Just A Kiss

His jaw clenched. What did you expect Callahan? That she was saving herself for a man who can barely pick himself up off the floor?

She touched his arm, and he flinched as a jolt went through him.

She withdrew her touch. “I’m sorry about earlier. I was… impatient and short tempered. I should’ve been more patient with you.”

“I don’t need your pity, Paige.”

She gave him a flinty look. “It’s not pity. It’s compassion. I love you, you big jughead.”

He gave a hollow laugh. “Yeah.”

Book: Just A Kiss by Denise Hunter, Thomas Nelson, 2016

Genre: Modern Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Adult Women

Subjects: Love, Tragedy, Grief, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Summary: Riley had it all planned. Now that she is no longer dating his brother, he was going to come home from the war and declare his love for her – his love as a man who wants to marry her that is, not just as the friend he’s been for most of her life. He will capture her heart. One single explosion changes all that. His friend lies dead and he has lost most of his leg. He knows Paige would never want only half a man. And half a man is all he has left – if that. Paige is so thankful her best friend is coming home alive and well, she volunteers to be the one to house him while his brother is remodeling the family home. But all of a sudden Riley starts to look different to her. She starts noticing things she has never seen before. And that one kiss, just one kiss, well, it changes everything for her! If only Riley would offer her his full heart, but he doesn’t believe he has it to offer.

Notes: Just A Kiss is the third and final book in the Summer Harbor series, each dealing with one of the Callahan brothers. In this book, the brother who fled to the army when his brother began to date the woman he loved, returns home. Riley returns home feeling angry and hopeless due to losing part of his leg. He has determined to put distance between himself and the woman he loves. In his anger and hurt, he is lashing out at others and refusing to accept any help. He has to wrestle with his worth – does he have any value now that he has physical limitations?

Paige has never felt as though she had a family to love and care for her. As she wrestles through her feelings for Riley, she finally accepts that she has a Father who truly does love and care for her and can be enough for her.

Overall, the spiritual elements are not super strong in this book. The characters are Christians and pray asking God for help when in trouble. But Scripture is not focused on and their faith is more of a side element than an all consuming focus.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 3.5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

James 1:2-4 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

 

Thank you to BookLook for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I enjoyed it!