The Trouble with a Kiss

Miracle Bay #2

by Heatherly Bell

She’s a runaway bride with a secret…
He’s an off-duty firefighter thrown into the path of a rescue…
And these two soulmates have a shared history neither one remembers.

Welcome back to Miracle Bay and the legend of the sunset kiss: kiss someone at sunset anywhere in Miracle Bay and you might find your true love.

When Marco Reyes happens upon a woman dangling from a first-floor balcony, the rescue leads him down a path he’d never expected. Phoebe Carrington couldn’t go through with a marriage to her billionaire father’s friend, so she left the man thirty years her senior at the altar. Now, everyone in San Francisco is looking for her.

But she knows they’ll never find her in Miracle Bay…

Genres: Audiobook, Contemporary, Rom Com

245 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 8, 2022

Reviews

[Syndi · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

The story is just so boring. It does not catch my attention at all. I think maybe because The Trouble with a Kiss is a Christian romance. I have long give up on Christian romance.

No offense to others who like this book.

Not for me.

2 stars

[Petra · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I didn’t really like this one. The story dragged on a bit. And Phoebe is absolutely not from this world. I get that she had an unusual upbringing, but come on… who makes a curtsy nowadays??

This review is based on the audiobook.
Narration wasn’t bad but it was difficult to hear the difference between Phoebe and Marco (or other characters) sometimes. And it didn’t do anything for me to make this story less boring.

[My_every_day_chilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4,5

Romance: 3/5
Chemistry: 4/5
Spice: 1/5 (it's fade to black)
1st kiss: +-70% in
Humor: 1/5
Cry factor: 0/5
Drama: 2/5
Suspense: 1/5

Positive thoughts:
- I loved our firefighter, he was so caring, he's the buy that will bring a stray home and make sure it's taken care of.
- I loved our FMC, she was born with a golden spoon in her mouth, but she was humble. I absolutely loved how she would curtsy and greet people at the bus stop.
- I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator was good, she had different tones and accents for the characters. It was pleasant to listen to.

How I felt:
- I didn't feel the story was boring at all, but I like clean, behind closed door, fade to black romances, so it didn't bother me at all. Our main characters were captivating and sweet, I keep rooting for them.
- I didn't care much for the myth in the book, but I felt that it didn't matter much to the story, so even if I managed to ignore it, the story was still sweet and flowed well.

Overall:
- This is a fade to black romance, with lots of chemistry. This mean we get the kisses, the touches, the bed, but it stops there, no sexual details are mentioned, it fades to black.
- We have a very caring firefighter that takes our damsel in distress in and cares for her, falling in love in the process.
- It is an easy and fast paced read. Topics are not too heavy: both deal with the loss of a parent; FMC deals with a father that rules her life; MMC deals with a fact he thinks rules his life.

Tropes:
- Runaway bride
- Firefighter MMC
- Weak to strong FMC
- Town myth
- Tight knit family
- Controlling father
- Forced proximity
- Boat living

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are back in Miracle Bay where the legend tells us that if you kiss someone at sunset, you have found your true love.
Firefighter Marco Reyes sort of believes in the legend and stays far away for any possibility of that happening. He is just “the rebound guy” with no desire to be “the one”.
But what happens when a runaway bride is hanging from a fire escape and he runs to save her from the fall?
Marco has no idea that the runaway bride is Phoebe Carrington, the daughter of a tech mogul.
Phoebe has spent her life pleasing her father but when she realizes that a life with a man thirty years her senior , a man she doesn’t love , is what awaits her, she leaves everything behind. Never expecting to meet Marco and fall in love.
But the obstacles are many. Will Marco and Phoebe get their HEA, or will both be left heartbroken and not believing in the legend?
This was a delightful story with likable and well developed characters. The secondary characters were just as charming.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Julie Booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are back in Miracle Bay, and we have a runaway bride that falls into Marco’s arms. From here, I was hooked. I loved the first book in the series as well.

We met Marco in book one, and we know his feeling on the town Legend of the Sunset Kiss. But do we? Phoebe is tech royalty and is done with doing what her father wants her to. Is Marco a rebound or the real deal? As hearts get involved, and obstacles appear, will their happily ever after be a myth?
Do you believe in the Legend? This series might sway you.

