ARC Review

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy: 🚫🌶️

-Dual POV
-Small Town Romance
-Brother’s Best Friend
-Forced Proximity
-Grumpy x Sunshine

Samantha left her hometown after graduation and didn’t look back. She had a lot of trauma back home, she avoided it like the plague until she was forced to go back home for a work project.
Austin was a town favorite, Sam’s childhood crush and her best friend’s brother.
After stumbling into each other again they just clicked.

This was such a cute clean read with closed door romance.

Felt pretty basic but it's not a bad romance per se. I did like it. But that's it. Not a favorite, not special. Some specific things that happened and that Sam did annoyed me a lot.

3.5!! Rounded down, but this was not a bad debut!!

Sam is a real estate developer for resorts and gets subbed in for a site visit to her hometown. While there, she has to deal with her alcoholic mother, her ex best friend, her old crush (austin, her ex best friend’s brother), her shitty boss, and her weird coworker. Sparks start flying with Austin, and she is stuck deciding if she wants to be with Austin, which involves moving back to her drama-full hometown, or retreat back to her safe space in NYC.

I liked the plot line, even though it seemed a bit discombobulated at the beginning as it sounded like two different plots until the 17% mark when the two MCs first interacted. Then it really picked up!! Ivy was my favorite character as her absolute sass and sarcasm were to die for. Shes such an icon and wasnt even a major character!!!!

My issue was the “third act breakup” as both of them saw it coming from a mile away but didn’t know what to do about it and just let it bubble over. I also hated the proposal at the end - they always usually feel SO forced when it happens in an epilogue!!! I loved Austin as he was very set in his mind from the get go about who is his and what he wants to do (aside from the fishing boat), but I didn’t really like Sam. She just ran and hid from all of her problems… are we 13? I really thought she’d mature while back home, but it took her going back to NY to see that she actually really messed up and can’t hide from her issues.

Side note - Robby is a red flag for HR and should be fired immediately like the stuff he did would NEVERRRR fly in corporate America.

Overall a fun read! Thank you Forever pub & Net Galley for the e-arc!

If you are looking for a slow-flow romance, that isn’t cutesy, then you will enjoy Kristin Wollett’s debut novel, As a Last Resort. This story delves into complex emotions and realistic character interactions, offering a mature and engaging reading experience. It’s a great choice for those who appreciate nuanced relationships and captivating storytelling.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I rated it 4.25 stars! It was a quick and fun read, and I’m so grateful to have received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. So impressed by this debut author, and I hope to read more from her!

This was such a great and well written debut novel. I really enjoyed the “coming home” story for Samantha and resonated a lot with her story as I too grew up in a really toxic environment and was forced to grow up quickly in situations where I should have been given the opportunity to just be a kid.

With that said, I felt like the cover was misleading, I picked this up with the full intention of thinking it’d be a cute summer read but the story does include a lot of moments where characters discuss grief emphasis and their deeply rooted childhood trauma.

The romance between the two main characters Austin and Samantha was so sweet and I felt like it was so realistic where we get the perfect “opposites attract.” The two complimented each other in ways that my husband and I shared very similar characteristics such as a man that wants to take care of someone/provide and be his partners source of comfort (and comes from a good home and a woman who had a harder childhood and feels like she cannot depend on others.)

The author did a great job of making the side characters likable and showing the dynamic of rekindled adult friendships and relationships with coworkers whom become friends. The banter was playful and it had great pacing and I personally felt like this book had a lot of substance.

Loved the characters and the witty banter. Very impressed to learn it was a debut! Gave me EmHen vibes and made me LOL throughout.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As A Last Resort is a delightful, heartfelt small-town romance that balances humor, heat, and emotion perfectly. Samantha Leigh’s return to Rock Island forces her to face her past—her complicated family, the friends she left behind, and her long-time crush Austin Marcs. Austin is charming, patient, and exactly the kind of steady presence Samantha needs, but their growing attraction isn’t without obstacles.
What makes this story shine is the authenticity of their connection. The banter is witty and playful, the stolen moments are sizzling, and the emotional depth is grounded in real struggles and personal growth. Both Samantha and Austin have past hurts and baggage, and watching them navigate trust, love, and self-discovery felt genuine and satisfying. With a charming coastal setting, richly drawn characters, and a romance that truly earns its happy ending, this debut by Kristin Wollett is an engaging, swoony read I highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A girl who ran from her hometown years ago forced to return to secure the promotion she’s worked so hard for?! SAY LESS. I looooved Sam. She was so sarcastic and sassy—my kind of FMC. Her inner struggles as she was forced to return home and confront all the ghosts of her past were so real and raw, I felt them deep and true in my own chest. And Austin 🫠 the most PERFECT man for her, who didn’t demand she be anything but herself. All said, this was so fun with a lot of heart. An absolutely stunning debut.

Unfortunately this one wasn't for me.
i'm unsure if it's me being a mood reader, the speed of the story, or me just not being able to connect with the characters.
thank you for the opportunity to read this book

If you are looking for a slow-flow romance, that isn’t cutesy, then you will enjoy Kristin Wollett’s debut novel, As a Last Resort. The story follows a career-driven woman whose perfect future boyfriend might not be who she expects in a partner, all set against the backdrop of a charming Florida coastal town. It’s the very town that Samantha wanted to run away from.

