Publishers Weekly
03/04/2024
Cayouette makes a memorable debut with a second-chance love story that is equal parts heart-wrenching and inspiring. As an adult, supermodel Emerson Grey is still dealing with a sexual trauma from her past that led her to distance herself from her high school love, Theo Carson, when they were 18. Then a calendar reminder of their pact—that if they weren’t married to other people when they turned 28, they would marry each other—pops up on her phone, and she realizes how much she misses and still loves Theo, who is now a photographer. An opportunity to work with him arises, and Emerson jumps on it—against the wishes of her uber-manipulative agent, Matt. Will their sweet reunion lead to the soul-satisfying happy ending both characters deserve, or will their complicated past and Matt’s present treachery keep them apart? Cayouette leads readers on a well-plotted, multidimensional route to the answer. Along the way, she does a masterful job of showing how trauma affects relationships, and shares in an emotional author’s note that she’s drawing from personal experience. The result is a commendable portrait of healing. (May)
From the Publisher
"Cayouette crafts an engaging story that jumps back and forth between the protagonists’ high school days and the present... The emotional aspects of the romance take center stage in this heartfelt first novel." -Library Journal, starred
"Cayouette makes a memorable debut with a second-chance love story that is equal parts heart-wrenching and inspiring." - Publishers Weekly
“Deeply romantic, One Last Shot dazzles with second-chance romance so sweeping it’s picture-perfect. A resonant debut and a nuanced portrait of love through the camera lens.” - Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Roughest Draft
"A story of estranged childhood friends reuniting in adulthood, One Last Shot has everything I look for in a great romance read, with heartache, history, and loads of chemistry on every page. It's a tender exploration of long lost love set in the high stakes world of the modeling industry, making for a whirlwind ride that will have you swooning one moment and welling up with tears the next." - Bridget Morrissey, author of A Thousand Miles
“A sweet and heartfelt debut romance that has me itching to book a flight to Italy.” - Hannah Grace, author of Icebreaker
“Betty Cayouette’s debut novel is an intoxicating romance set in the world of super models and fashion photographers. It comes with a marriage pact, exotic settings, and last chances for sealing the deal on a love that’s meant to be. Cayouette’s skill at creating multiple points of view, sympathetic characters you’ll root for from page one, and satisfying plot twists make her a talent to keep an eye on. One Last Shot is surely just the beginning of a great career.” - Stephen McCauley, author of My Ex-Life
"One Last Shot is the ultimate second chance romance. Full of swoon-worthy chemistry and raw emotion, I devoured Emerson and Theo’s love story in a single bite." - Annabel Monaghan, author of Same Time Next Summer
"A romantic exploration of love, friendship, miscommunication, and growing up. Betty Cayouette’s writing shimmers with heart, hope and a deep affection for her characters. One Last Shot is a delightful summer read, and a debut not to be missed." - Hanna Halperin, author of I Could Live Here Forever
“Glamorous, tension-filled, with a heaping side of wanderlust! One Last Shot pulls off that perfect minute of butterflies-in-the-stomach romance with a few serious moments that will have you reaching for tissues.” - Emma Noyes, author of Guys Girl
"With One Last Shot, Betty Cayouette proves that she can do it all! A beautiful and poignant story about the enduring power of first love, the chemistry between Emerson and Theo leaps off the page. I didn’t want to put this book down." - Jessica Saunders, author of Love, Me
Library Journal
★ 02/01/2024
DEBUT World-famous supermodel Emerson Grey receives a calendar notification reminding her of the fast-approaching deadline for the pact she made with her best and only friend from high school, Theo Carson. The two agreed they would marry each other if they weren't already spoken for by their 28th birthdays. Emerson's last contact with Theo was almost a decade ago, at about the time he confessed his undying love to her and she fell victim to an incident that left her shattered and too ashamed to open up. As for Theo, he believes that confessing his love to Emerson back then scared her away forever. Now Emerson has a second chance at rekindling her old flame and arranges to be a model on photographer Theo's upcoming shoot in Italy. She has a week to make it up to him, the only man she's ever been able to trust, and convince him to give her one last shot. VERDICT Bayouette crafts an engaging story that jumps back and forth between the protagonists' high school days and the present. The emotional aspects of the romance take center stage in this heartfelt first novel.—Kara Kohn
