3.75 rounding up! This was really cute but also dealt with difficult topics in a healthy and real way. I loved the characters and the scenic aspect. It made me want to hop on a plane immediately.

I had such a fun time reading but maybe it’s just me, the pacing was off? I felt like I had whiplash at points with the flashbacks.

I will definitely be buying a physical copy though and I look forward to anything this author writes in the future.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC! It’s my very first one and I was very honored!

First off, the cover of this story was the first thing that sold me. Just so simple and beautiful. When I found out it was a second chance, friends to lovers romance, I was sold even more. Two of my favorite tropes.

Now, the book itself. I would definitely say this is a slow burn. Nothing physical happens between the characters until about 70% in. Some people may love that, some may not. I thought the middle of the book was kind of dragging on with the miscommunication between the two main characters. But once they finally talk, everything pushed forward and I couldn’t put the book down.

Theo and Emerson have a beautiful love story. Throughout the book you can tell how much they have always loved and cared about each other, and how hurt each of them was over what happened between them 10 years ago.

I will say, this is not a spicy book. There was one steamy scene and that’s about it. Just a warning if you’re looking for a spicy book. Still extremely sweet and swoon worthy

I really enjoyed One Last Shot!

Emerson and Theo make a marriage pact when they’re in high school that if they’re both single at the ripe old age of 28 (lol), they will marry each other. As luck has it, they’re both single when the marriage pact reminder goes off, so Emerson finds a way to reconnect with Theo at a professional photo shoot.

What I really enjoyed about the novel was seeing behind the curtain on the fashion industry and learning a lot of the modeling and photography lingo. You can tell that the author has a background in this field and she incorporates a lot of cool intel (she mentions in the acknowledgments that she was a fashion photographer before writing the novel).

I also like that while it is a breezy romance read, it does address some serious issues, including sexual assault, in an important way.

Bonus points: you can’t help but love the beautiful setting of coastal Italy! Overall, I thought it was a creative and well-done romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

This was a 3.5 star read for me. It was a great debut novel for this author, I enjoyed their writing style. 2nd chance romance is also a troop that I enjoy reading, but I found the flashbacks to be boring. I also just found the characters lack of communication frustrating. Both characters were very likable though.

One Last Shot was Betty Cayouette's first shot and a fabulous one! I became invested in the characters and their stories just as much as their love story together! The flashbacks were vital to the plot and never over the top. I fully cheered for their love throughout the book. The setting was the icing on the cake! A perfect summer (or whenever) romance read!

I’m so so conflicted. I had been waiting to get my hands on this book forever and was so excited to get an arc from NetGalley! This book is cute. If you’re looking for the warmth and comfort of young love working out in the end, this book is definitely the one for you.

For me, however, I was left wanting a little bit more. I think a lot of it has to do with this being the author’s debut novel. I can see her potential as a story teller and I just know she’s going to write some amazing books one day. This definitely will not be remembered as her best work.

As for Emerson and Theo, Theo was the highlight of the story for me. He was definitely a golden retriever mmc. I believed his love and devotion. Emerson was too surface level for me. I kept being reminded that she’s a supermodel with an unhealthy lifestyle, and it just made her overall unlikeable. Even when she was standing up for herself (which I absolutely supported) it was in such a supermodel way, that made it hard to root for her.

The entire story was rife with misunderstandings which is so annoying in general. The way with which the marriage pact goes off and Emerson is just like “oh yeah, gotta go do this thing and fix my life now.” It was just unbelievable really. I needed more thought and care from Emerson to go into this. Theo seemed to care about Emerson’s needs and feelings while Emerson was just trying to get what she always wanted. It was just lucky for her that Theo wanted the same thing, otherwise this could have gotten messy. Honestly, if this had been written as an enemies to lovers book instead, it would have made more sense and Emerson way more likable.

There was a lot of “telling” done to make the main characters believable in their fields. It made the characters seem very cold and kept pulling me out of being swept away in the story. Like it would get good and I would find myself being immersed in the story and then some weird unnecessary detail would pull me out and make me cringe. It made it a bit difficult to get through, but again, this feels like a debut novel flaw. Not a permanent author flaw.

In the end, I’m a bit let down by this story, but see the potential of the author. This will definitely not be the last book of hers I read. I’m already excited for what she writes next. I’m hoping she goes completely out of her comfort zone and does whole new tropes from this book. I think she might surprise herself.

Super grateful for the arc, NetGalley and publishers!!

It took me a little bit to get into the story and some of the flashbacks were a bit of a snooze fest, but overall, I loved Emerson and Theo together. They were both flawed and real!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a delightful gem of a debut. Betty Cayouette explores second chances against a Cinque Terre, Italy backdrop in her debut 'One Last Shot'. This book is heart-wrenching and touching but also sweet and charming.

