From BookToker to romance novelist, Betty Cayouette (aka Betty’s Book List) weaves together an amazing second-chance romance set in Italy in her debut novel One Last Shot (which comes out on May 7th).

This debut book has to be one of the best friends to lovers romances I’ve ever read!

I absolutely adored Emerson and Theo! This book had such a great storyline and I was desperate for these former childhood friends to finally realize that they still loved one another just as much as they did in high school. The pacing of the novel was perfect and the flashback in between each chapter really rounded out the novel by showing how Emerson and Theo’s friendship and love grew from their teen years.

This book will have you itching to go on vacation and experience a whirlwind romance! Having a bulk of the plot take place in Italy over the course of a week was so enchanting and I was very intrigued by the setting of the photo shoot to reconnect these two lovers.

I appreciated the author’s note in the beginning about the main character being a victim of sexual assault and how that plot line wasn’t a main focus in the story, but still contributed to the story as a whole. I felt that the topic was handled with grace and showed how a moment from your past can be a part of you, without entirely defining you.

You can bet that I will be the first in line to get Cayouette’s next book (whenever it comes out) and I will be recommending this book to everyone I know all summer long!

*I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a cute and fun read. I really enjoyed the setting in Italy. I am a sucker for a dual timeline story that includes flashbacks to childhood. It really helps you have a good understanding of the characters and make them more relatable.

Theo and Emerson were so fun together. Even though they had some pretty big miscommunications it was great to follow along on their journey to overcome the obstacles.

I am a sucker for second chance romance that also ties in childhood friends and this was done beautifully!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Today is Theo's 28th birthday and an alert goes off on Theo and Emerson's phones - one week until their wedding." Wait, what? They have not spoken to each other in ten years and they both have forgotten this pact they made. If they were not married by the time they are 28 (because that is sooo old), then they will marry each other.

So the story begins, a winding, love story, back and forth in time, explaining how they got to this point. It is a beautifully written, messy love story, because life is messy. Can they come back together and is the love they felt at 18, but afraid of, still there?

This novel is Cayouette's debut, I cannot wait to read what she does next!

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette is a heartwarming and delightful romance that effortlessly blends second-chance love with a dash of glamour and stunning Italian scenery. The novel follows Emerson, a successful supermodel, and Theo, a fashion photographer, who reunite ten years after making a marriage pact as teenagers. As Emerson approaches her twenty-eighth birthday, she decides to take matters into her own hands and uses the opportunity of a photoshoot in Cinque Terre, Italy, to reignite the romance she’s never quite forgotten.

Cayouette’s storytelling is charming, with a perfect mix of emotional depth and playful banter between the main characters. Emerson and Theo’s chemistry is palpable, and their unresolved past creates an intriguing tension that builds throughout the book. The picturesque setting of Cinque Terre adds an extra layer of magic to their reunion, and the four-day campaign provides the perfect backdrop for both characters to confront their feelings and rediscover what they had lost.

This debut novel is an enjoyable read for fans of second-chance romances with relatable characters and a dash of nostalgia. One Last Shot will appeal to readers who love a good love story, especially when it involves rekindling old flames and taking a leap of faith in love. The book also benefits from the author’s background in the book world, thanks to her viral TikTok account, Betty's Book List, which has cultivated a loyal following of romance fans eager for her debut novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review. This book was good! Started out slow and took forever to finally understand the major reason Emerson went away, but it was super cute and I enjoyed the story.

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette is a heartwarming and engaging summer romance that explores the journey of two best friends, Emerson and Theo, who make a pact to marry each other if they are still single by the time they turn 28. The story is packed with nostalgia, missed connections, and the complexities of rekindling a relationship after a decade of silence. The dynamic between Emerson and Theo was sweet, with the tension between them being palpable from the very start.

The book’s premise is intriguing: two high school friends, who share a close bond and a love of donuts, football games, and pizza nights, make a promise to each other at 18—if they aren’t with anyone by 28, they’ll get married. When the time finally comes, they’ve both gone their separate ways, and the result is a delightful, yet frustrating, journey of miscommunication and unspoken feelings.

The pacing of the book starts off strong, with a fun and lighthearted introduction to their friendship and the pact. However, around the middle, things slow down a bit. While the character development shines, especially as we get to see the contrast between their teenage years and the present day, the middle section of the story drags a little. The dual POV structure is effective in showcasing the differing perspectives of Emerson and Theo, and it really helps to highlight their personal growth. The tension between them is especially noticeable, as they both misunderstand each other’s intentions, which results in some very awkward, yet funny, moments. Their inability to communicate and their “flirting but not realizing it” moments were both frustrating and endearing at the same time.

One thing that I felt could have been done better was the setting. The book is set in Cinque Terre, Italy, but I didn’t feel fully immersed in the location. I wish the descriptions of the scenery had been more vivid to transport me into the beautiful Italian backdrop. Instead, it felt more like a book set in the States, which made it difficult to truly feel like I was in Italy.

The twist at the end regarding why Emerson and Theo broke up in the past was a huge shock—definitely an unexpected revelation that added some depth to the story. I did find myself invested in their journey, especially as they navigated their old feelings, current misunderstandings, and new dynamics. Their growth as individuals and as a couple was one of the highlights of the story.

Overall, One Last Shot is a charming romance with relatable characters, great character development, and plenty of heartfelt moments. The slow middle section and the missed opportunity for deeper exploration of the setting aside, this book is a delightful read for fans of second-chance romances and stories about reconnecting with the ones you love.

