ONE LAST SHOT -- Betty Cayouette
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 978-1250291103
May 7, 2024
Contemporary Romance

Cinque Terre, Italy – Present Day

Emerson and Theo met on the first day of high school and hit it off as friends. They supported each other throughout their teenage years. Meanwhile, Emerson started modeling and her career took off. When they were eighteen, they made a pact. They will marry each other if they are not married in ten years. He declares his love, but shortly afterward, Emerson cuts all ties with Theo by telling him that she does not love him.

Fast forward ten years and the date of their pact is nearly here. Emerson is a world-famous model and Theo is an up-and-coming photographer. Through some finagling, she gets a fashion shoot job in Italy—where Theo is the photographer. She needs to know if their pact is going to be kept. It turns out Emerson lied when she told Theo that she wasn’t in love with him. Now she needs to get close enough to him to see if he is still in love with her. It isn’t going to be easy because there are forces working against them.

Emerson wants to give it ONE LAST SHOT with the only man she has ever loved. Why did she tell Theo ten years ago that she didn’t love him? I won’t go into the details but suffice to say, the reason is an emotional reaction to what happened to her while on a modeling gig. Theo tries to keep his feelings about her underneath the surface, but he can’t help watching—and wanting—her. Everyone on the shoot is wondering why a supermodel would want to do a fashion shoot for a company that is considered low on the totem pole. Well, Emerson wants Theo. But she isn’t about to come up to him and declare her love. She has too much pride for that.

ONE LAST SHOT alternates between Emerson and Theo’s points of view and from the present day to their high school years. We see them meet and go with them through their high school friendship…and beyond. Both have moved on, but is there a chance they can find love again? It will not be easy for them to be alone while on the shoot because not only are they busy but there are a lot of people milling around. However, they do manage to slip away a couple of times and rediscover the magic of their long-ago friendship. Now Emerson just has to take the plunge and ask Theo if he still loves her. Readers will soon be rooting for them to find their way to a happily ever after.

An emotional tale about a reunited couple and their pact to marry ten years ago. Will they honor the pact, or go their separate ways? Find out by picking up a copy of the intriguing and touching ONE LAST SHOT.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

Theo and Emerson have loved each other since freshman year of high school. But after something traumatic happened the summer after senior year, Emerson left Theo a note and fled for LA. They haven’t spoken since.
10 years later, their phones vibrate with a reminder of the pact they made when they were younger: if they are still single at 28, they will marry each other.

Emerson chased her dreams and is now a famous supermodel, while Theo followed his and became a photographer. When an opportunity arises for them to work together, they rekindle their friendship like no time has passed and old feelings never died.

There’s something about that first love that will always hold a special place in your heart, and for Theo and Emerson, no one could ever compare!

This story is written in dual POV, fluctuating between past and present times, and reading about the beginning of their love story was truly a gem.
@ashsgoodreads said you will make the 🥹 face while reading, and I definitely did that many times!

Tropes: friends to lovers, second chance romance
TW: sexual assault

Donuts were a huge significance for Theo and Emerson’s relationship, so naturally I had to get their favorite flavors, maple and glazed.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this early release!

Maybe it’s the rainy day I read this on, but wow was it fun to escape to Cinque Terre for a while! I can get a little frustrated with books where I just want to yell at the main characters, “COMMUNICATE!” But I ended up really falling for Emerson and Theo. Even though it was a friends-to-lovers/fated story, they both had lives outside of each other which made it feel more real. A very sweet romance!

3.75/5 stars

Emerson, a supermodel at 28, is ready to find the real thing in the romance department after yet another breakup with the wrong guy. She thought she had that once, as a teenager with Theo, her best friend in high school and now a successful commercial photographer. However, a shocking and terrible event sent her fleeing their relationship with no explanation at all to Theo.

When she hears about a photo shoot that Theo is doing in Italy and mindful of a pact they made ten years before, Emerson finagles her way into the shoot to see if their relationship is still salvageable. As she and Theo slowly work through their past, Emerson begins to open up about why she left with no explanation. As they grow closer, they face new challenges around Emerson’s celebrity status and Theo’s insecurity about all that it entails.