After a decade of estrangement, supermodel Emerson is reminded on her 28th birthday of a marriage pact with teenage best friend and first love, Theo. Now a fashion photographer, she machinates to reunite on his photoshoot in the hopes to rekindle their friendship, and maybe a lot more.

Told in dual timelines, we see their burgeoning relationship from first day of middle school to Em unceremoniously dumping Theo before graduation. Cayouette captures their instant connection and just how in tune they are with each other. Theo has a supportive family life, while Emerson lives with a neglectful hoarder mother.

One of my favourite parts was the authenticity. Cayouette, who worked in fashion videography, really captures the less glamourous parts of modelling - the long hours, standing in the cold water, paparazzi and manipulative agents. Also supporting characters were delightful, from Georgia and the other models to Owen.

I was swept up from the first sentence and got so invested in Emerson and Theo. They were well-rounded with their vulnerabilities and chemistry together. I grieved along with them for all that time they lost.

However the book does have some pacing issues. A lot of the flashbacks could've been cut, especially the chapters leading up and after their split since we don't learn the reason. I'd much rather focus was on more present day bonding given they've spent a decade apart and have vastly different lives. Em's reveal why she pushed Theo away should've also happened a lot earlier. I'd also have loved more about the aftermath of developments with her agent.

'One Last Shot' is a sweet and charming second chance romance which sparkles like the sun hitting the Mediterranean sea at Cinque Terre. I couldn't put this book down and I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was so much fun! The setting and characters were awesome. I loved Theo and Emerson’s story. I liked the inclusion of the high school chapters because it really gave a good back story to the characters. I thought the marriage pact was a fun concept that I hadn’t really read before. I loved the Italian setting and it made me want to go back!

“One Last Shot" by Betty Cayouette is a delightful read for a second-chance romance and I must admit that I am a big fan of the subgenre.
Emerson and Theo's teenage friendship takes a romantic turn, only to be abruptly severed. A decade later, Emerson, now a supermodel, seizes the opportunity to reconnect when their marriage pact's reminder pops up. Set against the enchanting backdrop of Cinque Terre, Italy, the novel expertly balances dreamy careers and sentimental touches with the raw reality of trauma and insecurities. Cayouette weaves a tale that's both heartwarming and emotionally resonant, as the characters grapple with past wounds and the challenge of rekindling their connection. The nuanced portrayal of mental health and emotional conflicts adds depth, making Emerson and Theo's journey feel authentic.
“One last shot” is offering a multidimensional romance that will resonate with both romance enthusiasts and general fiction readers.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own.

One Last Shot is a strong debut novel. Cayouette brings new twists to the “second chance romance,” and balances sentimental touches like the marriage pact, dreamy careers, and the beautiful Cinque Terre setting with the sobering reality of trauma, anxiety, and insecurity. I can’t wait to read Cayouette’s next work and highly recommend this novel to romance and general fiction readers.

The plot: Emerson and Theo meet as teenagers and become instant best friends. Flash forward ten years later, and Theo is a moderately successful photographer and Emerson is the “it” supermodel on top of the world… except when it comes to her love life. A week before Emerson’s 28th birthday, fresh off another disappointing breakup, her calendar alerts her to the pact they made as teenagers to marry at 28 if they were still single. Only… she and Theo haven’t spoken in the decade since their mutual attraction caused their friendship to fall apart. Emerson resolves to rekindle their relationship and seizes the opportunity to model on Theo’s upcoming four day fashion shoot in Cinque Terre. But when she arrives, Theo doesn’t appear excited to see her even after all these years… the next four days may be more challenging than Emerson expects.

My opinion: I really enjoy romance books that are dimensional and present characters who feel “real.” Although Emerson is a supermodel with a very unrelatable life, Cayouette wrote her in a way that felt grounded. I was rooting for Emerson and Theo throughout and felt invested in not only the development and resolution of their present-day romance, but also the development (and ruination) of their relationship as teenagers. The mental health and emotional conflicts were much deeper than I expected based on the cover and description, with both Emerson and Theo suffering through emotions and the reality that love is not always enough to make a relationship work. The “miscommunication trope” between the characters bordered on being too strong/repeated near the end, but Cayouette brought enough variety overall to keep me engaged. I was really impressed with this debut novel and look forward to Cayouette’s next work.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

This was a fun, sweet read. Two friends who haven't been in touch for ten years have another shot at love. Can they be honest with each other about the things in their pasts that got between them? Or are they too different from the people they used to be?

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were well-written and nuanced, and the story flowed for me. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC!

Emerson is a top model, very successful and well known. Emerson and Theo met during orientation for high school. She was standing alone, and Theo introduced himself. The rest is history. Emerson had a hoarder for a mother and never had any close friends. It was Theo who helped her through the years of high school. When Emerson was chosen to be a model, she left for L.A. saying she no longer loved him. Theo became a talented photographer and after 10 years, Emerson shows up in Italy and is one of the models he is shooting. Emerson is determined to try to rekindle their relationship. There are people who do not want her to do this, and in truth, the relationship could hurt both their careers. This was a great book! I loved the close-knit relationship Theo had with his parents, brother, and his brother’s family. I loved the support Emerson had from her friend and past boyfriend. There were a lot of insecurities and I enjoyed watching Emerson and Theo work through those. Emerson’s fame and Theo’s reaction to her life made the book really interesting. Wonderful story and characters!

