And Then He Kissed Me by Kim Amos is a delightful second chance at love romance. This latest addition to the White Pine series is a great story about forgiveness, love and friendship, but it is the growth of the lead character that makes it such a wonderful read.

Audrey Tanner is an ex-high school gym teacher who is desperate for a job when she is hired to work as a showroom model at the local Harley dealership. She is not exactly thrilled with her new "uniform" and her day goes from bad to worse when she learns her new boss is Kiernan Callaghan, the man who broke her heart five years earlier. Undaunted by his sudden reappearance in her life, she angrily stands up to him when Kiernan "suggests" she find other employment. Surprisingly, her new job gives her the confidence she needs to stop being such a pushover and make some much needed changes to her life.

Audrey is a good girl who always does what is expected of her. The only time she acted on a whim ended in heartbreak and in the years since Kieran left her, she reverted back to playing it safe. She is close to her sister Casey but Audrey is becoming increasingly frustrated with her sister's attempts to micromanage her life. Audrey is surprised by how much she likes her new look and she carries a toned down version of her makeover into her personal life. She also seizes this opportunity to transform other aspects of her life and she explores new career opportunities.

Kiernan is reformed bad boy who is keeping a HUGE secret from Audrey. He has cleaned up his act in the time they have been apart and he is now a well respected businessman. He really has no choice but to return to White Pine but he hopes to avoid Audrey while he is in town. When that plan goes up in flames pretty much as soon as he steps foot in town, his only alternative is to keep quiet about why he left town so abruptly five years ago. But with their attraction burning hotter than ever, Kiernan knows it is only a matter of time before they give in to their mutual desire.

Since Audrey is trying to protect herself from further heartbreak, she is willing to indulge in a casual fling with Kiernan. They enjoy a couple of sizzling hot interludes but he is upfront that he is looking for a real relationship. He knows that he will have to be honest about why he left town but Kiernan must first convince her to give him a second chance. And if she does agree, will Audrey be able to forgive him once he reveals the real reason he left town five years ago?

And Then He Kissed Me by Kim Amos is a terrific addition to the White Pine series. Audrey and Kiernan are brilliantly developed and sympathetic protagonists with realistic flaws and imperfections. Although they spend a good deal of the novel apart as they deal with their respective issues, there is no denying the chemistry between them. Their feelings for one another are believable and they work through their problems with very little drama. The supporting cast of characters is likable and the small town atmosphere adds to the story's appeal. A sweet, sensual romance that old and new fans are sure to love!
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Small town romance that took me a while to get into, but had a great ending. ( )

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You just couldn't pick a better beach read. Sun, sand, waves, and lots of hot sex. The last bit in the book, of course, not literally on the beach.

Which is why I enjoy reading Amos' romances. She adds as much humor (and gravitas, see below) into her romances as sex scenes. Case in point, you will learn what "literally" actually means by the end of the book. Every book should have one lesson, no?

I don't read romances on a regular basis, so I enjoy her world-building as much, if not more, than the lover's quarrels, make-ups, quarrels, make-ups, etcetera etcetera. I admit I missed the interior design aspect of the first book in the series, but this second book provided its own share of fun facts, mostly in the form of motorcycles.

I felt it did skimp a tiny bit on the Knots and Bolts get-togethers (but I can see why) and that it had a surprisingly dire denouement, but that won't keep me from reading the last book in the series. Firefighters? Accountants? Non-profit tutoring centers? Perhaps a slightly mousier protagonist? Count me in. I want to see where she can take all that. ( )