3.5 Stars

One Last Kiss was a quick read that serves as an introduction to the author's new Blood Ties series.

To receive her inheritance, Liberty Hale must spend one month working on a Colorado ranch under the supervision of rancher Sam Bridger. After Libby arrives, her and Sam get off on the wrong foot leading to a tense start of life to the ranch. But as Libby spends more time on the ranch, she begins to work through the grief over losing her family. And as an attraction blossoms between her and Sam, Libby finds herself feeling more at home on the ranch than she's ever felt anywhere else. But one of the ranch guests has taken an interest in Libby and he's not willing to take no for an answer.

Libby initially comes across as very spoiled which makes her hard to like at first. But as the book goes on, we see that she's putting on a facade to keep from getting close to anyone for fear of losing them like her family. Sam at first believed the show Libby was putting on which meant their relationship was slow to get off the ground despite their mutual attraction to one another. But as Libby's true self came out, Sam was quick to fall for the real her and admired her determination. I did have a bit of a hard time with how quick the pair's feelings developed but that was mostly due to it being a novella and the time jumps to keep the story moving. But I did really enjoy the steamier scenes between the pair which were excellent. The suspense element doesn't really come into this story until close to the end but it was mostly well done. I will say there was one thing I didn't like which was when the bad guy attempted to (view spoiler) as I felt it was unnecessary.

Overall One Last Kiss was an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading the first full-length installment in the series, The Last Goodnight, soon.

Liberty Hale is a model in New York, and in order to receive her inheritance, she must work for one month on a ranch in Colorado. Being at the ranch brings back a ton of happy memories of her childhood, and it forces Liberty to face her grief over the loss of her parents. She also begins to fall for the ranch owner, Sam. However, there are some suspicious people staying at the ranch who seem to take an interest in Liberty, much to her dismay. Can Liberty and Sam’s budding relationship survive a dangerous and possibly deadly situation?

Liberty is so much more than the superficial socialite that people mistake her for. Constantly judged for her looks, Liberty keeps men at a distance until she meets Sam. He’s the first man who has treated her as more than just a pretty face and hasn’t made her feel objectified. Liberty is so drawn to the smart, sure, and hard-working man she gets to know at the ranch, and Sam is also drawn to Liberty. He sees past the makeup and fancy clothes and finds a kind, caring, and grief-torn woman. I like their instant connection and how that connection grows throughout the novella. They seem to really understand each other, and their chemistry is fantastic.

The secondary characters are also really interesting, and I’m eager to learn more about them as they weren’t super developed in this story. The ranch hands, Sam’s aunt, and Sam’s best friend are all compelling characters who help Sam and Liberty. They are dependable and capable, and they clearly care for Sam. I think this says a lot about them and a lot about the kind of man Sam is – a man who inspires loyalty and admiration.

This is a quick novella, and there are parts of the story that I wish were developed a bit more, especially in relation to the intrigue. However, the romance is great, and Liberty and Sam are well-developed. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

When I started this book I did not realize it was a novella. I am not a fan of short stories as the story and characters do not show much development. I wish it had been a full length book as I did like the storyline

A quick, heartfelt, exciting story! Not my typical type of book but I’m so glad I read it because I really enjoyed it. A perfect beach read!

This is the second book in the series, which I kind of consider it the first since this couple was in the first book. This was Sam' and Liberty's book, it was a short book, not a complete one, but entertaining all the same. Liberty is a model in New York, but her rich uncle died and left instructions in his will that in order for her to receive his money she had to fulfill the requirements set out for her left with Sam at his ranch. Sam got the surprise of his life when Libby got there, but she was not what he thought her to be, yes originally she was that, even in her mind, and yes Libby was dead set against staying at a ranch, but staying there brought back a whole lot of good memories of when she was young and her parents were alive and staying with Sam gave them a chance of falling in love....Enjoy!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Kensington Books for providing me this arc via Netgalley!
Firstly, I didn't realize this was a novella until I started reading it. I'm not usually a fan of those, unless they are written to complement a book or a series. So, I had really low expectations from the beginning.
Unfortunately, throughout the book, my suspicions were confirmed. This felt very shallow, and there isn't anything really that I can point out as something I liked about this.
If you are a fan of novellas, tho, perhaps you might like this, since there isn't exactly anything wrong with this book. It just wasn't for me.

For a much-needed cash infusion to his Colorado cattle ranch, Sam Bridger agrees to an old friend’s dying request that his spoiled New York model niece, Liberty Hale, spend one summer month “working” at his ranch. Sam and Liberty start out as opposites, but when Libby begins remembering long dead memories of her early family life, both begin to realize that they have a lot in common. The cast of characters brings added interest to a nice easy read for those who love romantic endings. I would even be interested in another “Sam and Libby” story. Thanks to Kensington books and NetGalley for this advance copy. #OneLastKiss #NetGalley

Mmm this book wss really really quick! It was just your typical romance read, it wasnt a bad story just not my type of favorite reads! I really don't like short stories and it was Insta everything! I guess it had to be because it was short?! Lol wasn't really for me but if you like short stories you'll probably like this one?! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Short, action-packed and steamy - everything you expect from a Kat Martin novella. This introduces her new world of Colorado ranchers who are hotter than hot, and the gorgeous women who, eventually, love them. Looking forward to book one!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Get ready to go beyond what meet the eye here. Libby is so much more than Sam wants to believe, while some folks around Sam’s ranch are so much worse than they appear. While Sam thought Libby to be entitled and was certain his deal with her deceased uncle was a bad idea, he couldn’t help but admire her determination to do her best. Or her pure joy when it came to the simple things in his life. But will Libby stay when her time is done?

As for Libby, she doesn’t want to go. But she also doesn’t want to overstay her welcome. After all, men tend to be one thing in her life, and that one thing isn’t exactly good or dependable. So she’s afraid to beg Sam to keep her, but also afraid to leave the one place she feels truly free to be herself.

When danger comes far too close for comfort, it’s the perfect opportunity to let hearts and their desires be known. It’s also the perfect way to introduce readers to who will get their story next. This was an enjoyable, quick read to give us a taste of this new series and to make us all want more!

One Last Kiss, is a quick story. Perfect for a nothing to do afternoon. I enjoyed reading it very much.

The book started well enough and then just began to lose me. The relationship between the two main characters just seemed too superficial to me, with too much emphasis on sexual desire. The dialogue sounded natural to me but the actions did not.

Rather disappointed in this one.

In order to receive her inheritance from an Uncle who has passed away Liberty must spend a month on a ranch as an employee. No special privileges, Liberty will be expected to carry her weight. Sam, the owner agrees but he finds Liberty is not what he expected. You can’t help but like Liberty, she is far from a spoiled little rich girl. Altho the book was predictable it was an enjoyable fast read. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.