Kristin Wollett’s debut novel, As A Last Resort, is a delightful small-town romance with a sassy female main character and a boat captain male main character from her past.

Samantha and Austin have chemistry and history, and I loved their interactions right from their first run-in. I also enjoyed the journey that Samantha goes on and the ways she grows and heals. The sass and banter had me smiling, too. Without giving too much away, this story is not only a romance. It deals with grief and addiction in realistic ways, without making the story slow or heavy. With equal parts romance, character development, and plot, I was thoroughly invested in Samantha’s story as a woman, daughter, and friend.

I also had a deep disdain for her obnoxious co-worker, which I’m sure was the point. And Wollett set it up nicely for a second book, which I really hope she writes. I’d love for Ivy to get her own book!

This is a fade-to-black romance, with moderate language and innuendo. The story deals with addiction, grief, and infidelity.

Once I dove into this story I was hooked. The slow burn had me honestly so heated only because I wanted them in love!! I enjoyed the story and the characters, and I felt like each was developed well. I only wish I had gotten a bit more time with them as a couple!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an ARC of As a Last Resort.

If you’re a fan of Hallmark-style stories, complete with a big-city girl returning to her small hometown then this one is right up your alley! It’s a charming, feel-good read that’s perfect for escaping reality and curling up on the couch.

Thanks again for the opportunity to read this delightful book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an advance copy of As a Last Resort.

This book had a slow start for me, but picked up and then I really enjoyed it. The main character dealt with the effects of having a parent with alcohol addiction, so if that is something that you are sensitive to, it is important to be aware of before you read. It is throughout the whole book, and affects how Samantha navigates life and relationships. Unfortunately, this is something I have experience with and I appreciated how the author handled the topic.

If you like Hallmark movies in book form, As a Last Resort is for you! (Ironically enough, I do not like Hallmark movies, but eat it up in a book. 🤷‍♀️)

Samantha ran away from her Floridian small town seven years ago to escape reminders of her alcoholic mother and a devastating accident. Now, climbing up the ladder at a major New York resort developer, a series of coincidences send her back to Rock Island to scout land for a new resort, but only for a month... right... Cue all the romcom cliches: clumsy moments as a city girl returns to small town life, terrible wifi, a promotion within reach, drama that is quickly resolved with the best friend she left behind, and a steamy romance with her childhood crush/former best friend's brother.

Literally a Hallmark movie and extremely predictable, yet very endearing and funny. A splendid, light summer read.

The perfect blend of Florida warmth and NYC hustle.

This was a 5 star read for me! I love a multilayered story, and the depth of friends and family, the coastal location (being a FL girl myself), along with Samantha and Austin's pov's gave it heart and humor, really making their world come alive.

Sam’s journey—navigating old wounds, family drama, relationships, and high school mean girls while chasing her career dreams— was very relatable to what many of us (including me) find as we balance our career and family life.

If you like
Opposites attract
Second chances
Small town
Forced proximity

And a Rom-Com that makes you smile one page and ache the next, this one’s for you!

Thanks to the author and publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was definitely a cute story! 💕 I love a good second chance romance, especially when it’s set in a small town and involves the best friend’s brother. Bonus points for a dash of big city vs. small town tension because it always adds extra drama.

Tropes you’ll find:
💌 Second chance romance
🏡 Small town charm
👨‍👩‍👧 Best friend’s older brother
🗽 Big city girl meets small town guy
💔 Family drama / healing from the past

Sam left Rock Island right after high school and never looked back. Now a real estate developer in NYC, she has zero plans to return that is until her boss drops a surprise assignment in her lap: Head to Rock Island to work on plans for a new resort.

Coming home means facing her past, including her complicated relationship with her mother’s alcoholism 💔. And then there’s Austin, her best friend’s older brother and former crush who is now running a ferry boat business ⛴. Sparks fly, but with lives rooted in two very different places, someone will have to take a leap.

This book surprised me. I went in expecting a light, fluffy rom-com, but while it definitely delivered on the cute beach-read vibes, slow burn romance, and plenty of banter, it also wove in heavier themes that pulled me in more than I expected.

Robby, though, threw me for a loop. I was sure we were headed toward a love triangle, but his role ended up being something else entirely. And honestly, someone should have told the FMC to book a therapy session or two.

Overall, a sweet, breezy read with a bit more depth than the cover might suggest.

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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow. This was such a beautiful story and romance. I highly recommend it if you enjoy witty main characters, quick and clever banter, a relaxing small-town setting, and a sweet MMC (I absolutely loved Austin)!

The characters were one of the biggest highlights for me. From the leads to the minor characters, every single one felt distinct and memorable. They were layered, realistic, and full of personality, yet still managed to remain likable throughout the story.

The dialogue was another strength. The banter between characters was sharp, funny, and fast-paced, making conversations feel both natural and entertaining. It gave the story an extra spark and brought so much charm to the reading experience.

I also loved how the multiple storylines intertwined. Each thread contributed something meaningful to the overall plot, and the pacing never dragged. There were no moments where I felt tempted to skim; instead, I was fully engaged from start to finish. The blend of humor, heartfelt moments, and romance kept me turning the pages long after I had planned to stop.

