A review by kbranfield
The First Time at Firelight Falls by Julie Anne Long

4.0

The First Time at Firelight Falls by Julie Long is a sassy romance that is brimming with humor and  playful verbal sparring. This fourth installment in the Hellcat Canyon series can easily be read as a standalone.

Principal  Gabe Caldera has a huge crush on single mom Eden Harwood whose ten year daughter Anneliese's precocious  antics are the reason they are currently meeting in his office. He has noticed the vibrant and lively woman on numerous occasions and he becomes more smitten with her at every encounter. Eden is not unaware of the smoldering, sexy former Navy SEAL but she does not have enough hours in her busy schedule to breathe let alone date. However, she is delighted and charmed by Gabe's flirtatious banter and both of them are soon going out of their way to cross paths with each other whenever possible. Their flirty repartee soon leads to passion filled romps but just as they are about to take their stolen moments to the next level, Eden's distant past crashes headlong into her present and Gabe is uncertain where he fits into her life.

When Eden's one night stand resulted in an unexpected pregnancy ten years earlier, she returned to Hellcat Canyon to make a life for herself and her unborn child. Her extended family is a huge help as she juggles the demands of motherhood and running her flower shop. Eden has completely and utterly devoted herself to making sure Anneliese has a safe, secure, and well-ordered life. Until meeting Gabe, she has not missed dating but their humor-filled discussions quickly wake her slumbering libido. Despite a few reservations, Eden is ready to see where their unexpected relationship might lead.

Gabe is insightful, clever and his astute observations serve him well in his much loved career as a principal. He adroitly balances his busy life but he has very little downtime. He has secretly admired Eden for quite some time and now actively seeking her out, Gabe engages her in provocative discussions that end with well designed cliffhangers to stimulate her curiosity.

With their interrupted conversations constantly on her mind, Eden eagerly anticipates seeing Gabe and their interactions soon lead to some very steamy make out sessions. Unable to resist their sizzling hot attraction for one another, they are soon stealing every spare minute they find to indulge in some very hot lovemaking. Gabe finally convinces Eden to give him a chance but a shocking complication quickly derails their budding romance since neither of them handle the unexpected situation well. When the dust finally settles, will Gabe and Eden find a way to get their relationship back on track?

The First Time at Firelight Falls is a sweet, sensual and giggle inducing small town romance. Eden and Gabe are a wonderful couple with plenty of sexual tension crackling between them. The conflict that arises between them is somewhat predictable but their issues are resolved fairly quickly. Old and new fans are sure to enjoy this fourth installment in  Julie Long's delightfully charming Hellcat Canyon series.