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A review by ninegladiolus
Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun
emotional
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
After a mystical, magical meet-cute at a bookstore and a whirlwind romantic day with a stranger, Ellie fell in love and had her heart broken in a single night. She muddles through the days at her dead-end coffee shop job until her landlord Andrew makes a shocking offer: if Ellie agrees to fake a marriage to him, Andrew will give her enough of his subsequent inheritance to turn Ellie’s life around. The only problem? When introduced to Andrew’s family, it includes his sister Jack—the woman who broke Ellie’s heart last Christmas.
Even though The Charm Offensive was most definitely not the book for me, the premise of Kiss Her Once for Me sounded so intriguing that I had to give it a try. I’m so glad I did! This book struck a much better balance for me between the serious issues of family drama, self-sabotage, and anxiety and the ridiculous, funny, over-the-top premise and setup.
As a bi/pan anxious demisexual person with perfectionism issues, it’s safe to say Ellie’s character was deeply relatable to me, although of course, it stands on its own as great work. Jack, Andrew, Dylan, and the rest of the family are also wonderful and full of personality; the dynamic between all of them had me smiling, laughing, and grimacing as appropriate. I finished it in a single sitting and can absolutely picture this being a wonderful December read for romance fans.
One element I struggled with was the miscommunication plot device. This novel indulged in one of my least favourite setups, the one where a single conversation would eliminate and resolve 90% of the conflict. It was clear the lack of communication was dragged out to serve the plot beats and pacing of the novel and didn’t feel quite organic to me. I also felt at times the narrative was unfair to Ellie; many characters dogpile her at points without acknowledging their own shortcomings.
That aside, this was a tender, warm, and heartfelt romance novel. Ellie and Jack’s journeys to heal their individual hurts was well done, and the chemistry between them was palpable and real. Kiss Her Once for Me left me with the glowy fuzzies when I finished reading it and will be a novel I recommend freely to those looking for a holiday romance this season.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
Even though The Charm Offensive was most definitely not the book for me, the premise of Kiss Her Once for Me sounded so intriguing that I had to give it a try. I’m so glad I did! This book struck a much better balance for me between the serious issues of family drama, self-sabotage, and anxiety and the ridiculous, funny, over-the-top premise and setup.
As a bi/pan anxious demisexual person with perfectionism issues, it’s safe to say Ellie’s character was deeply relatable to me, although of course, it stands on its own as great work. Jack, Andrew, Dylan, and the rest of the family are also wonderful and full of personality; the dynamic between all of them had me smiling, laughing, and grimacing as appropriate. I finished it in a single sitting and can absolutely picture this being a wonderful December read for romance fans.
One element I struggled with was the miscommunication plot device. This novel indulged in one of my least favourite setups, the one where a single conversation would eliminate and resolve 90% of the conflict. It was clear the lack of communication was dragged out to serve the plot beats and pacing of the novel and didn’t feel quite organic to me. I also felt at times the narrative was unfair to Ellie; many characters dogpile her at points without acknowledging their own shortcomings.
That aside, this was a tender, warm, and heartfelt romance novel. Ellie and Jack’s journeys to heal their individual hurts was well done, and the chemistry between them was palpable and real. Kiss Her Once for Me left me with the glowy fuzzies when I finished reading it and will be a novel I recommend freely to those looking for a holiday romance this season.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.