I'm not crying, you're crying!! This book showcases so many beautiful different types of relationships and how messy and hard it is to grow into yourself. I loved it! I love Jordan and Jamie with every fiber of my being. Love isn't always easy and it's not always a straight path (ha!), but it is worth every moment....just like this book is worth every moment. All the stars, go read it!!!

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the eARC. I am excited to re-read this book in audio format! In many ways, I saw myself in Jordan and am happy to know that this kind of representation exists. Creating and sustaining the thought patterns and decisions made by someone trying to find their way on this avenue shows the dedication and craft the author gave to this book. This was my first book by this author and I can assure you it won’t be my last! I was so impressed with how immersive and captivating the prose was. I absolutely recommend this book if you love, love.

Last First Kiss was an absolutely adorable, swoony romance. I knew I’d love it from the start, and I devoured it in one sitting. That said, I really wish we’d gotten more of Jaime throughout the book, and more glimpses of how the romance actually blossomed. Since it’s a second-chance romance, I expected more flashbacks to show their history and why they were worth rooting for. Without that, I felt a little less invested than I wanted to be. Still, the writing was lovely, and I really enjoyed watching Jordan’s growth. Overall, a sweet read I’d recommend.

I really loved this book! It was super cute, great banter, very lovely read. If you like romcoms that are realistic, sweet, and funny, this is the one for you! Both MMC were easy to root for!

I received this as a digital ARC for an honest review.

Pros: Realistic family relationships with all the different characters and no one was irredeemable. I really liked that everyone kept trying and didn’t give up. Second chances that don’t ignore the past and allowed a more solid relationship to develop. Cute and sweet characters that you can really understand. I really felt how Jordan felt. The writing pulled you in and made you really feel for him and his confusion and outrage. Very diverse cast (Own Voices author). <spoiler>I really loved the 'comfort check'. It's something that can often be made fun of in media and was smoothly done, making those who read it feel less awkward about doing it in real life.</spoiler> Characters who were allowed to mess up and get mad but weren’t dismissed or ignored. This is a relationship I can see going the distance in the real world, not just book world.

Meh:  A couple grammatical errors but it’s an ARC and it was only a couple. The sex was sweet and as close to PG-13 as explicit sex can be (which is a con for me but doesn't detract from the book).

Cons: Both characters having J names made it hard for me to keep track of who was who and I was constantly having to check in that I was tracking who was who. Felt like a will-they-won’t-they sitcom about the rich which isn't really my thing because 1. Eat the Rich and 2. I have interpersonal messiness in real life, don't want to read about it. More dramatic than my preference but for those that like drama, I think they will love it. My biggest issue was the communication issues were more ‘lack of communication’ than misunderstandings which annoy me but, alas, are very human.

Overall, I like the book. Was less in my wheelhouse than normal but still enjoyable. I enjoy more drama around the couple than within the couple, but this was a well written and evocative story of finding your place within yourself, your family, your work and your future. I probably won't ready any more of the author's adult books, but my wife bought me Running With Lions years ago for Jólabókaflóðið and I'm excited to read it now.

Thank you St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A beautiful love story! Jordan Carter’s life is going great. He’s doing awesome at work with his family at 24 Carter Gold and he’s been given an amazing opportunity one that with any luck will give him a promotion. 24 Carter Gold is going back to its roots and planning a wedding! And Jordan’s in charge. He’s so excited and nothing will get in the way of this being a success. That is until he meets the best man. Jamie’s his cousins bet friend, he also happens to be the Man of Honor. Months earlier Jordan tried to kiss Jamie and Jamie rejected him. Jordan’s not even sure he cares except he hasn’t stopped think about Jamie since, well really since they were teenagers and shared what was Jordan’s first kiss. But Jordan doesn’t know what his sexuality is, he’s never been able to put it into words. Jamie’s one of two people that’s ever really made Jordan feel anything. Now he’s tasked with planning an extremely important wedding for the company while also working along side the guy who made it clear wants nothing to do with Jordan romantically speaking. But Jordan can’t get Jamie out of his head and he can’t stop himself for feeling things. And as the Man of Honor the bride insists that Jamie is involved. As the two spend time together the feelings are unavoidable and soon feelings lead to more. But Jordan still doesn’t know what it means. And Jamie has something going on that he won’t talk about. Plus the bride doesn’t always seem to be happy. Then there’s the new coworker who also wants the promotion. Will Jordan pull of a wedding that will be featured in all the magazines? Will Jamie prove to be a distraction? Will everything Jordan wanted for his future fall apart? I loved loved loved this story! I love all the Carters and enjoyed getting to check in with them again, especially Denz and Braylon! And it was great to get a story about Jordan and Jamie! It’s charming, funny, and so heartwarming!!! Julian Winters never fails to put me in all my feels and I say this so much but he should absolutely be one of everyone’s must read authors!! A swoon worthy, spicy, second chance romance, that I couldn’t put down!

