Just One Kiss by Courtney Walsh

About the Book
He broke her heart. Now, he’s back, and he’s determined to show her what they had isn’t over. . . and he can prove it with just one kiss.
Single mother Carly Collins likes predictability. However, when her son Jaden’s health is threatened, her neatly controlled world is tossed into a tailspin. Nothing is certain anymore, especially her feelings for Josh Dixon, Jaden’s father, her first love and the man responsible for shattering her heart sixteen years ago.
When Josh Dixon walked out of Harbor Pointe, he left behind his only shot at a real family. Now a successful tech mogul, the town rebel has found a cause—ensure his son’s recovery and prove to Carly and Jaden that he’s not the same guy he was back then.
Carly and Josh are forced to wade through messy emotions and questions that have gone unanswered for years, which would be easier if not for the pesky feelings, every bit as strong and impossible to ignore as they ever were.

Will forgiveness win, giving Carly and Josh a second chance at love . . . or will the past prove too much to overcome?

My Thoughts
Courtney Walsh always delivers a beautiful story that grips you emotionally and makes you fall in love with it, and this one was no different.
We got a brief overview of Carly and Josh’s history in the previous book of this series so I was very intrigued to see how everything would work out. I will admit that I was a little leery of how I would feel about Josh after what he did, and if this author could redeem him. But, you guys, Josh was AMAZING! I loved his character so much. Yes, his leaving his family when he was young was horrible, but you get to see the heart behind his actions and the “why” broke my heart and kinda made me love him more. He never pushes with Carly and Jaden, letting Carly take the lead both with their parenting and with their relationship. He just continually shows up again and again, loving unconditionally and sacrificially, proving over and over that he is a changed man that isn’t going anywhere.
Carly, I’ll admit, I had a little bit of a tough time liking. She was understandably bitter and angry after Josh had left. But she never fully dealt with it, so even 16 years later the ugly was still coming out. She was so sure that Josh couldn’t be trusted that she saw his every action and word through the lens of the past. I understood how it was necessary for the plot of the book but it sure made her hard to love. In the end though I was glad she finally saw Josh as the man he’d become! And while Carly may have not been my favorite, I loved seeing her through Josh’s eyes as the girl he would never stop loving, the one he saw as beautiful whether she was dressed up or in ratty sweats. His always.
Jaden was a great kid too, yes he had some typical teen moments but I loved his heart for good and the easy way he lived out his faith, especially when it came to his dad.
I absolutely loved seeing their family work through all the issues of the past to find healing together.
It was also great to visit Harbor Pointe again and catch up with some of the residents especially Quinn and Grady from Just Let Go!

Basically this was another amazing novel from the great Courtney Walsh!

Meet the Author
Courtney Walsh is an author, artist, theatre director, and playwright. Just Let Go will be her eighth inspirational romance novel. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists and was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. A creative at heart, Courtney has also written two craft books and several full-length musicals. She lives in Illinois where she and her husband own a performing arts studio and youth theatre. They have three children.
Connect with Courtney online at her website (courtneywalshwrites.com) or on any of these social media platforms:
Facebook.com/courtneywalshwrites
Instagram.com/courtneywalsh

Twitter.com/courtney_walsh

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.