Scan barcode
torinori's review against another edition
5.0
Oh man. This book. There's a fun story behind this one. When I was in London with my school back in 2014 and I kept seeing ads or this book all over the place. I've always had a soft spot for romance novels and I just kept seeing it. I was drawn to it and when I would try to look for it I couldn't remember the name. Then months later I found it, but a friend borrowed the book and I never got it back. Now years later, I found it again and let me tell you. It was worth the wait. I loved it so much. I loved everything about it. I would get frustrated and yell into my pillow. I would scream at David for being such a d*ck and I hated Ellie's father. Every time I would read the backstory between Ellie's father and her mother I would just get so frustrated that he hurt her. God, this book really had me on my toes till the very end and I am so happy I waited for so long.
simonaisbooked's review against another edition
4.0
Nebolo to dokonalé ako iné knihy od Sarry. Miestami to bolo nudné, miestami čudné, ale hlavne som nebola v nálade, preto som to čítala tak set sakra dlho. No dnes som chytila druhý dych, nabralo to obrátky a škerila som sa ako blbá. Takže úspech, len menší ako iné jej knihy.
Ehm, a Vaughn... nebolo ho tam síce veľa, ani Grace, ale aj tie malé momenty mi zastavili srdce.
Ehm, a Vaughn... nebolo ho tam síce veľa, ani Grace, ale aj tie malé momenty mi zastavili srdce.
lillyofthenally's review against another edition
2.0
Ellie is waaaayyyy too good and waaaayyy to patient
I was losing my temper from the first 20% because that’s when the book really starts after the introductions of Ellie’s life before the scheme starts.
I hated her dad her mom her half sisters her step mom her ex and David ...
He still was lying to her even till the last page and beyond (omitting the truth is a lie!) her mother too.
Her mother spent all her life shitting on her dad and not letting them have a relationship because he didn’t want Ellie, well neither did the mom at first ... but she disregards that and never apologised for anything. When you’re a parent who wants to do what’s best for your kid you forget about being independent you forget about everything else and the child must be number one priority- especially when you’re a single parent. But Ari clearly wanted to preserve her life and adjusted her kids life to fit her own and wasn’t apologetic about it.
David lied to her throughout the book. He was mostly responsable for all the bad stuff that went down in her life and didn’t say anything about it other than kidnap her to his house and put her on house arrest and then fucks her and accuses her of every bad thing that the press says. He’s been in on the background stuff that she was oblivious to and he still fucked her when she didn’t know what was happening and that’s not really consent.
Unforgivable stuff is said and done and she just forgives and forgets in the end.
It’s well written though. The author does a great job at makes this 400 pages book easy to read.
I wouldn’t mind checking out other books of this author.
I was losing my temper from the first 20% because that’s when the book really starts after the introductions of Ellie’s life before the scheme starts.
I hated her dad her mom her half sisters her step mom her ex and David ...
He still was lying to her even till the last page and beyond (omitting the truth is a lie!) her mother too.
Her mother spent all her life shitting on her dad and not letting them have a relationship because he didn’t want Ellie, well neither did the mom at first ... but she disregards that and never apologised for anything. When you’re a parent who wants to do what’s best for your kid you forget about being independent you forget about everything else and the child must be number one priority- especially when you’re a single parent. But Ari clearly wanted to preserve her life and adjusted her kids life to fit her own and wasn’t apologetic about it.
David lied to her throughout the book. He was mostly responsable for all the bad stuff that went down in her life and didn’t say anything about it other than kidnap her to his house and put her on house arrest and then fucks her and accuses her of every bad thing that the press says. He’s been in on the background stuff that she was oblivious to and he still fucked her when she didn’t know what was happening and that’s not really consent.
Unforgivable stuff is said and done and she just forgives and forgets in the end.
It’s well written though. The author does a great job at makes this 400 pages book easy to read.
I wouldn’t mind checking out other books of this author.
donttakemybooks's review against another edition
4.0
First read: 3/2/2014-3/6/2014
Very good. The ending didn't entirely work for me, but I loved most of the rest of it. Makes me want to reread Unsticky.
Second read: 4/23/2015-5/3/2015
Still really like this one, though maybe not as much as the first time around because I knew what was going to happen. I wanted just a little more development of the romance and of David's character.
Very good. The ending didn't entirely work for me, but I loved most of the rest of it. Makes me want to reread Unsticky.
