The First Kiss of Spring by Emily March, the 14th book in the Eternity Springs series. A new to me author. Even though I hadn't read any of the previous books in this series I was able to still enjoy this book. I liked the character development between the characters it was perfect for the storyline. I look forward to reading other books in this series and more by Emily March.

I enjoy Eternity Springs and the people who live there. Emily March has another winner about complex issues being an impediment to loving relationships. The journal entries at the beginning of chapters are startling, and set an ominous undertone for the body of the book. Always though, with Emily March, there is hope. I had to skip over the sex to thoroughly enjoy the wonderful and ultimately uplifting story.

The First Kiss of Spring by Emily March is an emotionally charged story. I found myself feeling every motion displayed in the scenes. The characters provoke me into loving them. Their attitudes, relationships, fears, and troubles were believable. Family, work, and love are greatly balanced here. A family going through a tough journey and a young man fighting off a lifetime issue...had me hooked.
I laughed and cried.

Emily March presented her characters in a three-dimensional way. They felt like real people. Caitlin is coddled by her parents. She's the only daughter they have and they love her fiercely. Sometimes, too much. Caitlin needed her parents to support her leaving her current job to go after her dreams. At first their reaction, sent her feeling frustrated. She wanted them to be happy for her...and her father thought her mechanic man, got her pregnant. The thing was, Caitlin would like that after she married the mechanic first, though. But proving to her parents that she can be successful and getting her man to love her, has proven to be difficult.

Josh has had a difficult lifetime. His mother made a bad choice and with that choice she plunged her young son into the world of darkness. Only when Josh got adopted did he make it out into the light. But just when he thought his life was great, it took the rug from his feet twice. Josh fell several times but his faults made him more human. His craving for Caitlin proved he was just a man who wanted to love her and be loved back. But Josh has to learn to accept his past, get help, and decide if he wants Caitlin to be his forever...otherwise he might just lose everything he cares about...

Then, there's Caitlin's dad, who is suffering. He won't open up about it with his kids. He has his own journey of acceptance to follow, just like Josh has. Finding courage to accept and discuss it will be the break it moment for this character and his family.

Fear, courage, and love are major themes of this novel. The First Kiss of Spring is a sad yet sweet contemporary tale. I was hooked. Overall, I would recommend it to all readers.

I'm usually pretty anal about reading series books in order, but when I received an email from NetGalley that this book was available for forty-eight hours I immediately downloaded it. I've not previously read anything by this author, but I've heard good things about her, and one friend compared her to Robyn Carr, so I was excited to give her a try.

Each chapter is prefaced with a short “Journal Entry”. We don't know at first which character is journaling, but they threw me a little off kilter at first with hints of past child abuse. Once I got past that though, I enjoyed the story. And not having read the previous books in the series wasn't an issue at all. I suspect some of the supporting characters might have been the heroes/heroines of previous books, but this one can definitely stand on it's own.

Caitlin meets Josh, and his dog Penny, who is in a little doggy wheelchair, while in Telluride for a wedding, when they are trapped together in a gondola. Like Caitlin, that first meeting with Josh had me hooked on him immediately. He's good looking, he's funny, and who wouldn't fall for a man who loves a little dog like Penny?

In a lot of romance novels the hero is the dogged pursuer. He meets a woman and knows right away that she's the one, and he sets out to convince her of that, while she resists because she's been burned before. Here, it's Caitlin who decides early on that Josh is the one. The last thing he wants is a relationship, and he's not a happy camper when he learns that Caitlin has moved to Eternity Springs to be near her parents and brother.

Of course you know how it will all end, because it is a romance, after all. But the journey to that ending was very enjoyable. The writing is a bit breezy, and I especially enjoyed Caitlin's interactions with her brother. The subject matter does get a little deep, as Josh has a lot of baggage, but it was never sensationalized and was thoughtfully handled. I'm going to have to look for the first book in the series and then go on from there!

Spring arrival in Eternity Springs1
Combine the magical healing powers of Eternity Springs and an ambitious and beautiful young woman with a sexy mechanic and a delicious story is born! Emily March delivers the newest title in the series that is easy to read and hard to put down. Thank you for the opportunity to read this title prior to publication---I just loved it!

I love this series. Emily March just keeps getting better and better. Her books are so full of emotion and family. I always have pre orders for any of her new releases. She is always a customer favorite

My review can be seen at RT Book Reviews

A sweet story that continues the Eternity Springs Series. Two unlikely people meet under unexpected circumstances. A typical "friends with benefits" plot, where problems are brought to life and tackled. A romance with a bit more depth than some.

GREAT READ! NOT GOOD READ! BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY! If I could give 10 stars I would!
WOW! What a wonderful story. I loved the characters, the plot, the way it unfolds. I love the humor, the passion, the romance. This author is one of the best I have read in some years. Her imagination is so wonderful that even with only the small amount of paranormal the rest just is enchanting. I absolute adore this book and to me it is a KEEPER! I would of thought in this series , that it would as many do, just be so so. She has amazed me making this book even better...

Loved the characters. The writer made feel as if I knew them. Would love to see more books with these people.

A very emotional story. It really brings out the feelings. A very touching love story.

Do "friends with benefits" arrangements ever work out? No strings or commitments, just an understanding that it will never turn into love. Caitlin & Josh met while they were each on a mini vacation & thought they could have a one night stand & not see each other again. Josh thought Caitlin was from New York & Caitlin wasn't sure where Josh was from. The chemistry between them seemed intense right from the beginning. When Caitlin moves home to Eternity Springs, it's a toss up as to who is more surprised since Josh lives there too. Josh lets her know emphatically that he doesn't do love & isn't going to get married. Josh has a lot of secrets regarding his past that he doesn't talk about to anyone. They agree to a friends with benefits relationship. What happens when their family & friends start getting involved? Or when Josh's past catches up with him?