I am looking forward to the next book, as we have plenty of characters stories to explore.

Thank you to the Booksprout and the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

[Tracy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trouble with a Kiss
Book 2 of Sunset Kiss
Heatherly Bell

Phoebe and Marco are beautifully written characters. Phoebe runs away from an arranged marriage, she escapes only to be tracked down again at a hotel. She runs again by jumping out the window and down the fire escape that gives way and Marco is there to save her. I will let you take it from here. I enjoyed the book and recommend you reading it.. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A runaway bride and a fireman. I love stories with genuine caring heroes. Who can resist falling into the arms of a caring stranger? i had just recently read a story about a runaway bride and a boat so I was afraid it was going to be similar that I was not going to enjoy it. I was wrong. Even though the female seemed naive she was very strong and even though the male seemed strong he was still very caring. What a great story!! . I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[AG · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrific. Like candy.

[Rebmay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phoebe and Marco’s story is sweet and endearing. Marco, a firefighter, meets and rescues Phoebe as she runs away from her wedding. She had thought she could be the dutiful daughter and marry a man thirty years older, but Phoebe just couldn’t go through with it. She believes in love and romance, just like her late mother did, and she didn’t see love in her future with the fiancé she left at the altar. Marco is a true ladies man, not looking for commitment, content to be the rebound guy and not the “one” for any of the women he dates. But right from the moment Phoebe lands on him during her escape from her wedding, something is different. He feels ultra aware of everything about her….her scent, her beauty and her voice. He keeps telling himself that he is just doing a good deed, that she just needs a little help and then he is free to go about his business. Yet, when he has the chance to let her go to be on her way back home or to go anywhere else, he finds he can’t let her go. Phoebe knows that there is a connection, a soul-deep one, between her and her handsome rescuer. Her heart tells her he could be the “one” for her, but Marco seems unaffected, though in reality he is just very good at hiding his reactions and feelings. Learning of their first meeting as kids, one neither he or Phoebe remembers, leads to Marco thinking that there may be some truth to the Kiss at Sunset legend. Could they really be fated lovers? What happens next is for you to discover when you read this charming book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heatherly Bell immediately grabs the reader with a hilarious incident. When the story begins, Phoebe is shoving herself into an Uber wearing her wedding dress. She is in the process of secretly bolting from her wedding. The driver takes her to a nondescript hotel where she plans to change her clothes and figure out where to go next. However, before she can change her clothes, a man yells her name from the door. Phoebe realizes that she needs to quickly jump out of her third floor window. She throws her duffle out her window first, and it immediately hits Marco on the head. This unusual action is how Phoebe and Marco meet.

Marco is a fireman who lives on a boat; he hopes his dates will realize that he is not ready for any commitments. In fact, he calls himself the “rebound guy.”

Phoebe has no money, but she is looking for a place to stay where she can look for a job and start a new life. Since Phoebe has no money, Marco offers her invitation for to, platonically, stay on his boat until she can get a job.

Ms. Bell creates two very lovable, gentle and compassionate characters. Neither of them is ready to form a relationship even though they are obviously soul-mates. This book is a delightful and fun look into their lives as they try to ignore their feelings and still stay friends!

[Donise · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Miracle Bay, legend has it that a kiss shared at sunset will help you find your true love. As a native of Miracle Bay, Marco, knows all about the legend only he doesn't believe in it even though members of his family are living proof that it happens. Marco is a firefighter who believes that he carries a black cloud around him at work, so on his off hours he tries to compensate for it by doing at least one good deed a day. So, when Phoebe drops on top of him from a fire escape Marco helps her as part of his good deed and so begins the biggest change to his life. Phoebe runs from her 'arranged' wedding. When she is tracked down to the hotel where she goes to re-group, she decides to escape down the fire escape which breaks near the end, and she gets rescued by a guy who is walking by. Phoebe and Marco are attracted to each other but resist the attraction for their own reasons. But what happens when fate steps in with an unexpected curve ball? Will Phoebe and Marco be able to overcome their obstacles and find true love? Will the legend of Miracle Bay be a help or a hinderance? You will enjoy reading this book to find the answers.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Perrin Larton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trying to please your father, by doing what HE wants you to do hardly ever works. Sometimes running away is your only option. Too bad when you decide to defy your dad, you're in a wedding dress getting ready to walk down the aisle. Then, to make things more difficult, the only escape is down a fire escape!

