Till I Kissed You is the third book in what I hope won't be the last in the Cottonbloom series. Laura has been teasing us with Regan and Sawyer since book 1, and Till I Kissed You doesn't disappoint. This small town contemporary romance and high school sweethearts who became adversaries bordering on enemies because of unfortunate events that happened eleven years ago have separated the couple. Till I Kissed You brings their past up so they can confront it and finally move on in order to be together.
Regan grew up in the lap of luxury as a former teen pageant beauty because of her mother. She lived on the effluent side of town. But her heart belonged to Sawyer, aka an orphaned swamp rat who unlike his older brother, excelled in school and tried to do the best he could under the circumstances he was in. In high school Regan and Sawyer had a secret love affair ala Romeo and Juliet. They were very much in love, until Sawyer went to college and Regan caught him cheating, or so she assumed. Also because Regan's mother was dead set against Sawyer, they parted ways, and both were filled with anger and hurt towards one another, which lasted for over a decade or more.
Now Regan is the mayor of Cottonbloom, her hometown, as well as running a design business. She's till at odds with Sawyer, who is the parish commissioner. They're both trying to win a contest a magazine is running in order to win a grant to help the town, but that money would be used for certain sections of the community. Whoever has the best festival wins. Regan is in a tough position because the town seems against her because they don't like change and she may have to raise taxes. Sawyer is more respected because he has a great reputation because he's done incredible things ih his life. His swamp rat life has been long forgotten, and along with his older brother and sister, the Fournette siblings have become a beloved member of the community.
Regan and Sawyer swipe at one another and play little pranks on one another, such as Sawyer dropping rabbits in Regan's mother precious tomato garden. Regan retaliates in kind, but nothing too dangerous or life threatening. But then someone has started targeting Regan with threatening letters, including destroying her store, and other stalkerish type things that start to scare her. Sawyer finds out and his protective instincts flare, which causes confusion because he shouldn't care for Regan. But his love for the only woman who stole his heart is still as strong as the day he met her. Regan also realizes her feelings for Sawyer still remains. But can they move past their hurt and forgive in order to have a future together, as well as trying to find the culprit out to ruin the festival and everything Regan has worked so hard for?
Till I Kissed You is the perfect example of a lovers reunited romance done right. Regan and Sawter's chemistry is non-stop on every page. When Sawyer realizes Regan may be in danger, who secretly watches her house and does his own investigation because he still cares for her. Their banter is adorable, especially when they start to fall in love all over again. The reasons they broke up are dealt with in a satisfactory manner, including the big problem that has haunted them. Sawyer is ready to give all his trust and heart to Regan again, but Regan holds back because of that sticky situation she witness with Sawyer that made her turn away from him. This big misunderstanding could have been fixed right away, and not taken eleven years, but then you wouldn't have this story.
Sawyer's regrets over losing Regan has haunted him for so long. You want to wrap him in a big hug because he's parched for Regan, who wants him as bad, but again their past and their hurts have taken over. These two are so stubborn, but once Sawyer sees Regan is in danger, his protective feelings rev up and he is now on a mission to protect his woman at all costs.
You root for Regan and Sawyer to get together right from the beginning. Regan's internal lusty thoughts for Sawyer are a real hoot, and the actual pain Sawyer has, mainly in his chest every time he sees Regan because he wants her so badly is swoonworthy because he aches for Regan badly.
Till I Kiss You is a total winner of a romance with a great setting and equally great characters all around. A must read.