Customer Reviews

First Kiss

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Once again, I have to that the AMAZON.COM recommendation crew for picking me another winner. I loved this book! It was sharp, witty and surprisingly touching. In 'First Kiss', the twist is that it's the man who wants to settle down and marry, and the woman who's looking for nothing more than a thrilling affair. Of course, we the readers , know that every good love story needs a little kick-in-the-pants from fate or perhaps something more along the lines of...divine intervention. By the first quarter of the book I was in love with Tom myself, and couldn't figure out what was taking Holly so long to go completely head over heels for this gorgeous hunk. Even the secondary characters here were enjoyable and pleasant, and Holly's confession of love actually brought a tear to my eye. I'll be on the lookout for other books by Ms. Pappano. 'First Kiss' is joining my collection of books I will definately read again.

FIRST KISS by Marilyn Pappano

FIRST KISS is the second book that I have read in this series of books by Marilyn Pappano. The general theme that ties these novels together is that they take place in the small town of Bethlehem, New York, where everyone knows everyone. In this novel, Multimillionaire Tom Flynn meets the gorgeous and successful Holly McBride, who also is known by the town to have a tarnished reputation.

Tom has just turned 40, and he's achieved most of the goals on his "to do" list, including becoming a multi-millionaire. The only two goals left to reach are "get married" and "fall in love". When he sees Holly at his small private birthday gathering with best friends Ross and Maggie, he decides that Holly is going to be the one. Now, if only Holly will cooperate.

Holly's philosophy has always been love them and leave them. Never getting closer to a man than a healthy sexual relationship, she has dated and bedded nearly every man in town. Tom has been one man that has eluded her, and she has an itch to get him into bed too. Unfortunately, she soon finds out that Tom wants more than just sex, and she is not very pleased with this turn of events.

As Tom and Holly do their little dance of love and enticement, the rest of the town watches in anticipation. In the meantime, Holly is dealing with her restaurant business and a new girl that she's hired out of pity, Bree. Bree is more than any employer can handle, but Holly keeps her on for some reason. Holly also is dealing with an alcoholic mother who keeps reappearing into her life at the wrong moments. Both of them, though, agree - there is something about Bree that they can't quite make out, and they wonder if they have met her before.

FIRST KISS was yet another enjoyable romance by Marilyn Pappano. Her style is reminiscent of the series by Debbie Macomber, where each novel continues on with the stories of the people living in this particular town. However, where Macomber's novels failed to spark anything in me, the Pappano novels I highly recommend. They each are self-contained, but can be even more enjoyable if read in chronological order, so as to slowly get to know the people of Bethlehem, New York and the ties that bind them to each other. I have not been following this advice; nevertheless, the books are just as enjoyable read out of order as they are in order. Thumbs up for FIRST KISS!

I always like a touch of magic with my love stories. Love is a magical feeling and this book delivers nicely. It does help to have read some of Marilyn Pappano's earlier series, otherwise you may find that the character identification moves too quickly in the beginning (particularly for the secondary characters). I take away one star for this issue. The lack of story depth lost it one more star. However, having said that, I enjoyed this book as a nice simple lift from everyday life. A bit of mind candy for a trying day.

Many of us know someone who has sacrificed their personal life for their work or who believes that marriage will never be for them again. Here is a chance to meet two people who learn how to make up for lost time. With a quick wish, Holly gets more than she bargains for in Tom. A quick fun read, a great beach, bathtub or any other time for "relaxing without stress" book.

Continuing the Bethlehem Series, Marilyn Pappano gives us another emotion packed story with FIRST KISS. Inn Keeper, Holly McBride makes a wish on someone's birthday and when it comes ture, she's met the match and man of her life. Tom Flynn has accomplished all the goals he's set until he decides to marry Holly McBride, Bethlehem's confirmed Single-Woman-For-Life. Tom loves a challenge and he's found it with Holly. FIRST KISS is more than a simple love story because love isn't simple and relationships ARE complicated. What makes FIRST KISS so special to me is that Marilyn Pappano has added the twists and turns that mirror real life--some of it beautiful and some not so pretty. I want this mega-series to continue because I love how all the characters keep growing and changing. Who's next to fall in love, Marilyn?

