Then He Kissed Me by Laura Trentham – a Review

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Description:
Can two hearts come together in one divided town?

As a boy, Nash Hawthorne spent countless afternoons on the Louisiana side of Cottonbloom with Tally Fournette, wading in the river, peeling oranges and catching frogs. When illness stole his mother, Nash yearned to take Tally and run away—for good. Instead, he crossed the state line to live with his aunt. It was a short distance as the crow flies, but it swept him into a whole new world…

After Nash left, Tally managed to struggle through her own losses without him. But now that she’s crossed paths with him again—at Cottonbloom College, where the grown-up, gorgeous Nash teaches history—she is reminded of their cherished youthful connection…and an attraction that has only gotten stronger with age. Between Tally’s possessive ex and Nash’s snobbish aunt, no one thinks they belong together. In a town torn apart by old resentments and rivalries, can they find their way back to the life they once shared—and turn their long-lost dreams into a real and lasting love?

Review:

Then He Kissed Me by Laura Trentham is the 2^nd novel in her Cottonbloom series.  We met Tally Fournette, our heroine, in the first book, as she is Cade’s  (1^st book hero) sister.  We also met our hero, Nash Hawthorne, who had recently returned to Cottonbloom.  The story starts off when both Nash and Tally were young children and best friends, both being on the poorer Louisiana side of town. Nash was considered a skinny nerd, not having any friends, other than Tally.  Nash’s mother was dying, and he would escape to meet Tally most evenings.  But everything was about to change.  Nash’s mother died, and his snobbish aunt took him to live with her on the rich Mississippi side of Cottonbloom.  Tally and her brothers were heartbroken when their parents were killed in an accident, forcing them to live with their uncle Delbert in poorer conditions.  Tally & Nash’s  friendship went by the wayside, each having to live in different situations.

Now all grown up, Nash has never forgotten his best friend, Tally.  He is no longer a skinny nerd, but a handsome hot professor, who plans to work locally at the Cottonbloom College.   Tally owns her own gym, which has been doing well, and will expand to have special classes for seniors.  What follows is a slow build romance between two people who have never forgotten their close friendship.  Nash wants more than friendship, but Tally is afraid of getting hurt again.  She spent her teenage years as being wild and carefree, which was opposite of Nash, who traveled  to Scotland and became a professor.  Tally feels that she is not worthy of Nash, even if her attraction to him grows.

I loved Nash, and how much he was willing to take it slow with Tally, and we knew how much he loved her.  Tally, whom I really liked in the first book, annoyed me a little bit.  Her refusal to see take a chance at love, even with knwing she was in love with him, and her constantly running away made me want to slap some reasoning into her.  However, besides that, she was a good heroine, and totally loyal to her family and friends.  Will Nash be able to convince Tally that he will always be there for her?

Laura Trentham has created another wonderful sweet romance in a small town.  There were a few surprises from the past for both families that added to the element of the story.  I look forward to the next book, which I hope is Regan and Sawyer’s story.  If you enjoy small town romance, great characters, good story line, than you should be reading this series.

Reviewed by Barb

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