Megan Wallace wants three things: to make a living as an artist, to fulfill a promise she made her grandmother to visit the Boboli Gardens in Italy, and—oh yeah— for her best friend Brian Watts to fall in love with her. When the local library hosts an art competition, in which the winner will receive a one-year contract to paint in Florence, Italy, Megan sets out to make all her dreams come true.… true.
Since Brian is a talented woodworker, Megan plans to ask him to make the custom frames for her paintings. She’s crushed to discover he’s already partnered up with Chelsea Chambers, Megan’s rival since art school. Megan is even more devastated when Chelsea sets her sights on Brian romantically.
The stakes are high and there can only be one winner. When the contest judges praise Chelsea’s classic style, Megan wonders if she should forego her own surreal painting style for one that’s more traditional. Brian urges her to be true to her talent. He also gives her reason to believe that maybe he feels more than friendship for her after all.
Will Megan have to give up her vision in order to win the contest? And if she wins, will she have to say goodbye to the love of her life?
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Could She Possibly Be Gett’n “The Sweetest Kiss” & IS The Time RIGHT For RoMANce…
Is IT Time For Her to get “The Sweetest Kiss,” or will She be leav’n Town!?! Find OUT By One-Clicking “The Sweetest Kiss!”
Your gonna be highly entertained reading “The Sweetest Kiss;” a delightful Tale by Susan Hatler! I can’t TELL you how many times I keep reading & Re-Reading Her books since finding Her as an Author in 2018… And YET, I keep coming back Again & Again! Why?! Because I truly LOVE Her work, & That’s also the Hallmark of a TRULY Great RoMANce & a Spectacular Writer… When you can ReVisit a book like an OLD friend without getting Tired of it, but instead find Something New & Hidden EACH & Every TIME!
I LOVE Susan’s writing! It’s witty & Fresh…. One-Click “The Sweetest Kiss” & Experience IT for YourSelf!!
I was granted, via B00|{$P®0UT, Susan Hatler’s “The Sweetest Kiss (Kissed by the Bay Book 4).” I recommend this book to others based upon its own merits. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time… Happy Reading!
This is book four of the Blue Moon Bay series and the story focuses on the dreams of the main character Megan Wallace, as she looks to follow her wishes to become a full time artist, but has to still work in a dress shop to make ends meet. The revamping and extension of the town library brings with it an art competition that will give the winner the chance to work in an art gallery in Italy as the artist in residence, for a whole year. She had promised her Aunt Bea that she would make the trip to Italy, that her aunt never managed, and this could be her chance! The competition links an artist with a local woodworker, who will construct the frame for their artist, at each stage of the competition. Allowing local woodworkers to show off their work and gain wide exposure. Only four local artists will be allowed to take place and she needs to decide if she will put in her application, or accept a better paid job offer doing her website designs. Even her dating history is giving her problems. She has always had a thing for one of her best friend’s older brother Brian Watts, but has never had any hint that he thought anything more of her than his sister’s little friend!
Megan’s female friends usually get together frequently when they can and each of their stories gets told in one of the books in the series. Brian’s sister is Wendy and the brother and sister pair run the Blue Moon Bay Inn, which Wendy inherited and came back to help her brother run, after their grandma’s death. Brian has been running it for years, having been abandoned by Wendy when she left for college and didn’t come back until their grandma died. Brian has an issue with abandonment, after their parents dumped them at the Inn with their grandma when they were young kids and rarely if ever visited. When his last girlfriend moved just forty five miles away, he broke up with her, refusing to do any sort of long distance relationship and he would never leave the Inn. Brian loves to tell Megan of all the bad choices she has made with the men she has tried to date, including a guy that spoilt the ‘all you can eat’ pancake day, one who wanted her to pay him back for the four dollars for coffee after they broke up, another who thought his sisters would get free dresses from the shop she worked in, and one who described himself as a pilot, but only flew small remote control planes! But Brian has never given her a sign that he is the ideal man for her, no matter how much he tears apart all the men she has dated with.
