There’s nothing that single mom Liv Preston won’t do if it means making her six-year-old son smile again. After a heartbreaking two years, her little family is due for some fun in the sun. She just didn’t expect to find it in the big, rugged, Search and Rescue hero next door—who shows her just how exciting, and sexy, life’s adventures can be.As head of Reno’s K-9 search division, Ford Jamison … Jamison knows what it takes to make life-and-death decisions on the fly. He doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t do regrets, and has never doubted his instincts—until he makes a promise that turns his world upside down. Desperate for redemption, he returns to Sequoia Lake, only to find himself face-to-face with his past…and the one woman he can’t have. Not when his secret would destroy her—and everything she holds dear.
For Liv, finding love once was a gift. Finding it twice seems impossible, until the moment Ford’s lips meet hers. Love doesn’t always come easy, but when it’s right, it’s worth fighting for…
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Marina’s books at perfect summer reads! Loved this sweet, cute story!
I love Marina Adair and this book is such a great summer read!
This is book number 2 in this series and it has Liv Preston a mother, and nurse working on keeping her son and herself going after her husband was killed two years ago in an accident. A neighbor Ford Jamison is with K-9 search and rescue out of Reno and is there in Sequoia because he missed a qualifying test. He is also the person who could not save her husband but did save her son and later in the book it is all explained. Dealing with his guilt he finds himself along with his dog “Bullseye” drawn to the woman and to her son. Paxton her son is beginning to open up and heal when he is around Bullseye and when she sees the way Ford talks to Paxton it is gentle and kind for such a large man. Things besides him being good looking are sending her a message that maybe it is time for her to move on with her life. Ford wants to help her but he was not expecting to fall for the pretty women, scared he must decide what he wants especially when she finds out before he tells her that he and Bullseye were the ones that were on the rescue. He does make a dramatic entrance but also does something that shows her that he is all in. A very good story and good characters as well. I got this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at http://www.1rad-readerreviews.com
I loved this story! Liv is working hard to raise her son after the devastating loss of her husband in a traffic accident that left her son traumatized and not speaking, for the most part, and she is taking it day by day trying to cope. With her mother-in-law back in town and adding to the stress it is not easy. Ford and his rescue dog move in down the beach and when his dog shows up in her house it is not by mistake, he has found her son before, he is the one who rescued him from the accident. This is an emotional story with lots of healing and some heartbreak along the way, of course because a man is involved, but there is a happy ending. Definitely a great read but I listened to it in audio and loved every minute of it!
Marina Adair has written a timeless love story that will keep you turning the pages of her novel Every Little Kiss. I found myself transported to the small town of Sequoia Lake and what it means to be connected to a community. This is a place where everyone knows your business, even when it’s as benign as how many cupcakes you eat or whether you lick the frosting off before diving in.
The heroine Liv Preston is struggling to make a life for herself and her six-year-old son, Preston, after losing her husband Sam on a snowy Christmas night in a car accident. Only Preston survives and he’s not talking. Two years have passed since the tragedy and Preston, who was only four hasn’t really found his words or his voice except when talking to his mother. Preston, friendless, and trying to make sense of his memories is a boy who needs a miracle.
Ford Jamison considers himself to be lucky. He’s found his place in life as the head of Reno’s K-9 division. If only his personal life wasn’t in such a shambles. He’s about as lost as the people he rescues. Burdened by the choices and promises he’s made, he’s running from the truth and himself. Freewheeling, he’s without roots, without commitments, except to his dog Bullseye. He’s afraid to face his fear that he isn’t good enough.
These two damaged people are on a collision course where both of them will need to face themselves and their choices. Can Liv find the strength to move forward in her life after a tragedy that destroyed the fabric of her life? Can Ford face his demons and own up to his desire, and fess up to the secret he’s been harboring? Can these two lonely hearts ignore the sparks of attraction that won’t let go of them? You’ll have to pick your copy of Every Little Kiss and find out if love triumphs.
It’s been two years since the death of her husband and single mom Liv Preston is ready to live again. She does have some challenges, her six year old son hasn’t talked to anyone since he was rescued with his father from a mountain cave. Liv is ready to prove life is worth living to her son, but in order to do that she has to start living it. Up for a promotion at work Liv’s boss gives her a challenge. Show that you are committed to our community and you’ll be considered for this job. Liv jumps in head first and with the help of Search and Rescue leader Ford Jamison takes the first step to proving to her son and herself that life is full of challenges, but also it’s full of rewards.
There’s something about romance novels with children and dogs that always touches my heart. Liv’s son Paxton is so shy and disconnected from everyone, but when the dog that rescued him off the side of a mountain shows back up in town he gains confidence. Those two were a dynamic du0 and a great tool to help the reader connect with this story. Ford has his own baggage, haunted by not knowing what happens to those he saves. He see’s Liv and Paxton struggling and can’t help stepping in to lend a hand. The attraction he feels for Liv has his head spinning and even though he knows it’s a bad idea he lets their connection deepen.
