An Eternity Springs novel, “The First Kiss of Spring” follows Big Apple alumna Caitlin Timberlake and mysterious man in town Josh Tarkington.

Tired of big city life, Caitlin returned to Eternity Springs to start a new career that is less stressful. And with a less stressful job, Caitlin finally found the man of her dreams. Unknown to Caitlin and the town of Eternity Springs, Josh has a checkered past. And that was what was stopping him to pursue a happily ever after dream with Caitlin.

When Josh’s past finally catches up with the present, he can only hope that their love is enough to keep them together.

“The First Kiss of Spring” is Rated T for Teens.

Wonderful!! I have just been delighted by the characters that feel like friends. I did not want this book to end!

I was given this book free in exchange for an honest review. I found this book to be Sweet and heartwarming. This book is a standalone, but is also part of the Eternity Springs series. I really enjoyed this book, but also found it hard to read about the addictions they had to deal with.

I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This book is #14 in a series and I didn't realize this until after I received the book; however, I was glad to find out that it makes sense as a standalone! This is a small town romance book, and those are the best feel good, romantic reads. Caitlin left her corporate job to follow her dreams, and then her encounter with Josh, who comes with plenty of secrets. This one had me on an up-and-down ride, but I did not regret a minute of it. It's a sappy read, but being the first book that I have read of Emily's, I most definitely will start with #1 and read them all. If you're looking for a feel good read, where you can imagine yourself in a small town, escaping city life...this is a book for you!

I love the Eternity Springs series, and "The First Kiss of Spring" is a delightful addition to the previous books. We've met the heroine, Caitlin Timberlake, before, as she is the daughter of previous characters Mac and Ali Timberlake and the sister of Chase Timberlake. I enjoyed getting to know Caitlin better in this installment of the series as well as receiving updates on her family and their friends in Eternity Springs.

The hero, Josh Tarkington, was very interesting due in large part to his mysterious past, which is slowly revealed over the course of the story. What is clear from the beginning is that Josh is a very caring individual, as evidenced by his love and care for his elderly neighbor and disabled dog, Penny. He was a good match for Caitlin and I enjoyed watching their relationship grow.

My favorite thing about books in the Eternity Springs series is that they stand very well on their own for readers who do not have previous experience with the series, while also allowing longtime fans the opportunity to check in with favorite characters from past stories. I hope that Ms. March will continue to introduce new, compelling characters and write books in this series for a long time to come.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I was approached by a publisher to read this book and I decided to take a chance. The book started off fine but the subject matter was too much for me and I wish there was a trigger warning. I don’t like to read books that mention drug use and abuse as those are hard reads for me. Thank you for allowing me a copy to read.

I love Emily March's Eternity Springs series. Caitlin and Josh's story was no exception. I love her characters. You really feel like you know them. Her writing is believable and compelling. I told myself that after the three that I have read from here I told myself I, unfortunately, read the rest because of the cost. So far I have read most of the rest. They make me, cry they make me smile. I would love to live in Eternity Springs.

Catlin and Josh have chemistry. They ignite on the pages. Josh has a tender spot for special needs animals. He has good character traits. Will Catlin and Josh flame the fire or burn out? Read to learn more.

I love a small town romance and this series fits the bill. I have read several books in this series and even though I have read them out of order, and not read them all, I never have an issue following the story. The first time Caitlin and Josh meet, they are sharing a gondola ride, with Josh's dog, Penny, who uses a wheelchair after breaking her back. When there is a major power outage, they are stuck for several hours together before getting rescued. They get to know a bit about each other and the next thing you know, Caitlyn has invited Josh to be her plus one at a wedding she is standing up in. As the story progresses, Caitlyn decides that she wants to marry this man, he on the other hand, does not want a commitment. He is looking for a friend with benefits.

I liked the way this book is written. Each chapter opens with a journal entry taking us into the past of one of the characters. We do not know who wrote these journals. This adds some angst to the story as these memories contain issues with child abuse, suicide and drug addiction. The romance plays out quickly at first, then due to situations in the story, it looks like it may not pan out. Their journey is rocky, there are family issues and secrets that come out that cause problems that must be dealt with. Like most second chance romances, they must review their life choices, often starting something new, move back home and listen to their hearts as well as to each other. There is so that happens in this story which makes it an enjoyable story. I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys contemporary and/or second chance romances. I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher, St. Martin's Press, to read. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

Loved how the issue of addiction is touched on & the story. Found the journal entries odd though.

This is a voluntary review and I do not get paid for this review.

The First Kiss of Spring by Emily March is a 2018 St. Martin’s Press publication.

