Extremely fun romance taking place in some amazing settings! Best friends growing up, they finally get together but {something happens} and it all falls apart. They fall out of touch until Emerson gets a reminder on her phone about the marriage pact they made ten years ago. They meet up at a photo shoot in Italy (she is a model, he is a photographer) and there are mishaps and romance perhaps!

I wanted to read this book, because I follow the author’s book reviews and visited (and donated to) her little free library in Salem, MA. I was excited to know that part of the book takes place in and around Salem, which is an immediate add to TBR for me. The Italian setting also does not disappoint! Their story is filled with unexpected turns, and donuts.

Loved the setting and the second chance romance in One Last Shot. I wish one of them had maned up and told the other how they felt at any point past or current but I guess if they had, there wouldn't be much of a book. Other than that, I liked the characters and their journey apart was as interesting as their time together.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to One Last Shot!

Emerson and Theo are high school best friends and crushes when they decided to set a marriage pact for 10 years after graduation. They stop speaking shortly before graduation so when the alert about their pact goes off, Emerson decides this is the way they can reconnect and hopefully fall back in love with each other. Emerson has become a very famous model since high school and Theo has become a successful photographer. They reconnect on a photo shoot in Italy that Emerson gets herself on to and the sparks fly from there. This story is one with lots of miscommunication both in the high school scenes and the present day Italy/LA scenes, which got to be slightly too long for me. I enjoyed the back and forth timeline overall and the personal issues that the characters were navigating while falling for each other. I will definitely explore other books by this author but hope that miscommunication isn't such a main plot point. This would be a good book to take on a vacation, especially to Cinque Terre!

2.5 stars

A perfectly fine romance for fans of second chance, friends to lovers, dual pov, dual timeline, and miscommunication. This felt incredibly tropey to me and while I love a good dual pov I can't stand a dual timeline. Any progress that you make in the story takes two steps back when your timeline shifts to the past. I find it very frustrating to get into a good flow with the story.

The characters were likable enough but a marriage pact? At 18 years old? Don't make me laugh. Is this a Lifetime Romance movie? I couldn't hang with that.

And 10 years of miscommunication is just 10 years too much for me. If your best friends than you should be able to do a better job of reading your friend and their intentions. These two would shamelessly flirt with each other, because duh, feelings, and neither of them quite understood what the other was doing. And the dreaded third act breakup because of miscommunication? No thanks. It's possible to have a romance with no break up.

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 Stars

Emerson and Theo were inseparable in high school and they made a marriage pact to marry each other at 28. Their friendship ended abruptly and haven’t spoken to each in years.

It’s nearing Emerson’s birthday. She’s a supermodel and Theo is a fashion photographer. When a calendar reminder goes off on their phones, Emerson makes a plan to reunite. She gets a job as the model in Theo’s next campaign. The job is four days in Cinque Terre, but will Theo want to see Emerson?

I loved the setting of Cinque Terre and seeing the two characters have a second chance to romance. It wasn’t a smooth road to rekindle their feeling but their struggle was worth it in the end. I adored the ending and I really enjoyed the flashbacks of their relationship when they wee teenagers. My one complaint was the miscommunication trope…there was a lot of miscommunication in this one. Other than that it was a sweet omance with an Italian backdrop.

The PERFECT book to read if you wish to be transported to the most gorgeous setting in Italy!!! I knew I would love this book but I didn't realize just how much. I'm such a sucker for dual POV and it worked SO WELL with this story. Emerson and Theo were so likable and their chemistry flew off the pages. I'm excited to read more of this author's work!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One Last Shot
By: Betty Cayouette
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: 5/07/24
Friends to lovers is my favorite romance trope at the moment so this one fits perfectly!
From debut author Betty Cayouette comes a coming of age story. This book is told from dual POVs.
It’s freshman orientation when Emerson meets Theo for the first time and in just 4 years they are inseparable. As senior year starts to wind down they become more than friends. Theo’s a photographer and Emerson is already starting to model. They plan on moving from Boston to NYC. While on a photo shoot some awful things happen and Emerson starts to push everyone away including Theo. It’s now been 10 years, Emerson realizes he’s the one, always has been but they haven’t spoken in all that time. She orchestrates a chance encounter by becoming one of the models on his next campaign. To say he was shocked is an understatement. Their worlds are so different but maybe just maybe they can get back to where they once were.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. I'm not the biggest fan of slow burns or the miscommunication trope but I think this one used it well enough to help us get a real sense of the story. It wasn't perfect, but it was such a sweet summer romance. I think the way the author handled the mental health rep and the depiction of sexual assault was spot-on and I appreciated it because you can tell they went out of their way to handle these topics with care.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC! I thought this was a cute and quick read and as an Italian myself I did love the fact that it mostly took place in Italy. I would definitely recommend it to clients looking for a second chance romance!