Second read: 4/23/2015-5/3/2015
Still really like this one, though maybe not as much as the first time around because I knew what was going to happen. I wanted just a little more development of the romance and of David's character.
elliejmatthews's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thaictaff's review against another edition
2.0
So frustrating, I can't believe I read 480 pages of this. I couldn't get into it but I still wanted to know how it'd turn out. Well, as it turns out every character is an imbecile and highly unlikable.
The plot seemed interesting at first, but the author worked it in a horrible angle and it just became annoying. The main character could not be more stupid, honestly I rolled my eyes to half the things that she did. Do not get me started on David because he was the worst love interest I've ever seen.
Every decision just made everything worse up until the point she decided to give an interview with her half sisters, because honestly what could possibly go wrong, right? I gave up on this book after that because if that's not the most idiotic thing that could happen I don't know what is.
Although, the ending wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, it still wasn't good enough to change my opinion on the rest of the book.
The plot seemed interesting at first, but the author worked it in a horrible angle and it just became annoying. The main character could not be more stupid, honestly I rolled my eyes to half the things that she did. Do not get me started on David because he was the worst love interest I've ever seen.
Every decision just made everything worse up until the point she decided to give an interview with her half sisters, because honestly what could possibly go wrong, right? I gave up on this book after that because if that's not the most idiotic thing that could happen I don't know what is.
Although, the ending wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, it still wasn't good enough to change my opinion on the rest of the book.
roseamy's review against another edition
4.0
this book put me through the emotional wringer but the writing is impeccable! (warning depressing) definitely not a romance, it is in fact womens fiction
commedesenfants's review against another edition
2.0
The Cover
It's typically "Chick Lit" but I think it's pretty.
The Story
Ellie Cohen works at a Mayfair gallery and is good at what she does. Her life is in control, she has a supportive family and friends. The only thing that is less than perfect is Ellie's penchant to fall for the wrong guys. Her latest (ex-)boyfriend takes the cake, however, when he tells the press that not only is she the daughter of a famous rockstar but he also paints her in a less than favourable light and the press is all too eager to go with the story. This is when Ellie's carefully controlled life spins out of control.
The Protagonist
I liked Ellie. She had a good view on life and how to treat people. She always tried to see the good in people and believes that if you're nice and friendly to them they will be nice and friendly back.
Unfortunately, her niceness was misplaced at times. It sometimes made her into a pushover and doormat on which people just kept stomping on. She should've stood up for herself way earlier in the novel than she actually does. But all in all, Ellie is a good person who tries to do the right things and she didn't ask for any of the drama, so I can sympathise with her.
The Heart Rate
David had so much potential. David and Ellie's relationship had so much potential. Maybe it's just me but I never felt their chemistry. It didn't help that David was a big jerk most of the time in my opinion.
I also don’t like how he was such a hypocrite. He constantly doubted Ellie’s intention and accused her of having an angle. This would have been okay if he didn’t view her as a money and fame hungry gold digger who lives for party and sex but he was the one with a hidden agenda all along (albeit it was for work) and who had several casual, friends with benefits arrangements going on. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
So yeah, David has his moments and I sometimes saw their attraction but it wasn’t enough to convince me of their connection.
The Good
- Supportive family and friends: I have mentioned Ellie’s very supportive family and she also has two roommates/best friends who are always there for her and even give her tough love when she needs it. Sadly, we don’t see enough of them, I would’ve loved to have more scenes at her grandparent’s house.
- Realistic: Ellie was not your typical underdog heroine. She worked hard for her degree and through hard work got to where she was. She had a stable job and was financially independent but she wasn’t overspending on high end goods, there was no incessant brand name dropping. She was an ordinary girl leading an ordinary life of a twenty-something but that doesn’t mean that it was boring it just means that she seemed real and the story seemed realistic.
The Bad
- Problematic characters and situations: I’m all for flawed characters. What I hate the most are Mary Sues. But the flawed characters should still be sympathetic and relatable. Unfortunately, I did not feel this way towards the characters in this book and many situations were too problematic for me to overlook.
David also keeps telling Ellie to stop being “melodramatic” or that she’s “overreacting”. For someone whose mother taught her all about third-wave feminism Ellie did not react to that at all. Of course, the man is always right and correct while the woman is too emotional and can’t think straight therefore her opinions don’t matter and decisions must be made for her own good.
There was also a scene where Ellie and David have sex for the first time and David ask Ellie about a condom but she tells him that “it’s okay she’s on the pill”. This is so wrong. This is the first time they slept together, they are both sexually active and the pill does not prevent STDs. Absolut no-go.
