GREAT READ! NOT GOOD READ! BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY! If I could give 10 stars I would!
WOW! What a wonderful story. I loved the characters, the plot, the way it unfolds. I love the humor, the passion, the romance. This author is one of the best I have read in some years. Her imagination is so wonderful that even with only the small amount of paranormal the rest just is enchanting. I absolute adore this book and to me it is a KEEPER! I would of thought in this series , that it would as many do, just be so so. She has amazed me making this book even better...

Loved the characters. The writer made feel as if I knew them. Would love to see more books with these people.

A very emotional story. It really brings out the feelings. A very touching love story.

Do "friends with benefits" arrangements ever work out? No strings or commitments, just an understanding that it will never turn into love. Caitlin & Josh met while they were each on a mini vacation & thought they could have a one night stand & not see each other again. Josh thought Caitlin was from New York & Caitlin wasn't sure where Josh was from. The chemistry between them seemed intense right from the beginning. When Caitlin moves home to Eternity Springs, it's a toss up as to who is more surprised since Josh lives there too. Josh lets her know emphatically that he doesn't do love & isn't going to get married. Josh has a lot of secrets regarding his past that he doesn't talk about to anyone. They agree to a friends with benefits relationship. What happens when their family & friends start getting involved? Or when Josh's past catches up with him?

I love Emily March's Eternity Springs books. The fictional town has all off the best aspects of small towns but she also includes some of the bad such as the gossips & busy bodies. The cast of characters are similar in each book with updates on their lives incurring but I enjoy this. I feel like each book can be read as a stand alone since each story is self contained within that book. To me, Emily March's writing reminds me of Debbie Macomber's. The writing has a warm & emotional feel. The style is very descriptive which enables you to picture the scenes & people in your mind as you read. While the reader knows there will be an HEA at the end, the path the plot takes to get there is twisting & turning in different directions than expected. Ms. March has become one of my favorite "one click" & preorder author's.

I enjoyed "The First Kiss Of Spring". I almost stopped reading it because of the explicit sex, but I skipped that part as much as I could. I liked the characters and the little dog, Penny so much. Josh was actually the main star of this book, with many problems from his past. It deals with a lot of emotions, heartache, and family ties. I have read all but 2 of the books in this series and they have all been very good. This one is well worth the read.

Emily March is an outstanding writer and “The First Kiss of Spring (An Eternity Springs Novel” is compulsively readable. I found it nearly impossible to put down; setting aside chores to continue reading it. This is the fourteenth entry in Ms March’s Eternity Springs series, a small town located deep in the Colorado Rockies, a location dear to my heart and one that Ms. March captures beautifully. 

The lead characters of this book, Caitlin Timberlake and Josh Tarkington, couldn’t be more different. She is a ray of sunshine and he lives under a perpetual black cloud having lived a difficult life. Josh’s angst, no matter how understandable, did get a bit wearisome as the book went on. At some point, Josh’s continued “bad luck” and despair just seemed repetitive and over-the-top. Josh’s angst was so deep that the resolution of the book almost seemed a bit abrupt and discordant.

There is a significant subplot involving Caitlin’s parents, Mac and Ali, whose own story was central to a previous book. Mac’s attitude toward Josh, his treating Caitlin like a teenager and his secretive nature concerning a potential medical issue became a bit tiresome after awhile.

I have read several but not all of the Eternity Springs novels, giving me background on many of the characters. I don’t think it is necessary to have read previous Eternity Springs books, but I do think a reader would not only enjoy doing so but might get a bit more out of The First Kiss of Spring if already acquainted with other characters. Celeste continues to be a bit of a mystery and a little intriguing. Is she a guardian angel? 

Though not perfect, I enjoyed the sheer readability of this novel and would recommend it to others. I especially recommend this book for those readers who enjoy romance novels with a bit more depth. The small town environment is very enjoyable and contributed a lot to my own enjoyment of the book. 

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions stated are solely my own.

 

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I was given an Arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
Two people from very different backgrounds and upbringings come together in this romance set in a small town. I liked the easy style it was written in, with well developed characters and a good storyline. The chemistry between Caitlin and Josh was off the scale. But what particularly drew me in was the way Josh dealt with his demons and the empathy the author showed writing about it.

Even though this is book 14 in the Eternity Spring series I did not feel lost as the story centers around Josh and Caitlin. They meet at a destination wedding and feel a connection. However when they run into her parents at the hotel, Josh realizes who she is, and he quickly takes his leave. Little does he know that Caitlin is planning a move back to her hometown with a career change in the works. Since Josh is hiding his past he knows it is a bad idea to get involved with her, but he can't help himself. We get hints of what Josh is trying to keep secret from the chapter opening journal entries. Love a man that journals! This was a great choice for a sick at home read!

I did not realize this was from an on going story line. I remember reading some of the earlier books. I still enjoyed the book and now will go back and find some of the ones I missed.

Caitlin Timberlake, could wait to leave her small town for NYC. But after 8 years of working her way to the top to become a successful textile designer, she has a new dream; going home to Eternity Springs and opening a much needed day care center. While attending a wedding in nearby Telluride, she meets gorgeous and charming Josh Tarkington, when they get stuck together on a gondola. When she returns to NYC to finalize her plans, she believes that deep in her heart that Josh is the one.