Megan’s application is accepted, but she has lost out on Brian as her frame creator, when her arch rival, rich and over privileged local artist Chelsea Chambers and stole him from under her, on the night the competition was first announced, before she could even mention anything to him! Chelsea was her rival in art class, but had a trust fund behind her to be able to continue learning her craft, not that she had any special natural talent and heart for painting like Megan does. Luckily one of her friend’s Janine Wilson, knew of another keen woodworker called Jackson, who was staying with her boyfriend Cody until he found a place. Janine had moved to town and works as an assistant to Olivia Lane in her event planner business, but is hoping to get her own top position and more responsibility. The last member of their tight knit posse is Charlie Rockwell, an actress with her first Hollywood movie coming out soon, and mostly working away. She can’t discuss her feelings for Brian to the group, as Wendy is a part of their posse.
Megan decides to follow her dreams and hope she can fulfil her Aunt Bea’s last wishes, but everyday life makes matters much more difficult to cope with. Brian is the only one that can calm her down when she gets nervous and not being able to work with him and her feelings getting more erratic when he is around, make the situation more stressful. When she tries to stay away, he finally comes looking for her and they share a kiss on the beach, by the famous Blue Moon sign about two lovers who were forced apart, but always loved each other. She finally mentions it to Janine and then Olivia, who end up blurting the news out to Wendy! Brian finally asks her out for a date, but should she start a relationship with him, when she might be moving away to Italy for a year, and she knows he won’t do a long distance relationship? Hard decisions need to be made with her love life and she even second guesses her art skills and tries to be exactly the same as her arch rival. Matters are about to come to a head and may not bring the result that either she or Brian actually wanted. Megan must decide whether she will follow her heart and her dreams, or play safe and basically sabotage her only chance to win the competition and live the life she should. Brian may not be willing to take a chance, but she has to follow her own dreams if she is ever going to be happy. Definitely not a straight forward love story, but a realistic and bumpy one showing how difficult the road to true love can be and the hurdles you may have to overcome to reach your final destination. Another character in Blue Moon Bay has their story covered and I can’t wait to read about some more. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
I absolutely love Megan and Brian and the honesty and feelings in their relationship. I laughed, cried and screamed reading their story. These two have been friends their entire lives and when they start a relationship it is so pure and honest. I loved this book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Again a very sweet and romantic story that takes place in Blue Moon Bay, Megan and Brian have been best friends and in love with each other for years now, until he makes the first move when he thinks she’s dating someone else. Megan is a talented artist and makes the most unusual beautiful paintings. I loved this story and I like Susan Hatler’s writing style and how her characters interconnect in each others story even when they’re from different series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
In this Blue Moon Bay series this tale is my total favourite so far. The characters come alive off the page and the storyline held me captive
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I wouldn’t have Megan’s courage to take a chance and give up secure employment in the hopes of winning a painting contest to live in Italy for a year. She’s a bit accident prone and has some bad luck with dating terrible men and losing jobs. She also has some self esteem issues wondering if Brian who she’s been crushing on for years really wants to be with her. Her friends made me laugh out loud with their antics, but they were very supportive and encouraging. Megan should have opened up to them sooner about her troubles. Her paintings sound wonderful with their magical elements and so doesn’t Italy.
Oil Paintings and Love in Blue Moon Bay
This is a sweet and clean romance that is part of the Blue Moon Bay series. These books can be read in any order, but are best read in sequence. All of the books share the same characters and take place in a small coastal California town. This story has a friends to lovers plot and is centered around and art competition. I think that the reader knows from the onset how this will end which makes the angsty parts less believable. But, it is a fun and clean story that will make your heart happy. I think all of us would love to spend a vacation at Blue Moon Bay. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely adore this book! I loved the characters of Brian and Megan. They first know each other through Brian’s sister but then develop a really close friendship of their own. When they end up on competing teams during an art competition, their deeper feelings start to come to light. The problem is that the winner will go to Italy for a year and Brian doesn’t do long distance relationships. I loved this couple together so much! Their love and support of each other is what a friendship and good relationship should consist of. The ending of this book is perfection and I loved it!!
