I really liked and enjoyed this book. Really a great story and a great start to this new series. Can't wait to read more.

“It Started With A Kiss” is the 1st book in a new series called Sequoia Lake by Marina Adair. This book is about
Avery Adams and Ty Donovan.

Avery has been sick for a while with Kidney failure first then a Kidney Transplant. During her stays in the hospital she has meet several people that have passed. She has a journal that is similar to bucket list. The items on the list are things people wish they could have done. Avery also wants to explore and try new things now that she is healthy after her one year mark of her Kidney transplant. During her transplant her boyfriend who she also worked with broke up with her and she quit her job.

Avery is now working at Sequoia Lake Lodge as an Adventure Coordinator. She wants to lead excurisions and hikes. However, Dale the owner hasn’t let her lead any groups yet and she runs the front office. Dale has been showing signs of dementia and Avery was hired to help him. Avery really wants to lead any excursion and she is 100% determined to do so.

Ty Donovan is the son of Dale and he is head of the swift water rescue team. He stays away most of the time with work and has never met Avery. They way Ty and Avery meet is pretty hilarious. She needs to get off her harness and she sees a truck (ty’s) and goes into his tool box to borrow a screw driver. However she drops the screw driver and proceeds to leave a message on the truck with lipstick on the window. Ty comes up at that moment of course gives her a hard time about her message. Ty figures out she works for his parents but doesn’t tell Avery that he is the owners son. From that moment they go to the bar close by. Avery decides to fill one of her “live life” moments for her friends and kisses Ty because he is a stranger and that was her friends wish.

Ty has came home because he has heard the Lodge hasn’t passed inspection for one of the annual events they always hold. Ty tries to fix the Lodge without making his dad mad and keep Avery from hurting herself. Ty also senses something is off with his dad but can’t get an honest answer from his mom about it.

This is a very sweet romance about two people who are trying to fine theirselves. This book moves at a good pace, with a dual POV. I loved this book and can not wait for the other books in the series.

I received this book for free for an honest review.

This is a really great book to start out a new series. Avery is living life as full as she can following a kidney transplant - and fulfilling adventures for others she has connected with. Ty returns to Sequoia Lake to find that the family's lodge needs a little more assistance than he'd planned. I love how these two connected the first time and how their relationship progressed throughout the book.

Avery is sweet and loving and wants to experience more in life, as others want to protect her. Ty's life is all about the adventure (his job involves him rescuing people.) You find he is more sensitive than he wants to let on, and Avery is tougher than people think. I loved the whole book, but the last chapter was a little over the top for me. Thankfully the epilogue was perfect.

Marina Adair writes the most wonderful, small town romances with sweet heat! I just love the setting for this new series, set in the Sierra Nevadas, a small town called Sequoia Lake. In our first introduction, we meet Avery, who has had her health challenges and conquers them by living life to the fullest every day, with no fear. She has this huge heart and happiness just radiates from her to anyone she comes in contact with. Her meet-cute with Ty, was so funny, I totally laughed out loud, not weird at all for the people sitting next to me at the time. But seriously, this author writes not only hilarious dialog, but really sweet, tender moments and creates characters you can't help but fall in love with. I am so excited to revisit this town and these wonderful characters in her next book...I think we are in for a very sexy time with Miss Olivia and her mountain man!

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed It Started With a Kiss. Marina Adair brings so much feelings with this story. It was a wonderful and emotional read .

When I pick up a Marina Adair book, I know I will be getting a fantastic, well-written story. It will be filled with fully-developed characters that you, the reader, will fall in love with. It will be set at a wonderful, scenic location you will want to visit. It will be flowing with witty banter (which I love.) And it will wind up being an engrossing, read-it-in-one-sitting novel. So when I began to read “It Started With a Kiss,” I was prepared for a first-class reading experience. And it delivered all of the above! But Ms. Adair had a surprise for me with this book, for at its heart it was so unexpectedly but wonderfully “soulful” it actually made me sigh!

Avery Adams is just going for it. Hobbled by a genetic kidney disease for a good part of her life, a kidney transplant gives Avery a new lease on life. So she waves goodbye to the bank desk job she had and gets a job at the Donovan family’s “adventure” lodge, hoping to eventually move from coordinating customers’ adventures to actually guiding them up and around the Sierras! Tyson Donovan is the proverbial prodigal son, returning home to help with a crisis the lodge seems to heading towards. Ty hasn’t even made it to the lodge when he runs into our intrepid Avery, in what has to be one of the funniest “meet-cutes” you will ever read in a book! Before you know it, Avery is ticking off the boxes in her life journal while Ty is trying to figure out what is going on with the lodge, his dad and his attraction to the petite dynamo stealing his sanity!

