Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Kiss Her Once For Me

Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun

15 reviews

micaelamariem's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I have never read a holiday-themed book before, not unless you count A Christmas Carol and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. So, this year, this season, I decided it was time for a change and ordered a queer holiday romcom from Book of the Month. After all, I love cheesey Hallmark romcom movies with the predictable plot so why wouldn’t I love a book that may be a little more nuanced?

And I was right.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun, published by Atria, is not your typical fake-dating story. Ellie, who is heartbroken over what seemed like magic but was actually a one-night stand, and about to be evicted because she can’t make rent, sees an oppurtunity when Andrew proposes she be his marriage of convenience and he’ll pay her two hundred thousand dollars. First, though, they needed to get through Christmas with his family as fake fiancees. Ellie is all for this plan to get that life-changing money, until she finds out his sister was her one night stand she never got over.

The author, Alison Cochrun, is known for her debut, The Charm Offensive. Kiss Her Once for Me is Alison’s sophomore novel, and her third novel is coming in 2024. In the meantime, she lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves Taylor Swift.

Most of the characters in this romance are very loveable, and I think that’s because they aren’t perfect. With reflections on mental health and trauma passed on from parents, Alison did a good job at showing each character’s varying flaws, attatchment styles, and weak coping mechanisms, which allowed them room to grow over the novel. My favorite character was Dylan, a non-binary family friend who I would have loved to see more of.

I also thought the pacing was perfect, if conventional, for a romcom–all down to the third-act break-up. But I’m not complaining. Even though the author worked hard to turn a trope we know and love on its head here, there is still an area of predictability that us romance readers love and crave.

The romance itself was a bit too insta-love for my taste. However, there were obstacles that prevented the couple from being together, so it wasn’t like it was all perfect from the get-go and its what made the scenario more belivable, even in this whole wild scheme.

The writing was great and easy-to-read. It was easy to be pulled into Ellie’s world of drawing and anxiety. I especially loved the little vignettes from Ellie’s Draw2, where she created and shared comics online. It really fitted her character and made the reading even more enjoyable.

One thing, though, that I hated about the plot was this reveal about Jack that happens around the half-way point. It wasn’t the reveal that I hated so much as the fact that for the rest of the book, it was simply glossed over or not dealt with very much. In reality, this would have been a bigger thing and I would think the family would talk about it, too.

Also, there was a lot of miscommunication in this book. I know that’s probably a given with romcoms, but it made me so frusturated! I want to take this book and whack the characters over the head with it. If only they’d all just be honest with each other…

What made up for it was the holiday traditions in the family. Though a lot of the traditions were Ellie’s first time at experiencing Christmas magic, it brought me a lot of nostalgia, especially as I did virtually nothing this year for Christmas. Planning to do these things with my future family and create a feel-good home.

Oh, and brownie points for diversity! I knew going in that this would be a WLW romance, but I didn’t know we’d also see people experiencing demisexuality (which I think I am so it was cool to see), anxiety (which I know I have), ADHD, non-binary, and mixed race. These portrayals, for the most part, were done well without defining the characters themselves.

I loved the exploration of platonic love, family, and friendship throughout the novel, as well. While it is a romance, Ellie’s main struggle was with her belief that she couldn’t be lovable if she wasn’t perfect–and this was any kind of love, so it was refreshing to see both healthy and unhealthy relationships in every form.

Finally, there is a spicy scene or two in this novel. I would really only classify one chapter as being particularly smutty, so if you’re not into that, you could probably still read the book while skipping that chapter.

Overall, I really do recommend this, especially if you’re looking for one more holiday romance this season! Four stars.

Content Warnings

haleysversion's review against another edition

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hopeful 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

3.25

Content Warnings

kcbatts's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

ladythana's review

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emotional funny hopeful 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

Content Warnings

booksdogsandcoffee's review

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Last Christmas Ellie’s life had purpose and direction. Now, Ellie hates Christmas. She has to deal with her narcissistic emotionally abusive mother nagging her to pay back her own existence since she was 18, who she only wants approval from. She was fired from her dream job in animation and is now stuck at a hipster coffee shop and living in one of the smallest apartments possible in Portland. And she wants the perfect girl, but she already had that. Last Christmas Eve she met Jack, who spent she spent an amazing day with, an even more amazing kiss.... and other things, but then never saw her again.

The story goes back and forth between present and last Christmas. When it’s in the past Ellie uses her webcomics to tell the story of what happened between her and Jack last Christmas Eve. Back in the present Andrew and Ellie are fake engaged so he can get his trust from his grandpa. Showing up at his families lodge for Christmas Ellie sees Jack again for the first time in a year realizing that she is Jacks sister. Ensue the madness!

Andrew and Jack's Memaw makes the story🙌🏻

I love how the book discusses joy in your job and loving your work. Which we need to see more of in life and novels! The open dialogue about mental health, therapy, boundaries and healing yourself is so fantastic to see throughout it this book and one of the things I appreciated the most.

Rep and Tropes
Ellie: bi & demisexual (mid 20s)
Jack: Lesbian mid 20s
Trans les side rep, non-binary side rep
Found family
Fake dating
Marriage of connivence
Forced proximity
One bed
Sexy lesbian lumber Jack scene
Generalized anxiety disorder
ADHD

Cw
Emotional/ narcissistic abusive parents
Sexism
Alcohol
Slight child abuse
Biphobia
Ableism
Bullying
Toxic relationship
Cheating
Mental Health

Content Warnings

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