Hello, bookworms! It’s Tuesday which means it’s time for another book review! For now, spacing out my discussions and thoughts for you guys has been pretty beneficial. I got to really indulge in my latest read and savor the words. Until my schedule loosens up a bit, there’s going to be just the hint of a lag between posts, and I apologize, but I’ll see what I can do for you! Until then, be sure to check back every Tuesday (and subscribe to the mailing list) for a new post!
Now, let’s get to the review. Today, I’ll be talking about The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins. This is the second book of hers I’ve read, and it’s another one I all but adored.
The First Taste is about two individuals looking for that… missing something/someone in their lives. For Amelia, it’s a no-strings-attached man, and for Andrew, it’s a woman he doesn’t have to worry about introducing to his young daughter. The two are the most unlikely pair, but once they cross paths, sparks ignite into a raging fire.
Amelia buries herself in work. As she goes through a messy divorce from an emotionally abusive husband, she swears herself off men and throws herself into her business, Avec. She vents all her rage and frustration with the male species to her colleague, Sadie, who just so happens to be Andrew’s sister.
Andrew is a single dad trying to run his mechanic business while chasing after his six year old daughter, Bell. After her mother ran out on them shortly before her third birthday, Andrew’s shattered heart decided to keep women as far away from him and his daughter as possible. He couldn’t bear the thought of someone potentially leaving he and his little girl abandoned.
It’s when Andrew enlists Sadie for a babysitting mission that he encounters Amelia, and he can’t help but pursue and proposition her into a night of fun. While she’s anything but game, he’s persistent and wears her down. Not only do they have explosive chemistry in the bedroom, but they also do something surprising; they open up. Something about being in one another’s presence causes both Andrew and Amelia to discuss things they’d never told another soul. For fear of over-stepping any boundaries, they part ways to try to get back to their routines.
Except it’s anything but…
Andrew finds himself consumed with thoughts of the intriguing girl he spent a magical night with. Amelia finds herself distracted by the gorgeous father while she’s trying to work and forget the male species.
They live in two completely different worlds. Amelia is a type-A, prissy city girl who is an absolute workaholic to boot. Andrew is the scruffy, tattooed, single dad living in the suburbs of New Jersey. Amelia doesn’t want anything to do with kids. Bell is Andrew’s whole reason for living. As the pair begin to get close, they can’t help but wonder if their relationship has what it takes to last forever. Do they want to take the risk and give love a second chance, or walk away before getting hurt beyond repair?
As I said earlier, I rather enjoyed this book. I like how Andrew and Amelia played off of one another with the snark and the sexy. They’re quite a pair. I’m not a girl with an overwhelming motherly instinct, but Bell could definitely sway me in that direction. She definitely kept her dad on his toes, which was really fun to experience.
The only, and I mean ONLY reason I didn’t give this the full five stars was due to the timeline of the story. I know romance novels have the tendency to move fairly quickly, and I’m all for it… as long as it’s believable. These two hopped into bed less than a handful of times, and next thing I know, he’s helping her move and they’re both contemplating the pros and cons of long-term. For someone as set in her ways as Amelia was regarding both men and children, I was slightly surprised at how quickly she caved to not only Andrew, but Bell as well. Not that I blame her, but it just didn’t flow 100% for me. Maybe if there was an extra chapter or two thrown into the mix that helped build and elongate their relationship more, but who knows.
Overall, it was still a very sweet and sexy read!
My Final Rating: four out of five stars
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