There is a trigger warning here, dealt with off the page, and I was intrigued and impressed by how the author approached Emerson’s character because of it. This is not a “recovery from a horrific event” book. Emerson is a strong and confident woman and has dealt with her trauma on her own terms…it does not define or control her life.

I enjoyed the book, though at times I became a little frustrated with Emerson as she’s very single-minded about winning Theo back. Theo was actually my favorite character with his pining heart and steadfast loyalty.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for providing the free early arc of One Last Shot for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

One Last Shot is a celeb/second chance/friends to lovers romance that hits a lot of familiar beats, but does it pretty well. From BookTok/Bookstagram star and debut author Betty Cayouette, it’s no surprise that this book seems to know exactly which trope-y buttons it wants to push. Besides the above, we have:
* A gorgeous Italian Riviera setting
* Childhood/first love-that-got-away
* A nefarious agent/manager who knows what’s “best” (and what’s best is not the OTP)
* Fake dating the gay (or in this case bi) bestie/fellow celeb for career advancement
* Donuts. A LOT of donuts. And ice cream. And In-n-Out. (Thankfully, but perhaps surprisingly this book about a fashion supermodel avoids most mentions of disordered eating)
* Fame/success/economic disparity
* A barely-there third act breakup (really not even that, just “space”)

Cayouette has made her name knowing what makes romance readers tick, and her debut book shows she’s learned those lessons well. One Last Shot is breezy, emotional, sun-soaked and sexy. Really can’t complain.

CW: Sexual assault (off page), abusive/manipulative authority figure, mentally ill parent

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good friends to lovers/second chance romance but definitely a bit cheesy. The writing was just ok but the second chance part made it worth it. I didn't know anything re: BookTok or that this author/book was viral? The premise was good but I found myself skimming toward the end because the HEA was so drawn out. You may have better luck!

One Last Shot comes out next week on May 7, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.

". . . I want someone who believes in me, like the couple in Legally Blonde. Who's my best friend, like they are in When Harry Met Sally. Who would give me the raft in Titanic, except I wouldn't let them. We'd both find a way to fit on that tiny door, because they totally could have. I want my heart to race when I see their message, like in You've Got Mail. Basically Em, all your movies ruined me. Because now I need the spark."

I wish I could give half stars because this book is really a 3.5. There are aspects of it I really loved. The way it handles mental health and sexual assault is really good and well done. I also really enjoyed the two characters and their relationship. I also love books about famous people (the view was exhausting is a fave). But this book failed on that front. None of the celebrity stuff made any sense. I know way too much about pop culture so it all stuck out (she’s a supermodel but her career will tank if she does a collab with what sounds like target? Even tho who hasn’t done a collab with a lower priced retailer. He’s a photographer who could have been major but exclusively works catalogue? But I’d know for their campaigns?? Her ex is basically Harry styles and they were in a PR relationship but then it became real then PR again? Also this woman’s fame seemed Giselle level which…ok!)

A good read but I just had too many questions but someone who’s less online would probably not worry about that.

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette is a perfect summer romance story. It's easygoing, but at the same time, it has a deep layer. Expected Publication is May 7th, 2024.

Emerson and Theo met as teenagers and were inseparable. Emerson at 28 is a supermodel, and Theo is a photographer, but they are not together anymore. Emerson wants to change that and decides to rekindle their relationship.

The story of One Last Shot is straightforward, but what sets it apart are its characters. The author has done an amazing job of portraying realistic characters, especially Theo. For readers who like second chance romance, friends turned lovers, this one is perfect.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press @stmartinspress , for this book.

CW: Panic/anxiety attacks, mention of SA

One Last Shot is an incredible debut - with a beautiful, second chance love story, a remarkable setting, and characters that are both entertaining and relatable, Betty Cayouette really knocks it out of the park.

Emerson is one of my favorite main characters I have read so far this year. She is more than what you see at surface level - with a complicated childhood and trauma in her past, she has a depth to her that is easily readable on every page. She’s dynamic, kind, funny, and I loved how she truly cares about those around her. Emerson’s backstory deals with the complications of mental health with her mom’s hoarding and her own trauma from a sexual assault, and both topics are written about with such care and dignity.

