I received an ARC of this debut from the author and I really enjoyed it! It was heartfelt and poignant, kept you on the edge of your seat, and feeling all of the emotions right along with the main characters! You can’t help but fall in love with Emerson and Theo, their first and their second love stories, though seemingly they are on and the same and never really ended! Seeing the struggles and trauma Emerson went through when she was younger really informs her actions and reactions today—making her stronger and more resilient, both in a positive way and to her detriment. The same could be seats for Theo, whose own traumas kept him from really reaching his full potential. And while their trauma has a bit of a thread, neither really knew or understood that. It’s so tension filled seeing them reconnect, struggle internally, face a ton of (relatable) self doubt, and also get some helping hands and hard slaps of reality. But, the most endearing and pervasive theme of this story and of their lives is their love for each other—true, abiding, no hold barred, fully in and fully free of any restraints love. With their true selves. It was such a reward to see things all come to fruition, as we know happens in romance reads, but it doesn’t make the ending any less sweet. And I absolutely ADORED that ending. It was so perfect for them and I just loved it so much! Can’t wait to see what this author has coming next!

A sweet story about refound love. Cayouette's first novel is an accomplishment. I enjoyed reading it.

Theo and Emerson meet at high school orientation and become best friends. They make a marriage pact. Things happen (no spoilers!) and they are torn apart. 10 years later their marriage pact reminder pops up on their phones. Theo is a photographer and Emerson is a very famous supermodel. So she gets herself booked on his next shoot. But will he be happy to see her?

This book is a friend to lovers, second chance romance with secrets and a slow burn. It’s dual POV and has a now and then timeline. There is such deep character development. Most of this book takes place in Italy, and it was so stunningly described. I felt like I was there. The intrigue of what happened to tear them apart and the aftermath of it, kept me turning the page. It was the perfect about of mystery. The longing and the tension made the slow burn so enjoyable. But do check the trigger warning.

If you’re looking for your next summer read, pick this one up!!

📷 dual POV
📷 marriage pact
📷 childhood friends to lovers
📷 second chance romance
📷 model and photographer
📷 dual timeline
📷 Italy setting
📷 debut novel

BIG Theo and Emerson fan!! Gah I love them.

I’m SUCH a sucker for dual POV romance and friends to lovers!! The audiobook was great - I love it when we get multiple narrators! I flew through this one because I was hooked. I did think that the pacing was a little off towards the end, but overall it was an enjoyable read! Some parts had a big of cheese, but don’t we all love a little bit of that in a romance novel? I enjoyed the celebrity aspect since Emerson is a famous model.

There’s some spice, but it’s not overly descriptive in my opinion. Theo and Emerson have a lot of history together, so their story is very layered, which I liked. This book also tackled some more serious issues - I appreciated the author’s note at the beginning.

A big thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my eARC in exchange for my honest review! One Last Shot is out now.

“One Last Shot” by Betty Cayouette
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Release Date: 5/7

Thank you Netgalley for this arc! Sometimes the best books fall into your lap. This is one of them! Thanks to a marketing manager at St. Martin’s Press for emailing me this as an exclusive read! This had everything I love friends to lovers to friends to enemies back to lover, celebrity romance, and destination (based in Italy.) It also was dual timeline with dual POV! I was never bored and flew through the story of fashion model Emerson and photographer Teddy.

Emerson and Teddy met at their high school freshman orientation. They became best friends and spent the next four years growing their friendship. Fast forward and they are 28 and both famous for different things, but no longer friends. One thing they may bring them back together is the pact they made at 18. If they are not married by 28 they will marry each other. Will that happen? What happened ten years prior?

A second chance love story set against the scenic backdrop of Cinque Terre with a dash of fashion, a heavy dose of pining, and a plenty of swoony romance.

I was a little hesitant about this one when I saw that the main trope is miscommunication. I often get frustrated with this trope and so I was worried about liking this one. I can now honestly say, my worries were not brought to life!

I thought the pacing of the story was good and the plot flowed really well! The characters tugged at my heartstrings many times and the resolution at the end was so heartwarming!

There were certainly still a few moments where the miscommunication was bothersome, but I felt like the story was done so well that those parts didn't bother me as much as they could have.

I picked this book up in a moment when I wanted something with less depth and more just wholesome content, and it certainly didnt let me down. Emerson was very vain at times and there were little things throughout that I think would have bothered me more if I went into this looking for a read that I get deeply connected with or something, so I think state of mind had lots to do with it, but overall it was super enjoyable!

I really enjoyed Emerson and Theo’s story!
It was cute and summery read! I loved the setting in Italy. I think this was a great second chance romance! I enjoyed having the flashbacks to both Theo and Emerson’s childhood and seeing their POV/thought processes through the things they dealt with. The character development was great- I do feel like Emerson was superficial at times but maybe that just came with the high profile supermodel life. I’m usually not a fan of miscommunication but in this story I didn’t mind it and I found myself hooked to see how the characters would resolve everything.
The narrator’s were great for this one and I loved how well they portrayed the characters! Thank you NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Betty for the ALC/ARC to read and review!

