ARC REVIEW The First Kiss of Spring by Emily March

 Eternity Springs #14, Eternity Springs is where the heart goes to heal, and we've seen that in the previous thirteen book from near death experiences to falling in love again. Emily March has covered a wide range of issues and and trauma for these people and it never gets old, I love this series more now then when I first found it. It's the perfect place to fantasize about living there, about soaking in the hot springs and just letting the place heal whatever maybe wrong with your heart, to talk with Celeste, the town's personal angel, and getting some of her sage advice. Reading these books almost makes me homesick for a place that's never existed.

Josh Tarkington thinks he has the worst luck ever, an F5 tornado took the life of his fiancee and her daughter and then twice more a tornado destroyed his home, business, and once again the life of someone he cared about; moving out of Tornado Alley seemed the wisest thing to do. When Brock his foster brother invited him to Eternity Spring Josh thought it sounded like the best place to start over. Caitlin Timberlake didn't like Eternity Springs when her parents decided to leave Denver for the quaint little Mountain town but it grew on her and now no other place feels more like home, except she lives in NYC. Caitlin has some major life changes planned while she enjoys her work in NYC and everything she's experienced living there it's time she does something she actually loves; that means moving to Eternity Springs and starting a much needed daycare. 

Josh and Caitlin have chance meeting on a gondola ride (no not the flat bottom boat you find in Italy the electric ones that go up and down mountains). When it gets stuck Josh and Caitlin have plenty of time to talk and get to know each other and not to mention the adorable wheelchair bound Dachshund, Penny. It's not until later when Caitlin's parents suddenly appear does Josh realize Caitlin is one of those Timberlakes. Josh not waiting to upset his new life in Eternity Springs decides it best not to pursue Caitlin. Caitlin has other plans and when she moves to Eternity Spring's she is almost certain she is already in love with Josh and is determined nothing is going to stop her from dating him. Starting first with a "Friend Affair" it isn't long before Josh and Caitlin decide to make a real thing of it and come out publicly as a couple. It isn't long after that then things start to go wrong. Josh has been pretty open about his past except for what came before his time in the foster system and when Josh is hit by a car everything about his childhood and the troubles that come with it are forced to come out. Is Caitlin's love strong enough to understand why Josh lied about it or is this finally going to push Josh over the deep end to the point of no return?

Overall, it is another outstanding novel from Emily March. I love the Journal entries in between the chapters it gives you a real good feel for the character and why that part was kept a secret. The side story with Mac and Ali was just as heartbreaking as the main story. Once again Eternity Springs works it's magic.