I love Emily March's Eternity Springs books. The fictional town has all off the best aspects of small towns but she also includes some of the bad such as the gossips & busy bodies. The cast of characters are similar in each book with updates on their lives incurring but I enjoy this. I feel like each book can be read as a stand alone since each story is self contained within that book. To me, Emily March's writing reminds me of Debbie Macomber's. The writing has a warm & emotional feel. The style is very descriptive which enables you to picture the scenes & people in your mind as you read. While the reader knows there will be an HEA at the end, the path the plot takes to get there is twisting & turning in different directions than expected. Ms. March has become one of my favorite "one click" & preorder author's.

I enjoyed "The First Kiss Of Spring". I almost stopped reading it because of the explicit sex, but I skipped that part as much as I could. I liked the characters and the little dog, Penny so much. Josh was actually the main star of this book, with many problems from his past. It deals with a lot of emotions, heartache, and family ties. I have read all but 2 of the books in this series and they have all been very good. This one is well worth the read.

Emily March is an outstanding writer and “The First Kiss of Spring (An Eternity Springs Novel” is compulsively readable. I found it nearly impossible to put down; setting aside chores to continue reading it. This is the fourteenth entry in Ms March’s Eternity Springs series, a small town located deep in the Colorado Rockies, a location dear to my heart and one that Ms. March captures beautifully. 

The lead characters of this book, Caitlin Timberlake and Josh Tarkington, couldn’t be more different. She is a ray of sunshine and he lives under a perpetual black cloud having lived a difficult life. Josh’s angst, no matter how understandable, did get a bit wearisome as the book went on. At some point, Josh’s continued “bad luck” and despair just seemed repetitive and over-the-top. Josh’s angst was so deep that the resolution of the book almost seemed a bit abrupt and discordant.

There is a significant subplot involving Caitlin’s parents, Mac and Ali, whose own story was central to a previous book. Mac’s attitude toward Josh, his treating Caitlin like a teenager and his secretive nature concerning a potential medical issue became a bit tiresome after awhile.

I have read several but not all of the Eternity Springs novels, giving me background on many of the characters. I don’t think it is necessary to have read previous Eternity Springs books, but I do think a reader would not only enjoy doing so but might get a bit more out of The First Kiss of Spring if already acquainted with other characters. Celeste continues to be a bit of a mystery and a little intriguing. Is she a guardian angel? 

Though not perfect, I enjoyed the sheer readability of this novel and would recommend it to others. I especially recommend this book for those readers who enjoy romance novels with a bit more depth. The small town environment is very enjoyable and contributed a lot to my own enjoyment of the book. 

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions stated are solely my own.

 

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I was given an Arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
Two people from very different backgrounds and upbringings come together in this romance set in a small town. I liked the easy style it was written in, with well developed characters and a good storyline. The chemistry between Caitlin and Josh was off the scale. But what particularly drew me in was the way Josh dealt with his demons and the empathy the author showed writing about it.

Even though this is book 14 in the Eternity Spring series I did not feel lost as the story centers around Josh and Caitlin. They meet at a destination wedding and feel a connection. However when they run into her parents at the hotel, Josh realizes who she is, and he quickly takes his leave. Little does he know that Caitlin is planning a move back to her hometown with a career change in the works. Since Josh is hiding his past he knows it is a bad idea to get involved with her, but he can't help himself. We get hints of what Josh is trying to keep secret from the chapter opening journal entries. Love a man that journals! This was a great choice for a sick at home read!

I did not realize this was from an on going story line. I remember reading some of the earlier books. I still enjoyed the book and now will go back and find some of the ones I missed.

Caitlin Timberlake, could wait to leave her small town for NYC. But after 8 years of working her way to the top to become a successful textile designer, she has a new dream; going home to Eternity Springs and opening a much needed day care center. While attending a wedding in nearby Telluride, she meets gorgeous and charming Josh Tarkington, when they get stuck together on a gondola. When she returns to NYC to finalize her plans, she believes that deep in her heart that Josh is the one.

Josh has lots of secrets. He is foster brother of newly wed Brick Callahan, owner of Stardance Ranch RV Resort. He believes he is cursed by bad luck, including having taken a hit from tornados 4 times. His childhood was so horrible that he will not speak of it to anyone. So when Caitlin returns, he is terrified of the attraction that he feels for her. After he left Tornado Alley, he decided that he would never be responsible for another soul or have any relationship with a woman or child, and tells Caitlin that she deserves better, because he is never going to fall in love again.

So Caitlin agrees to have a friend affair. But when they both realize separately that they have fallen in love, will Josh's fear keep them apart?

Although this is # 14 in the series, it is the first that I have read. I received an advanced copy from the publisher. Now I need to go back to the begining. I was immediately engaged in the story, the characters are intriguing and the plot enticing. There is also a really funny conversation, when Josh has his epiphany. I do recommend reading the earlier books first, as I was confused by all the character. By #14 in a series, either a town family tree or an index of characters with a short resume would be helpful.

This was a “feel good” novel for me. Loved it!

The First Kiss of Spring, by Emily March, is the story of Caitlin and Josh. It is the story of allowing love to fuel courage to overcome and heal fear brought on by previous abuse, drugs, superstition, and tragic bad luck. It is the story of asking for help, and receiving all that you need. It is the story of truths and omissions and forgiveness. It is the story of renewed hope and awakening to spring.
This is book 14 of the Eternity Springs series which is full of strong survivors and their families, friends and community. Ms. March weaves a tapestry of characters that makes the small Colorado mountain town some place that I would love to visit. I highly recommend.