I was so excited to read this book after following Betty for a while on socials. She didn’t disappoint. This is such a fun lighthearted romance. I loved the lack of third act breakup! I really enjoyed the character building with the MCs with their story from high school. After finishing the book I immediately went out and bought a maple bar donut! There were some typos but nothing that I couldn’t look over!

One Last Shot follows the story of Theo and Emerson, two high school best friends who reunite ten years after a fall out when a reminder of their pact to get married if they were both still single at 28 appears on their phones. The story begins when Emerson, now a supermodel, decides to try to reconnect with Theo while he's the main photographer for a clothing campaign.

I liked most of this book, the jumps between past and present were nice, all the situations they had with their supermodel-photographer relationship were interesting, the moments where they remembered old times and the tension every time they got close, everything there was very good.

I think it could have been a great read, but that last 20% completely killed the vibe for me. It felt like it was never ending and I lost almost all interest in their relationship. Personally, I hate with my soul the miscommunication trope, that drama at the end could have been resolved much better if they had only talked things through properly instead of constantly running away or pushing the other away.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet second chances romance between a famous model and a photographer who were best friends turned sweethearts. Circumstances drove them apart ten years ago, and Emerson gets a notification on her phone. They had promised to marry each other when they turned 28 if they were still single. Time is up, and she wants Theo.

I enjoyed the flashbacks mixed in with the present story. The only ding for me was that the misunderstandings got to be a bit much towards the end, but it all worked out fine.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

this was such a cute friends to lovers second chance romance!

I always feel that second chance and friends to lovers is such an iconic combo. emerson and theo were the best of friends starting the day they met in high school. but in present day— they haven’t spoken for 10 years due to a falling out. emerson gets a alert on her phone reminding her of the pact she and theo made when they were 18. if neither of them are married by the time they’re 28, they would marry each other. emerson who has dated many losers in the past few years is ready to mend her relationship with theo. emerson has been working as a high fashion model and theo works as a photographer. emerson finds out about the latest project theo is working on and has her agent pull strings to get her on that project so they have an excuse to work together. this brings emerson and theo into close proximity in the beautiful and romantic cinque terre in italy. theo is shocked to see emerson after so many years and is nervous to reconnect with her after all these years.

I immediately wanted to know why emerson and theo had their falling out! esp bc the chapters from the past showed they were truly the best of friends!!!! I loved their friendship so so much. it was so damn cute and heartwarming!!! the time jumps from past to present really helped the reader to see the solid friendship and support system they created. but at the same time it made me sad seeing they had a falling out 💔 in present time it took a while for them to start opening up to each other but once they did it was so sweet! I felt like the middle part of the book had my attention the most and had me giggling over the rekindling of their friendship. the ending did throw me a bit and I became a little disinterested. but all in all seeing them end up together and happy made me very happy. it was a very cute and quick read!!!

High school besties meet back up in Italy. One is a super model and the other is photographing the shoot. Second chance romance/flashbacks.

This book is so well written and done so well. I love flashbacks/second chance romance with best friends but a lot of times I feel like the back story is really under developed. This was not the case with this book. I loved both characters and their stories. The pacing of the story was also great.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book!

Cute cute cute! I loved this one though it was a little different than what I was expecting. At the heart, it was definitely a second chance romance. I always love those! I think I expected it to be a little lighter based on the description but I enjoyed that the author gave the characters some more details in terms of backstory and that there was more depth. The story line goes back and forth between present day and high school and switches narrators between Emerson and Theo.

Emerson is a super model who made it big right at the end of high school. Theo is a commercial photographer for places similar to Target, etc. As high schoolers, they became best friends and were inseparable throughout all 4 years. As teenagers, they made a pact that they would marry each other at 28 if they were unattached. They were secretly already in love with each other at this point of course, but too scared to tell each other. The book picks up with Emerson and Theo seeing the reminder of the marriage pact on their phones and then how to choose to try and reveal their feelings to each other after a decade long break in their friendship due to miscommunication and trauma. Their romance was a sweet one and I really enjoyed it!
I would definitely read other books by this author!

A charming second chance romance with plenty of longing set in the Italian coast. The beautiful, sunshine-filled setting created a cozy, summer time vibe.

The two leads clearly have chemistry but I did feel like the ongoing miscommunication and misunderstandings detracted from the overall story. I enjoyed learning about some of the behind the scenes of fashion photography/photoshoots as Theo is a fashion photographer and Emerson is a model. Readers looking for an angst-filled second chance and friends-to-lovers plot may enjoy this one!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.