Just One Wish (The Kingston Family #4.5)

by Carly Phillips

Blurb:

He was her first love. She was his.

They broke up to follow their dreams.

Axel Forrester became a world famous drummer.

Tara Stillman became a veterinarian.

Years later, he’s scrolling social media and sees they’re both in East Hampton, NY.

Fate? Or Coincidence?

What’s a rockstar to do other than borrow his friend’s dog as an excuse to see the good doctor.

And—show up at her office after all this time.

Axel wants a second chance with the one who got away. He’s not going to let Tara go this time.

Themes: Contemporary, Novella

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

I just love when an author gives us a sweet connecting novella to bridge two series and bring us closure for a character that has come into the lives of the main characters for a secondary reason. Carly is great at doing this for us and her latest story does it again. Axel Forrester came into the lives of the Kingston family when he joined Dash’s band the Original King’s also bringing his sister closer into their circle which gave her and Dash the perfect excuse to fall deeper in love and have their HEA. But that of course left us wondering “what about Axel?”; well in Just One Wish we get to see Axel get a second chance at love with his high school girlfriend and first love when he discovers she is in his new hometown. Axel finds himself more and more at loose ends when he isn’t working on his music, seeing his sister and new friends all settled into marital bliss and wondering when he will find love and a mature relationship. He stumbles across his old girlfriend on social media and discovers she is just down the road now and, with the help of a cute and loving pup, he goes to sweep her off her feet. Tara Stillman lost her heart to Axel years ago, but since then her life has been devoted to work and her family. She never imagined her first love would walk into her veterinary practice, with a borrowed dog in order to ask her out. Quickly they both learn that they still have deep feelings for one another, but can their differences be overcome in order for them to have a relationship? I really enjoyed this short read and getting to see Axel as he came to terms with some of the behaviors and parts of his life that might not have made him so obviously marketable as the perfect lover. He learned and grew as a person in a short period of time in order to become the man that he needed to be to offer Tara the love and committed relationship she deserved. Tara was a little bit fearful in the beginning, but at the same time she never denied her feelings for Axel or that she wanted him deeply. I loved watching the playfulness between them and the sweetness as Axel worked hard to convince Tara that she could rely on him and give her heart again. I am dying for the next story in this long running series arc which will begin the new Dirty Dares Series (Just One Dare) and that new series looks to be intriguingly sexy for sure. Carly keeps the magic coming and I see no end in sight for the Dare family and their friends.