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taynicole2698's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
Minor: Biphobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Sexism, Ableism, Bullying, and Racism
readandfindout's review
medium-paced
3.5
Style/writing: 3.5 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 2.5 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 2.5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Child abuse
Minor: Ableism, Gaslighting, Racism, Misogyny, Transphobia, Death, and Body shaming
haileyhardcover's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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
Very recently, in a review for a book I was massively disappointed by, I wrote that I hate first person point of view and it never reads well. I take it back. It sometimes reads very, very well. Case in point, Kiss Her Once for Me.
I loved this book. It was everything I wanted in a sapphic Christmas romcom. Ellie and Jack were both delightful and seemed to be fully fleshed out characters. Even when Ellie was thinking completely illogically, I still fully understood her thought process and how she could feel and respond the way she did. The characters made SENSE, even when they weren’t making sense. Fully developed characters are my favorite. Also, Meemaw and Lovey? Iconic. I’m obsessed.
Though the premise of this story isn’t unique (why are there SO MANY sapphic holiday books that involve fake-dating the brother of the girl the MC ends up falling for??), this was well executed. The characters were all so easy to love, the pace was perfect, the spice (though brief) was good, and it made me both laugh and cry. The one thing I would’ve loved was for the bits of Ellie’s webcomic “Snow Day” to have actually included the art. It was very cool to read Ellie & Jack’s origin story through her eyes in that way, woven throughout the rest of the story, but it would’ve been so cool for the book to be part graphic novel in that way. I would love to see a special edition come out that included the webcomic as Ellie would’ve published it.
I loved this book. It was everything I wanted in a sapphic Christmas romcom. Ellie and Jack were both delightful and seemed to be fully fleshed out characters. Even when Ellie was thinking completely illogically, I still fully understood her thought process and how she could feel and respond the way she did. The characters made SENSE, even when they weren’t making sense. Fully developed characters are my favorite. Also, Meemaw and Lovey? Iconic. I’m obsessed.
Though the premise of this story isn’t unique (why are there SO MANY sapphic holiday books that involve fake-dating the brother of the girl the MC ends up falling for??), this was well executed. The characters were all so easy to love, the pace was perfect, the spice (though brief) was good, and it made me both laugh and cry. The one thing I would’ve loved was for the bits of Ellie’s webcomic “Snow Day” to have actually included the art. It was very cool to read Ellie & Jack’s origin story through her eyes in that way, woven throughout the rest of the story, but it would’ve been so cool for the book to be part graphic novel in that way. I would love to see a special edition come out that included the webcomic as Ellie would’ve published it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Body shaming, and Biphobia
slothwithglasses's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
My favorite read of 2023. Beautiful love story about failure, hope and finding yourself later in life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, and Abandonment
Minor: Toxic relationship, Biphobia, and Transphobia
cozycritiques's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
”We’re suspended in a perfect snow globe built for two. On a snow day in Portland, you could fall in love.”
- Kiss Her Once for Me
Thank you, NetGalley and Atria, for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes: Holiday Romance, Second Chance Romance, Marriage of Convenience, Fake Dating, Miscommunication, Love Triangle, Non-Linear Flashbacks
Representation: LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Bisexual, Demisexual), POC, Neurodivergent (ADHD)
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Ableism, Biphobia, Anxiety Disorder, Parental Abandonment, Toxic Family
Since The Charm Offensive was my favorite book of last year, I expected that I would adore Cochrun’s second book. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like this book before. Kiss Her Once for Me was a refreshing take on so many classic tropes. I tend not to like love triangles in general, but the love trapezoid was perfection. I loved the friendship that developed between Andrew and Ellie over the course of their fake engagement, and the absolute chaos of their pining over different people was hilarious—especially when you add in the Boozy Grandmas’ antics.
This was the first book I’ve read with female ADHD rep. I always appreciate seeing ADHD rep, but it can present so differently in women as compared to men (which is why it often goes undiagnosed), so it was nice seeing the nuances of my experience portrayed in that way. The anxiety rep was also well done, but that wasn’t a surprise, seeing as it was also well done in The Charm Offensive.
Kiss Her Once for Me was wonderfully Christmassy and heartwarming. It had all the vibes of a Hallmark Christmas movie, except delightfully gay and with more in-depth character development.
- Kiss Her Once for Me
Thank you, NetGalley and Atria, for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes: Holiday Romance, Second Chance Romance, Marriage of Convenience, Fake Dating, Miscommunication, Love Triangle, Non-Linear Flashbacks
Representation: LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Bisexual, Demisexual), POC, Neurodivergent (ADHD)
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Ableism, Biphobia, Anxiety Disorder, Parental Abandonment, Toxic Family
Since The Charm Offensive was my favorite book of last year, I expected that I would adore Cochrun’s second book. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like this book before. Kiss Her Once for Me was a refreshing take on so many classic tropes. I tend not to like love triangles in general, but the love trapezoid was perfection. I loved the friendship that developed between Andrew and Ellie over the course of their fake engagement, and the absolute chaos of their pining over different people was hilarious—especially when you add in the Boozy Grandmas’ antics.
This was the first book I’ve read with female ADHD rep. I always appreciate seeing ADHD rep, but it can present so differently in women as compared to men (which is why it often goes undiagnosed), so it was nice seeing the nuances of my experience portrayed in that way. The anxiety rep was also well done, but that wasn’t a surprise, seeing as it was also well done in The Charm Offensive.
Kiss Her Once for Me was wonderfully Christmassy and heartwarming. It had all the vibes of a Hallmark Christmas movie, except delightfully gay and with more in-depth character development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Biphobia, and Ableism
midnightmoon_dreamer's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I really liked this book but a couple of things bugged me. For example, the fact that Ellie is getting blamed for over reacting about Jack hiding her wife from her. Like it’s a pretty valid thing to over react about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Homophobia and Acephobia/Arophobia
starrfishandcoffee's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment
things100's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
Loved this book and their romance, I always love a good wlw romance. The fake dating of the brother only to find out it’s your exs brother that you are fake dating, the tension. 😘
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Abandonment
melist6's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Abandonment
Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia
notsobinaryart's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Mental illness