The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins
Series: Slip of the Tongue #2
Release Date: August 4th, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
Andrew Beckwith has already devoted his life to one girl—and as far as he’s concerned, she’s all he needs. The rough-around-the-edges bad boy left his reckless ways behind six years ago when his daughter Bell was born. To the female population’s dismay, he’s unapologetically single. When Bell’s mother walked out on them years ago, he vowed never to let another woman close enough to hurt them again.
Amelia Van Ecken isn’t just another woman. She’s an independent, smart, and savvy businesswoman who doesn’t have time for sex, much less love. In the midst of a drawn-out, bitter divorce, all she wants is to bury herself in work. But when sharp-tongued Amelia and stubborn Andrew cross paths, sparks fly—and burn. Two things are obvious in an instant: they want each other, and they’re from different worlds. It’s the perfect formula for an off-the-charts one-night stand. After all, it’s not as if opposites ever attract.
The First Taste, a standalone spin-off of the Slip of the Tongue.
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Buy Links:
Amazon US / Amazon UK
Tracey’s Review
Andrew Beckwith and his daughter Bell are doing just fine. Deserted by the mother of his child, Andrew has more than risen to the challenge of raising a healthy happy girl, a strong, honest, loving girl, secure in the knowledge that she is loved. Andrew, however, is another story. Guarding his heart from further heartbreak means that falling in love is not anywhere on his radar. Amelia Van Ecken has seen first-hand what giving up control of her heart means, and she wants no part of it. Happy to immerse herself in her business, avec, Amelia could not be less interested in romance.
If you follow my reviews, you know that I loved, loved, loved SLIP OF THE TONGUE by author Jessica Hawkins, a book that put me through the emotional wringer and left me thinking it about it long afterwards. One of the things that I particularly liked about that book was my introduction to Sadie’s brother, Andrew, and her niece, Bell. Just a glimpse of the two of them, and I was hooked, and I was excited to see that Andrew’s book would be coming our way soon.
So, here it is, that book. THE FIRST TASTE has all of the immediately engrossing qualities of all of Jessica’s books, that hook that grabs you and does not let you go until you’ve turned the last page. Here, again, are the characters that were introduced in SLIP OF THE TONGUE: Sadie, Nathan, Amelia, Andrew, and Bell. But, make no mistake, this book is a completely different story, and Andrew owns it.
Andrew is comfortable in his life. Secure in his love for Bell, and hers for him, he’s happy with the occasional hook-up, but is not looking for anything beyond the physical. When he meets Amelia, it couldn’t be more obvious that they are completely different from each other. But, when layers begin to be peeled away, and realities revealed, they realize that they are more alike than not, and that all of the things that they’ve been doing to protect themselves are keeping them from growing.
I inhaled this book. I loved everything about it, the characters, the story, the dialogue, just everything. Andrew had me from the first scene, from the way that he interacted with Bell to his snarky sexy encounter with Amelia. He takes no crap from anyone, and is fiercely protective of those that he loves. Strong in his vulnerability, he had my heart, and is, hands-down, one of my favorite book dads ever. And, Amelia, I think that there’s a little bit of Amelia is so many women. She’s lost because she trusted, and so she’s holding her heart so very closely. At first glance, she’s not the sort of woman to give up control to anyone, any man, but, as time goes on, and her relationship with Andrew evolves, her real self begins to shine through, and she’s like a completely different person.
Sadie and Nate have a continual presence in THE FIRST TASTE, and seeing them now must be like seeing how they were before they got to the point they were at in SLIP OF THE TONGUE. They are easy with each other, a couple secure in their love for each other, and there in every way to support Andrew, Bell, and, later, Amelia. And the rest of the supporting characters bring unconditional love and support, and made this read even better.
I knew that I would like this book, because the short glimpse that I’d had of Andrew and Bell in the first book had me invested in them. I didn’t know, though, that I would love this one even just a little bit more. Where SLIP OF THE TONGUE was viscerally intense, keeping me wound up throughout, THE FIRST TASTE has a bit more softness to it, somehow. There is still plenty of angst, of oh, no, she didn’t moments, but the personalities of Andrew, Bell, and Amelia, along with the softer and more relaxed Sadie and Nate, spoke to me in a different way. This is a definite 5-star read for me, and I highly recommend both books. They are absolutely on my list of top reads for this year, and they should be on your TBR.
***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***
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About the Author
Jessica Hawkins grew up between the purple mountains and under the endless sun of Palm Springs, California. She studied international business at Arizona State University and has also lived in Costa Rica and New York City. To her, the most intriguing fiction is forbidden, and that’s what you’ll find in her stories. Currently, she resides wherever her head lands, which is often the unexpected (but warm) keyboard of her trusty MacBook.
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