Just One Kiss by Traci Hall – a Review

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Description:
Free-spirited Grace Sheldon is used to living on a tight budget as a freelance photographer. But nothing short of a miracle could produce the thirty thousand dollars she owes on the house she’s inherited. Without steady employment, the bank refuses to give her a loan. Working a temp job won’t give her nearly enough, but she’ll take any little bit she can get until she figures out a solution. Her first day, though, she realizes this is no ordinary office—and her handsome new boss is no ordinary man.

After Sawyer Rivera’s well-planned career in Seattle officially imploded all he’s looking for is a small beach town where he can open a dog training facility and start a simple life. Except, his new office assistant is anything but. Grace is carefree, artsy, and doesn’t know a thing about dogs. The woman has pet chickens! She’s also funny, kind, and the best part of his day.

Grace is his complete opposite—and completely refreshing. But when her month of temp work is over, she could disappear from his life for good. Sawyer realizes he has just one chance to try to change their fate.

Review:

Just One Kiss by Traci Hall is a sweet romantic stand alone novel.  We meet our heroine Grace Sheldon, who is a freelance photographer, while on the beach trying take pictures of a robin hatching babies. Alone comes a dog, who falls all over her, licking away, only to break her camera; Grace looks up at a man (who is a hunk) calling out to the dog.

Sawyer Rivera, our hero, apologizes and offers to buy a new camera for Grace and the two of them get off on the wrong foot.  Sawyer is a well-known dog trainer, and has just bought a house next door to Grace, and plans on opening a dog training facility, using veterans to help build the place.  Grace does not know who Sawyer is, though her friend tells her that he is famous; to her surprise, she had accepted temp work, and it seems it is at Sawyer’s business.  Grace owes money on the house her deceased grandmother left her, and needs to save money; forcing her to accept the job.

When Grace begins to work at the facility, she is distant with Sawyer, who tries to make her feel welcome.  Sawyer finds that he is attracted to Grace, but has his own rules not to date any employee.  Grace is a free spirit and independent, and Sawyer is the complete opposite, being a military man.  In a short time, both Sawyer and Grace kiss and realize there is something between them, but both are determined to keep it just friends; especially with Sawyer’s ex trying to sabotage his career, and Grace saddled with trying to save her home.  I did enjoy the time at the facility with the wonderful dogs that Sawyer had, the veterans who would become part of the business and the time spent with Violet (autistic daughter of Grace’s friend, Lottie) training the dog how to react to her.    

What follows is a quick, lighthearted, fun, sweet pure romance. I liked Sawyer and Grace, but throughout most of the story, the chemistry wasn’t there; though as we closer to the end, it did perk up. Just One Kiss was well written by Traci Hall, and if you enjoy a clean sweet fun romance, with wonderful secondary characters and dogs, I suggest you read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher