Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of One Last Shot in exchange for my honest opinion. I think this is one of the best covers that I’ve seen lately 😍
Set in Cinque Terre and Boston’s North Shore, this debut is a second chance romance, where a supermodel attends a photo campaign being shot by the man she made a wedding pact with in high school. The book includes chapters in the present at the photo shoot in Italy, where the descriptions made me feel like I was there, and chapters from the couple in high school, attending Salem High. Having formerly taught at Salem High, I especially enjoyed these flashbacks. I’m so glad that in my time working in Salem I was introduced to Bagel World, which is mentioned by name in the book. As a Massachusetts transplant from NJ, bagels are VERY important to me, and I am super picky about MA bagels. I agree that Bagel World has good bagels, and I tried to be understanding when students were late to class because of the BW line. If you’re not from the NJ/NY area, you may think I’m a little off-my-rocker, caring this much about bagels, but I don’t think you understand how amazing a fresh bagel can be!
Back to the audiobook. The dual narration by Brittany Pressley and Sean Patrick Hopkins made this read especially enjoyable. Both give emotional performances. I highly recommend the audio, even though miscommunication is a key plot point - I was pleasantly distracted enough by the narrators that I didn’t focus on that pet peeve, a big compliment to them.
I virtually joined the Boston.com Book Club last night to hear more from the author and her interview partner. I thought the author did a great job talking (without spoilers) about the origins of the book and her viral tiktok success - and she gave us a little info about her second and even third books which are in the works! I love that Boston.com chose a local debut author for their June book club pick.

The perfect mis-communication trope. Add in childhood memories, a manager who is a beast, and an old vow and you have a perfect summer read. I adored every word and have recommended it to my patrons. Loved it!

Big thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC copy of this cute, summer read!

I thought that this was such a cute, fun read! I really enjoyed the audio version of this and thought it gave it a bit more life. I think I am leaning towards being a fan of the second chance romance trope for sure.
Definitely thrilled that this took place in Italy, what a perfect setting!!

This was absolutely a great, quick listen!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an early copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

I'm usually not one for second chance romance, but this was a pretty sweet one! I really enjoyed the flashbacks to their childhood and think that it tied the whole story together. I think that's what made me enjoy it more than I normally would because it really shows you how they built their relationship and gave so much more weight to everything.

My one complaint was that I hate the miscommunication trope, and that's what this whole book really revolves around, so if that's a dealbreaker for you, then beware. It felt like if they had just stopped and talked for even one moment, then the whole story never would have happened. It also felt like that was the reason for any conflict that ever happens in the book to make things more interesting.

I did enjoy how sweet Emerson and Theo are together. When they do finally get a moment to talk and be themselves with each other, they really do fit together well. I enjoyed their moments of realness most out of all of it.

If you need a fun summer romance, this might be the book for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was surprised by this book in a great way. Betty Cayouette wrote about modeling and fame in a way that was felt relatable.
She also handled a difficult topic (TW: SA) in such a careful when handling way that is respectful. Make sure to listen/ read the authors note on this!
Plus it is set with the backdrop of Italy - one of my favorite places.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and Betty Cayouette for this ALC!

Unique story from a debut author! One I think many of my patrons will enjoy for the summer. It did have a good amount of spice but a great addition to the summer titles I’m looking to add to the library!

Emerson, a world renowned supermodel, is freshly out of a relationship and thinking about the marriage pact she had with her high school friend, Theo. They both agreed that if they weren’t married by 28, they’d marry each other. Lucky for her, Theo is a fashion photographer, so she convinces her agent to put her on a campaign shoot in order to rekindle their romance. They didn’t end their friendship on great terms, so Emerson has her work cut out for her to get back in Theo’s good graces.

This is a super cute romance that briefly deals with heavy topics such as sexual assault and parental neglect. Most of this is implied, but it provides context to Emerson’s character. I love romances that are slightly unrealatable. The story pulled me into the fantasy of living the model life on set in Italy, but Emerson faced real world problems that kept the plot in reality. In general I feel like friends-to-lovers stories have better pacing than other tropes, and this one is no exception. Thanks to NetGalley and Betty Cayouette for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Before mentioning the story at all, I want to acknowledge the authors note at the beginning of the book. I need to commend the Author so wholeheartedly on bringing the everyday lives of woman who have survived sexual assault the foreground of this story. An all too common experience, and I appreciate the respect it shows to the individuals to present a past trauma as just that, a past trauma. Something that shapes growth but does not stop it, or hinder hope for wonderful things to come.

