I finally got around to reading a physical book for the first time in a long time. I borrowed this one from a friend who trades BOTM picks with me. I was looking forward to reading a contemporary romance. Here’s my thoughts on this book!
“We all experience attraction differently, some of us fall in and out of love easily. Some of us don’t experience romantic love at all. Some of us have to fight to let ourselves be vulnerable enough to fall in love. Some of us have to fight to let other people love us. Some of us need emotional intimacy in order to experience sexual attraction. All love and ways of loving are love, Elle.”
Goodreads Summary
One year ago, recent Portland transplant Ellie Oliver had her dream job in animation and a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. But after a betrayal the next morning and the loss of her job soon after, she finds herself adrift, alone, and desperate for money. Finding work at a local coffee shop, she’s just getting through the days—until Andrew, the shop’s landlord, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will give him his recent inheritance and alleviate Ellie’s financial woes and isolation. They make a plan to spend the holidays together at his family cabin to keep up the ruse. But when Andrew introduces his new fiancée to his sister, Ellie is shocked to discover it’s Jack—the mysterious woman she fell for over the course of one magical Christmas Eve the year before. Now, Ellie must choose between the safety of a fake relationship and the risk of something real.
“We all have seasons of needing and seasons of giving.”
Evaluation
This book was an LGBTQ love story with elements of fake dating and forbidden love. I liked the holiday setting and love of snow. I appreciated the pop culture and song references. There were aspects of artisticness and love of reading, both which speak to me personally. I also liked reading a bit about Portland and it made me want to visit, but maybe not on a snow day. Also, the grandmas in this book are characters that were super fun and lovable. Honestly, aging goals. I didn’t enjoy Ellie’s mental spirals, but that’s because they felt so familiar. She was a self-fulfilling prophecy of worrying about failure, which I thing is probably relatable to many. It was also hard to read about her absent parents, childhood traumas/pressures, and the unhealthy relationship she had with her mother now as an adult. Overall, it was an enjoyable contemporary romance with elements of personal growth and development that I enjoyed.
“Snow freezes time, so the constant pressure of life is briefly suspended in a blanket of snow, and for a day, it’s like you can catch your breath.”
My 5 Star Rating in the Romance Genre: **** (4/5)
Recommendation
I think readers who appreciate LGBTQ love stories would enjoy this book, as well as those that like fake-dating and forbidden romance tropes. Personal growth and development are aspects of this book as well that readers may enjoy. Goodreads recommends this book to readers who also enjoyed Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Blake, Mistakes Were Made by Wilsner, and Lunar Love by Jessen.
“I guess maybe that’s how it works in families that love each other unconditionally. You can fight without fear of losing them, and be honest without consequences or repercussions.”
I hope this review of Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun was an enjoyable read. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this read and any other book recommendations you have that are similar in nature. Until next time…happy reading!
For more info:
Image credits: