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paovilchis 's review for:
A Thousand Boy Kisses
by Tillie Cole
I heard about A Thousand Boy Kisses through TikTok and, like a true victim of marketing, I bought it immediately and started reading. While this isn’t a bad book by any means, it did make me realize that I should probably be a bit more cautious about relying on TikTok for book recommendations—because, wow, were they off in their descriptions of this one.
The story follows Rune Kristiansen, a seventeen-year-old boy who returns from Norway to Blossom Grove, Georgia, the town where he grew up and where he met Poppy Litchfield, his childhood best friend and soulmate. Rune is determined to find out why Poppy, the girl who was supposed to be his forever, cut him off without a word of explanation two years ago. But when Rune uncovers the truth, he learns that the greatest heartache is still ahead of him.
I gave this book 3 stars—though it’s on the lower end of that rating—and here’s why. My biggest issue with the book is the ages of the characters. I’m sorry, but no. These kids were far too young to be experiencing some of the things they were experiencing, let alone making decisions that felt more suited to adults. And don’t even get me started on the jar of “a thousand boy kisses” gifted to Poppy at such a young age. While I get the sentimental value and symbolism, the idea of a child being encouraged to kiss a thousand boys is just... no.
That said, if the characters had been older, I think the story would have worked much better. The romance and the premise of collecting a thousand special moments could have been sweet and heartwarming if the context had felt more age-appropriate.
On the positive side, the plot and the writing were excellent. Tillie Cole knows how to create an emotional, heart-wrenching story that tugs at your heartstrings. The setting, the pacing, and the overall concept are well-executed, and I can see why so many people were moved by this book. However, the characters drove me insane, mostly because of their lack of communication. I know this is somewhat justified by their young age and inexperience, but it still made parts of the story frustrating to read.
In conclusion, A Thousand Boy Kisses is an emotional, bittersweet story that has a lot of potential but suffers from its unrealistic portrayal of young characters. If you’re someone who loves deeply sentimental stories and can overlook some implausible aspects, you might enjoy this book more than I did. For me, it was a mixed experience—I appreciated the concept and the emotional depth, but the execution left me feeling unsatisfied.
The story follows Rune Kristiansen, a seventeen-year-old boy who returns from Norway to Blossom Grove, Georgia, the town where he grew up and where he met Poppy Litchfield, his childhood best friend and soulmate. Rune is determined to find out why Poppy, the girl who was supposed to be his forever, cut him off without a word of explanation two years ago. But when Rune uncovers the truth, he learns that the greatest heartache is still ahead of him.
I gave this book 3 stars—though it’s on the lower end of that rating—and here’s why. My biggest issue with the book is the ages of the characters. I’m sorry, but no. These kids were far too young to be experiencing some of the things they were experiencing, let alone making decisions that felt more suited to adults. And don’t even get me started on the jar of “a thousand boy kisses” gifted to Poppy at such a young age. While I get the sentimental value and symbolism, the idea of a child being encouraged to kiss a thousand boys is just... no.
That said, if the characters had been older, I think the story would have worked much better. The romance and the premise of collecting a thousand special moments could have been sweet and heartwarming if the context had felt more age-appropriate.
On the positive side, the plot and the writing were excellent. Tillie Cole knows how to create an emotional, heart-wrenching story that tugs at your heartstrings. The setting, the pacing, and the overall concept are well-executed, and I can see why so many people were moved by this book. However, the characters drove me insane, mostly because of their lack of communication. I know this is somewhat justified by their young age and inexperience, but it still made parts of the story frustrating to read.
In conclusion, A Thousand Boy Kisses is an emotional, bittersweet story that has a lot of potential but suffers from its unrealistic portrayal of young characters. If you’re someone who loves deeply sentimental stories and can overlook some implausible aspects, you might enjoy this book more than I did. For me, it was a mixed experience—I appreciated the concept and the emotional depth, but the execution left me feeling unsatisfied.