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
My Review:
The First Taste features Andrew, a single dad from Slip of the Tongue, one of my favorite books. His story is a standalone, and does NOT feature any forbidden romance. Andrew is the complete opposite of Amelia, the boss of his sister and a total Type-A workaholic. She has been burned by a painful split from her husband and is going through a very difficult divorce. Amelia and Andrew make is clear from the start they are both only looking for a one-night stand, with no strings attached. Andrew does not suffer from lack of women, that’s for sure – he’s totally hot, has his own business and has an adorable daughter named Bell, who is raising on his own.
They are both completely honest with each other from the start but begin to develop a deeper connection. Their emotional relationship develops slowly, even though they both are wary of getting close. Amelia is stunning, smart and self-sufficient, Never in a million years does she think she could ever fall for a man like Andrew! And Andrew’s daughter comes first, even while it becomes obvious his daughter would love for him to fall in love. I loved that Andrew was the one who actually starts to realize that he is falling in love with Amelia and wants more from her.
Somewhere along the way, she became worth it to me. The threat of pain that comes with keeping her in my life—it’s not enough to scare me away. In fact, it’s the threat of competition that stokes a fire in me. It makes me want to put up a fight.
The First Taste is a classic opposites-attract story, filled with real emotion and characters that have depth and honesty. Jessica Hawkins is great at writing uber-sexy men and Andrew is not only gorgeous and tatted, he is a VERY giving lover. The sexy times in The First Taste are without a doubt some of the steamiest around.
“I want to undress you, stretch you out on my bed, fingers to toes. Your hair splayed on my pillow and I want to take you over and over until you can’t handle it another second.”
I love stories with single dads and while this story did not pack as much of an emotional punch as Slip of the Tongue, I still loved the story and the way Amelia and Andrew’s relationship grew and developed. This is a fast and sexy read from an incredibly talented writer and I can’t wait to read what’s next!!
“Have I ever mentioned how it feels when I’m the reason for your smile? Like a million bucks.”
(ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.)
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.