There’s something so comforting about diving into a Julian Winters novel the warmth, the humor, the full-hearted emotion. Last First Kiss is exactly that kind of book: tender, swoony, and packed with the messy feelings of growing up, falling in love, and figuring out who you are.

I thoroughly enjoyed other books by Julian Winters, including I Think They Love You. If you haven’t read that one first, I definitely recommend starting there before reading this one. Overall, I left wanting more from the characters, and just didn’t fall as in love with Jamie and Jordan as I did with Denz and Bray.

Jordan and Jamie have been friends for years, but after it was clear that Jamie wasn’t “right” for Jordan, they fell out of touch a year ago. As 24 Carter Gold re-enters the wedding market, Jordan is tasked with planning the wedding of the decade. The only problem is that Jamie is the best man of honor and is playing a heavy role in the planning process. When avoidance is no longer an option, Jordan is forced to work Jamie and as they plan the wedding, they begin to rekindle their friendship. However, could they be anything more?

Let me start by saying I loved the intro of Javi in this book - I really liked how his character arc from enemy to friend throughout. I want more Javi in the next book! I also loved Jordan’s journey to discovering his sexuality very authentic and real. And of course, anything my Winters has a lovely writing style and so hard to put down. On the flip side. I could have lived with a little less 24 Carter Gold in this book. I felt like we got enough of it in the first book and was ready to go beyond all the drama that comes with working with half of your family. I think my biggest issue was that I didn’t feel super excited to root for Jamie. I feel like I got to know him better in the first book than in this one. If I was just basing it off this story, Jamie was kind of vanilla and one-dimensional. He just fell kind of flat for me - he was fine, just not someone I wanted to be rooting to be with Jordan. And I was very much not into the Sloane plot line; it just didn’t vibe with the rest of this book. I really wish I felt more invested in this relationship by the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC!

I LOVED Last First Kiss. It was a heartwrenching story of Jordan and Jamie. Jordan just got promoted to a new position at the family event planning company and is planning the first wedding in years. Unfortunately, the bride's man of honor is Jamie, Jordan's cousin's best friend. Jordan hasnt talked to Jamie in months, since Jamie rejected a kiss. While Jordan is successful at his career and life, he has a problem romantically - he cannot connect romantically with anyone except Jamie.

Read if you like:
-Big families and the drama they bring
-LGBTQIA stories
-Second chance romance
-First love
-Finding your identity

Overall, Last First Kiss made me laugh, cry, and yearn. I didn't realize that there was a book before and will definitely read! Also, the chapter titles were perfect for this book. It was a great addition.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*sigh* I am literally recovering from finishing this amazing book, only minutes ago.

Julian Winters knows his romantic-comedy stuff! This, along with "I Think They Love You", are pure perfection! It's the perfect follow-up to his previous adult book.

Believable characters and a strong narrative. Mixed in with some cute cheesy moments. I teared up a few times because it was honestly that relatable and touching. Not to mention that the spice was spicing... *fans self*

Jordan's whole journey was so well thought out, Javi was obnoxious (at first) but his background hit home with me, and Jamie's struggles were so valid.

I am already awaiting Julian's next book.

Thank you, Net Galley, for the E-ARC!