Overall, I truly enjoyed every part of this book and could feel the author’s care and attention in crafting it. The story felt polished, thoughtful, and full of heart. I will absolutely be following this author’s future work and look forward to reading whatever she releases next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Publishing, and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to review this arc.

As a Last Resort by Kristin Wollett is a story about forgiveness, second chances, and new beginnings. I love a good redemption story and this book has a lot of that.

These characters have their struggles and there is a lot of heavy feelings of resentment and anger and it’s interesting to see how they are each shaped by it.

Samantha chooses to push herself as far away from the life she lived as possible, running away from her home and the people who hurt her, burying herself in work desperate to forget. Austin, brokenhearted and betrayed throws himself into his charter boat business and leans on his family and those close to him to cope with it.

I enjoyed this book and its message of forgiveness. I especially liked the way the author showcased how differently people process the struggles they go through. This book has themes of alcohol abuse, with tropes of second chance romance, friends to lovers, best friends brother, and forced proximity.

If you love a small town romance, you will love this book. I became so invested in the characters and flew through this book.

Solid 4 out of 5 - i feel like I could have gone a little bit deeper with the MMC & FMC’s relationship but overall i genuinely just really loved reading this. Simple and sweet for the summer time

I flew through this book and absolutely loved it. I became invested in the characters rather quickly and couldn’t wait to see how everything turned out. This was the equivalent of some of the bigger romance writers (think Abby Jimenez)-well done!

✨ARC Review✨
As a Last Resort by Kristin Wollett
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Samantha is not the same girl she was when she left her small hometown years ago. When she has to go back for a month long work trip, she is forced to confront all of the people she's been running from. Austin, her ex best friend's brother and childhood crush, quickly becomes her friend. He is willing to face all of the uncomfortable parts of her life with her, and they may realize that a childhood crush may be something more.
~~
I really liked this book! It had a lot of super cute moments, but also had some heavier topics as well. Austin and Sam are such a great couple and have both chemistry as well as an amazing friendship. I really liked how Austin stepped in to help with Sam’s mom without question, and always made sure Sam had the support she needed. I was a little worried leading up to the end, thinking that one of them would have to give up what they love, but the resolution was absolutely perfect!
~~
Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for allowing me to read this amazing debut novel in exchange for my honest review. You can check out As a Last Resort when it comes out on September 2nd!

Thank you to Forever Pub and the author for my advance copy of As a Last Resort!

This was a fun summer read that unlocked a new fun micro trope for me (he’s a boat captain). I thought this book had really fun dialogue, and I laughed out loud at moments. The story explores darker themes like the loss of a parent and dealing with addiction and absentee parent. However, the heavier themes were balanced out with lighter moments and humor so overall the book did not seem heavy.

Kristin’s writing is easy to read, helping you get lost in the story. I really enjoyed the going back to your hometown that you fled story (as someone who fled her hometown right after high school). I really loved the side characters. Patrick and Ivy were my favorites (and maybe had a brief fling in my head :) ).

Overall, I thought this was an easy, fun read that had some depth in the exploration of heavier topics. Pick it up if you enjoy the following:

-a sexy boat captain
-city girl returns home to her small town
-fun dialogue
-90s nostalgia
-endearing side characters
-opposites attract

This is a cute romance that also sends the main characters through some tough trials (mainly in the past). He’s been burned by love, and she’s been burned by tragic loss and a mother she could never count on. The island setting is charming, and Sam has to face the reasons she left her hometown after high school and never looked back. Austin, the ferry boat captain, helps her rediscover a love for the place where she grew up. If you enjoy a good brother’s best friend trope and a beachy setting with closed-door chemistry, this is a great one to check out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for the e-ARC of this novel!

This was such a cute read!

All of the characters were great. I loved Austin. He was so sweet, optimistic, and genuinely good guy. I really appreciated how the characterd dealt with most conflicts in a mature way. The main characters had good chemistry.

I love the small town feel of this book. It was charming and I loved how important that was in the plot and to the characters.

I would definitely recommend for someone who is looking for a nice beach read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very easy read and quite honestly predictable but fun. I enjoyed the characters and their stories. A great beach or vacation read.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

A gorgeous cover with an absolutely fantastic book inside. Austin was drool-worthy and was such a cinnamon roll; Samantha was an strong willed, beautiful real woman that grew so much in this story.... it was a truly beautiful story about coming home again, finding forgiveness, and growing up.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would from the beginning. The first several chapters were a little choppy and nothing seemed to point to how this would all fit together besides the inevitable. Pretty soon the characters are fleshed out and you're rooting for both of them. Samantha left her home town in Rock Island, FL soon after graduation has returned very little trying to forget all the challenges there. She is a successful real estate professional in New York who works for some very annoying men who prefer their "boys club" members to the best producers in the firm who actually could be women. This is a rant I will always go on. Samantha is sent to her home town to do due diligence on this real estate project, and now we meet Austin, her best friend's older brother. Of course she knew him years ago, but they were too far apart in age to have much of a relationship. He has had relationship troubles in recent years (I won't spoil that story). Samantha repairs her relationship with her best friend Lexi and the story goes on from there.

I recommend this book as a great summer read. Thank you to NetGalley, Kristin Wollett and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.