A confirmed bachelor and a firefighter, not looking for anything to tie you down. You thrive of the adrenaline of your career and the ability to help save people. You don't realize that your destiny might be hanging...RIGHT THERE FROM THE FIRE ESCAPE...ready to drop into your arms.

As you might realize, Marco and Phoebe have much baggage following them around. The legend of kissing someone at sunset while at Miracle Bay, may not be true, but do you want to chance missing the love of your life?

Will Phoebe and Marco be able to put their baggage aside and totally embrace their attraction to one another and find their HEA?

A great read. This is the second in the Sunset Kiss series, and it can be read as a standalone.

Thanks to the author, I received an ARC from Booksprout for an honest review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phoebe and Marco's Story . . .

Phoebe Carrington was being forced into an arranged marriage with a controlling man quite a bit older than she was -- Ethan Bellamy, the Silicon Valley CEO worth billions but not someone she wanted to marry. Sneaking away and making a run for it, she jumped in an Uber and went to a hotel. In her room there, apparently locating her through her cell phone, she heard Ethan’s bodyguard, Ivan, the Russian who reminded her of a mobster, banging on the doors down the hallway as he looked for her. Again she had to run, so she threw her belongings out the window, and they landed on Marco Reyes’ head. She hurried down the fire escape but it collapsed and she was hanging there while the man below rubbed his head. He was an off-duty firefighter and told her to jump so he could catch her!

Marco was not looking for a relationship. But he was a nice guy and, when Phoebe needed a place to stay, he said that she could stay with him temporarily. It seems that both of them started to have feelings for each other. Will he say something to her? Or will he let her walk away and lose what they could have had together?

[Fleur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marco is known for being the rebound guy as it means short fun interludes with women as well as referred to as the black cloud as something always happens when he shows up so a runaway bide dropping onto him from a fire escape is not that much of a surprise. What is a surprise not only for Marco as well as Phoebe is the attraction they both feel for each other, not that they let on how string the attraction is as Marco doesn't do serious relationships and Phoebe needs to learn how to be her own person after doing everything to please her Dad ever since her Mum's passing years ago. I loved seeing the Reyes family and others again as well as seeing both Marco and Phoebe change and come into their own although love is never easy whether it is with your family or someone you might spend the rest of your life together. There are loads of laughter, eye rolling as well as a little heartbreak, the Sunset Kiss Legend and two people who deserve a HEA.. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan Hamann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens with a bride, in a very big gown, is running away from her wedding. Phoebe is the daughter of a very rich man. He has convinced her to marry his colleague, a much older man. She decides that she doesn't want this, but she has no real plan.

When she is tracked by her fiancé's body guard to the hotel where she's taken shelter, she climbs out onto a fire escape - and falls into the arms of a firefighter. The opening scenes are quite funny and I had to laugh out loud.

She's ends up in a town with a romantic tradition. The tradition and the story behind it seem like a fairytale and Phoebe believes in it. Her firefighter friend, Marco, who is from that town, does not. Phoebe has led a protected life and even curtsies when she meets new people. Marco, on the other had has had to scrape for everything.

This is a sweet love story, physical scenes are behind closed doors so this can be read and enjoyed by most people who like reading romances.

I was gifted with an audio version of the book. The narrator did a great job. This is my honest review.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two in The Sunset Kiss Series and it is Marco and Phoebe's story and it is definitely a must read. Phoebe has realised that she can't marry a man that she doesn't love not even to please her father so she does the only thing that she can do and that is run as last as she can. Marco is a firefighter and loves to help people even though he doesn't do relationships or commitments but when a bride needs help he does the only thing that he can and that is help her. Marco and Phoebe have a instant attraction but they both have so much baggage that they will need to get through before they can have the happy ending that they both deserve. I love the fact of the legend that if you kiss someone at sunset you have found your one true love wow what a magical theory. I absolutely loved the characters and storyline as it pulled you in and kept your attention throughout and I can't wait to read more books in this series.

