Summary
A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole is a young adult novel exploring themes of love, loss, and survival. The story follows Rune Kristiansen and Poppy Litchfield as they navigate the challenges of young love and terminal illness.
Plot
A Thousand Boy Kisses tells the story of Poppy Litchfield and Rune Kristiansen, childhood friends who develop a deep romantic bond. They meet at age five when Rune's family moves from Oslo, Norway, to Blossom Grove, Georgia, and quickly become inseparable. Their relationship centers around a project inspired by Poppy's grandmother: a jar to collect 1,000 paper hearts, each representing a meaningful kiss.
Their love faces a challenge when Rune's family returns to Oslo. Despite promises to stay in touch, Poppy ends communication. She has been diagnosed with terminal Hodgkin's lymphoma and wants to spare Rune from witnessing her decline. Rune returns two years later, upset and unaware of Poppy's condition. After reuniting, Poppy discloses her illness to Rune. They spend her remaining time creating memories, including a spontaneous performance at Carnegie Hall to fulfill her dreams.
As Poppy’s health deteriorates, they share significant moments, such as an early prom. The 1,000th kiss fulfills her grandmother’s vision. Poppy dies peacefully on a familiar beach after this final kiss. In her memory, Rune releases lanterns, honoring their love. Ten years later, Rune joins Poppy in the afterlife, fulfilling their vow of eternal love.
Characters
Poppy Litchfield: The central character, Poppy is defined by her optimism and resilience. She embraces life despite her terminal illness, using her jar of 1,000 kisses to show how love transcends mortal limits.
Rune Kristiansen: Poppy’s childhood friend and, later, love interest, Rune exhibits intense emotions and unwavering devotion to Poppy. He transforms from a joyful child to a brooding teenager, grappling with grief. He ultimately cherishes Poppy's last days.
Erik Kristiansen: Rune's father, who represents stability. The family's move to Norway challenges Rune, but Erik's subtle support for Rune's dreams reflects deeper parental love during difficult times.
Adelis Kristiansen: Rune's mother, who provides emotional support, offering a nurturing presence during family struggles. Her warmth contrasts with Erik's pragmatism, delivering balance to Rune's journey.
Savannah: Poppy’s sister, who, along with their parents, reinforces the novel’s themes of love and loss. Savannah's experiences highlight the widespread impact of Poppy's illness, demonstrating the family's shared hardship.
Deacon, Judson, and Jorie: These friends provide normalcy and support, underlining themes of enduring friendship in adversity.
Themes
A Thousand Boy Kisses explores themes of enduring love and its challenges. Poppy and Rune's connection transcends time and distance, examining the often-overlooked depth of young love. Their efforts to maintain their bond show the lasting impact of such connections. Each kiss represents a cherished memory and signifies the continuity of their relationship.
Grief emerges as a central theme as Poppy battles a terminal illness. The narrative addresses the reality of impending loss. Rune struggles with the emotional impact of Poppy's condition and its consequences for their future.
Memory and resilience also feature prominently. The jar of kisses symbolizes past experiences. Poppy’s optimism and Rune’s loyalty demonstrate resilience. Their ability to find joy amid adversity underscores human endurance. Through these themes, Tillie Cole explores life's challenges and triumphs in a narrative with emotional depth.
Quick facts
Published in 2016, A Thousand Boy Kisses gained popularity on TikTok and became a New York Times bestseller, reaching #2 on the list.
The novel explores themes including terminal illness, young love, loss, grief, and cherishing life's moments.
Tillie Cole was inspired by personal family experiences with terminal illness, particularly influenced by her father's incurable cancer.
A Thousand Boy Kisses is often compared to The Fault in Our Stars and A Walk to Remember for its emotional depth focusing on young romance amidst adversity.
The story is told through dual perspectives of its main characters, Rune Kristiansen and Poppy Litchfield.
The story significantly revolves around a jar where Poppy records special kisses, symbolizing love and memorable moments.
A Thousand Boy Kisses was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction.
A sequel titled A Thousand Broken Pieces, focused on Poppy’s younger sister, was released in 2024, continuing similar themes of grief and healing.
Netflix is adapting A Thousand Boy Kisses into a film, directed by Stephen Chbosky, with author Tillie Cole serving as executive producer.
Millie Bobby Brown listed A Thousand Boy Kisses among the saddest books she has read.
Tillie Cole's international upbringing and personal challenges, including chronic anxiety, influence her emotionally driven storytelling.
Film adaptation
Netflix is developing a film adaptation of A Thousand Boy Kisses. Stephen Chbosky, known for The Perks of Being a Wallflower, will direct the film. Liz Maccie, who wrote the screenplay for Siren, will handle the script. David Hoberman will produce under Hobie Films. The film plans to stay true to the story of Rune Kristiansen and Poppy Litchfield, childhood friends and later soulmates, as they navigate love and loss in Blossom Grove, Georgia. As of July 2025, casting choices and a release date have yet to be announced.
About the author
Tillie Cole is a prolific USA Today bestselling author who writes in many genres, including contemporary romance, dark romance, and young adult fiction. Her work often focuses on themes of love, loss, and redemption. Her bestselling novels include A Thousand Boy Kisses (2016) and its sequel, A Thousand Broken Pieces (2024). She is also known for her Sweet Home romance series and her Scarred Souls novels. Hailing from a small town in the North-East of England, she has lived in multiple countries, including Italy, Canada, and the USA. Before becoming a writer, she enjoyed teaching high school students social studies.