A second chance romance story between high school sweethearts.
I loved the flashback when they met and how their romance blossomed. It was really the most wholesome and most fun part of the book.
I do think the intent of rekindling their romance was cute. How Emmerson got a notification that if they were still single at 28 to meet up again and marry. It was force proximity in the making with her taking on a week photoshoot in Italy to be shot by Theo.
Each day after the shoot, they would play questionnaire games to learn about each other and they can tell they never stopped loving each other.

There is warning disclaimer about sexual abuse that I read at the beginning that the author noted. I think it was handled tastefully.
When she confused and he comforted her, I teared up.
There is miscommunication in this story. I wish it told in such a way that a lot of things could have been avoided.
It is not the worse miscommunication trope I've read.

Overall, like Emmerson said. She needed to heal. It just took her ten years to really heal.
I like the story I would recommend it. I think what I liked the most was the nostalgic innocence of high school love.

This was a really good read. The characters were well developed. I was rooting for Theo and Emerson from the first page to the last one. The story made my heart ache for anyone in their positions.

Emerson's reaction to her situation felt real and hard to me. I also liked how the author handled Theo's reaction to Emerson. There was some miscommunication toward the end that felt a little unnecessary, but it was resolved quickly. I did like that they still struggled some and it wasn't a perfect turn around in their relationship.

When an alarm goes off it reminds Emerson of the marriage pact she made with her high school best friend, Theo. Despite not seeing him in a decade, Emerson, now a supermodel decides this is her last chance to reconnect with the one guy she ever loved. It had taken Theo, a fashion photographer, a long time to get over the hurt of Emerson leaving him just when he declared his feelings for him all those years ago.
Emerson and Theo are both very likeable characters and you will be rooting for both of them to find the happiness they deserve! Despite her success, Emerson is down to earth and kind. Theo, who doesn’t think he’s good enough, is all that and more.
The dialogue between the characters is very authentic and well written. The author left a lot of the trauma experienced by both characters off the page, and that made it a little harder to connect with them. Miscommunication or non-communication is a big part of the storyline, and for me that is my least favorite trope. Fortunately, also included are friends to lovers, slow burn, dual POV and second chance romance with flashbacks to their high school days.
This was a sweet debut novel and I look forward to more from Betty Cayouette.
Narrators Brittany Pressley and Sean Patrick Hopkins did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life and voicing their fears and hurts. Superb choices for the narration!!

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette
Contemporary romance. Dual time line. Second chance troupe.
Emerson and Theo were best friends in high school. They make a pact to marry each other if they aren’t already married at 28.
Current day, the alarm goes off and both Emerson and Theo reach out to reconnect. Not to get married, they tell themselves, but to make sure they’re both happy. Emerson is a famous, top tier model. She’s had a few well publicized relationships but comparing them to what she had with Theo, she feels alone. Theo is a photographer working for discount brands. Not exactly top tier or a fabulous career, but he’s making enough money for his needs, and has time to coach the nephews games. Emerson and Theo meet up for a photo shoot in Cinque Terre, Italy. They don’t want to appear desperate so regaining their friendship is slow bit they are both determined to share their feelings this time around.

Swooney romance. Some angst, some frustration as they both need to learn to share. They both loved each other back in high school but that was 10 years ago. In the start of the book, when he first gets the reminder, Theo is overwhelmed with feelings. That’s when I fell in love with Theo. It’s a bumpy road but so sweet in the end.
4.5
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

This was a really enjoyable read. I didn't really have any expectations going into it besides being a bit worries about it being second chance so I found myself quite pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Childhood friends who never got to explore their love for each other because of a traumatic event that happened to Emerson leading to them loosing touch until 10 years later. I get what Emerson did by ghosting Theo all those years ago definitely wasn't the healthiest or best option but it's understandable with what she went through and I do think it gave them some important time to grow as individuals.
I loved that Emerson wanted to take the risk to travel to Italy, for a fashion campaign her agent doesn't approve of, just so she can see Theo again. You can tell the attraction is still there between the two right away but they're hesitant and a bit confused thanks to some miscommunication. I feel like second chance romances and miscommunication go hand in hand and this book wasn't an exception but I didn't find the miscommunication overwhelming in this case (just mildly annoying like I always find it). I thought the way their romance was slowly rekindled was written really well, didn't feel forced or rushed at all, and led to a wonderful ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.... and happy publication day!

This was cute, but not the greatest. I think it had a lot to do with the miscommunication trope. Some of it was not their fault because others were interfering in their potential relationship, but it was also a little frustrating. I’d almost say the entire book is one after another miscommunication trope. If it’s a key point of their relationship, it’s a miscommunication OR lack of communication as it would be at some points.

