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Jeanah Gillespie

I recommend tissues

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2023

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I don’t think a book has ever made me cry so hard! This is a SLOWWWWW BURNN!! Stupid irritatingly slow burn… I loved it!! 10/10 would recommend <3

Michelle H

Vivid teen love story

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2023

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This was a slow burn love story with a nonlinear time line that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could. It's a very well rounded story, equal parts family drama as it is following the angsty flirtation of why these two girls won't get together despite their obvious chemistry. Penny's backstory was vivid and wrenching and had me tearing up more than once. It was very hard to forgive her mother for her behavior, but I did appreciate the utter lack of stereotype in her portrayal- you very rarely see an artist, or someone with solid friendships, portrayed as an antagonist. But they're as fallible as the rest of us. I also liked how the ending wasn't too neat and simplified on that angle.

The subplot romance was a standout for me--I loved the girls' best friends! I also really liked seeing a character portrayed as a planner with a bullet journal who also loved rafting. Not all people who are organized are bookish nerds!

I didn't totally follow the arc of the girl's conflict once we saw the flashback in Yreka, but I never doubted the strength of their feelings for each other. Another great read from Tess Sharpe, whose craft continues to be stellar in every genre.

emotional YA contemporary romance

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2023

6 TIMES WE ALMOST KISSED is a story about challenging family, falling in love, and finding your own path. Penny and Tate have a complicated relationship - they are not really friends, but since their mothers are best friends, as in give-your-organ-to-the-other friends, they have lived in each other's orbits, being there for a lot of things the other would rather forget. Penny's mother is giving Tate's mother some of her liver, a transplant desperately needed. However, the recovery time for both of them means funds will be tight, so they are moving in together.

Penny and Tate set some ground rules for their new lives on top of each other, but complicated feelings keep swirling. While everyone seems sure they will in their will-they-won't-they style of relationship, Penny and Tate are not ready to consider what that could mean.

What I loved: This was a much heavier read than I expected based on the synopsis. A major point of the plot has been the trauma both girls have experienced and their complicated mother-daughter relationships. This is particularly true for Penny. Her adolescence has been overrun by trauma and the way her mother reacted to it. She loves her mother while also feeling incredibly hurt and stressed by being around her. Her life has not been easy - and it has been tough with Tate having courtside seats to the whole mess.

The story jumps back to these key points in time when Tate really shows up for Penny, and their love for each other is showing through. While some of them were clearly almost-kisses, others were actually much deeper connections and understandings that irrevocably changed their lives. These deeper plots were quite moving and powerful, full of pain and angst but also showing resilience and how they moved forward. For readers who have experienced their own complex relationships with parents, this book will really resonate.

Penny's relationship with her mother is juxtaposed with Tate's, as though her mother has been very sick with the threat of death of hanging over her head, she manages to fuse emotional maturity and stability into the discussions she has with the girls. These themes around family and complicated relationships/emotions, the power of trauma to make or break you, the importance of therapy, the value of friends/found family, and the importance of connection really make this into an emotional story. I also really appreciated that both main characters were bi, which was not a rep that is seen super-commonly!

What left me wanting more: I struggled a bit with the relationship and understanding why they were so resistant to it. This was not fully explained to the reader, particularly in the later parts of the book as it builds to something that did not fully make sense. It was then tough to follow the outcomes from that and really get what was happening next and why. I am leaving this vague to avoid spoilers, but considering the book is described around their relationship, I wanted it to have a powerful and understandable path/ending. Perhaps, if you read it without expectations around the kisses or almost-kisses, it makes a bit more sense.

Final verdict: 6 TIME WE ALMOST KISSED is an emotional and heartfelt YA contemporary romance that I would recommend for people who enjoy deep reads about challenging family relationships and winding paths to love.

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Emotional and sweet!