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love all of this series. Susan Hatler does an awesome job of pulling you in and feeling like the characters are part of your life. Brian was left by his parents and Megan is friends with his sister. They are best friends turned lovers. Megan gets the chance of a lifetime but it requires leaving Brian behind. I found myself tearing up at parts of this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a fun series. Each book can be read as a standalone but I have read them in order so the characters continue to develop with each new book.
Megan has always wanted to be able to earn a living as an artist. Will she take a chance at her dream or continue to play it safe?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A well written book with an interesting story line. The characters are strong and the story flows quickly and smoothly. I enjoyed reading this story.
Really enjoyed this sexy, fun and emotionally thrilling adventure filled with engaging and interesting charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists and exciting passion. Was a great read from beginning to end and so hard to put down.
Really enjoyed this book. Fun and entertaining characters. Interesting story! Love the art! Fun to go through the feelings with the characters toward love! Would recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a sweet and charming story. I really liked Megan and loved her relationship with Brian. The way they got their happy ending was cute and tender.
The Sweetest Kiss is the fourth book in the Kissed by the Bay series. This is a sweet,funny and easy to read. The characters Megan and Brain have good chemistry. I truly enjoyed reading this story.
I read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions are of my own.
When you read a book from Susan Hatler, you know you’ll be reading a book that is well written, has fantastic characters you’ll fall in love with, and a story that’s set in a location that sounds amazing. This is a wonderful series you’re sure to love.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a beautiful love story. Megan and Brian grew up as friends. He was the slightly older brother of one of her friends, but they were always together with the group. Brian has abandonment issues, so when Megan has a chance to obtain her heart’s desire and study in Italy for a year, does she take it and possibly lose Brian, or does she stay in their small town with Brian and lose her one chance to further her art career? How does she choose between one love and another? Megan and Brian were such nice people, and the other secondary characters where great also. I hope there will be stories about them in the future. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love this crew from Blue Moon Bay and their legend of the kiss! This time Wendy’s brother Brian and her friend Megan kiss at the famous Blue Moon Bay Designated spot. Of course Megan has always been in love with Brian. She tries to win a painting contest for a years trip to Italy. What will happen to our love birds? What a fun addition to this series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I reread the book under a different name.
Meagan and Brian lived in Blue Moon Bay where there was a legend about having a kiss under a plaque while a Blue Moon is out you will keep your true love. Meagan had always loved one of her best friends brother, Brian and she had always wanted to go to Italy to paint. When the town gave both Megan and Brian a way to showcase their talents this fun romance becomes more exciting as their relationship progresses and possibly dooms them while old nemesis and no self confidence also help sabotage what’s right in front of Brian and Megan. Good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I adored this book!
It’s a heartwarming story about Megan.
Megan’s aunt taught her to paint.
She made a promise to her aunt that
she would travel to Italy someday
& paint the Boboli Gardens.
Megan would love to make a living
as an artist
Brian is a very good friend of hers,
& Megan has been in love with him forever. But, he is the brother of one of her best friend’s & he has always thought of her as a little sister. An art competition from a gallery in Florence was presented at the Library Restoration party. Megan wondered if she would be able to finally make her dreams come true. Brian has always supported Megan. Her heart is torn. Will Megan & Brian finally admit what they feel & find their way to one another? Or will life have other plans?
A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE!!!
Megan was planning on fulfilling her grandmothers wish by going to paint in Italy, but then she had to have dental work done and that took the money she had saved for Italy. Then she found out there was a local contest and the contestants would have to submit 3 paintings in a frame and the winner at the end win the prize which was painting in Italy for one year.
She had just been offered a new job that would help her financially but since her grandmother taught her how to paint when she was young, painting was her passion. It was interesting reading about the changes in Megan as she learned to believe in herself and found her confidence. She made her decision and she followed through with it. Life has a way of their being ups and downs, uncertainty and setbacks, but she kept moving forward.
The Friendly Cottage isn’t a fairy tale, it is a story of Megan’s life, and that is what I like most about it. I received an ARC from Hatco Publishing through NetGalley and Susan Hatler writes from the heart about life.