There are such profound and sad backstories to Avery and Ty, you cannot help but be moved. The delicate touch Ms. Adair had with telling those stories created such a heartfelt, sincere, passionate and mournful swirl of emotion. Avery and Ty handled those defining moments in very different ways; at first, I thought is was because of the ages they were when tragedy struck, but I do not think that was it. It was just a deeply ingrained reaction - Avery is the optimist, and Ty the realist, given his perceived family dynamic. Like Ying and Yang though, they both balance each other perfectly. “It Started With a Kiss” was the perfect start to this new series, and I cannot wait for the other characters I “met” to get their stories!

This is the first book in a new series by Adair, one of my favorite go-to authors for touching story. This book delivers as expected. Adair has created characters that are real and feel like real people you could be friends with and want to get to know better. On the love story side, the chemistry is great and doesn't feel rushed and the story is a great balance of romance, family, and friendship.

Oh - Marina Adair had me right out of the gate with this one! Avery - our heroine, just wow. What a strong and feisty woman. I want to be HER when I grow up. In that case, I would get Ty, right? Our equally awesome hero. I love how the author really created the backstories for our hero & heroine. I love a strong heroine and a hero that accepts her strength. Sequoia Lake is my new favorite series and I can not wait to read more!

4.5 stars

Another great read by Marina Adair, I loved It Started With a Kiss.

I enjoyed the storyline, my attention was held all throughout the book. It warmed my heart watching the relationship develop between Avery and Tyson, they had great chemistry and both were likable/entertaining characters. They truly were perfect for each other.

Overall, a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, I highly recommend this book.

*Thank you to Montlake Romance via Netgalley for the advance copy*

It Started With a Kiss by Marina Adair. This new series by Marina Adair is totally catching, especially from the beginning. I laughed so hard and thought: Boy, this is going to be exciting! And sure was not disappointed! The chemistry between Ty and Avery is awesome and the kiss between them and Avery's live your life to the fullest pulled on my heartstrings. Lovely and emotional as well as just plain ole romantic. Loved this book.
Such a great start to "The Sequoia Lake Series" and can't wait to see what the next book will bring.
Was given a ARC kindle copy to read. And thank you very much for the chance to read this book.

It was a great book., it had its sad moments, but it was heartwarming. The book did have its funny moments and you couldn't help but root for them, even though they both wanted different things, he did not want to stay and she did. Avery had some hard times, so you could see why she wanted some type adventure. Ty had things he was working thru, but they found romance in each other, and so I always enjoy a love story. Cant wait to read about Liv.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆
Avery Adams has been dealt a rough hand in life. After a kidney transplant almost a year ago, she is living her life to the fullest. Well, as full as her doctors will allow. Being diagnosed with kidney disease, the same disease that took her mother, she found a group of women that has helped her deal with the pain of loss. Avery helps those that can't fulfill their "Bucket List." One thing on the list was to kiss a stranger, so when she met Ty, that was the thing that came to her mind. It was the one thing that her friend Becca wanted to do before she died, so it was in the Living Loud journal.

Ty Donovan was back in the mountain town that he had been running from for 15 years, to help his parents get the lodge ready for the search and rescue training coming up in a few weeks. With his dad forgetting things and his mom covering for him, all Ty seems to do is agitate him more.

When Avery kisses Ty, there is a spark that seems to wake them both up. Can they have a fling for the short time Ty is around? Will Avery be able to make Ty stay? Can they get Ty's dad to see that he needs help?

This is a first for me from this author and I really enjoyed this story, it is cute. I laughed and cried, so be sure to have Kleenex handy. I can't wait for the next one to come out.

This is my first book by Marina Adair and I absolutely loved it. I loved the chemistry that Ty and Avery had and all the additional characters that were seen throughout the book. I will be checking out more of Marina's books

I received this as a Advanced Readers Copy, I love how the story of Avery and Ty was written and how it flowed from one page to another. I loved how they had to work through some hardships to get to their happy ever after. I really loved the letter from Avery's mother to her, it was so sweet and thoughtful., I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

It started with a kiss

I am a fan of Marina so I was super excited when I saw it a new book of hers on netgalley. I totally requested it without reading the description because I knew it would be good...... I was right!
This story is about Avery and Ty, she is sweet and he is stubborn. What a mix these two are but their chemistry is undeniable. And the other characters in this book were great... I can't wait to read whomever is next... I have some ideas but can't wait!
The storyline is this book was amazing. It has some major angst that kept me emotionally vested in the story. I also loved loved loved the epilogue! I love when I finish the last sentence of a book I loved and swipe and find an epilogue!
I can't wait to read more in this series!!


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It all started with a Big Bang, or in this case It Started with a Kiss, which technically still leads to a big bang. *wink* *wink* Kind of lame, I know, though don’t underestimate the power of a first kiss. I like Avery’s bucket list, she has her own adventures she wants to accomplish, and those of the people who no longer can, like kissing a stranger.

