Always fun to return to the Hope series, and this one did not disappoint. I love the small town setting, and I love returning to a series that feels like old friends.

The "opposites attract" trope is a favorite and Josie and Zack definitely fit the bill! I love the push and pull between these two. This was a book about overcoming your past, too, and while the relationship almost seemed to take a back seat, I didn't mind because I loved the characters and the message.

This review is long overdue, but I'm glad I got to this book.

Josie and Zach have a flirty banter when they are away from their day job at the local high school. What will happen when they decide to test their attraction? Will they survive the town gossip, football fever, and family obligations?

Are you looking for a small town sports romance? Have that football fever? Discover what happens when the football coach finally finds a woman who understands his passion. Will she be able to stick around when she discovers that her feelings might not be so casual?

Jaci delivers great stories with spice, heart, and a plot that just flows. If you loved watching Friday Night Lights, love football, enjoy a slow burn romance with a tight group of friends, this book might satisfy that craving.

I really enjoyed getting to know the two main characters. I loved their banter, honestly those are my favorite kind of couples. The writing is so smooth and definitely shows off who each of the characters really are. Would highly recommend

One Perfect Kiss is the eighth installment of the Hope Series. Josie and Zach were made for each other. They each have their own unique story both their chemistry is intense and exhilarating. Zach comes from a good home and now he is coaching high school football and is also a teacher. Josie had a very harsh up bringing and she is also a teacher and loves animals. She loves animals that have a hard time getting adopted. So when Zach meets her cat Tumbles I can’t believe that Zach calls him Satan. He seemed like a good cat with a big personality. But Zach doesn’t fall behind he also adopts a little fluffy dog or should I say that Wilson adopted him. They seemed like the perfect family but Josie needed to work on her past not only with her ex-boyfriend but also her relationship with her mother. Her mother needed help with stopping her drug addiction but she needed to do it for herself not for anyone else even her own daughter. Now as for Zach he was very closed off he liked his privacy but once he was around his friends he seemed like he would somewhat close down the walls he had built. I know that there were times that I wanted to smack Josie because she needed to quit comparing Zach to her ex-boyfriend he was nothing like him. I loved seeing how the other characters grew in their relationships and how the new babies were growing. I have loved this series and I can’t wait to see what else Ms. Burton has in store.

Jaci Burton returns with another sweet installment in the Hope series. I have to say that this is one of my favorite series by this author, mainly because I think it stays consistent throughout the books. If you haven’t read Burton before, she has a sexy side as well as a sweet one and I think this Hope series lands a little bit more on the sweet side.

However, that is not to say that there isn’t any sexiness in this book. Because the hero of this book, Zach, is all kinds of sexiness. He’s a former pro football player with a big heart and I think getting a chance to see more of his character was really nice.

The same goes for Josie who I think fits the typical mold of the perhaps the more quiet heroine who is looking for more in life. So when these two come together, it really becomes an explosive story. There’s some good banter and also some fun moments between secondary characters as well. I read this book pretty quickly and that’s also one of my favorite things about Burton’s books. They are always fun and exciting and also a breeze to read. I always look forward to reading a Jaci Burton book!

I received an arc of this book for an honest review. I keep asking for author Jaci Burton's books because our patrons just love them, but I just can't seem to care for them. Sports, hot guys, and animals, all the pieces were there for me, but I just couldn't get into it, though we bought copies.

One Perfect Kiss was a true delight to read. It's a small-town romance that brings in football, one of my favorite sports, rescued animals and an enemies-to-lovers, sort of, storyline. Adding in the fact that's written by a great author and it's a Win-Win!

Josie has definitely been hurt in the past and because of that she's protected her heart by not letting it trust too many people and she devotes her time and love to rescued dogs, which lets face it, pets in general give us unconditional love and sometimes that's what we need to heal us. She's teaching high school and holds in her hands the power to have the football team not have a winning season and this is where Zach comes in.

Zach is former NFL and while an injury sidelined his career he's really loving working with the high school kids and has had a little thing for Josie since they have friends in common. But she's wreaking havoc on his team and he's not only determined to get her to lighten up, but also to prove to her that men, and him in particular can be trusted.

Ms. Burton does a great job with this small town romance, with the perfect amount of heat. I fell in love with Josie and Zach and Hope, Oklahoma.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jaci Burton at a few conferences and she is so fun to talk to. Reading her books is even better and no matter the series I always enjoy it!