This book was so special! I'm not even sure I'll be able to convey just how much I enjoyed it. This is one of those books where I sat there reading and would slow myself down because I didn't want it to end. I'd read the first book in the series (I Think They Love You) which was also wonderful, but I may have liked this one even better - which I did NOT expect going in!

Jordan and Jamie captured my heart immediately and I was rooting for them from the get go (which isn't always the case with 2nd chance romances). They are both so sweet, so likeable, so well suited for each other... Their chemistry is palpable, their banter is funny, the love they share for one another is tangible (their love language is acts of service), there's just so much to love about them, both individually and together.

Here are some of the things I adored:
- demi rep (masterly executed)
- bi-rep
- BIPOC rep
- 2nd chance trope
- forced proximity trope
- secondary characters that add to the story and feel fleshed out (too many to name, but Amy and Javi in particular were standouts)
- cameos by the previous couple in the series, Denz and Braylon, my beloveds!

Pretty sure Julian Winters is quickly becoming one of those auto-buy authors for me. I already can't wait to read whatever he writes next.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the eARC. Book releases Jan. 27, 2026.

💚 Second Chance
💚 Wedding Planner & Man-of-Honor
💚 Friends to Lovers

3/5 🌟
3/5 🌶

Overall, it was enjoyable, but as mentioned in the book, they had a lot of figuring out to do in their life. The problem is they do this separately, with minimal scenes together.

When they were together there were some licks of heat. The push and pull of the relationship kept the spice down to just a spark.

I'm thinking I should have read the previous book first. Not that it can't stand on its own, but I think I would have been more invested. The couple has very little on-page time together that it makes it hard to believe their history and connection. There is a lot of background characters mentioned, but the reader never meets them, and that adds to the noise and interference of the couple.

I really enjoyed Last First Kiss but I didn't love it. I appreciated the build up and how we learned about the main characters past in bits and pieces. And I liked that there were authentic relationships between many of the secondary characters. But I wanted Jordan to see his way through to loving himself and therefore loving Jamie, and that isn't exactly how it happened. A truly enjoyable read but I was left wanting a teeny bit more.

Sometimes you just need a little romance!  Julian Winters gives the readers that in his book, Last First Kiss. You can feel the sparks between Jordan and Jamie before they can really feel it themselves.  Both characters keep getting pushed together and both must work work on themselves to become what the other needs.
Julian Winters has written a great piece with his characters having strong presence.  As you read, you want nothing more for both these men to realize that what they have is the real deal.  I highly recommend this book!

The premise of this book was so cute I love a second chance romance especially when it starts as a friends to enemies to lovers so many tropes in this one. I loved the banter it really felt genuine and it made sense for the plot. The flashbacks were really good with setting the vibe for the couple and why what happened happened if that makes sense.

I wish I had known going into this book that it was a sequel as it is not listed as one. There were a lot of characters and back stories that were mentioned often enough that I felt like I was missing out. Yes, it can be read as a standalone, but I think I’d have rather read the first book prior to starting this one.

Now onto the book itself. While I didn’t hate it, I didn’t love it either. I don’t love 3rd person and with all the J names in this book, it could be confusing at times. In the beginning, I did like both Jordan and Jamie but as time progressed and we got more flashbacks, I found myself not connecting to their story. Jordan was obviously trying to find himself and Jamie seemed to lead him on at every chance only to step back when Jordan got close. The 3rd act breakup, one of my least fave tropes, was lackluster at best. Honestly, the best writing and communication throughout the entire book occurs when Jordan “fixes” everything, even though I don’t think he’s the one who should’ve been apologizing. All in all, it was an ok book. I wish there had been more of the actual MCs in the book instead of all the side characters and their stories.

I loved 'I Think They Love You', the first book in the series and I was so excited that I got approved for this one. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A lot of the time when an author writes about a character on the asexual spectrum, it tends to lean into the virginal/you're the only one for me stereotype and generally comes off in bad faith. In Last First Kiss, even though Jordan was inexperienced, the focus was not on that. Rather, it was on him figuring out his identity and where he fit in. The way his experiences and self discovery was written made me feel seen.