I Voluntarily Reviewed a Copy of This Book.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sunset Kiss

This is a very good book. It's the second in the series but can be read as a stand alone. Phoebe decides at the last minute that she can't marry her fiance and becomes a runaway bride. As she's making an escape from the hotel she took refuge in, the fire escape breaks. Marco happens to be in the right place and tells her he'll catch her. He feels protective of her and a strange connection. He makes sure that she's safe and then eventually lets her stay with him on his boat. Phoebe feels the same connection. They both know the myth about kissing at sunset making a soul connection but they haven't done that. But Marco's mom figures out that they had met when they were young and he kissed her on the cheek at sunset. They might be soulmates but they still have a lot to work through. It looks like this is the last book in this series. It would have been interesting to read about Marco's other brother's story.

[Raylene Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phoebe has always did what her father wanted for her, but this time he went to far. She a run away bride and is fast to leave but not sure where. She end up in a hotel and now Ivan is knock on all the doors; out the window and down the fire ladder. But it breaks and she is caught by Marco. He is her hero and takes her to his mother boarding house. There is something special about him. His mother can only keep her for a night. Macro takes her to share his boathouse. She goes looking for a job and finds one with the Happy Matchmaker as a office person which she loves. Marco tell her she need to take to her father which comes about when she hear someone saying that the are going to out her father from the company he build. Where is Marco and her in all of this? Read and find out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Renée Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heatherly Bell has a way of writing charming and endearing characters, and she succeeded big time in this book. Pheobe is a runaway bride, realizing at the last minute that she wants to marry for love, and the groom awaiting her down the aisle is definitely not the love of her life. Marco is - well, the typical player rebound guy, who isn't looking for commitment but who realizes that with Pheobe, all bets are off. I liked how he opened up with Pheobe - and eventually accepted that she was the one. I liked how Pheobe discovered how to be her own person with the help of Marco. I have not read the other book in the Sunset Kiss series, but I really enjoyed the idea of the legend, of finding your fated love after kissing at sunset. It's a sweet concept and I liked how it played out in this book. . I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole Normand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from Hidden Gems; this is my honest review
-I really liked the continuation of the other book without being a serials (but it's best to read in order). The wait in between publishing the books is 3 long years.
-I had to laugh when Phoebe thought they'd already start playing The Wedding March. They never do until they actually see you're ready.
-The relationship between Ethan and David was a bit confusing. Sometimes they are friends, other times they are the other's toughest competitor, business associates, and then Ethan comes to the rescue.
-The whole evening when Phoebe helps Charley out is super funny.
-Wow, so Aunt Sarah really likes the high life, stuff, and titles, to the detriment of other people's lives and happiness. I'm still not sure Flannery is a great cousin either.
-OMG. I'm so happy Phoebe didn't marry Ethan, just because he treated her like a child "What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?" Yep. My dad used to do that until I reminded him I was a married woman with 3 children.
-I'm not sure why Marco thinks Phoebe bridged the gap between the boat and the pier without his assistance for the first time in front of him when they were arguing. What do you think she did while you were working for two days and she had places to go?

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was’t like Phoebe had her heart broken. She was running away from an arranged marriage to a much older man who was trying to control her when she met Marco. She saw that shimmer about him like the legend. But he goes for women who are looking for a rebound guy. It felt like he used them for sex and when they realize he’s not a forever kind of guy they moved on. He tries to fight his attraction to Phoebe and remain friends, but she is staying with him and it’s not long before they fall into bed together. For someone who had lived such a sheltered life like Phoebe she has a new job fairly quickly she enjoys and the courage to stand up for herself. If only Marco would get his head out of his butt before he loses her.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phoebe has just run away from her wedding and Marco is "the rebound guy" who thinks he brings bad luck to everyone wherever he goes. Neither are looking for love but sometimes the best things in life happen when you're not looking for it to.