Moving on to the story itself. I loved the set up, I liked the narrative style, the characters were great. But beware. A major piece of contention plot wise is the miscommunication trope. This book would have been two chapters if the characters had just been honest right away. Considering the fact that I enjoyed this anyway, the rest of it must have been really well written. This book was absolutely not perfect, but the merits outweigh any minor gripes I had with it. I enjoyed it immensely and would absolutely recommend. I look forward to reading more from this author.

📖My Thoughts📖


Romcoms. They’re one of my absolute favorite genres to read. Maybe it’s the happy, bubbly cuteness? Whatever the case may be, sometimes I just feel like I can’t get enough!
I absolutely loved this book! I really liked the premise. It grabbed my attention and sounded like it would be a good one to jump into. It definitely didn’t disappoint! There were some Wedding Pact vibes going, along with a rollercoaster friends to lovers and family second chance tropes. *sigh* Oh Emerson and Theo. You two, ya drove your girl batsh*t crazy with your communication skills (or lack there of). On one hand, I had the “awwww they’re so cute!” feeling, and on the other side of the coin, it is was more like, “AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! You’re killing me Smalls!”
There were quite a few triggers in this book that are listed by the author, who does an amazing job portraying the emotions in a very tasteful manner.
This is a slow burn, allowing you to just envelop yourself into the story, feeling almost as though you’re seeing everything unfold right before you.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book. I think the narrators Betty Cayouette; Brittany Pressley; Sean Patrick Hopkins did a sensational job bringing this debut romance to life.
As always, I picked this one based on the cover. What can I say? I like living on the edge. It absolutely met my standards and then some! I plowed through this gem in one day! Betty Cayouette, I look forward to reading more of your work!
Thank you McMillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5 stars rounded down. I have admittedly never heard of this author until I read this book, and found out in the acknowledgements that apparently she is a viral TikTok star. That being said, I found this book to be good but not great. I love the famous/not famous troupe and appreciated the friends to lovers aspect of this book. It was the miscommunication and complete LACK of communication that bothered me at time. I felt the plot moved forward quite quickly at the beginning, slowed significantly in the middle but the end did wrap up nicely. I liked the portions of the books that showed the past relationship of Emerson and Theo, but at times they almost felt a bit unnecessary. This review seems critical, but I did enjoy the book. The positives were definitely the setting, the author transported us immediately to Italy in the summer which I appreciated, and I did enjoy the story itself. I also very much enjoyed the narration of the book. I thought the voice actors truly made the book come to life. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it might not be one that is remembered forever.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this second chance romance that is the perfect summer read! Emerson and Theo were best friends in high school, and made a pact to marry each other if neither were already married by the time they were 28. After not seeing each other for years, they come together on a photo shoot and rekindle their friendship and hopefully more. This was filled with all the sweet and angsty moments that I love in a second chance romance. I was fully invested in seeing theses two get their happily ever after!, I was pleasantly surprised that this was written by a debut author and I’m excited to see what comes next for Betty!

The narration for this is what really made the book! I love Brittany Pressley and Sean Patrick Hopkins is becoming one of my favorites! They both brought their characters to life and I could really feel the emotions coming through in their performance!

This was such a sweet book. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, but their story was beautiful! I loved getting the past story too! They are a swoony and the mutual pining was just everything!!

4.5 rounded to 5 ! I have been so excited to read this book ever since I saw Betty was writing her own book! This book was super cute…

*Dual POV and timeline
*childhood friends to lovers
*second chance romance
*set in Italy
*celebrity romance
*slow burn

LOVED! and the ending was just like the movies- so swoony !

Also, the narration on this book was amazing !! Brittany Presley and Sean Patrick Hopkins did a great job bringing Emerson and Theo to life

One Last Shot is a fun friends-to-lovers/rekindled romance set in Cinque Terre, Italy (a place I love!) about a photographer and a model coming back together. I will say that the characters can sometimes be frustrating and it drags on for probably just a bit too long, but that does sometimes happen (in both romance books and in real life). I will admit that part of why they were frustrating is because I did come to care about them, so overall that is probably a good sign.

It makes for a good audiobook; I enjoyed having two narrators as it made them both more relatable.

For fans of Italy, friends-to-lovers, and celebrity/pop culture, One Last Shot is a solid choice.

🍩 🍩 🍩 🍩 / 5

A marriage pact, the fashion industry (one MC is a supermodel and the other is a photographer), childhood friends and a beautiful setting in Cinque Terre Italy made this book a really fun read! Emerson and Theo were childhood besties who had some wonderful and special times but fell out of touch. They had a marriage pact that if they aren’t married by 28 they would marry each other - the time has come and both are single!

