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emotional
funny
hopeful
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
I really liked this book, I loved learning more about Amerie and Vincent, I loved spending time with Vincent's family and I loved Gina and Amerie's parents. I really loved seeing the sparks fly between Amerie and Vincent and them slowly falling in love. I loved the scenes where they are at Vincent's family cabin and seeing Amerie slowly falling for him and his family being able to tell that they were in love even when they didn't really know. The fact that he saved his mother's wedding ring for her after what happened was so touching, the fact that his mother knew that she was the one and gave him the ring!! I'm glad that Amerie's career as a self-employed event planner is working out well, especially with her loyal customer from Johnson & Johnson and that she believed in her only and didn't want any of the other event planners. I liked reading about their family dynamics and how they also had conflict instead of being happy all the time. I'm glad that Amerie was able to heal Vincent's relationship with his family and that they were also able to get back together :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, Grief
Moderate: Death, Sexual content
Minor: Child death, Pregnancy, Abandonment
emotional
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
Cute
A little heavy handed with the astronomy references.
A little heavy handed with the astronomy references.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Child death
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
file this one under cozy cabin winter romances! this was an easy read with a good balance of real world messy, romance, with just a sprinkle of what the fu-?!
Amerie and Vincent were a perfect balance for each other, in both their cute and messy moments, and i loved seeing their fake dating for convenience to real dating, because they’re meant for each other, unfold. the characterization Easton put into her leads was so thoughtful - especially in writing about dealing with the long term effects of grief and the representation of being close to someone with a chronic illness. incorporating these realities really made both of the leads and their hesitancies of commitment feel real.
there were two moments that felt wildly out of character for the protagonist (hence the sprinkle of WTF) which jarred me a bit out of the overall story, but i’d happily pick up another Etta Easton book. she writes books for the serious girls, and i think anyone who enjoyed Book Lovers by Henry would find some love in their hearts for Amerie.
Amerie and Vincent were a perfect balance for each other, in both their cute and messy moments, and i loved seeing their fake dating for convenience to real dating, because they’re meant for each other, unfold. the characterization Easton put into her leads was so thoughtful - especially in writing about dealing with the long term effects of grief and the representation of being close to someone with a chronic illness. incorporating these realities really made both of the leads and their hesitancies of commitment feel real.
there were two moments that felt wildly out of character for the protagonist (hence the sprinkle of WTF) which jarred me a bit out of the overall story, but i’d happily pick up another Etta Easton book. she writes books for the serious girls, and i think anyone who enjoyed Book Lovers by Henry would find some love in their hearts for Amerie.
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Death
emotional
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Death
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Etta Easton’s debut novel, The Kiss Countdown, is a delightful, fun, and sweet romance with a STEM theme. As a self-professed science geek, I was immediately drawn to this book. It also included one of my favorite tropes, fake dating, which is why I couldn’t pass it up.
The fake dating trope may always be predictable, but for this reader, it’s the way the characters meet, agrees to a fake date, and eventually realize they are in love with one another that always makes me love this trope. Etta Easton did a great job on her debut novel, making me fall hard for Amerie and Vincent and root for these two to become more.
The initial meeting between Amerie and Vincent was far from ordinary, with a coffee mishap leading to their first encounter. This unconventional start sets the stage for their journey of character development and growth, which I found particularly engaging to read about.
Amerie is a character who is going through struggles in life, but she is handling them, and she has Vincent there to help her, even when he first meets her and doesn’t know her well. Vincent is also going through struggles, but he is dealing with family issues. This is when the fake dating between Amerie and Vincent can help with one another’s struggles, and this is why these characters complement one another. They were destined to meet in that coffee shop.
The Kiss Countdown is a sweet, slow-burn romance that is full of tension and family drama that definitely kept me turning the pages. It is told solely from the FMC’s POV, which means you won’t get the MMC’s POV, but the way Etta wrote the story, you already know his feelings for the FMC through her POV and his actions. He was such a ‘Cinnamon Roll,’ and I loved him for it.
I give this book four stars, and I can’t wait to read more books from Etta Easton.
