A review by nicolehitchcock
Coincidentally Kismet by Kelli Cooke

adventurous emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

3.0

I wanted to like this book so badly but I just couldn’t. I was excited about this premise but it fell short in execution for me. My biggest issues are with how the story is written. 

The story revolves around Will and Cam, two characters whose second chance romance is meant to sweep readers off their feet. However, their interactions often feel forced and unrealistic. Dialogue, which should bring the characters to life, comes across as unnatural. Real people don’t interact this way. 

One of the most glaring issues is the characterization of Will. While many readers enjoy the emotional depth of male characters written by women, Will and his friends are not written in a realistic way. 

The structural choice to retell key interactions from both Will and Cam’s perspectives in back-to-back chapters also hampers the pacing. While dual perspectives can be a powerful storytelling tool, here it often feels repetitive, with readers re-reading the same dialogue and scenes with minimal new insights. 

If you enjoy second chance romances, you can definitely give this a try. It just fell flat for me.