With a title like that, there was no way I was passing up the opportunity to read. 6 Times We Almost Kissed is a heartfelt story about family and love. It’s a YA contemporary about bravery, facing our fears, and confronting the past. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Penny and Tate have always clashed. Unfortunately, their mothers are lifelong best friends, so the girls’ bickering has carried them through playdates, tragedy, and more than one rom-com marathon with the Moms. When Penny’s mother decides to become a living donor to Tate’s mom, ending her wait for a liver transplant, things go from clashing to cataclysmic. Because in order to help their families recover physically, emotionally, and financially, the Moms combine their households the summer before senior year.
So Penny and Tate make a pact: They’ll play nice. Be the drama-free daughters their mothers need through this scary and hopeful time. There’s only one little hitch in their plan: Penny and Tate keep almost kissing.
It’s just this confusing thing that keeps happening. You know, from time to time. For basically their entire teenaged existence.
They’ve never talked about it. They’ve always ignored it in the aftermath. But now they’re living across the hall from each other. And some things—like their kisses—can’t be almosts forever.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: panic attacks, OCD, anxiety
6 Times We Almost Kissed screams character. Dual POV and hopping a bit between timelines, Sharper creates immediately tension. Not only are we expecting the fireworks and chemistry, but we’re also expecting an explanation. A reason why they didn’t kiss. And what they’re still doing. It was impossible to stop reading because throughout, I kept wondering, is this the time?
And while that suspense was the original hook, pretty quickly I became attached to both Penny and Tate. To the ways Penny has to reconcile the grief of herself – and her mother’s absence in the wake of her dad’s death – and how she’s had to adapt. Or the way that Tate has to confront the fear of losing her mother and her desire to escape. Not going to lie, Penny was the front runner for me, what can I say, I love a good planner!
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Being Dual POV was a brilliant choice by Sharpe. It allows us to really witness the miscommunications. All the ways our words and actions are misinterpreted. How, with little gestures, we’re screaming out to each other with silent words. 6 Times We Almost Kissed is one of those amazing YA Contemporary’s which balances character and action beautifully. If you love character development and detail as well as a plot which will keep you reading, pick this one up! Find 6 Times We Almost Kissed on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org, & The Book Depository.