" through the entirety of the story. The constant reminder of Bridget and Hawk's past love and subsequent breakup overshadowed everything, and I just couldn't fully enjoy the story of Ali and Hawk and their growing love that moved past the bounds of friendship. 

I loved the first book in the Destiny Bay series, it was smart, fun and a great read, unfortunately, Feels Like the First Time wasn't the same for me.