Though when Tyson turns out not to be a stranger, rather the son of her boss, things get a bit more complicated. Back after years of absence due to family drama, he’s there to help his ailing father bring their adventure lodge back to glory. Spirited Avery was not on that agenda, though she’s a force to be reckoned with.

I loved Avery, and her sense for adventure. She has always had to play it safe, though her endless optimism, and the support of a great group of women has kept her going all these years. Now she just has to convince grumpy Tyson that life is a lot more fun if you give people a chance.

Tyson had no idea what hit him when Avery kissed him. He’s convinced he’s not back forever, though when things with his father seems worse than he thought, and hanging out with little Miss Adventure is so much fun, maybe it was time to take a good look at his life. Moving back might be the best thing that ever happened to him.

It Started With A Kiss by Marina Adair was a pleasant read. Avery is a hoot, and Tyson is hot. I loved reading their interactions, and the chemistry was flying of the pages. The secondary characters, and the setting of the story were great as well. I definitely see the potential there for more stories. Read It Started With A Kiss if you like small town romances, quirky heroines, and charming heroes.

*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

oh my goodness I have found a new book boyfriend! Ty Donovan is wonderful! This story will grab you from the beginning and keep you up late at night, continuing to read and enjoy this great story. Wonderful start to a new series by author Marina Adair.

It started With A Kiss touched the soul in SO MANY WAYS!!

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! I have no idea how Marina Adair is able to make me feel so many different emotions, but her words touch my soul in so many different ways. Marina Adair works miracles with her words. You start reading the words, then all the sudden the words disappear and a beautiful story/movie plays in your head. Before you know it, you are crying, laughing out loud, swooning, falling in love, and completely LIVING a totally different life. One that is filled with brand new friends you feel like you have known forever.

Avery is used to sitting on the sidelines due to her health problems. Now that she is in the best shape of her life, she is ready to really live and take chances. When she meets Ty, she thinks he's the perfect guy to have a little fun with. Until she shows up at work and realizes Ty is her bosses son and he has come to help take over the company. Living Avery and Ty's love story is just SO MUCH FUN!!!

I absolutely recommend this book! It is my favorite "read" so far this year! I can not wait to see what Marina Adair comes up with next so I can fall into another beautiful story!!!

Avery is determined to Live Life Large. After surviving a hereditary kidney disease and transplant, Avery has decided to LIVE! She no longer lets test results, aches, and possible heartache run her life. Avery is determined to live without a "net", as she would rather live and experience loss than to have not lived at all. So Avery makes major life changes. Avery quits her stuffy, inside job to work at an Adventure-based lodge.

Tyson, having loved and suffered great loss at the age of seventeen, decided long ago to run. He ran away from Sequoia Lake and the lodge and buried the pain in the past. He dedicated his life to becoming the best Search & Rescue River specialist around. That way, no one will have to experience the pain that tore his family apart.

When Dale, Tyson's dad, starts experiencing dementia-like symptoms things at the lodge start falling apart. When the lodge fails inspection of one of the biggest events they sponsor, Tyson is notified. Tyson takes vacation in order to come home and help get the lodge ready for a second inspection. On his way into town, he runs into Avery--on top of his truck, writing on the windshield with lipstick....

Tyson and Avery are EXTRAORDINARY together! Avery has a memory journal, where she goes about filling others wishes they can't fulfill because they've passed away or aren't physically able to do for themselves anymore. When Tyson helps fulfill a little girl's dream of becoming a princess before her BMT, I sobbed!!! This novel deals with real life issues: death, survivor's guilt, cancer, dementia, pride, kidney transplant, etc. I absolutely LOVED seeing life through Avery's eyes. It made me want to be a better person, more giving. It also made me realize that I needed to go out and LIVE without fear. If I could give this novel more than 5 Stars, I would!!! I read a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
Avery is trying to live life to its fullest. She recently had a kidney transplant, and starts working at an adventure lodge. She gets stuck in her harness and tries to find a way out of it. She sees a truck with a a lot of tools and leaves a message to the owner when she drops and loses the screwdriver.
Tyson is back in town to help his family's lodge. There is a boat load of tension between him and his father, who isn't doing so well. Tyson and Avery go for a drink and she gets the upper hand.
They are wildly attracted to one another and end up kissing and then they realize that she works for him. They both try and stay away from each other because a relationship would be inappropriate and Tyson is planning on leaving in a few weeks.
But, the best laid plans don't work out and they end up falling in love. Just when they decide to give. a relationship a try, Avery gets a message from her doctor and the news spins Tyson off his axis.
Will Tyson be able to live knowing that Avery might have a relapse? Will Avery be able to get Tyson to realize that you can't hold on to the past and live a full life? Will Tyson and his dad ever talk about why their relationship is so strained? Pick up, It Started With A Kiss today and find out.