They could go all the way...
First and Forever
Romance
Berkley
May 12, 2026
Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook
320
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lynn Painter comes an utterly irresistible romantic comedy about a football star and his team’s die-hard fan who find themselves entangled in a PR stunt that only one of them knows is fake. Duffy Distefano loves three things: her dad, the family cat, and Minneapolis Coyote football. So after she gets booed out of a game and becomes the internet’s villain following an awful encounter with the team’s beloved mascot, she is disgruntled, to put it mildly. Eager to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a hit morning show. She doesn’t expect a co-guest to join her—especially not the Coyotes’ star tight end. When MVP Connor Cunningham gets tasked with damage control to help his team out of a PR nightmare, he finds himself in a highly amusing verbal sparring match with a recently wronged fan on live TV. The interview instantly goes viral, and the public is obsessed with them. Despite his distaste for PR stunts, a strong push from the Coyotes’ PR team to ride the wave results in Connor asking Duffy out. But he quickly discovers being with Duffy is much easier than he anticipated, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake to him. This secret can only blow up, but all he knows is that if he messes things up with Duffy, it’ll be the greatest fumble of his life. Oozing with chemistry that feels like fireworks and banter that makes you swoon, Lynn Painter delivers her signature blend of heart and humor in this love story that you won’t soon forget.
Surprise and Delight
“First and Forever” by Lynn Painter surprised and delighted me from the very first page.
My only knowledge of Lynn Painter comes from reading “Happily Ever Never” in 2024. Spoiler alert: I loved it. The covers of Lynn Painter books are cute, illustrated cupcakes that promise a sweet romance. You’d never expect that under the covers lie sass, snark, and a whole bunch of sparks to light readers up inside.
Lynn Painter is such a talented writer. “First and Forever” brought me so much joy, I was over the moon to be able to read this before pub day so I had even more time to brag about it. I only wish it was football season now so I could stage it for photos with my jersey.
Down Bad Crying at the Stadium
The meet cute between Duffy and Connor starts off somewhat typical for a celebrity romance, but as soon as you think you know where it’s headed, Painter takes you on a whole other path.
“What happened?” she asked, blinking fast as she began to reorient herself, her body still fairly slack against my arms.
“You insulted me and passed out,” I said, making a few people laugh.
Connor being so down bad for Duffy from almost the beginning was refreshing. As soon as they met, he was toast. He saw Duffy, he really saw her, and stories like this make me truly believe that there is a lid for every pot. Don’t come for me because I’m a romantic. It can happen!
Duffy didn’t have to change herself to be desirable, liked, or loved. She was unapologetically her authentic self, and that made all the difference. My hope is for all of us that we find someone that loves for our quirks instead of in spite of them.
“It’s almost embarrassing how into me you are.”
“It actually is,” he said quietly, and the tone in his voice made my toes curl. Our eyes met and it felt… God… like everything was exactly the way it was supposed to be. “Yeah, same,” I said quietly as we smiled at each other in the middle of the park. “We’re gross and I hate us.”
A Perfect Closed Door Example
“First and Forever” was so fun right from the beginning, that it took me almost until the end of the novel to realize that it was a closed-door romance. Lynn Painter proves in just 320 pages that you don’t need on-page spice to have a successful love story.
Final Thoughts
Romance lovers are going to devour “First and Forever”. I recommend this to anyone who loves a black cat/golden retriever trope, sports romance, or just rooting for an unlikely couple.
Check your content warnings if you’re the kind of reader who likes to be informed. There are moments of grief, Alzheimer’s/dementia, and parental health problems that make appearance on and off page. It’s worth the double check for your peace of mind.
I read the ebook of “First and Forever” but I’m going to need a copy for my trophy shelf ASAP. The deluxe first edition has gorgeous sprayed edges that would make any book dragon covet it for their collection.
I’m Val, and I’m excited to share my love of books with you! I’m a sassy Sour Patch kid from New Jersey, dog mom to Chance the beagle, and much like the rest of the Hive, I’m a coffee lover (I think it’s a requirement to be here). The first book I remember reading voluntarily involved a boy wizard who lived in the cupboard under the stairs, and I’ve been chasing magic ever since. I love Happily Ever Afters, and I love love. My favorite genres are romance and rom-coms, fantasy, and young adult/new adult. If I’m not reading, I’m probably kayaking, watching the Great British Baking Show, or discovering a new craft beer.