What I Liked About As a Last Resort:

Every good rom-com book has entertaining banter between the main characters, and I appreciated this part of the story between Samantha and Austin. It made the story more realistic as two people, who knew each other growing up, would use teasing (and yes, flirting) to get the other person’s attention.

An interesting part of the book deals with the relationship between Samantha and her mother, who is an alcoholic. Samantha didn’t have an easy childhood because of it, but I was still cheering on that relationship as well.

I enjoy books that are relatable and funny but also contain deeper life issues. This book has all three. Although it is somewhat predictable (what rom-com book isn’t?), I enjoyed the storyline. It helped me to forget about life for a while, and that is exactly what I was hoping for while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Kristin Wollett for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Read this if you like:
•debuts
•relatable characters
•complicated family relationships

What a fabulous debut. Sam escalated her hometown but now she’s back for a job as she tries to win this promotion. This also means confronting her past and making peace with it if she can. If you’re in your 30s, have been passed over and over for promotions and are feeling stuck and frustrated, this book is for you (hi I related to this way too much 😅). The romance was adorable and the premise of this book was so fun! Thank you forever for the arc!

Sam escapes her hometown after an accident and never wanted to look back. Her becomes successful but overlooked in her big city job. When she’s fighting for a promotion and gets a chance to prove herself the biggest obstacle she has to overcome is going back home. Sam reconnects with friends and rebuilds old relationships. The Last Resort is a sweet romcom with real problems, complex characters, and an engaging plot. I flew through this book and really enjoyed every part of it!

Who says you can't go home? Sam, a city girl, ends up having to return to her hometown in Florida for an extended stay due to work. Back to her alcoholic mother, the mean girls, the best friend she abandoned, and her best friend's brother...

What I liked:
*The secret forest beach.
*The Bolt and the trio of old ladies.

What didn't work for me:
*Almost everything about the FMC. Her high heels especially bothered me. Don't claim to know and appreciate the beauty of the island, but fail to bring (or refuse to wear) appropriate shoes.
*The dual POVs - I had to keep flipping back to check whose chapter it was.

Overall, this book was not for me. It felt too formulaic and took a long time for me to get into. If it were not an ARC, I would not have finished it.

Thank you Forever for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

As a Last Resort snuck up on me as an unexpected favorite read of August. As a highly driven career woman myself, I was able to relate to the FMC in this regard and I enjoyed watching her journey to let someone in. This was so well written I was amazed it was a debut!

4.25 stars

This is a very well written debut that dealt with heavier topics of addiction as well as the lighter romance. I can't imagine dealing with a mother like hers and found the parts where the two interact to be very emotional and truly heartbreaking. Sam deserved so much better. Then we also meet Austen and to be honest i think he's the best book boyfriend I've come across in quite a while!

Not a cutesy fluffy read, this is so much more and i highly recommend!

Kristin Willer’s debut novel, AS A LAST RESORT, was a sweet surprise. It was fun, flirty, and had unexpected depth.

Samantha Leigh left her small Florida town with zero intention of returning after a traumatic upbringing by her alcoholic, pill popping, promiscuous mother. She’s built a life as a successful real estate developer in New York City. Thinking her small town days were behind her, she’s not too thrilled to make a return visit filling in for an ailing coworker.

Austin Marcs is the opposite. He’s a small town boy with a growing business in his hometown and has no intention of leaving. He’s also Samantha’s childhood best friend’s brother. He’s sworn of relationships since getting his heart broken by his former fiancé.

Neither is looking for love, but love doesn’t care. I absolutely delighted in their blossoming relationship. Used to doing it all on her own, Samantha learns she doesn’t have to when Austin is around. He’s steady, reliable, and just the thing she needs to allow herself to start healing. There are some heavy issues tackled here, life grief, loss, and estrangement; but they are handled with the right mix of lightness and sensitivity.

Three cheers for the strong women in Samantha’s life. Everyone could use friends and allies like Lexi and Ivy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Rated 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5)

I really enjoyed this story, it gives so many feels, about hope, love, forgiveness and so much more. The small town feels were amazing. I love the found family and friendships that Sam found. Seeing the growth that Sam had with her past and coming to terms was amazing and well done. Sam and Austin’s romance didn’t feel rushed, it felt real. If you are looking for some laughs and emotions then I would totally recommend this book.

Kristin Wollett did a great job with her debut novel. Hoping there is another book with Ivy.

Listened to on audio.
Narrated by Kristin Wollett and Patrick Zeller. I loved that the author narrated for the FMC. You could just tell all the emotions that she wanted to express.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever for the chance to read As a last resort by Kristin Wollett. This is the author's debut rom-com, and while I found it a bit slow to begin, I ended up totally enjoying it, and became a bit emotional with Samantha and her alcoholic mother's relationship. I loved the chemistry between Samantha and Austin, but my favorite character was Ivy; Samantha's personal assistant! She was a hoot, and I think deserves her own story! This was a great summer read, but does deal with issues of substance abuse.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

As a Last Resort is such a strong debut! Sam’s return to her hometown of Rock Island was layered with authenticity—family struggles, old wounds, and a second-chance romance that felt both heartfelt and believable. I loved the character building, the way the conflict never felt forced, and the realness of the storyline. The setting itself felt alive, adding so much depth to the story.

I’m very thankful for the ARC opportunity and will be eagerly anticipating Kristin Wollett’s next book. Highly recommend for fans of contemporary romance and character-driven women’s fiction.