Just a Kiss

Just a Kiss (2016), a romance novel by Denise Hunter, is the third novel in the Summer Harbor series. Though the book is part of a larger place-based series, this narrative is a stand-alone. The novel follows Riley Callahan, a disabled ex-marine, and Paige, his childhood friend and brother's ex-girlfriend. Riley has always loved Paige but gave up his crush when his brother, Beau charmed her first. Nevertheless, after Paige and Beau split, a romance begins to kindle, despite Riley's struggle to accept his recent amputation, and the way it has changed his body and his ability to live in the world.

The novel opens with Riley's backstory. In high school, he falls madly in love with Paige, who stole his heart with her sense of humor, kindness, and enormous heart. Riley kept quiet about his love for Paige however—too quiet, in fact. Soon, his brother, Beau, has charmed her, and Riley is devastated. Unable to tell his brother about his love for Paige, and unwilling to face their kindling romance, Riley enlists in the marines to distract himself from his pain and to escape the small town where he and Beau were raised.

After boot camp and a year of service, Riley is officially a marine. He also learns via a letter from home that Beau and Paige have split up, leaving Paige open to Riley's advances. He knows that he won't be able to tell her his feelings from Afghanistan without causing stress, and he wants to give her time to process her break-up with Beau. So, he plans to return home after his time is up and to reveal his feelings then.



Unfortunately, Riley's plan is blown to pieces soon after he decides to profess his love. In Afghanistan, Riley and his comrade fall victim to the explosion of an IED. Riley's friend dies in the blast, and Riley is in critical condition. Though he survives, Riley becomes an amputee, and his life changes forever. Discharged from the military, he is sent home a physically and spiritually broken man. He knows that Paige won't be able to love him in this new state; he believes that she deserves someone whole—not a fragment of the man he once was.

Back home, Riley doesn't want to see Paige; he wants to avoid the pain he feels at his second lost chance at love. However, his parents surprise him by revealing that he will be staying with Paige during his recovery. She jumped at the chance to reconnect with and care for her old friend. Riley can't argue without revealing his secret, so he finds himself back in Paige's orbit.

A sweet, nurturing friend and caretaker during Riley's recovery, Paige helps him find inspiration to keep working toward his goals, despite his disability. Nevertheless, Paige is also struggling—the animal shelter she works with, into which she has poured years of time, energy, and money, is running out of funding. Riley and Paige soon bond over their shared stresses and challenges, and Paige finds herself growing closer to her old friend.



Romance blooms as Paige sees Riley in a way she never had before. However, she has many worries—Riley is working on himself right now, and she wonders if she should or could date another Callahan boy without causing herself a lot more pain.

Denise Hunter is the author of more than 30 novels published internationally and to great acclaim. She lives in Indiana with her husband and children. She began writing after the death of her grandfather in 1996, while her young children napped. Since then, she has become a best-selling and award-winning author, receiving The Holt Medallion Award, The Carol Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and other honors. Denise enjoys writing small-town love stories and is inspired both by her husband and the world around her.