Then He Kissed Me by Laura Trentham ~ New Release and Review

Can two hearts come together in one divided town? 

 As a boy, Nash Hawthorne spent countless afternoons on the Louisiana side of Cottonbloom with Tally Fournette, wading in the river, peeling oranges and catching frogs. When illness stole his mother, Nash yearned to take Tally and run away—for good. Instead, he crossed the state line to live with his aunt. It was a short distance as the crow flies, but it swept him into a whole new world… 

After Nash left, Tally managed to struggle through her own losses without him. But now that she’s crossed paths with him again—at Cottonbloom College, where the grown-up, gorgeous Nash teaches history—she is reminded of their cherished youthful connection…and an attraction that has only gotten stronger with age. Between Tally’s possessive ex and Nash’s snobbish aunt, no one thinks they belong together. In a town torn apart by old resentments and rivalries, can they find their way back to the life they once shared—and turn their long-lost dreams into a real and lasting love?

  GoodReads ~ Amazon

Elizabeth's Review

My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend

Review Copy provided by Publisher via Net Galley

Coming back to Cottonbloom in Then He Kissed Me is like getting to visit with old friends you haven't seen in a while. This addition to the series picks up right where the first book leaves off, but it still reads very well as a stand alone effort.

In Then He Kissed Me, we are spending time with Tally and Nash. They were childhood best friends separated by their individual tragedies and have reconnected as adults. This is a gentle, well written story. Tally and Nash are both characters that are easy to like and that I would want to be friends with.

This is a second chance story, but not in the sense of a romantic love being rekindled. The friendship of childhood forms the basis for the adult relationship and it is sweet to watch them navigate the unique challenges that comes from getting to know the "new" versions of each other.
We get to watch as both characters deal with the past and how the old insecurities and fears influence their behaviors now. Their struggles not only influence their relationship, but those of people around them too.

This is a stand alone book and can easily be read as such, but there is a story line that also connects the Cottonbloom stories together and we see appearances from recurring characters that continue that story. I thoroughly enjoyed this visit to the Mississippi/Louisiana state line and am looking forward to coming back for the conclusion of the series.

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