#ARC #NetGalley

A sweet, nostalgic romance set against the stunning backdrop of Cinque Terre, Italy. The slow-burn chemistry between Emerson and Theo is engaging, with a unique twist thanks to their teenage marriage pact. Their emotional journey is both heartwarming and filled with tension, offering a satisfying blend of romance and second chances.

Loved this romance novel! The characters in this book were so easy to connect to and root for! I loved the romance in this book! The Theo & Emerson were such great characters and had amazing chemistry between them! I definitely recommend giving this one a read!

This was a lovely friends to lovers debut novel that I really enjoyed. It was about high school best friends as they navigated high school and what transpired as they became adults, one a photographer and the other a model. There is distance between them for a decade so when it is time to make a good on a pact they made in high school, we follow their journey of reconnecting and seeing the sparks fly.

I truly loved this book. And highly recommend.

A second chance at love between high school best friends with a marriage pact? It sounded so good.

This is told in dual timelines, so we got to see Theo and Emerson’s friendship when they were younger. They reconnected after ten years apart when the reminder about their marriage pact went off. And it was so cute seeing them fall in love again. There was angst, drama, a lot of miscommunication, and love. The ending, when they both realized what was really important, was probably my favorite part.

It's a fun second-chance romance by Betty Cayouette. I enjoyed Emerson and Theo's story. Close when they were teenagers, they made a marriage pact for ten years later. Fast forward those ten years, Emerson is a model and Theo is a photographer, and they are both working in romantic Italy on a photo shoot. It's a cute story and a great HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐
Friends to lovers? Sign me in!
This book has everything I liked just in its blurb: a photographer, a model, and a long lost love that had to be rekindled. And even though I really enjoyed myself reading the book, I wanted the end to be a just a bit more exciting. It kind of fell short at the end and the miscommunication with these two almost got the best of me.
I was not expecting the topics this book discussed and felt like they were kind of superficial to the story.
Overall this book had me reading nonstop till I finished it so I guess that's a good thing!

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette offers an interesting premise but falls short in execution. While the central romance is sweet, the pacing often feels uneven, and some character development feels rushed. The story has its moments, but the emotional depth and tension I was hoping for didn’t fully materialize.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette!

I was so excited to read this book based on a location that I visited over 20 years ago in college, Cinque Terre, Italy. I liked the premise of the book and I also liked how we had flashbacks to Emerson and Theo's high school days, however, there were some aspects of this book, that did not track with me. For one, Emerson was ashamed that her mother was a hoarder and she was never there for Emerson. I can relate to this on a personal level because I had a parent that was the same way. But it seemed like all of a sudden out of the blue, her mother was supportive of her long enough to tell Theo to leave Emerson alone when she came back from the shoot that she had in high school. One of the tropes that I despise in books is the miscommunication trope, or the 'I'm not good enough for you' trope, even though both characters are madly in love with each other and each character thinks they are not good enough for the other. This is a love story, so there was no spice, which is not a good thing or a bad thing, just something to note. I prefer spicy books, but I know that others do not want to read about spice.

Short synopsis: International Superstar Model Emmerson is surprised when her iPhone reminder goes off reminding her of a marriage pact she made with her teenage best friend Theo (a fashion photographer). So she books herself to be on his next fashion campaign.

My thoughts: Okay, this was such a sweet one. I loved watching the characters growth through the past/current chapters, and learn to actually communicate with each other. The beginning is filled with a bunch of miscommunication, but it makes sense. Teenagers don’t know how to communicate, but they grow up like they are supposed to!

I really enjoyed watching Emerson and Theo reconnect with each other. I could tell from the very beginning there were definitely sparks still between them. I’m always a fan of friends to lovers and second chance romance, so this was a home run for me!
Also, the grand venture at the ending was absolutely adorable!

Read if you love:
- Celebrity romance
- Best friends to lovers
- Second chance
- Miscommunication to great communication
- Dual POV
- Flashback scenes

Supermodel Emerson gets an alert on her phone about a marriage pact with Theo, her best friend from high school. They agreed that they'd get married if they weren't married by 28. Unfortunately, they haven't spoken in almost 10 years. So she talks to her manager and arranges to be on a photo shoot in Cinque Terre with Theo, who is now a hotshot photographer. Unfortunately, he's not as happy to see her if she thought.

I enjoyed this debut romance. It was told from Emerson and Theo's point of view, going between their friendship in high school and their current day photo shoot. I liked Emerson and how down-to-earth she seemed, despite being a supermodel and having a crazy life. It was a friends-to-lovers romance set in a photo shoot in Cinque Terre, so I loved it.
I'm looking forward to more from this author.

Thanks to @stmartinspress, @netgalley and the author for this arc.

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me. I made it a couple chapters in and was just not hooked. The chapters that I read were well written, and I liked the characters, but I just found myself not interested in their story. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

I LOVED THIS ONE - I'm already looking forward to Betty Cayoutte's newest release. This was wonderful....thank you for my copy!

I enjoyed this glimpse into the worlds of professional models and photographers. Emerson and Theo met as teenagers and made a pack to reconnect in their 30s, but misunderstandings abound. Things bogged down a bit for me with the amount of interior dialog the two main characters engage in - we spend a lot of time in their heads and I found that frustrating at times.