Trope(s)/Element(s):
🚀Fake Dating
🚀Forced Proximity
🚀Family Drama
🚀Astronaut Hero (Cinnamon Roll Hero, too)
🚀Event Planner Heroine
🚀Slow Burn Romance
🚀Fake Dating
🚀Forced Proximity
🚀Family Drama
🚀Astronaut Hero (Cinnamon Roll Hero, too)
🚀Event Planner Heroine
🚀Slow Burn Romance
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief
Moderate: Death
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
The Kiss Countdown follows Amerie whose life isn't going the way she had hoped. Recently single and trying to get her business of the ground, she finds herself in a uncomfortable situation at a coffee shop. When she pretends to be dating the stranger who happens to be an astronaut she had poured coffee on to prove to her ex she has moved on, she finds herself having to continue the ruse for his family. But they soon find that they may be attracted to each other more than they thought.
I thought this was a really interesting story and I really enjoyed reading this book. I received this in my Afterlight subscription and I am so glad that it was included in the box.
I really felt for Amerie as someone who went through a close family member having health issues. It's heart breaking to watch them suffer and waiting for hte other shoe to drop. I could understand why she was so stand offish with people and so obsessed with making sure her mother was okay. I can understand where she was coming from but what I loved was watching Vincent really bring her out of her shell. I thought the relationship was so special and I really loved seeing ti develop and grow.
I really loved Vincent and his family as well. I liked that this book dealt with family issues on Vincent's side and seeing how they worked though them. It was great seeing how Amerie helped to try to resolve those issues and seeing them grow closer together.
Overall, if you are looking for a really great romance that's a quick read about family and love and learning to live the life you want, definitely pick up this book.
I thought this was a really interesting story and I really enjoyed reading this book. I received this in my Afterlight subscription and I am so glad that it was included in the box.
I really felt for Amerie as someone who went through a close family member having health issues. It's heart breaking to watch them suffer and waiting for hte other shoe to drop. I could understand why she was so stand offish with people and so obsessed with making sure her mother was okay. I can understand where she was coming from but what I loved was watching Vincent really bring her out of her shell. I thought the relationship was so special and I really loved seeing ti develop and grow.
I really loved Vincent and his family as well. I liked that this book dealt with family issues on Vincent's side and seeing how they worked though them. It was great seeing how Amerie helped to try to resolve those issues and seeing them grow closer together.
Overall, if you are looking for a really great romance that's a quick read about family and love and learning to live the life you want, definitely pick up this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Death
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Flew through this so fast because it was so cute! Be still my heart.
I instantly loved the chemistry between Mimi and Vincent. It felt very real and kind of reminded me of Janine and Gregory’s chemistry from Abbott Elementary. The slow burn was 🔥
I think fake dating can be a trope that is difficult to come off as believable. And in this case, the reasonings actually seemed plausible. Their first meeting was absolutely adorable and their continued flirting was such a great slow burn.
The 3rd act conflict wasn’t my favorite but the characters explained themselves in a way that didn’t totally make me hate it.
Loved seeing Vincent be a confident black astronaut. I don’t think I’ve read a book with astronauts before or where a character has space knowledge. I related to the characters not having confidence in themselves and being anxious in certain situations. I enjoyed that Mimi wasn’t whiny and knew what she wanted out of her career.
I’m all for characters taking chances, owning up to their mistakes, and finding love with people deserving of it.
Overall really liked this book and will look for more from Easton in the future.
I instantly loved the chemistry between Mimi and Vincent. It felt very real and kind of reminded me of Janine and Gregory’s chemistry from Abbott Elementary. The slow burn was 🔥
I think fake dating can be a trope that is difficult to come off as believable. And in this case, the reasonings actually seemed plausible. Their first meeting was absolutely adorable and their continued flirting was such a great slow burn.
The 3rd act conflict wasn’t my favorite but the characters explained themselves in a way that didn’t totally make me hate it.
Loved seeing Vincent be a confident black astronaut. I don’t think I’ve read a book with astronauts before or where a character has space knowledge. I related to the characters not having confidence in themselves and being anxious in certain situations. I enjoyed that Mimi wasn’t whiny and knew what she wanted out of her career.
I’m all for characters taking chances, owning up to their mistakes, and finding love with people deserving of it.
Overall really liked this book and will look for more from Easton in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Death, Terminal illness, Grief
lighthearted
This was a sweet rom-com and had me smiling throughout. There were some tropes I could do without (3rd act breakup ), but aside from that it was a decent story. I don't have too much to say, I read this right after some heavy books so it was a much needed refreshing fun read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, Grief
Moderate: Death, Sexual content
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, Grief
Moderate: Death
Minor: Pregnancy