The only truly “good” man in this book is Chester, Ellie’s mom’s friend and her father figure. All others have one or two very problematic tendencies. Vaughn, Ellie’s boss, is a bully who uses and abuses Ellie. He threatens to fire her on a daily basis despite the fact that she is his best employee. On the other hand, he keeps employees that are lacking purely because of their money and connections. The work environment in the gallery was pretty toxic if you ask me.
Billy Kay was the biggest jerk of them all. He is an narcissistic, egocentric, selfish and abusive asshole. I have no idea why Ellie’s mother fell for him. He has no redeeming quality and is just a scumbag all around.
So yes, this is my biggest problem with this story.
- Lacking relationships: I would’ve loved if we got to see more bonding between Ellie and her mother. We got a few scenes but never enough, especially when the scandal broke out. I think a lot of opportunities were missed here. There was a lot of tell but not too much show of their relationship. Same with her two best friends. There were moments but not enough. Instead of dragging out a few Ellie/David scenes I’d preferred more bonding scenes between friends instead of just the occasional telephone call.
- Unsatisfactory ending: I feel like a few things could’ve been better addressed at the end. Some things feel like they have been rushed and not explained fully. When you consider that it took almost 500 pages to get to that ending, you would expect more and you’d expect things to pay off more than they did.
The Rating
★★☆☆☆
I hate that I can only give this book 2-2.5 stars. I loved Adorkable and You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me and it might have been that my expectations were too high but I was really disappointed with It Felt Like a Kiss. I wanted to love it, I was prepared to love it, I was prepared to cry and laugh but instead I got increasingly annoyed the more I read. There are just too many things that I can’t overlook and the characters were not as sympathetic as in Sarra Manning’s other books, but despite it all, I couldn’t put it down and basically read it in one sitting. I attribute that to Sarra Manning’s great writing and her ability to draw the reader in with it.
It's typically "Chick Lit" but I think it's pretty.
The Story
Ellie Cohen works at a Mayfair gallery and is good at what she does. Her life is in control, she has a supportive family and friends. The only thing that is less than perfect is Ellie's penchant to fall for the wrong guys. Her latest (ex-)boyfriend takes the cake, however, when he tells the press that not only is she the daughter of a famous rockstar but he also paints her in a less than favourable light and the press is all too eager to go with the story. This is when Ellie's carefully controlled life spins out of control.
The Protagonist
I liked Ellie. She had a good view on life and how to treat people. She always tried to see the good in people and believes that if you're nice and friendly to them they will be nice and friendly back.
Unfortunately, her niceness was misplaced at times. It sometimes made her into a pushover and doormat on which people just kept stomping on. She should've stood up for herself way earlier in the novel than she actually does. But all in all, Ellie is a good person who tries to do the right things and she didn't ask for any of the drama, so I can sympathise with her.
The Heart Rate
David had so much potential. David and Ellie's relationship had so much potential. Maybe it's just me but I never felt their chemistry. It didn't help that David was a big jerk most of the time in my opinion.
Spoiler
He basically kidnapped her and locked her into his apartment. There are so many things wrong with that, I don't even know where to begin with.I also don’t like how he was such a hypocrite. He constantly doubted Ellie’s intention and accused her of having an angle. This would have been okay if he didn’t view her as a money and fame hungry gold digger who lives for party and sex but he was the one with a hidden agenda all along (albeit it was for work) and who had several casual, friends with benefits arrangements going on. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
So yeah, David has his moments and I sometimes saw their attraction but it wasn’t enough to convince me of their connection.
The Good
- Supportive family and friends: I have mentioned Ellie’s very supportive family and she also has two roommates/best friends who are always there for her and even give her tough love when she needs it. Sadly, we don’t see enough of them, I would’ve loved to have more scenes at her grandparent’s house.
- Realistic: Ellie was not your typical underdog heroine. She worked hard for her degree and through hard work got to where she was. She had a stable job and was financially independent but she wasn’t overspending on high end goods, there was no incessant brand name dropping. She was an ordinary girl leading an ordinary life of a twenty-something but that doesn’t mean that it was boring it just means that she seemed real and the story seemed realistic.
The Bad
- Problematic characters and situations: I’m all for flawed characters. What I hate the most are Mary Sues. But the flawed characters should still be sympathetic and relatable. Unfortunately, I did not feel this way towards the characters in this book and many situations were too problematic for me to overlook.
