First and Forever Review

Hello, all!

Let's chat about First and Forever by Lynn Painter. Big thank you to the publisher for the copy!

Pub Date: 5-12-26
Adult - Contemporary Romance

Duffy Distefano has always been a die-hard fan of the Minneapolis Coyotes football team. She grew up going to games with her dad, and she is always quick with player stats. However, one unfortunate incident with the team's mascot leaves Duffy blacklisted. Desperate to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a local morning show, but she's unexpectedly met with Connor Cunningham, the Coyotes MVP tight-end.

Connor will do anything to secure his spot on the Coyotes, so when he's asked to make an appearance on a morning talk show to do some damage control, he readily agrees. He thought he'd just say a few words, and that'd be it, but he quickly finds himself in a highly amusing verbal spar with Duffy. It doesn't take long before their interaction is all over the internet, and the Coyotes PR team hopes to fan the flames by nudging Connor into asking Duffy out. Connor doesn't feel right about the scheme, but reluctantly agrees and is pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to be around Duffy. What started as a fake relationship soon feels like the real thing, and Connor is left hoping he doesn't fumble the best thing that's ever happened to him.

Lynn Painter 👏🏻 never 👏🏻 misses. I loved this. Duffy and Connor were everything to me. I loved how they were both such smartasses. Their banter was the perfect mix of teasing sarcasm and flirting. It was so entertaining watching them go back-and-forth, but then flip the switch and be so caring and supporting. There were some emotional family moments in here, and I loved how they were there for one another through it all. I wouldn't call the romance insta-love, but it definitely leaned more towards insta-attraction, which didn't bother me as much. The ending also felt rushed, but again, it didn't hinder my overall enjoyment. It's for sure my new favorite book of hers, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys fake dating or sports romance.

Rating: 5/5

GoodReads | Bookshop.org

*This post contains an affiliate link