The book is told in dual POV and has flashbacks to when they met to when they stopped talking. I liked their flashbacks more than anything. While the current day was nice, the flashbacks gave more context to their relationship and feelings. While this is a second chance romance, we do get a little of them navigating their different career paths with each other. This caused part of the climax, which was okay in terms of plot.

I enjoyed this book, but there’s something missing for me to love it. I want to love it. I mean, take out of the miscommunication issues and I thought the book was cute and it’s a good debut. Unfortunately, something falls flat in the plot for me and I’m just not sure what it is.

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette
3.9/5⭐️
Happy release day to One Last Shot!!🥳
Loved Theo and Emerson’s relationship from childhood straight to adulthood. If you’re looking for a second chance romance, this is the book for you! Definitely loved the concept of model and photographer dynamic. A refreshing romance I would absolutely recommend!

⭐️rating: 4/5

This was such a fun debut! I loved seeing the world of Emerson the supermodel and Theo the photographer, especially in gorgeous Cinque Terre, as they find their way back to each other.

I also really enjoyed the dual POV and dual timelines. It was nice seeing the pair as high schoolers and how they became best friends and eventually more. I’m always a sucker for dual timelines where you get to learn new bits of information that’s informing the present and how the characters are acting.

While I loved Emerson and Theo, sometimes I did just wanna shake them a little to actually make them talk to each other! Like Emerson’s best friend said in the beginning, she totally could’ve just texted Theo…buuuut this way was much more fun🤷🏼‍♀️

Overall, One Last Shot was a very fun second chance romance and was a very enjoyable summer read. And the ending was very fun and satisfying. Betty did a great job on her debut!

Now I’m off to go book a plane ticket! Italy, anyone?🌅

Thanks to Betty Cayouette and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One Last Shot has two of my favorite things in a book: a heartfelt love story and a vacation-worthy setting. I’ll admit, the Italian backdrop is what initially made me get the book, but the romance is what kept me reading.

This is a friends-to-lovers, second-chance, marriage pact romance between a supermodel, Emerson, and a photographer, Theo. Her career success has skyrocketed since they last saw each other a decade ago, while his success has been fine, but not staggering. What happened to drive these former best friends apart? The story follows two timelines, now and 10+ years ago when Emerson and Theo were in high school, and we get the perspectives of both. Bit by bit, we learn how these two became such close friends, what went wrong, and how they’ve both secretly wanted to rekindle their relationship ever since it fell apart. But will one week together in Italy be enough to rebuild that trust?

I loved getting to know Emerson and Theo here, both their younger selves and their adult selves. They’re complex characters, but likable and easy to root for. Theo in particular seems like a wonderful book boyfriend… he actually reminds me of my husband, at least personality-wise! They have only a week to bridge the 10-year gap between them, but I appreciate that Em and Theo take their time in first regaining their friendship before escalating to a potential romance.

We get a great insider’s look at the world of modeling and photography. I know nothing about either, but it was fun spending some time in this industry. And with Em’s celebrity status, there are some bigger workings at play here: a meddling manager, a fake relationship with another superstar, and more of life in the spotlight. Even so, Em has some good friends in her life. Theo also has a good support group, especially in his family.

The Italian setting is beautiful, though not as prominent as I’d hoped it would be. We get to see scenic hikes and gelato, but most of the story takes place on a photo shoot and with non-Italian characters.

A caution for some readers: There is one difficult theme that’s central to the story, and the author includes a note about it at the beginning of One Last Shot. An instance of sexual assault happens to a character, though not on page and without too much detail. This is handled with utmost sensitivity, but it could be hard to read about.

One Last Shot is a splendid romance, with important themes, well-rounded characters, and a love story that you can’t help but want to work out. And kudos for that title—I love the double meaning of it! This is a strong debut, and I will happily read whatever is next from Betty Cayouette.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this reads. The book was well done. I found it easy to read and enjoyable. It was a nice second chance best friends to more book and it was nicely done. I can not say any part of it was not good because it was good !

I’m not a fan of miscommunication tropes but I really enjoyed this book! This book also contains second chance romance, childhood friends, and slow burn.

Without giving the whole plot of the book away, the book follows Theo and Emerson who were childhood friends who made a pact to marry each other if they were both still single once Theo was 28. Shortly after, they had some miscommunication that led to their fall out and years down the road they are in each others lives again.

Its a great romance story that also deals with a lot of real life topics and Betty Cayouette handled them really well!


Thanks Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this book!

This book had incredible potential. The idea was excellent, the characters were relatable & real, the setting was gorgeous…and yet, somehow, it just didn’t all click together the way it should have. Generally, it had all the necessary bones for a friends-strangers-lovers romance, but the whole thing sort of dragged while they secretly pined for one another. There were lots of inconsistencies, like the FMC saying repeatedly that she never cries, and crying at least five times throughout the book. She’s also an insanely famous supermodel who eats an exorbitant amount of desserts and drinks an incredible amount of wine. Unfortunately it just didn’t work for me.