This novel deals so well with the struggle of loss, life and moving on. You can’t help but root for everyone to overcome their sadness, grow and live life to their fullest. Of course, this is a romance novel, so you know it will end happily, but they do have some hills to climb and conflict to overcome. Marina Adair has a deft hand at building characters that really connect with the reader and Every Little Kiss was no different.
After basically inhaling It Started with a Kiss, I was really hoping that the second book in the series would be just as good and it did not disappoint.
There were so many things I absolutely loved about this book. And almost all of them had to do with the greatness that was Ford Jamison and his search-and-rescue dog Bullseye. I had one major fault with Ford: the fact that he wasn’t entirely truthful with Liv from the very beginning. But everything else about Ford’s kindness helped ease the sting of being so very unhappy about that. I feel like characters with S&R jobs are often made from the same mold. They’re alpha and broody and haunted by their pasts. While Ford definitely showed those characteristics, there was also a ton of fun and joy about him that hooked me from the very beginning. And any scene he was in with Bullseye just made my dog-loving heart fill to just about bursting. Bullseye was such an important character and I loved that Adair gave him as much personality as she gave any human character. He had quirks and brought a very important lightness to the story.
I had a bit of a harder time immediately connecting with Liv, but she absolutely grew on me as the story progressed. She occasionally came across as a bit cold and closed off to the people around her, but all the scenes with her son gave her more depth. And the more we learn about her past and her relationship with her deceased husband, the more her drive to be independent and take care of things on her own made sense.
The only thing I really didn’t care for was the conflict: I found it entirely predictable and one of my least favorite reasons characters are driven apart in novels. There are few things I hate more than the “keeping a secret from the person I love for their own good” trope, especially when the character being kept in the dark is capable and strong. And I couldn’t decide if I hated or loved the fact that the conflict didn’t show up until the book was almost over. It kept me on edge, strongly suspecting it was coming, and that may have somewhat detracted from my overall enjoyment of the couple’s good moments because I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. But having it that close to the end meant that it was all wrapped up and dealt with in a very speedy fashion and I appreciated not having multiple chapters of both characters being sad and melodramatic as they each blame the other for the inevitable breakup.
This is only the first series I’ve read by Marina Adair, but I’m already in love with the way she writes. Especially in this series, the emotion she writes could have easily taken a turn for the worst and just made the book a downer. But instead she does a brilliant job of balancing the deeply emotional moments with light, heartwarming scenes and a collection of supporting characters that help Ford and Liv see the good in the world when they’re struggling with loss. The emotion doesn’t feel contrived and like it exists just to make the hero broody or the heroine broken; it’s real and poignant and woven into the fabric of their characters.
all around great story
The last two years of Liv Preston’s life have been a constant struggle just to stay afloat, but she’s never given up hope that things would return to normal for her and her young son. Two years ago she lost her partner in life, and her son lost his father, and it’s taken a toll on both of them, but Liv has fought hard to keep it from completely swallowing them up. She moved them to her husband hometown Sequoia Lake for a fresh start, also hoping it would help her son feel closer to the father he lost. And so far, it’s helped, but she is still keeping herself a little sheltered, focusing less on having fun, and more on working and keeping her son happy. She knows she needs to open up a little more, and consider letting someone in, but that would mean letting go of the memory of the love she once had, and truth be told that’s a little scary. But when she meets her sexy new neighbor, she starts to see the appeal of letting love in again… and from where she is standing it is looking like a very good idea, all six foot plus inches of it!
Being head of Reno’s K-9 search division, Ford Jamison is always prepared to save the day of some unfortunate soul who has found themselves in trouble in the wilderness, they call and he is ready in a moments notice to handle the task… no matter the risk. But every once in a while things don’t end on a happy note, and he’s not able to save the day, and those are ones that really take a toll. Two years ago he made a promise to one of those unfortunate souls, and everyday since he has tried his best to carry out the man’s last wishes, but when it winds up getting him in trouble he finds himself being sent to Sequoia Lake as punishment. And it’s really the last place he should be… his past is lingering there and he isn’t so ready to face it!
This book was nothing short of amazing! Ms. Adair can do no wrong when she puts pen to paper, this story is one of my absolute favorites from her to date!! The moment Liv and Ford wandered onto the page I was completely taken with them and their beautiful story… be prepared for some serious feels with this one, it had me near tears a couple of times! These two came together a little unconventionally, and their road to finding their happy ending was definitely a little bumpy at times, but it made for a VERY entertaining literary adventure. As the story unfolds you will be treated to quite a few laughs from their endless banter, lots of heartwarming moments that will give you the feels and plenty of steamy moments that will leave you blushing! Highly recommend you make time to meet Mr. Ford Jamison… the rugged and sexy alpha is certain to steal your heart!