First Touch (First and Last #1) by Laurelin Paige

Synopsis from Amazon:

When Emily Wayborn goes home to visit her mom while on hiatus from her hit TV show, she receives a voicemail from her former best friend, Amber. Though the two were once notorious party girls, they haven't spoken in years. Although the message might sound benign to anyone else, Amber uses a safe word that Emily recognizes, a word they always used to get out of sticky situations during their wild days. And what's more chilling than the voicemail: it turns out that Amber has gone missing.

Determined to track down her friend, Emily follows a chain of clues that lead her to the enigmatic billionaire Reeve Sallis, a hotelier known for his shady dealings and play boy reputation. Now, in order to find Amber, Emily must seduce Reeve to learn his secrets and discover the whereabouts of her friend. But as she finds herself more entangled with him, she finds she's drawn to Reeve for more than just his connection to Amber, despite her growing fear that he may be the enemy. When she's forced to choose where her loyalty lies, how will she decide between saving Amber and saving her heart?

My review:

This book was a slower starter for me, but characters were good and quite likeable and I am glad I stuck to it, as it turned out to be an enjoyable read.

Yes it’s a little dirty and some scenes might be uncomfortable for some to read, but it goes with the story and describes very well just how messed up the heroine of the book, Emily, really is. 

I couldn’t help feeling sorry for Emily, she’s certainly had it rough and although the most important thing for her with regards to having people close to her, is trust, she does even trust herself. She has a self-destroy button that’s permanently pressed and unless someone watches out for her she knows she won’t last very long.

She meets Reeve under the pretense of seeking a relationship with him, whilst she investigates his relationship with Emily’s lost friend Amber. But of course she falls in love – now this is never actually said in the book, but it’s pretty obvious and you don’t have to read between the lines. And Reeve feels the same, although he would never admit it either. They are both danger to themselves and to each other but that is what their relationship is based on.

Just as they finally understand each other and Reeve, in a round bout way, reveals that he knows who Emily is and that he loves her, Amber appear and the book is left on a cliff-hanger.

I thought I would hate Reeve and Emily. They are both such unlikely people to like, but I was rooting for them throughout the book. As they both reveal some of their past, especially the life Emily has led, you just have to like them as they really are perfect for each other.

This is not a classic love story and by no means finished. I cannot wait to read the sequel. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for access to this book in return for this honest review.

My rating: 4/5