Angela owns a bakery in a building where her friends from college all have businesses based on the five senses. She bakes some awesome cookies, but she really would like to branch out into more sophisticated European pastries.
When Daniel visits her bakery looking to buy a plain white cupcake with white frosting, Angela instinctively knows he’s a chocolate man. She can also tell something’s very wrong.
Unbeknownst to her, he’s marking his late fiancee’s birthday. She died the year before, and he hasn’t been able to move on at all. Her deathbed wish that he not start dating again until after their wedding date passes hasn’t helped him. He’s determined to honor it, but there’s something that intrigues him about Angela, something happy and joyful that won’t let him stay away.
I really loved Just One Kiss. The characters feel fully realized and mature. Daniel’s grief is gut-wrenching, as is his devotion to his late lover’s wishes. Watching him struggle against his attraction to Angela brought tears to my eyes.
I loved that scenes that could’ve escalated into a mess of angst were handled more realisticly – and optimistically – with Daniel teasing Angela out of her fears and angers.
My one annoyance with the book was that the dead fiancee was often treated quite uncharitably, particularly by Angela who considers her a control freak and a horror. Yes, she asked Daniel not to start dating again until after their would-be wedding date had passed, but for heaven’s sake the woman was dying. She was facing eternity, so two years wouldn’t seem like that much to ask for. A little compassion for her would’ve made me like Angela even more.
But overall, this is a fantastic, sexy, very entertaining read full of humor and emotion. Very much recommend.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Have you read any of Isabel Sharpe‘s books? What did you think?
I read Hot to the Touch and Long Slow Burn awhile ago. From what I remember, both were good quick reads. However, they weren’t especially memorable. Her latest release though sounds really intriguing and somewhat unusual. It’s more serious than I expect from a Blaze tale and it’s even more rare to see a book where a former love dies and tells them to wait. Definitely have to pick it up.