I liked watching how Phoebe grew, and always stayed true to herself. Marco on the other hand, needed a lot more shoving and being told outright by his brothers, to finally come out of his head. Apart from the curtsying and her literally falling on Marco and a few other OTT incidents, there were many real emotions in this story.

This author is new to me, and I really enjoyed this book in audio! Although I do agree with some of the reviewers that some parts I wasn't sure who was saying what or if it was dialogue or narration.

[Floraljoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believing in true love:
I really enjoyed this sweet, slow burn romance with its touch of whimsy. It was fun and witty but with plenty of emotion too. As the 2nd book in the Sunset Kiss series, it was lovely reuniting with old friends however it could totally be read as a standalone.
Runaway bride Phoebe was needing to start over and luckily for her she had Marco come to her rescue. He was however a self-confessed bachelor and it took him a while to fully open himself up to love. You could really feel the chemistry and connection between these two and I was rooting for them all the way!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this because the story of this pair was completely irresistible to me. Marco and Phoebe have grown up in very different social circles. On paper they're perfect opposites and yet, their hearts were made for one another. I loved watching these two fall for each other. Seeing Phoebe discover her self-sufficiency made me smile so big. And getting to witness Marco opening up and embracing his vulnerabilities was equally special. The epilogue makes me wonder if this was the end of the series. I hope not, because there still several the supporting cast I want to know more about.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Sunset Kiss series. You don't have to read the first book but you will see those characters in this one, Dylan (book 1) is Marcos’s brother. Sweet, funny and well written, I love the Reyes family. Oh boy is Marcos stubborn. His soulmate literally drops on him and he refused to see it. Phoebe is a sweetheart even though she does need to grow a bit of a backbone. Marcos helps her out when she runs out on her wedding. Will he see that Phoebe is perfect for him or will he allow his stubbornness to lose the best thing that’s ever happened to him? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The inner strength that finally takes hold of Phoebe and the "good deed" doer in Marco bring these two very likable characters together in a charming and entertaining romance. I enjoyed their story and how the legend of Miracle Bay plays a part in their love story. Marco and Phoebe's destiny is set and it's up to them to wade through their baggage to see if they can be together forever. I love a good story with warmth, character and an incredible happy ending and this one has it!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read most, if not all, of Heatherly Bell's books. This one has a magical touch to it that had me suspending belief of real life and enjoying a magical romance between an heiress and a firefighter. Phoebe was sweet and innocent learning to choose self over family demands. Marco had a dark cloud following him and had to learn that love was freeing. This is a magical, slow burn, small town, firefighter romance. All tropes I enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marco Reyes is a firefighter who believes in the sunset kiss but tells everyone he doesn’t. What happens when he finds Phoebe Carrington dangling from a fire escape broken ladder one story up in a wedding gown? She was due to marry a man 30 years her senior whom she didn’t love and just couldn’t go through with it no matter those that wanted her to. A sweet story I totally enjoyed reading. You just never know what comes from a sunset kiss no matter the age.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elaine Coghlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trouble with a Kiss #2 by Heatherly Bell.
We return to Miracle Bay where we follow Marco Reyes and Phoebe Carrington.
The Trouble with a Kiss is truly beautifully written with wonderful characters that keep you reading from the beginning until the end.
You fall into the story at the start with Phoebe, a runaway bride, why is she running away? Will anyone stop her?
Trying to escape her ex-Fiance's bodyguard, she falls into the arms of Marco..one of Miracle Bay's firefighters. Will the magic of the sunset kiss bring the two together? Will Marco and Phoebe have a happily ever after?
I truly recommend this book from Heathrtly,sheis becoming one of my top authors

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 - 4 stars.

This is the second book from this series and the first that I have read. I found the story entertaining because of the situations, the characters, the relationships and the splash of OMG in it - the Jane Austin moment made me laugh! I liked seeing Marco and Phoebe together and thought their connection and chemistry was believable, I also liked that Marco wanted Phoebe to stand up for herself and he helped her to be the person she wanted to be. I am voluntarily leaving this review after receiving an ARC from Hidden Gems.