Josh has lots of secrets. He is foster brother of newly wed Brick Callahan, owner of Stardance Ranch RV Resort. He believes he is cursed by bad luck, including having taken a hit from tornados 4 times. His childhood was so horrible that he will not speak of it to anyone. So when Caitlin returns, he is terrified of the attraction that he feels for her. After he left Tornado Alley, he decided that he would never be responsible for another soul or have any relationship with a woman or child, and tells Caitlin that she deserves better, because he is never going to fall in love again.

So Caitlin agrees to have a friend affair. But when they both realize separately that they have fallen in love, will Josh's fear keep them apart?

Although this is # 14 in the series, it is the first that I have read. I received an advanced copy from the publisher. Now I need to go back to the begining. I was immediately engaged in the story, the characters are intriguing and the plot enticing. There is also a really funny conversation, when Josh has his epiphany. I do recommend reading the earlier books first, as I was confused by all the character. By #14 in a series, either a town family tree or an index of characters with a short resume would be helpful.

This was a “feel good” novel for me. Loved it!

The First Kiss of Spring, by Emily March, is the story of Caitlin and Josh. It is the story of allowing love to fuel courage to overcome and heal fear brought on by previous abuse, drugs, superstition, and tragic bad luck. It is the story of asking for help, and receiving all that you need. It is the story of truths and omissions and forgiveness. It is the story of renewed hope and awakening to spring.
This is book 14 of the Eternity Springs series which is full of strong survivors and their families, friends and community. Ms. March weaves a tapestry of characters that makes the small Colorado mountain town some place that I would love to visit. I highly recommend.

A wonderful story. I read this book in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. Josh was a fabulous character. There were a few times I did want to throw the book across the room with his stubbornness. However, in the end he and Caitlyn were a great couple. I am interested in learning more about Boone who was introduced in this story. Thank you for another fine addition to Eternity Springs.

I spent a lot of time thinking over this book before jumping in with my rating. I was so excited to finally find a book that rocked, that I was scared to over-star it because of my excitement. But after long and hard thinking, The First Kiss of Spring definitely is a 5 star read!

I received this book via netgalley, and only realized it was book 14 after adding it to my goodreads HOWEVER, it reads like a dream! There are little snippets of the previous books thrown in, enough to know you probably want to read them, but not so much that you're confused!

Emily March did a fantastic job of taking a cliched story line "girl meets guys, falls in love, changes her life" yada yada barf- and turned it into something fresh and exciting. I was apprehensive when they first met, because it was just so freaking cliche, but I'm so glad I hung on for the ride!

What I'm most excited about is the fact that I found a new (to me) author, and read book 14 without having read 1-13 and had no issues! Kudos to you, señora March!

Caitlin Is a textile designer and comes home for a wedding. She meets Josh and they get stuck in a gondola together. They hit it off and she invites Josh to the wedding. Josh was an actor but now he owns a garage and is living a peaceful life. Caitlin makes the decision to quit her job, move back home, open a daycare center, and win over Josh. But bad luck follows Josh and he has sworn never to get married or have kids. He can’t stay away from Caitlin so they decide to be friends with benefits but do it secretly. Josh has demons and has to start fighting them again, he breaks up with Caitlin. Can Josh get his head out of his butt and get the girl?
Good story. Sex but not too graphic. First time reading this author and it was good. It was slow going at first but it gets better on in the book.

Wow! The First Kiss Of Spring is a fantastic read by Emily March. Ms. March has given us a well-written book. The characters in this book are outstanding and for me, the best part of the book. Caitlin has decided to quit her job and move back to her hometown but first, she has to get through her friend's wedding weekend. Josh meets Caitlin while he is on vacation and she is waiting for her friend, the bride, to arrive. Caitlin and Josh's story is a see-saw of ups and downs. There's plenty of drama, humor, sizzle and bit of suspense to hold the reader's attention. I enjoyed every page of The First Kiss Of Spring, it's one of those stories you can't wait to get to the end to see what happens, but then want more when you do reach the end. I look forward to reading more from Emily March in the future. The First Kiss Of Spring is book 14 of the Eternity Springs Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.

This was a sweet book. Caitlin knows what she wants and is willing to go after it...or him. Josh is afraid because of his past and pushes her away. But love conquers all. Enjoyed this book.

A detriment to Caitlin's character was making her a 105 pound woman. Instant hate. Just kidding, kind of. Josh's paralyzed dog made up for it though.

I want to say this was a heartwarming, sweet romance, but it wasn't ALL sweet, it was SO much more.
With the whole town of Eternal Springs involved, there really never was a dull moment.
This story revolves around Caitlin & Josh, and a trunk full of Josh's baggage that has yet to be unloaded. Caitlin's family has their own issues to deal with, all of it will tug at your heartstrings and get your own feelings very involved.
Well written with all the feels, a little heat, bits of laughter and a furbaby you'll absolutely love.
I received an ARC through Netgalley/Author and am giving an honest review of The First Kiss Of Spring, part of a series, but can stand alone with its own HEA

This is book in Emily March’s series about the lovely, little Colorado town of Eternity Springs. The stories are simple, this one is about Josh who has had a hard life and Caitlin who has had an easy life and a nice career as a designer. They meet at a wedding. It is a typical Eternity Springs story, I have read several of the series and this one did not disappoint. So worth a read. Thank you, Net Galley, for allowing me to read it.