I was excited to visit with the folks (and animals) that live in Hope, Oklahoma. This series reflects everything I love about small towns, especially the friendships that thrive. Zach and Josie have very different views on love which, oddly, makes them an even more awesome couple. As expected, we get to spend time with previous characters, get updates - thanks Jaci Burton.

A sweet somewhat steamy small-town romance. This book was part of a series, but I think it worked just fine as a standalone. This is the story of Josie and Zach who both teach at the local high school. Josie is a strong sassy self-reliant woman and a bit of a strict teacher. Zach was a good guy with a big heart an ex football star and a current football coach. The two of them clash when Zach is frustrated with Josie over giving some of his players poor grades, but Josie is a stickler for the rules and not willing to bend. Not even for football in Oklahoma. What follows is a story full of push and pull and furry friends! I really loved the small town and getting to know Zack and Josie. Will definitely read another book in this small town romance series.

One Perfect Kiss is a book I've been waiting for! Josie and Zach have had such chemistry in the last few Hope books and I was so excited when they got their own. It was everything I thought it would be and more. The little critters that were absolutely perfect and added such character to the storyline and the development with the characters. I loved how to get got to see the whole Hope gang back together as well and Jill, Josie's best friend get her happily ever after. If you love the Hope series, you'll love this friend to lovers, heartwarming and spectacular story!

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley for a honest review.I always love to read a Jaci Burton book. They are always well written and with great storylines. Zach and Josie seem to be made for each other. Their chemistry is very spark worthy. Zach is the new High school Football coach. Josie confronts Zach his players for their poor grades. If they don't get their grades up, they can't play football. This starts all the flirting between the two and escalates from there. I loved this book and series. I give One Perfect Kiss (A Hope Novel Book 8)5/5 stars.

*3.5 stars*

Always happy to be back in Hope…

This romance series is set in Hope, Oklahoma, providing sweet small town love stories with heart and charm. I think of this series as ‘tri-low’ – low drama, low angst, low friction. That is all good but every story needs a spark, fuel to keep the story moving forward. Thankfully, there was plenty to choose from as Josie and Zach brought their baggage to the party….

Josie had trust issues as she still dealt with family ‘stuff’ while re-establishing herself in Hope. Zach was a coach, his plan b, which he enjoyed even as it had him butting heads with Josie. Their transition from fractious colleagues to friends to lovers was slow and meandering with just enough bumps along the way to keep things interesting.

Zach was the star in this story with his engaging personality and love of Wilson. Josie was likable though her character seemed to waffle between strong and unsure so quickly it was hard to get a strong take on who she really was. Put all together, though, it was a solid read in a go-to series…

Jaci Burton wrote such a sweet and sentimental story with One Perfect Kiss. Even though the story started off a little slow for me, she picked the pace up and had me hooked in the fun tale of the teacher and the coach.
Zach was relentless throughout the book. He has wanted Josie for a while. She flirts, has a wonderful time but doesn't let on that she may be interested in anything other than being friends. That is, when they are out. When she walks into school, it's a whole other story. Ms. prim and proper, hard-nosed English teacher. But, when she starts benching his star football players, he has no choice but to try to convince her to bring their marks up. He agrees to her terms and they find themselves constantly in each others company both in and out of the classroom.
Josie can't afford to get involved with the hot football coach. It's bad enough that he is friends with all of her friends but, now his football players are failing and he keeps coming into her classroom to see what he could do to bring their grades up. It's hard enough keeping her thoughts of him out of school, now she's trying to hide her feelings inside as well. But, he's shown that he does care about his students just as much as he does about football. Now, hiding how much she really does want him has become a full-time job.
When Zach and Josie finally put their cards on the table, it's beautiful, sweet and wonderful. The twists and turns in the book actually made me more interested in the story. It's hard enough for an author to write a true romance but to throw in social issues, a mother that didn't know how much her rejection hurt her daughter and you have an exceptionally written story. Now, besides the romance and the drama, let's mix in a mean cat, a three-legged dog and a blind bunny. So much fun awaits! But, seriously, I truly enjoyed One Perfect Kiss. Jaci Burton has a true talent for writing romance novels that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and always puts a smile on your face.