A Touching story of home, family, and redemption.

At first glance, Josh Tarkington is an ordinary resident of Eternity Springs, an auto mechanic by trade, but unknown to many, he may be one of the unluckiest people on planet earth.

So, it’s just his luck when he gets stuck on a gondola ride. However, he manages to pass the time with Caitlin Timberlake, who is in Colorado for a wedding. Before all is said and done, he’s agreed to be her ‘plus one’ for the event.

Could his luck be changing? Well, maybe not right away. Josh just happens to be harboring a big secret about his past, a secret he will protect at all costs. But, if his past has taught him anything, it’s that he can’t do relationships, or fall in love. The stakes are too high, and he won’t risk hurting himself or anyone else, ever again.

Caitlin is ready to leave the rat race of New York City. She’s returning home to Eternity Springs and plans to open a daycare center. But, she knows her parents, her mother, especially, may not be thrilled by her news. But, when she meets Josh Tarkington the realizes something very special could develop between them and plans to pursue all those possibilities. In fact,she's positive, someday she'll marry Josh Tarkington.

Emily March always manages to strike just the right balance in her stories. This one is a perfect blend of insightful family drama mixed into a sensual and emotional love story.

When Josh explains to Caitlin that despite her charms, she shouldn’t set her heart on him. He’s upfront and very honest about that. He's so sincere, in fact,he had me totally convinced. But, Caitlin still feels like he’s worth risking a broken heart for, so they agree to have a ‘friend affair'.

Meanwhile, Caitlin must convince her parents that she’s doing the right thing by leaving her career and moving back to Eternity Springs. But, her father isn’t as concerned about her career as he is about her interest in Josh Tarkington, a man he’s decided, rather hypocritically, isn’t good enough for his daughter.


The last book in this series was a really nice summer frolick, but this story is more of a return to form, dealing with some very heartbreaking themes. However,as with many ‘Eternity Springs’ novels, this story has a whimsical quality to it, a lightness that balances out the heavier subjects, the angst, and occasional sadness.

Caitlin’s unwavering faith, her confidence in her decisions, knowing what she wants and going for it, and her willingness to risk everything for a chance at true love is inspirational.

But, I think, Josh’s story is the centerpiece of the novel. He’s gone through some really tough times and carries around an enormous amount of weight in his heart. He’s the sort of damaged soul that breaks my heart and makes me want to reach inside the pages and give him a big hug!! The reader is made aware of some parts of his past, via his journal entries, but some of his revelations are simply stunning. The conclusion, though, is about as heartwarming as it gets, but you know it wouldn’t be an Eternity Springs novel if it wasn’t.

This is another stellar installment in this fine series. I can't hardly wait for the upcoming Christmas edition!!

Sweet and heartwarming. This book is a standalone, but is also part of the Eternity Springs series. This book falls right into place with the other amazing books in the series. I LOVED IT!

I had no idea until just a few minutes ago that The First Kiss of Spring was #14 in the Eternity Springs series. This book easily stands alone but I can’t wait to read the first 13 books in the series. This story just flows, it is well written and my only complaint would be I didn’t want to put it down

Depression Triggers:

Full disclosure, I've been a depressed person my entire life. I don't remember a moment where I wasn't depressed. My hubby and I joke that I was emo before emo was cool. As I'm moving through this book, I noticed a few triggers. I hate calling them that, but it fits what happens when you're bombarded with feelings that you weren't expecting, especially from a romance.

One of the main characters has depression. So badly that he thinks about suicide quite often. I think someone reading this that maybe doesn't understand depression may think that his life isn't so bad, why would the main character, who seems to have all his crap together (mostly on the outside, definitely not on the inside), why would he want to commit suicide?

It's probably not a full on discussion for a review post, however it's important to note that this happens. This author must have some real life experience or has definitely done her homework, because this is exactly how it works. One little moment could send a cascade of thoughts through my mind, even if my life seemingly is going good. Then WHAM, all of a sudden I'm attacked by something (seemingly) minuscule and the suicide thoughts run through my head. It happens. It happens a lot.

Characters:

All that said, this added so much to his character. It explained why he did the things he did. He's not perfect and he's not trying to hide the fact, well he does hide a lot of it actually. But he's also not going out of his way to tell everyone his thoughts. Which, again I completely understand. Josh is someone that has been through a lot. His story is slowly unveiled, and each piece that is given to the reader, should be cherished.