This is the second of Pappano's "Bethlehem" novels I have read. I ordered it after reading "Some Enchanted Season", and I was not disappointed. She paints a picture of an ideal town, and creates characters that are so real, you feel as if you know them; in fact, you will want to know more about them and read all of the "Bethlehem" stories. She tugs your heartstrings with these emotional stories...this one about four abandoned children and the single man who agrees to become their foster father. Both children and parent are in need of healing and they prove to be the perfect medicine for each other. Plus, a sweet romance is blended into the story...altogether it makes this a "can't put down" novel. You will truly enjoy reading this, and the other "Bethlehem" stories by Ms. Pappano.

Tom Flynn canged his life at sixteen following the death of his mother. Tom never knew his father and realized if he was to make it in life he had to depend on himself. Over the next twenty-four years, Tom modified his list, but never lost sight as to why he developed them in the first place. Now he has achieved all his goals including earning fifty million dollars except one, getting married. However, when he looked at his sacred list, he noticed an additional goal of falling in love that he cannot remember adding on as an objective. In Tom's mind that is impossible, but he is honor bound to achieve anything on his sacred list.

In Bethlehem, New York, Holly McBride owns and manages the McBride Inn. She has no time for marriage or love especially after witnessing first hand the destruction of her parents' relationship. However, Holly and Tom begin to reconsider the meaning of love as the magic of Bethlehem nudges them towards one another.

FIRST KISS is the latest Marilyn Pappano Bethlehem contemporary romance and like its predecessors, this is a warm, inspiring tale. The lead characters are a charming duo struggling with childhood ghosts that still haunt them. With the help of the townsfolk, a pinch of magic, and love, they still struggle to forge a future together. Ms. Pappano always provides an encouraging romantic story.

Harriet Klausner

From the first page when I fell in love with hero, Tom Flynn, Pappano pulled me into the story so full of real characters and excellent settings, that I wanted to live in Bethlehem too! Holly McBride is a spunky, fleshed out heroine with a perfect mixture of neuroses and normalcy to make her a perfect addition to the sleepy little town Marilyn created. I can't wait for more.

For anyone who has read the previous Bethlehem books, the wonderful storytelling of Marilyn Pappano continues in one of the best books in the series. Holly & Tom at first seem to be a good match for superficial reasons, but Tom soon discovers their compatibility goes far beyond that. Holly, however, isn't convinced! Watch the sparks fly as Tom tries to court Bethlehem's most eligible-and-completely-happy-with-that-fact bachelorette. I loved this book & have already gotten a friend of mine hooked on the series.

One wouldn't think that it would be a genre making move to write about a heroine who is not a virgin. However, the romance genre remains unwilling generally to use other kinds of heroines even with its contemporary romance novels. Thus, author Pappano really bucked that convention by writing about a heroine with a colorful and significant sexual history, who is 37 years old. That neither she nor the hero want children is groundbreaking as well. Essentially, the novel is about two experienced people who fight about whether they can reinvent themselves into a sedate married couple. He thinks they can; she thinks they can't. The heroine's immediate family members are also characters and help us understand how she came to her way of thinking about relationships, especially marriages, not being workable. It's a very good novel, well written but not particularly gripping. It was easy enough for me to put it down and pick it up a day later without any sense of urgency. Ultimately, it just didn't tug on my emotional heartstrings enough. It typically takes that emotional reaction for me to put a novel on my own personal list of five star books.

I love this author and buy every book she publishes but she's in a rut with this "Bethlehem series". Enough already! Pappano is a a master with character development and I look forward to some fresh plots and new blood.