Theo is an equally beautiful soul - and matches and contrasts Emerson perfectly. The flashbacks into their high school romance allow us to see Theo’s heart from day one, and the level to which he loves Emerson had me swooning. I love Theo’s security in who he is - he was popular and an athlete, but also had that deeply creative side that Emerson helped bring out and he kept true to himself as an adult.

The chemistry between Emerson and Theo leaps off the page in this story, and they were easy to root for the whole book. The pacing, the POVs, and the flashbacks to high school perfectly unraveled their story - and kept me turning the pages. The dual narrators in the audiobook are also incredible. Each narrator brings out the words on the pages, nailing the inflections and excitement and hesitancy of the lines as they are read. You can clearly listen and understand them at higher listening speeds as well, which is always a plus.

Overall, I am so looking forward to what Betty writes next!

One Last Shot is a second chance romance on the Italian coast where high school friends meet up again after ten years for a photo shoot. In their journey to get back to together, some forces are helping, and others are seeking to destroy the trust these old friends are trying to rebuild. While occasionally frustrated with the pace it does allow the reader to see the friendship reestablished before focusing on the romance. Wonderful descriptions of the landscape adds to the reading experience. TW:sexual abuse in the past is referenced though not described.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the ALC and ARC of One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette. All opinions are my own.

I would’ve never known that this was a debut novel had I not looked it up. It was written so well and had such a unique premise. I don’t think I’ve read many stories about modeling, and I loved the setting as well.

Second chance romance is one of my favorite genres, and I especially enjoy when authors include flashbacks to the previous relationship. In this story, the flashbacks were so cute. I loved seeing Emerson and Theo when they were teenagers. Their friendship was so wholesome and envious.

I also liked the present-day chapters because the characters were still great and hadn’t let fame or life circumstances change them too much. I also appreciated the dual POVs because I could see how much each character cared about the other.

The setting was beautiful, and I would definitely love reading more books set there. It was also interesting to read about the behind-the-scenes aspects of modeling and photoshoots since I knew very little about them.

My only issue with this book was the miscommunication. If Emerson and Theo would’ve talked things through early on, they would’ve avoided so much heartache.

Overall, I think this was a great debut, and I would definitely be interested in reading another book by this author.

I discovered One Last Shot by way of a TikTok video teasing the book/vibe and I was instantly hooked. Sadly the book wasn’t actually available yet so I bookmarked it and continued to check NetGalley for it. When a widget appeared in my inbox I was PYSCHED and immediately fell in love with Emerson and Theo. It’s a second-chance romance by way of a decade-long marriage pact from when they were teenagers in love. But after an incident tore them apart at the age of eighteen, she’s gone on to become one of the top models in the world and he’s a fashion photographer. When the reminder of the marriage pact goes off, Emerson schemes to get herself placed on Theo’s upcoming shoot in Italy. Over the course of a week, they each have to face their fears and put aside tensions and regrets to find a way to reconnect and give it one last shot to work. I enjoyed the flashbacks in time between the present and their past, plus the dual point of view in both timelines. The setting doesn’t hurt either!

The way I loved Emerson and Theo's story.

This is a beautiful second chance romance, you just feel the connection through the writing. Their friendship was adorable when they were younger.

Emerson is a supermodel who gets a notification on her phone about a marriage pact she made with her HS best friend, Theo. She hasn't spoken to him in a decade but finds put he is a photographer with a shoot in Italy. Being the amazing supermodel, she inserts herself into the gig.

Theo and Emerson reconnect while in Italy, tiptoeing around their true feelings for each other. Even after all these years.

Theo is one of the sweetest men I have ever read about while Emerson is so relatable as a woman who has experienced a traumatic event while trying not to make that her whole personality.

I throughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley, publishers and author for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a fun and different take on the marriage pact trope.

Emerson and Theo were a couple you couldn't help but pull for. Unfortunately, they had so many near misses over the course of their friendship where one of them doubted the other's true feelings and they stayed "friend-zoned" when they should have been more, There were some heavy topics included in the story, such as sexual assault, mental illness and more. Be prepared for those if they are trigger topics for you. I felt like the author did a beautiful job of writing these topics and handled them gently and with authenticity.

If you're looking for a sweet and meaningful story about second chances that feels a little different from many of the others, this might be just what you're trying to find.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The narration was very good and kept me engrossed in the story. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook.