Then we have Caitlin. Caitlin has her own issues from family as well, but they're the opposite of Josh's. First, I think this makes them a great couple, but they each have to work on their issues alone, before they can together. Caitlin is a strong, healthy character, that is just dealing with some stuff. Nothing to the point of Josh's identity, but it is still worthy of a reader's time. All the clues for her family also slowly unfold.

Plot:

The plot was amazing. I read this in a day because I couldn't set it down. I loved the characters, worked through the moments where Josh was thinking about suicide (which was hard for me but probably wouldn't be an issue for most), and I just loved that there was a little pup in this that loved Josh to death!

Romance is always strange for me to write about because it's obvious that we want to the couple to get together, but in this it was different. I wanted them to get their life together before they tried to pursue each other. It works in real life, it works in fiction!

Character arc:

Going back to the suicide thing. The character arc was lengthy! I think Josh having to deal with so much is almost too much. Without trying to spoil, I will say that FOUR bad things happen to him, almost in succession. Like it's one thing after another, after another. There's a reason that so much happens, and there needs to be a lot for him to go down his suicide rabbit hole, but again, there really doesn't need to be a lot for anyone to want to go down that path. Depression hits everyone differently.

I think this was the only thing that got to me. It was almost too much. The character arc starts around 57% and just goes and goes and goes and goes. It's a lot to deal with, but even still, I never wanted to put the book down. I wish a couple of things would have been a little different, not even much, but there again, I loved the story, so I'll shut up!

In short:

With the exception of the triggers, which were mostly in the character arc, this was fabulous. A little heavier than a normal spring read, but still phenomenal story telling with a lovely romance.

Since I had no idea this was book 14, I was surprised it wasn't a stand alone. You certainly don't need to read any of the others. I didn't but that doesn't mean, I'm not going back and reading the previous thirteen books.

It's wonderfully written. Although, I've heard of the author, I've never read anything by her. Now, I want to spend my summer catching up with all the folks in Eternity Springs and see what I've missed. It's certainly a town full of colorful and warm characters.

As for this book of Caitlin and Josh, it's a sweet tale of a few misunderstandings, a few funny moments, a few touching scenes, and a whole lot of great story!

great read awesome writing i really enjoyed this author and this book i would reccomend to other for sure

This was a new author for me, and I was so happy that I took a chance on her. This book was so well-written. It was full of emotion and tugged at my heartstrings. It had drama but was also hopeful and uplifting. I enjoyed the story very much. The characters were realistic and very likable. I would read something from this author again. I highly recommend this book!

In the latest installment of the Eternity Springs series, Caitlin Timberlake returns home after leaving her successful but ultimately unsatisfying job in NYC. She runs into Josh Tarkington, a mechanic who turns out to also be from Eternity Springs, on a ski lift in Telluride while at a wedding. She falls for him, but he's hiding several big secrets and decides that a happy life isn't for him and does his best to keep Caitlin away. Needless to say, Eternity Springs and Celeste Blessing come to the couple's rescue.
I started reading this as an ARC from Netgalley but finished it in hardcopy, glad to see that the very few inconsistencies were fixed. This story started off differently than the others so it took a bit longer than usual to get into the story, but it was worth the wait!

This is a definite must read. For the beach or anywhere you go. It makes it feel no matter where you are in life you can come. And the family can be a bond that last forever. Its a romance, with a good dose of truth in it. People come into our life for a reason. And there isn't a such thing as a perfect person and be true to your feelings. I would love to read a sequel to this book

Spring has come to Eternity Springs in the newest installment in this New York Times bestselling series by Emily March.

When Josh Tarkington gets stuck on a gondola with the lovely Caitlin Timberlake, he thinks his consistently bad luck might have changed.

After their blossoming romance is interrupted, Caitlin realizes that her encounter with Josh was a sign that she needed to make a major life change. So she packs up her things and moves to Eternity Springs, opens a day care, and sets her cap for the town’s mechanic—Josh.

But Josh is hiding a well of secrets that would ruin him, and his relationship with everyone in Eternity Springs—especially Caitlin. When tragedy strikes, Josh and Caitlin find themselves, and their relationship, tested beyond imagining. Will they be able to find their way back to each other?

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Emily March is my go-to for everything sappy, sad, happy and enjoyable. I read her when I'm in a slump...this was no different. I was in a major one and decided I needed her in my life...yes, I'm biased. After all the books she's written - I can be!!

This book had a really touchy subject and one that when you talk about it, it better be talked about correctly - child abuse. It's not heavy, but it touches on it in such a way that it will have you thinking about it long after you've finished the book. Yes, this book has some themes to it but it's also lighthearted and genuine. You come to love Josh and understand why he doesn't do relationships. I loved this book and I can't wait for the next one in the series.