Jaci Burton’s One Perfect Kiss is somewhat of an opposites attract love story. It’s number eight in Burton’s Hope series with Hope being both a fictional town near Tulsa and a state of mind. Hope High English teacher Josie Barnes had a rough childhood – her single mother raised her, when she wasn’t out on a tear or passed out from drugs and alcohol. By the time Josie reached high school, her energy was solely focused on getting out of town and getting an education. Football coach and fellow teacher Zach Powers once played professional football, but a knee injury changed his plans.

One Perfect Kiss is the perfect amalgamation of two American passions: love of football and a deep-bedded affection for small-town life. Football is by far America’s favorite sport with thirty-seven percent of the country claiming it, and in many small towns the Friday night high school football game is the highlight of the week. Not for nothing is the television series Friday Night Lights so popular. Zach’s Eagles are vying for the state championship and the whole town is pulling for them.

Perhaps not the whole town. Josie has put Zach’s best wide receiver and his center on academic probation. Is she trying to sabotage his winning season? Josie shows Zach her grade book: “They were both Fs.” Is this going to interfere with their growing “beautiful friendship?” Make that promising flirtation. Fortunately, grownups don’t have to agree on everything, particularly professionally.

“It has nothing to do with how I feel about you outside the classroom. In case you didn’t notice, we are outside the classroom.”

“So you can separate the two.”

She gave him a direct look. “I can. Can you?”

He wanted to spend time with her, and she was a totally different person outside of school. That was the Josie he wanted to get to know better. “Yup.”

“Then is that a yes?”

“It is.”

She gave him the kind of smile that made his gut clench.

“Then follow me home.”

Josie’s friends are astonished to learn that she has never been to a high school Homecoming let alone a Homecoming Dance. In the words of Jane Fonda, “It’s never too late—never too late to start over, never too late to be happy.” What are you waiting for Josie?

The parade was about to start, and she felt that shock of excitement drilling through her veins. There was a giant banner across the front of the street that Hope High Homecoming, and a grandstand had been set up with bleachers. The park was filled with people who occupied the benches, and every available curb was taken.

It was a cool fall night, perfect for a parade and football.

How utterly fun.

You know what else is exciting and fun? Falling in lust. Josie and Zach make consent sexy. They’re direct, clear, and clearly interested in jumping each other’s bones, even if it’s just for the moment.

He lowered his mouth to hers, and her breath caught.

Oh yes, in the moment was exactly where she wanted to be.

With Zach’s lips on hers.

One Perfect Kiss is a perfect antidote to playoff mania – readers will juggle between watching America’s favorite sport and blissing out with a terrific read.

Jaci Burton’s One Perfect Kiss is somewhat of an opposites attract love story. It’s number eight in Burton’s Hope series with Hope being both a fictional town near Tulsa and a state of mind. Hope High English teacher Josie Barnes had a rough childhood - her single mother raised her, when she wasn’t out on a tear or passed out from drugs and alcohol. By the time Josie reached high school, her energy was solely focused on getting out of town and getting an education. Football coach and fellow teacher Zach Powers once played professional football, but a knee injury changed his plans.

One Perfect Kiss is the perfect amalgamation of two American passions: love of football and a deep-bedded affection for small-town life. Football is by far America’s favorite sport with thirty-seven percent of the country claiming it, and in many small towns the Friday night high school football game is the highlight of the week. Not for nothing is the television series Friday Night Lights so popular. Zach’s Eagles are vying for the state championship and the whole town is pulling for them.

Perhaps not the whole town. Josie has put Zach’s best wide receiver and his center on academic probation. Is she trying to sabotage his winning season? Josie shows Zach her grade book: “They were both Fs.” Is this going to interfere with their growing “beautiful friendship?”  Make that promising flirtation. Fortunately, grownups don’t have to agree on everything, particularly professionally.

“It has nothing to do with how I feel about you outside the classroom. In case you didn’t notice, we are outside the classroom.”

“So you can separate the two.”

She gave him a direct look. “I can. Can you?”

He wanted to spend time with her, and she was a totally different person outside of school. That was the Josie he wanted to get to know better. “Yup.”

“Then is that a yes?”

“It is.”

She gave him the kind of smile that made his gut clench.

“Then follow me home.”

Josie’s friends are astonished to learn that she has never been to a high school Homecoming let alone a Homecoming Dance. In the words of Jane Fonda, “It’s never too late—never too late to start over, never too late to be happy.” What are you waiting for Josie?

