A review by philantrop
It Started with a Kiss by Melanie Moreland

emotional lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I vividly remember a rainy, cold, ugly day on holidays with my parents when I was probably around six years old. The only upside was: They were playing games with me and I was allowed to eat as many sweets as I wanted. This was outrageous, unheard of, and I could neither believe nor really trust in my luck - so I revelled in sweets till I was on a sugar high (and beyond…).

This is what reading this novel felt like: Sugary bliss. Just like all those years ago, I finished it all in one sitting, and suffered for it. 

I came across this novella on my Goodreads feed because the reviewer DNFed during the epilogue citing the “nauseating sweetness” - and, yes, it can’t be denied: There’s hardly any drama, the plot is negligible - it’s a sugary fairy tale, completely over the top; a happily-ever-after wasn’t good enough for the author and so her epilogue…

Oh, well, if you’re in the mood for a sugary, spicy romance that’s going to allow you to shut off large parts of your brain, look no further - but be sure to come prepared for too much sweetness in too short a novella…

Still, three stars out of five.