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2023

Penny and Tate were destined to be around one another constantly....but they haven't always enjoyed each other's company. After all, their mothers have been best friends for ages, so they HAD to grit their teeth through many a movie marathon or playdate they would have rather avoided. Penny tragically lost her father, leaving her and her mother Lottie with a strained relationship, and it seems like this tragedy alone

But when Tate's mother needs a liver transplant, Penny's mom is all too ready to step in as a living donor. The second part of this plan, however, requires the two to move in together...which means Penny and Tate will now be living under one roof. Penny and Tate scramble to put together a pact based on their complicated history...and to try to prevent one more of 'those' moments...where they SOMEHOW almost kiss. Has fate shoved these two together, against their will and against all odds? Or will yet another tragedy drive these two apart...forever?

I'm new to Tess Sharpe, but comparisons to Jenny Han and Nina LaCour peaked my interest. In terms of a sapphic (semi)enemies-to-lovers story, this one is done well. Sharpe gives plenty of background on her characters, and their complicated emotional tangles. The narrative bops back and forth between Penny and Tate (with some interjected text message passages from their friends along the way) and I felt both women got their due in terms of storytelling.

What made this one a bit harder to get through, unfortunately, was in some ways, the premise itself. Sharpe alludes to it in her author's note, but structurally having the narrative hop around based on reliving the "6 Times" was at times difficult to follow and made the timeline feel a bit messy. It was essential to the story to explore all of these moments, but at times I couldn't tell if they were even being retold in order, not in order, or if the reader was supposed to figure that out. I also don't love big sections of text messages in novels unless they feel like they NEED to be included, and the side plot with felt like a bit of unnecessary filler at times.

Sweet and emotional, with just the right amount of longing and angst, 6 Times We Almost Kissed... will leave you CHEERING for the One Time We Did!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

Honora Quinn

Emotional

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2023

This novel is very emotional and very tense which make sense coming from a thriller writer. The author called this her 'break' from all the thrillers and I personally had a great time reading this. It's sad and rough and shows the eventual love story of two girls. A will they- won't they to the greatest degree. Everyone in this book feels fully fleshed out and the world is easy to descend into.

Top reviews from other countries

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Isbazia

Stupendo.

Reviewed in Italy on August 12, 2023

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Questo libro è stata una bellissima scoperta. Il titolo potrà sembrare sciocco, descrizione di una storia leggera e divertente, MA... quello che non viene menzionato è tutto il dolore e l'intensità delle vite dei personaggi, specialmente delle protagoniste, cresciute a suon di eventi traumatici e "costrette" a navigare un oceano di frustrazione e speranze apparentemente vane.
Il tutto scritto in modo talmente cinematografico che è impossibile non immaginarsi ogni singola scena descritta.
Uno dei libri più belli letti quest'anno, di sicuro.

Molly

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 20, 2023

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IN LOVE
this is perfect for lesbians and such a lovely beauty story

Nathan P.

Original fiction that truly captures the spirit of fanfiction

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2023

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I don't think I've ever read a novel that manages to get "character-driven" so damn right. For those who are familiar with good fanfiction, that's what it feels like. Even though before reading this you don't know these characters, you start caring about them from the very beginning as if you've already read countless stories about how they fall in love. There is something special about managing to get the reader to care about the protagonists in such a simple way, just by following the characters in their life. No excessive exposition, no complicated plots, no over-description of what they look like. You read their perspectives and you just know them, it's that simple.
Best romance novel I've ever read.

Mel

Absolutely amazing!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2023

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I love the kinda enemies that liked each other to lovers and they remind me so much of me and my gf (with less of the drama) if you are looking for a book that really pulls you in to the story of the characters lives I definitely recommend this book for you. I really loved this book and would love to read more like it :)

Suzie

Cute story :)

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2023

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I enjoyed this book and finished pretty quickly. It's a very slow burner, but has a good storyline along the way to keep you gripped. Definitely recommend reading this! 🏳️‍🌈 🥰

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