The parade was about to start, and she felt that shock of excitement drilling through her veins. There was a giant banner across the front of the street that Hope High Homecoming, and a grandstand had been set up with bleachers. The park was filled with people who occupied the benches, and every available curb was taken.

It was a cool fall night, perfect for a parade and football.

How utterly fun.

You know what else is exciting and fun? Falling in lust. Josie and Zach make consent sexy. They’re direct, clear, and clearly interested in jumping each other’s bones, even if it’s just for the moment.

He lowered his mouth to hers, and her breath caught.

Oh yes, in the moment was exactly where she wanted to be.

With Zach’s lips on hers.

One Perfect Kiss is a perfect antidote to playoff mania - readers will juggle between watching America’s favorite sport and blissing out with a terrific read.

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I have yet to read a Jaci Burton book that I haven't loved. And One Perfect Kiss was no exception.

The story was so sweet and charming. And you honestly can't go wrong with a good ol' sports romance haha.
I loved this story though. That hometown kinda feel made for a very relaxed and enjoyable story.
But also offered just enough tension and drama to keep you flipping the page.

I loved the chemistry between the 2 main characters too. That zapping attraction mixed with the conflict of the 2 subjects they taught/ coached.

Definitely a 5 star read

Jaci Burton returns with another sweet installment in the Hope series. I have to say that this is one of my favorite series by this author, mainly because I think it stays consistent throughout the books. If you haven’t read Burton before, she has a sexy side as well as a sweet one and I think this Hope series lands a little bit more on the sweet side.

However, that is not to say that there isn’t any sexiness in this book. Because the hero of this book, Zach, is all kinds of sexiness. He’s a former pro football player with a big heart and I think getting a chance to see more of his character was really nice.

The same goes for Josie who I think fits the typical mold of the perhaps the more quiet heroine who is looking for more in life. So when these two come together, it really becomes an explosive story. There’s some good banter and also some fun moments between secondary characters as well. I read this book pretty quickly and that’s also one of my favorite things about Burton’s books. They are always fun and exciting and also a breeze to read. I always look forward to reading a Jaci Burton book!

4.5 star

The story has laughs, secrets, twists & turns, and heartbreak.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Hope Smolders (Hope, #0.5)
Hope Flames (Hope #1)
Hope Ignites (Hope, #2)
Hope Burns (Hope #3)
Love After All (Hope, #4)
Make Me Stay (Hope, #5)
Don't Let Go (Hope, #6)
Love Me Again (Hope #7)

This is Josie and Zach’s story. Josie and Zach have been around each other with there friends for a while and you can feel the chemistry, but she is holding back. He seems to good to be true and she knows from her past experiences that is a bad thing. When Zach comes to her about his players she wonders if he is out to just have her pass them, but he surprises her with every turn. Can she let down her guard and trust him and allow him into her heart? Or in the end is he going to prove that she was right to hold back all along? She learned long ago not to trust those closest to her for reasons of her own can she really trust Zach?

I loved these characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I highly recommend this book.

High school teacher Josie Barnes and the school’s football coach Zach Powers have known each other for a while now since they socialize with the same group of friends. They’ve subtly flirted at parties but haven’t gone beyond those interactions. When Josie hands out failing grades to some of his players, Zach initiates their first real one-on-one meeting. Josie’s sensitive to her students and other teachers seeing them fraternize but they really enjoy each other too much to stay apart.

One of the reasons I love this series is the strong sense of community found in Hope, Oklahoma. In every book, characters from previous stories are present in meaningful ways with some contribution to the current issues. Josie had a tough childhood so moving here and creating these relationships is more than a lifeline. Her issues were directly tied to her past experiences, clouding her judgment where Zach was concerned. While he also had a disappointing relationship with his family growing up, the impact was completely different and their contrasts were interesting. Their network of friends offered valuable perspectives to Josie and Zach as they navigated their way towards a relationship.

I liked the story, especially how rescued animals were featured. Not only were Josie and Zach nurturing them, they were also healing the humans’ souls, a very powerful message. The narrator did a good job of capturing Josie (and the other female characters), even though she could be uneven at times, but her male voices were a challenge. I still really enjoyed listening to the story and was just happy to be back in Hope and catching up with everyone from the earlier books. 3.5 stars