Spoiler
I have mentioned the quasi-kidnapping or as David himself said “guestage” (guest + hostage). When Ellie called David for help after being hounded by the press at her hotel room he shamelessly used this. He didn’t let her see where they were going because he thought she was the one who leaked her own whereabouts to the press. Then it turned out that he brought her to his own apartment and refused to tell her the address when she asked him for it so that she can, you know, let her mother and grandmother and friends know where she is, and that she’s save and all. He then proceeded to refuse to let her go and goes so far as to lock her into his apartment. That is not psychopathic at all! The way Ellie reacted to this was not realistic at all. I, and I’m sure most women, would’ve called the police immediately, considering she has met David maybe twice and for all she knew he could’ve been a rapist or murderer. HE LOCKED HER IN AND REFUSED TO TELL HER WHERE SHE WAS EXACTLY AND TOLD HER NOT TO TELL ANYONE. I think because of this my feelings towards David and Ellie’s relationship are tainted.David also keeps telling Ellie to stop being “melodramatic” or that she’s “overreacting”. For someone whose mother taught her all about third-wave feminism Ellie did not react to that at all. Of course, the man is always right and correct while the woman is too emotional and can’t think straight therefore her opinions don’t matter and decisions must be made for her own good.
There was also a scene where Ellie and David have sex for the first time and David ask Ellie about a condom but she tells him that “it’s okay she’s on the pill”. This is so wrong. This is the first time they slept together, they are both sexually active and the pill does not prevent STDs. Absolut no-go.
The only truly “good” man in this book is Chester, Ellie’s mom’s friend and her father figure. All others have one or two very problematic tendencies. Vaughn, Ellie’s boss, is a bully who uses and abuses Ellie. He threatens to fire her on a daily basis despite the fact that she is his best employee. On the other hand, he keeps employees that are lacking purely because of their money and connections. The work environment in the gallery was pretty toxic if you ask me.
Billy Kay was the biggest jerk of them all. He is an narcissistic, egocentric, selfish and abusive asshole. I have no idea why Ellie’s mother fell for him. He has no redeeming quality and is just a scumbag all around.
So yes, this is my biggest problem with this story.
- Lacking relationships: I would’ve loved if we got to see more bonding between Ellie and her mother. We got a few scenes but never enough, especially when the scandal broke out. I think a lot of opportunities were missed here. There was a lot of tell but not too much show of their relationship. Same with her two best friends. There were moments but not enough. Instead of dragging out a few Ellie/David scenes I’d preferred more bonding scenes between friends instead of just the occasional telephone call.
- Unsatisfactory ending: I feel like a few things could’ve been better addressed at the end. Some things feel like they have been rushed and not explained fully. When you consider that it took almost 500 pages to get to that ending, you would expect more and you’d expect things to pay off more than they did.
The Rating
★★☆☆☆
I hate that I can only give this book 2-2.5 stars. I loved Adorkable and You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me and it might have been that my expectations were too high but I was really disappointed with It Felt Like a Kiss. I wanted to love it, I was prepared to love it, I was prepared to cry and laugh but instead I got increasingly annoyed the more I read. There are just too many things that I can’t overlook and the characters were not as sympathetic as in Sarra Manning’s other books, but despite it all, I couldn’t put it down and basically read it in one sitting. I attribute that to Sarra Manning’s great writing and her ability to draw the reader in with it.
brokenrecord's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. (I read this like 2 months ago so let's see how much I remember about it.) Normally I tend to like my romances more in the background with other plots being the focus, but this was one where I think I would've been much more into the story if it were entirely about the romance and the book hadn't dealt with Ellie's family stuff at all. I really didn't care for any of the stuff to do with Ellie's past, and the flashbacks with her mom just felt completely unnecessary 95% of the time. I also wasn't into the first meeting between Ellie and David because I am so sick of the ~instant connection first meeting thing; it was much better afterwards when he was trying to be professional and she was dealing with the stuff with her dad because then they were able to really build a relationship. The one thing that I hated most of all, though, was Ellie getting mad at David at the end for not telling her things THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BOUND BY ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE and not only that, but David agreeing at the end that he should have told her. LIKE NO, NO HE SHOULDN'T HAVE???? THAT'S NOT HOW THIS WORKS???? ugh. So that was really frustrating. idk, there was a lot of potential here for a book I would like, but most of it just fell flat.