I really enjoyed many aspects of this book but also will say some parts fell a little flat for me - I find it a bit hard to believe an 17-18 year old boy would be so thoughtful and pensive hanging on every word she said but that is the beauty of books! They give you the chance to escape to a world that perhaps you wish you had!!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s press, and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this book! Brittany Pressley and Sean Patrick Hopkins, the narrators of the audiobook, were amazing to listen to! I felt the emotion in both of their voices! I also absolutely loved and adored the author’s note.

This book had me smitten from the second my eyes landed on the cover! What a swoon-worthy and stunning illustration of Cinque Terre and an awesome depiction of our main characters.

I was expecting Italy to take a much larger role in this story - which was what peaked my interest initially, since I lived there for 3 years.
While it did host the majority of the story's events, the characters and their plot truly shined.
I loved the twist on a typical contemporary romance, where the characters' timelines were woven together from the past and present. The photographer/model plot line was also quite fun to read as it played out how the characters interacted. Additionally, I appreciated how eye-opening it was to read about celebrities and their battles with paparazzi and the press.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

One Last Shot follows Emerson and Theo in a then timeline, as they meet and become best friends in high school, and now ten years laters as they reconnect. Emerson, an incredibly famous model. asks to be in the campaign Theo is shooting when the notification for their marriage pact comes up on her phone. She has one week to get Theo back, which is proving to be difficult since he is shutting her out. But, as they each open up more and more, can they make this relationship work?

One Last Shot had such a fun setting and plot. It truly was unique in its set up and touched on so many interesting topics. I loved the discussion of fame and how it affects your personal life and relationships. At several points in the book, I wasn't sure how Theo and Emerson were going to make it work due to her fame and chaotic schedule. It was devastating to see how fame impacted Emerson and made her more closed off and forced her to constantly act like everything was fine.

I loved getting to know both characters as children and as adults ten years later. It was interesting to see how much each had grown and how each of their lives took a bit of an unexpected turn. It was clear to me that during their time apart, both characters grew a lot individually. However, I did not love the sheer amount of miscommunication that took place throughout the now timeline. I understand the main one since they were both young and Emerson didn't know any better. This one has been carried over since they were 18 and it takes the entire book to resolve, which I think added a lot to the plot. What I didn't enjoy, though, was the constant additional miscommunication that happens as they meet and rekindle their friendship. I understand that you can't just tell someone you haven't seen in ten years everything, but it seems like some of it was dragged out more than it should have been.

Minor spoilers ahead:

In addition, I didn't love how the topic of SA was handled. I know the author was doing her best to treat the topic with the utmost care, but it seemed almost overdone at the end? It felt as though key words were thrown in just because. I also didn't really understand the authors note at the beginning. She talks about how some people can go through SA and live a normal life despite it and that is what she was trying to portray with the character. Though Emerson does become incredible successful and her SA is not the only part of her identity, it is very very clear that it affects her on a day to day basis. Her SA completely and utterly changed the trajectory of her life and so to say that she tried to make a character who's SA isn't their identity confused me. The entire book revolved around this.

---------------------------------Spoilers over---------------------------------

Ultimately, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to friends. I think it was a fun read and covered some interesting topics very well. I also enjoyed the writing style a lot. The narrators also did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. I would love to read more from this author in the future and will be checking out other works with these narrators.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for this ALC!

I truly do not have the words to capture how much this story captured my heart. Emerson and Theo are characters that you end up understanding so deeply that they feel real. Betty Cayouette has a rare ability to truly tap into the emotions of her readers, and creating characters they will fall in love with. Emerson and Theo’s story has continued to live in my head and delight me ever since I read it. This is a second-chance romance that has you smiling and kicking your feet, it is magnificent.

Though the main trope is miscommunication, which could throw a lot of readers off, this isn’t the focus of the book. There are moments of miscommunication but not *silly* miscommunication.

The audio narration is incredible. Brittany Pressley and Sean Patrick Hopkins brought the characters of Emerson and Theo to life and really immersed me in the story.

This was a true 5 star read for me, I couldn’t get enough of it and I never wanted it to end. I adore this story & these characters. An absolutely fantastic debut novel by Betty Cayouette!

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Betty Cayouette for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Expect:
Second Chance Romance
Armchair Traveling to Italy
Dual POVs
Dual Timelines
Miscommunication
Friends to Lovers
Past Trauma
Marriage Pact

I thought this was a great audiobook! Very well written with the dual pov/ timelines. Friends to lovers and second chance are my favorite tropes, both of which were in this book. The thing I didn’t like about it was the miscommunication trope. I posted a Bookstagram review, which I have linked down below.

A blushy new romance for all you travel lovers! I loved the Italian setting in this one. It really created the perfect atmosphere for love to blossom!