The writing itself was pretty straightforward and immersive, simple but not bland especially for a romance book. I liked both the main characters, Jordan and Jamie and I genuinely did enjoy reading about them. I also appreciated that most of the side characters were also queer like yassss fuck the straights!

The one thing I do have an issue with though was with Cheryl, her misogyny and Jordan enabling it. There's a scene where Jordan acknowledges that his mother's behavior of blaming the women he goes on dates with for it not working out is wrong yet he still basks in her coddling. It not only irritated me at that point but also at the end of the book because it became clear that while Jordan was making amends and calling out his mother and other people for how they treat him, the author did not see this particular bit of misogynistic writing as something to be offset or addressed in the narrative, at least on page. It was quite disappointing if I'm being honest.

Overall I enjoyed the book. It managed to grab my attention and keep me interested even as I'm currently experiencing the worst my attention span has ever been. I look forward to reading more from the author!

Last First Kiss captures the essence of falling in love for the first time with all the butterflies, doubts and all the in-between! A beautiful M/M romance with friends-to-lovers and hint of a second-chance/missed chance vibe.

Jordan is ambitious and trying to secure a promotion in his family's event planning business. He finally gets a chance to prove himself with an A-list wedding! However, in walks Jamie and throws him off his game! Suddenly Jordan is trying to prove himself as well as figuring out his feelings for Jamie and whether or not they have a future.

Jordan & Jamie have witty banter, blush-worthy moments and some spicy scenes! Jamie is the quintessential golden retriever love interest who balances out Jordan's constantly striving-for-perfectionism.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters is a charming and emotionally resonant second-chance romance that blends humor, heartache, and self-discovery. As a first-time reader of Winters, I was immediately drawn into the world of Jordan Carter, a 24-year-old event planner focused on building his career at his family’s company, Carter Gold. His professional life takes an unexpected turn when he’s assigned to plan a high-profile wedding only to discover that the man-of-honor is Jamie Peters, the boy who broke his heart as a teen and again just last year. What begins as awkward tension quickly evolves into a slow-burning reconnection, set against the backdrop of venue tours, cake tastings, and dress fittings.

The characters are vibrant and layered, with Jordan’s sarcastic wit and emotional vulnerability anchoring the story. Jamie, still figuring out his identity, brings complexity and tenderness to their dynamic, making their interactions feel both authentic and electric. Winters excels at portraying queer love with nuance and warmth, and the supporting cast family members, coworkers, and clients—add texture without overshadowing the central romance. The twist isn’t a dramatic reveal but a quiet reckoning: Jordan must decide whether loving someone who’s still discovering themselves is enough, or if he needs more certainty to protect his own heart.

The conclusion is both satisfying and hopeful, offering emotional closure without sacrificing realism. Jordan’s journey isn’t just about rekindling a romance it’s about reclaiming his voice, setting boundaries, and embracing the messy beauty of love. Winters’s writing is witty, heartfelt, and deeply affirming, making Last First Kiss a standout in the contemporary romance genre. For readers new to his work, this novel is a perfect introduction to his tender storytelling and inclusive lens. It’s a love story that lingers, reminding us that sometimes the person who broke your heart might also be the one to help you heal it.

M/m romance. Young adult fiction maybe? I really wanted to love this because the author is great but I found it really hard to make myself keep picking this one up (it was not a 1 day read; I just forgot to enter it in goodreads before the day I finished it). It was entirely obvious from the beginning that Jamie and Jordan were super into each other and would end up together so it was just painful at how tormented Jordan seemed to be most of the way there.
I also had some trouble keeping track of all the characters although I did like how many of them were queer and that the idea of a queer center as super important for youth was prominent in the book. I haven’t read the other book about Denz and Braylon so maybe I should have started there. Meh. I think the author is great but this wasn’t a favorite. I would have loved it as a teen, though, so I think I’m probably just the wrong audience.

I appreciate the opportunity from NetGalley and the publisher to read the book pre-publication in exchange for my honest review.