Emerson is a supermodel and her upcoming birthday has her looking at her life. She wants to find love but hasn't been able to accomplish that one little thing. When a reminder on her calender makes her think of a pact she made with her friend Theo when they were teens she thinks there is a chance she might find some happiness. She sets up a chance meeting with Theo hoping to rekindle that long ago romance they had as teens. She books the job that gets her in his sights but soon learns he might not be on the same page that she is on. Follow along and see where this journey takes the two. Will hearts win out or will they fizzle in the end?

ARC
I adored this book! I feel like people either love or hate friends to lovers/second chance romance, but it's a personal favorite for me. I feel like it had all the microtropes I love and wish I could write myself - marriage pact, traveling, it's always been you, etc. The multiple timelines was so much fun and relatable to high school romance/friendships. Definitely recommend

One Last Shot follows the love story of Emerson and Theo, middle school best friends turned strangers turned lovers. Emerson graduated high school, was “discovered” and is now one of the world’s top supermodels. Theo, who took her very first digital photographs, is now also an established fashion photographer, but he only works for mass market fashion brands. And something happened ten years ago that caused them to lose touch with each other.

I absolutely adored this rendition of a marriage pact reuniting long lost best friends! One of the best executions I’ve read in a long long time. The writing style is snappy. Emerson’s inner dialogue felt like my own, but wittier. Theo’s struggles felt understated but absolutely real. The story felt true, in the best way possible.

The book setting of a small town in Italy is chefs kiss. It added that cozy small town vibe that instantly elevates any romance. Having the purpose being a fashion shoot also made the vibe tres chic. It really was the perfect blend for people who like city or small town vibes.

Trigger warning, the book does tackle sexual assault but it’s off page, in the distant past, and definitely NOT the center of the story. In fact, I was to give kudos to the author for having tackled it sensitivity while still ensuring that it wasn’t the entirety of the story. Just how real life can be at times as well.

Overall, I highly, HIGHLY recommend. I think Betty is a new auto-buy author for me in the contemporary romance genre!

Emerson and Theo met when they were fourteen becoming everything to each other, until they weren't. Fast forward to age almost 28 and a reminder pops up on their respective phones of a vow they made to get married when they turn 28. Setting into motion a reconnect for them on a photo shoot in Italy combined with flashbacks of what went right and wrong. While I enjoyed their story, I never connected with either of them. So I was left with a pleasant story without any emotional impact.

3.25- While I prefer romcoms I usually don’t shy away from a romance, especially when the synopsis sounds cute and flirty. I’m pretty good with most tropes, but the one I simply cannot stand is miscommunication, which is one of the tropes in this book.
Emerson and Theo met at their freshman orientation of high school when they were both 14 and instantly clicked- as best friends. During their 4 years of high school their friendship deepened until it morphed into more than friends. They made a pact that if neither were married by the time they turned 28 they’d marry each other. Ten years since high school has passed and at 28 Emerson is now a supermodel and a household name and Theo is a photographer for a Target like store. They haven’t spoken since they were 18 and when Emerson’s reminder app pops up reminding her if she’s not married she’s to marry Theo, she quickly gets herself assigned to Theo’s latest shoot, even though career wise it’s well beneath her. Theo too has been thinking of her, but when someone close to Emerson tells Theo she has no desire to rekindle things with her, he’s confused as to why she’s suddenly on location. The next 5 days are filled with reconnection and confusion as Emerson tries to win Theo back and Theo tries to be respectful of her feelings.
This is Betty Cayouette’s debut novel and as a debut it’s quite good. While I enjoyed the writing, I felt like the story dragged on, but that’s because there wasn’t an end of the miscommunication until practically the second to last chapter. I would have preferred to see that get resolved earlier than 90% through. I really loved the characters Ms. Cayouette created and I look forward to seeing what else she writes down the road.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this. One Last Shot hit the shelves on May 7th.

You’ll be itching to buy a one way ticket to Italy after reading One Last shot by Betty Cayouette. This is a lovely debut that blends the celebrity romance and second chance tropes into a beautiful contemporary love story.

Emerson and Theo were inseparable as teens but they were torn apart right as they expressed their feelings for one another. Ten years later, the marriage pact notification they set in high school goes off, reminding them of the future they once dreamed of. Emerson, now a famous model, orchestrates a reunion with Theo by joining the campaign he’s photographing in Cinque Terre. Will these two former friends be able to pick up where they left off, or will their spark flame out for good?

Emerson and Theo’s story is told in alternating past and present perspectives. Both timelines were essential and gave readers necessary context to Emerson and Theo’s relationship. The friendship they share is wholesome, built off of trust and respect. I was genuinely rooting for this couple throughout the entire book.

One Last Shot taps into the raw and dizzying side effects that accompany falling for ones best friend. Cayouette creates two emotionally complex characters whose joys, fears, and needs are considered paramount by their partner. It was refreshing to see the care Cayouette took in handling Emerson and Theo’s individual struggles.