Emerson and Theo are an amazing duo. Years of friendship leads to a phone alert notification reminding them if a pact they made. “If not married yet, marry each other”. She is a model, he’s a photographer but they’d never worked together. Emerson wanted to see him again and there was no better way than to make her way into his current ad campaign and restart their friendship. Of course they both hope for more but after years apart are afraid to make moves.

The way he cares and protects her shows true love and tenderness. Their years of friendship seeping through. The flashbacks to their pasts to understand their present was so well done. Absolutely loved.

This book was el todo naranja. The whole orange. (Read it, you’ll understand). A marriage pact between two long-distant high school besties brings Emerson and Theo back together circuitously.

I loved the setting (primarily Cinque Terre, also Salem, LA, NYC). I loved that this was a photographer-model romance…but started before they were either of those things. I loved getting a look inside the “rich and powerful” lifestyles and dating contracts of Hollywood.

I didn’t especially love all the miscommunication—but it’s a romance, and is it definitely a trope. I did love that each of the MC’s had friends to tell them when they were being idiots though. It always helps to push the story along!

Overall, this was a perfect summer read. Light, fun, has characters with back stories, and perfect for the beach or pool. Light spice (one open door scene but not particularly graphic; lots of sexual tension). Highly recommend!

Sadly I had to DNF. The book just wasn’t for me. First it’s a friends to lovers storyline which is not my favorite and secondly it relies heavily on the miscommunication trope which is truly and honestly the bane of my existence. Don’t let my review stop you—I’ve seen many people thoroughly enjoy this book so check it out if you like friends to lovers.

Emerson has it all thanks to her successful modeling career, she’s just missing out on love. After a reminder for the marriage pact she made with her best friend in high school goes off, she’s desperate to reconnect with Theo and reignite their spark. He’s a photographer, so she gets herself booked on his latest campaign. As Emerson and Theo get to know each other again, will secrets from the past continue to keep them apart? Or can they find their happy ending?

.

💭 Thoughts 💭

I really enjoyed this read! It is a romance, but it had a lot of substance too. Emerson had something truly traumatic happen to her in high school, and needed the time to heal before returning to Theo, and Theo had his own traumas from Emerson’s abrupt departure to deal with. I enjoyed the first half the most, during the second part Theo and Emerson both second guessed things a bit too much.

.

⌛️ Favorite Moment⌛️

At the beginning of the book Emerson breaks up with her current boyfriend for pretending to have read all the books that his stylist curated on his bookshelf. We love that energy!

If you like miscommunication romance, this one is for you. Emerson & Theo have known each other since high school. They became best friends & potentially something more. There had even made a marriage pact that if they weren’t married by 28, they would marry each other. But Emerson has something happen on a shoot right after Senior year and leaves Theo without explanation. Now the marriage pact alert has come up on Emerson’s phone and she decides to take a chance. She sets up a shoot with Theo on it. Then the miscommunication begins. I did find all of the moments a bit much but overall this was a good book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely.

One Last Shot is a second-chance friends-to-lovers romance featuring a supermodel and a photographer who were best friends in high school. It has two points of view, both of which are well-written and sympathetic, and the timeline switches between the characters' high school experience 10-15 years ago and present day.

The author is clearly knowledgeable about fashion and the modeling business, and she does a great job of sprinkling tidbits of information into the story in a way that added depth and interest - even for those of us who don't care much about fashion. I found the high school sections less interesting than the present-day ones, but they were necessary to give background and depth to the characters' personalities and their friendship. Even though this is a plot-lite, angst-heavy story - the "action" is essentially a bunch of pictures being taken and donuts being consumed, plus a few hikes - I was absorbed in the characters' feelings and the will-they-or-won't-they for most of its length.

My enthusiasm waned a bit, however, in the novel's final act. Once the characters got together, they seemed to bring out all each other's fears and insecurities, and the final chapters primarily highlighted all the possible issues with their relationship - i.e. that they live on opposite coasts and have different lifestyles - without actually solving them. Third-act breakups are a classic feature of romance novels - but I think this one could have better spent its energy developing the characters' present-day compatibility.

4 stars, a good light read.