Yet another absolute winner from one of my favorite go-to authors Molly O'Keefe, NEVER BEEN KISSED is a poignant tale of two lonely and broken souls finding healing and love together. Ashley Montgomery is the daughter of the Governor of Georgia. Out of step with her political family, she's been working in a refugee camp in Kenya. She was kidnapped by Somali pirates and held for ransom for 3 weeks, until her brother Harrison negotiates her release. Brody is the man Harrison sends to retrieve Ashley from the pirates. Brody originally worked for Ashley's family as a bodyguard ten years ago, but resigned after Ashley kissed him while she was in the throes of a teenage crush on Brody.

Ashley is emaciated and emotionally traumatized from her captivity, and flees her family's political machinations in order to nurse her wounds in private. She hires Brody to help spirit her away and take care of her while she recuperates from a severe beating with concussion. Brody takes her to his hometown to hide out, and installs them in a tiny apartment above the bar that his brother is running.

Shortly after Brody was adopted as a child, his adoptive mother had a complicated pregnancy requiring a long hospital stay and then a premature delivery. His adoptive father, Ed, was unable to cope and froze Brody out, setting up a life-long pattern where Brody would sacrifice his own wants for his younger brother and fade into the background. Brody now usually avoids his family, but bringing Ashley home stirs up old hostilities between Brody, his brother, and his dad.

Brody and Ashley eventually succumb to the lust thats been growing between them, and Ashley tries so hard to keep her heart safe from Brody, assuming that he will reject her again and walk away without looking back.

She'd been so convinced her loving him was something she could survive. She was used to not getting her happy endings. Joy, unless she brought it with her, was often a barely growing plant in the desert.

But he would devastate her when he left.

I will hoard this, she thought, because a drought is coming.

When Brody eventually lets Ashley and his family into his closely guarded heart, I felt that same catharsis that Brody does as I was reading. The love was fought and strived for, and well earned.

NEVER BEEN KISSED is alternately funny and heartbreaking, with hot sex scenes smattered through. The tale feels vibrant and true, just as messy and engrossing as real life, but so beautifully told that you just sink in to the plushness of the growing love between Ashley and Brody. There's a secondary love story between Brody's brother and nearby café owner, and the secondary characters are delightful.

O'Keefe has a deft touch with humor and lyrical turns of phrase that made me hum with delight every chapter. I can't recommend this series more highly- go forth and read this NEVER BEEN KISSED today! You won't be sorry.