Highlights:
-Famous model x photographer
-Second chance romance
-Former childhood friends
-Cinque Terre setting
-Grand gestures galore
-Donuts and sweet treats

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fun summer read. I'm a sucker for a second chance romance. I enjoyed the characters and the pacing of the story. I don't hand out 5 stars easily, so this was a 4 star read for me.

Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the ALC/ARC! #MacAudio2024

📸 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 📸
This was an excellent debut novel! The story is based on friendship, love and a marriage pact that two friends made to marry each other when they turn 28.

Emerson has made it as a superstar model and her high school best friend Theo is a fashion photographer. They both get an alert to a pact they made the decade prior, where they left their relationship without closure. Emerson meets up with Theo again on a shoot in Italy, determined to make things right between them.

The setting for this book was a lot of fun. A fashion shoot in a beautiful location. I enjoyed the questions game these two would play in their next door hotel rooms. It was fun to flash back to high school and see how they met and got to know each other as well.

There are some tough topics that do get brought up in this story, and it’s highlighted in the authors note as well. It was handled well by the author, and how she wanted to tell the main characters story.

I like the positive note the story ended on. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
📸 Friends to Lovers
📸 Second Chance Romance
📸 Marriage Pact
📸 Model and Photographer
📸 Miscommunication
📸 Dual Timelines/POV

Thank you SMP and Macmillan audio for the review copies! !

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Emerson and Theo were high school best friends who made pact at 18 that if they were single ten years later, they would marry each other. The catch, the two have not spoken since their senior year. Emerson, now 28, gets a reminder on her phone about the pact and uses her modeling career to end up in Theo’s next photoshoot…. with hopes to rekindle what they once had.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: This book had the perfect balance between being a bingey rom com and a heavier/ more emotional fiction read. I loved the high school chapters and seeing Emerson and Theo’s relationship throughout the years. Brittany Pressley and Sean Patrick Hopkins narrated the story beautifully. The dual narration brought the characters to life, and the two did such a great job with all the tension and chemistry.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
▪️Cinque Terre
▪️Friends to lovers + second chance romance
▪️Celebrity storylines
▪️Question games
▪️Dual timelines and POVs
▪️Dougnuts

Sometimes I forget how much I absolutely adore second chance romance, especially when it involves friends to lovers. One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette reminded me just how much I fall heads over heels for these tropes.

One Last Shot has become a quick favorite of mine, and I absolutely loved watching Theo and Emerson fall for each other all over again after so many years. What I found beautiful about their relationship and the story as a whole was seeing the change from young love dynamic to the adults falling in love. It made it feel so real to not see Theo and Emerson just leave where they left off before the break up, since that was a relationship built on who they were when they were younger and after so many years it would have felt inauthentic.

Instead readers get to see Emerson and Theo fall in love with the person each of them became over the years. And that was endearing to me, as if they hadn't drifted apart due to what occurred in the past, there's a good chance they'd have been driven apart by their careers and life. This is even showcased in the way Emerson fears her life will be too much for Theo, and Theo thinks his life isn't enough for her. While they struggle to workout out their feelings for each other and how to move forward, we see them realize all that matters is being together. And in doing so and with their history they help each other find their happiness in their careers as well, and make sure they encourage each other to follow their dreams. It was a beautiful relationship dynamic, that felt like what everyone needs when it comes to finding their person.

I also loved the author's constant push and pull of Emerson and Theo that make the reader question if they going to wind up together. This was strongly due to a miscommunication/lack of communication trope, which is usually not my favorite but in this case I found it extremely well done. It made sure there was tension between the two and the moment that everything came together felt like letting out a long held breathe. It wasn't the main problem and their was still more to explore, but it made them coming together so much more exciting.

The one thing that kind of left me stumbling with this book was the fact the pact seemed to disappear, which was the whole reason the two came together again. I was so confused how it seemed to just get brushed aside at the end, even though it was not only the main reason they came together, but also caused a bit of turmoil for Emerson towards the end. Instead of seeing them talk about it just kind of seemed to disappear, and it left me confused. Especially knowing it was what gave Emerson the push to go after her own desires instead of focusing only on her image for her career. I would have liked it to be at least talked about, because the last time we hear it mentioned left Emerson feeling insecure.

Overall I absolutely loved this book and thought it was a fun romance book. It was beautiful to see the exploration of how young lovers can grow separately and still come back together and find love in the new versions of themselves. It was amazing to see them face their past demons and in doing so find a way to live their lives the way they wanted regardless of what others thought.

This was so cute! I didn’t realize that the author was a bookstagrammer turned author until after reading, which makes me love her more. I was frustrated with the FMC for taking 10 years to find her way back to the MMC, but I loved the journey they took reuniting