Last First Kiss

I really enjoyed Julian Winters‘s adult debut, I Think They Love You, early last year, and I’ve been excited for more from him. The 24 Carter Gold series continues with Last First Kiss, in which Jordan and Jamie find their way to each other. Both were introduced in the previous book, and here we get a stronger sense of their years-long friendship, the recent wedge between them, and where they each stand now. Can their sort-of crush finally lead to something more between them, or is there too much keeping them apart?

What I Liked:

• Seeing Jordan and Jamie get their HEA. Last First Kiss works as a standalone, but both characters and the seeds of their relationship were introduced well in the first book. Here, there are some flashbacks to various times in their past—their friendship as well as hints something more simmering in the background—but the main focus is on where they are now: friends with a lot of awkwardness between them, trying to make Jamie’s friend’s wedding a success while also tiptoeing around their still-present feelings for each other.
• Family influence. Both Jordan and Jamie come from wealthy families with status. Both of them have parents with certain expectations for their sons and an eagerness to get involved in their respective love lives. But Jordan and Jamie each need to navigate life and love on their own terms for there to ever be a future between them.
• Ace representation. A lot of Jordan’s journey here isn’t just about his relationship with Jamie; it’s about his own understanding of his sexuality. He’s never had a real relationship before. Is he not straight? Is he gay or bi? Why does he only have feelings for Jamie? As someone on the ace spectrum, I enjoyed seeing Jordan realize where he fits, both as a person who is demisexual and as a man with a crush on another man. He has the space to discover who he is, or at least start to.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

• Single POV. As a general rule, I prefer romances to be at least dual POV. In Last First Kiss, I often found myself wanting to see what Jamie was experiencing. As much as I loved being in Jordan’s head, getting both points of view would have felt more complete.

Audiobook:

James Cavenaugh narrates Last First Kiss, told entirely from Jordan’s voice. He does a great job of capturing his personality: the big feelings, the humor, the stress humming underneath. He brings all the characters to life, making for a fun and engaging listen.

Final Thoughts

Last First Kiss is a wonderful romance for anyone who loves seeing queer discovery (including ace rep!), friends to lovers, and 20-something characters learning to stand on their own. I’ve been enjoying the 24 Carter Gold series, and I hope there will be more love stories to come. Maybe Javi can get his own book next? His villain redemption arc has me hoping he’ll find love soon, too!

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy Last First Kiss here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters
Series	24 Carter Gold (#2)
Audiobook Narrator	James Cavenaugh
Audience	Adult
Genre	Contemporary Romance
Setting	Georgia
Number of Pages	352
Format I Read	Audiobook & Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	January 27, 2026 (Print); May 19, 2026 (Audiobook)
Publisher	St. Martin’s Griffin

Official Summary

“THE STUFF ROMANCE DREAMS ARE MADE OF.” – Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author

Sparks fly in this USA Today bestselling second chance rom com when an unlucky-in-love event planner realizes the man-of-honor at the high profile wedding he’s planning is the same man who broke his heart.

They say you never forget your first kiss. But Jordan Carter wishes he could forget the one he shared with Jamie Peters as teens. And the one they almost shared again last year before Jamie made it clear he wasn’t the “right” man for Jordan to be with while he’s figuring himself out.

Now, Jordan’s fully focused on his career at 24 Carter Gold, his family’s event planning company, and ready to move on – until his boss assigns him to plan a new client’s high-profile wedding. The bride’s man-of-honor? None other than Jamie.

As things ramp up the closer they get to the wedding, so does Jordan’s relationship with Jamie, with sarcastic asides turning into steamy hook-ups. But can Jordan afford to pursue Jamie if he’s still unsure of who he is? Or is knowing who he loves enough? Venue shopping, cake-tastings, and dress fittings with the man he can’t forget just might change the man Jordan Carter is meant to become.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters is a second chance romance about finding yourself–and the love of your life.

“A tender, slow burn romance about falling for your first crush, questioning your identity on your own terms, and finding your place in the world. Julian Winters delivers a sweet, funny, steamy, and uplifting love story that is sure to make readers swoon.” – Alexis Daria, USA Today bestselling author of You Had Me at Hola

“No one writes as vividly and as tenderly as Julian Winters, and Last First Kiss is his best yet. It’s as sweet as an unexpected slow dance in a conservatory and as playful as a cake tasting turned flirty, and while Jordan and Jamie may have had their last first kiss, you’ll be sighing happily over their firsts and lasts long after you close the book.” – Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, authors of A Jingle Bell Mingle

“Pure and utter fun, with a sparkling cast of characters and an effortlessly witty voice. Last First Kiss is a love letter to late bloomers, found family, and anyone who’s still trying to figure themselves out — and a reminder that it can be an ongoing process.” – Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of What Happens in Amsterdam