I have been a fan of Emma Hart for quite a while, and I was very excited to see this new release. The cover grabbed my attention (I love the style), but the story was even better.
I especially liked the setting of the kissing booth. It conveyed small-town romance, but also served as a unique way for Preston and Halley to realize their feelings for each other. That’s not to say that it happens immediately, because the two of them are stubborn – even though everyone around them knows it, they deny the attraction.
Their verbal sparring throughout the book was entertaining and added to the tension that was growing between the two of them. I thought that the focus on kissing would feel overdone after a while, but the author did a fantastic job differentiating the different types of kisses (and there were a lot of different types, thanks to the kissing booth). The descriptions of a couple, however, really allowed the reader to understand the characters’ point of view – especially Halley’s.
There were so many fun aspects to the story. My particular favorite involved Halley’s love for animals (no spoilers – you have to read it to understand). But I could see myself doing what she did. The fuzzy creatures were indirectly responsible for one of the best apology scenes I have ever read.
As far as “grand gestures” go, Preston wins in both the apology and romantic categories. But, what made them both special was that he was willing to take advice from Halley’s friends along the way (instead of being a usual guy who tried to do things on his own). I appreciated the depth that came with him being able to listen and understand a problem.
Kiss Me Not is the first in a new series (although a character from a previous novel does show up) and I cannot wait to see what is in store for Halley’s friends. Hopefully, we also get a little more of Halley and Preston along the way as well.
Kiss Me Not by Emma HartMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
You do not want to miss the latest from Emma Hart! From the unique setting at the county fair to the quirkiness of both Halley and Preston, this book is a winner. I love how the author manages to create characters who are thoroughly real – their idiosyncrasies add to their attraction. I also liked how the whole book was a slow burn, both for the characters and the reader, which made the inevitable that much sweeter. For more thoughts on this 5-star book, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. This review was written based on a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of the book.
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