A review by shamelesslyintroverted
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

hopeful relaxing

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 

As a huge fan of The Charm Offensive, I preordered this book and waited until December to read it. Kiss Her Once for Me is obviously a holiday rom-com, so I wasn’t expecting much. Typically, I’m not a fan of holiday romantic comedies because they all recycle the same tropes, drape some mistletoe over them, and call it a day!

This is why I was a little disappointed to see that Cochrun’s second book was doomed to reside in this genre, but I was surprised. I absolutely loved this book and it became one of my favorite books of the year.

The tropes are not my favorite: fake engagement with a dash of miscommunication. The fake dating/engagement trope is overused and, frankly, lacking in originality. There isn’t a lot of wiggle room to make it your own. Miscommunication is one of my least favorite tropes, period. I hate this trope because… just fucking talk to each other. It’s not that complicated.

However, Cochrun did a beautiful job with these. The miscommunication makes sense and is completely relatable. The fake engagement has a wonderful twist because Ellie (the main character) doesn’t fall for the guy she’s fake-engaged to; she falls for his sister instead.

Ellie is the most relatable character I’ve ever stumbled upon. She’s demisexual (I’m asexual), bisexual (also me), a huge Taylor Swift fan (I am also known to slip her birthday into casual conversation), and a creative individual who suffers from generalized anxiety disorder (instead of drawing, I write with a side of panic). To top off the sundae, we both let fear control our lives. We even have the same fucking character arc. Oh, and she’s a Gilmore Girls fan (Oy with the poodles already).

Even without Ellie, I would’ve loved this novel for its beauty. The way it’s told is gorgeous. We’re given these transcripts of this webcomic that Ellie writes, which tells us the story of Last Christmas. I prefer these over flashbacks. In addition, Kiss Her Once For Me goes deeper than just being a holiday romance. It’s a novel about taking risks, embracing change, and standing up for yourself. Taking what you want.

Anyway, I adored this book and I think anyone who loves the romance genre will, too.