Beautiful writing and amazingly well constructed characters are the highlight of the angst-fest.

As previously stated, Blind Kiss is filled with delicious angst and an edge of your seat storyline. This wasn't my typical read, but was thought provoking, engaging, and entertaining.

4 Stars

Renee Carlino, oh my god my heart. You really tore it up pretty bad with this exceptionally beautiful love story between two individuals that felt like they just couldn't be together. Every single obstacle possible seemed to get in their way of them being happy together.

Blind Kiss.....I just couldn't cope with my aching heart that you put through the wringer.

This book was so damn good that it was hard to think, let alone try and do anything else after finishing. I was completely spent, I mean this book (gahhhh)!!

I was so emotionally invested in this book that I seriously neglected everything and everyone else just so I can continue breaking my heart little by little with every single word written in this book.

Penny and Gavin, they just couldn't seem to get past the best friend stage even though they both had such strong feelings for each other and it was just one of those impossible love stories. No matter what, they just couldn't be together.

This has been one AMAZING read!

I’m going to warn you now - I have nothing nice to say about this book. What I do have are a lot of gripes. If that’s not your thing, you are forearmed and can click out now if you want. Based on the blurb, Blind Kiss is an amazing premise. Unfortunately, this is where the book peaks. Everything about this is bad, starting with the atrocious cover. Blind Kiss was basically a story of two adults who could never get their shit together, and how they made everyone’s lives around them miserable. It was such a hot mess. Why Penny didn’t want to get together was so contrived and hollow. I would have liked this story better if she’d clung to Gavin after her father died only to have things fall apart and then come back together later on in life. The other thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was how everyone just needed to have a label. It was as dumb as this book as it is in life.
This is my second read from this author, and I have to be honest. The blurbs are so promising, but the books fall short. I think this is where we part ways.

What you read above was my half assed attempt at writing a review for this book. I started it immediately upon finishing, but honestly, I’ve never wanted to forget a book so badly. It’s been two years now, and it’s time for me to move on. I don’t want to be miserable my whole life like Penny was. ;)

I’m a huge fan of Renee Carlino, however Blind Kiss really tested my patience. I love angsty books, but this one just took it to whole different level. The frustration with both Penny and Gavin is so intense that you will without a doubt hate them at one point or another.

From Penny and Galvin’s first encounter, you know there’s a strong connection. I felt their chemistry with just that one kiss. They form a friendship, but that friendship just doesn’t seem like it’s enough with the chemistry between them. The frustration begins with their indecisiveness. Things don’t go right for them because of one thing or another and the timing never seems to be right for them either. To watch Penny and Gavin not take a chance was so intense at times that I really wish I could strangle them. Fast forward fourteen years, and I can finally say that I’m at peace!

I really enjoyed Penny and Gavin’s story although it really took everything out of me. I love books that give me all the feels, but this one was a little extreme! You will either love Blind Kiss or hate it! Get your copy of Blind Kiss if you’re up for a challenge.

There’s just something about a Renee Carlino book. She always manages to take you on a journey. Even if you think you know where the characters will end up, or where you want them to end up, her books always end up being about the journey.

The journey was tough for Gavin and Penny. We go back and forth through their 14 year friendship and I absolutely loved the way this story was told. Being 1000% honest, there were times I hated Penny for being selfish. There were times I hated Gavin for being too all over the place. But that’s also what I loved about them. They were real, they were flawed and they were not afraid to be raw and uncensored with each other.

I think I had about a hundred pages left when I got to that “I cannot put this book down, no matter what, until it’s over.” And that is my absolute favorite feeling when reading. I love Renee Carlino’s books, and especially this one, because they’re hard and they’re real but they’re beautiful in the end.

Renée Carlino has an amazing ability to break your heart with her books, and then put it back together again. BLIND KISS is no exception.

Penny and Gavin’s story starts in the present day and goes back in time to reveal how their friendship came to be and develop. The transition in time periods was a little awkward at the beginning and made for a confusing first 30ish pages or so… But after you get over the initial confusion, their story sucks you in and doesn’t let you out.

There were definitely some very predictable parts to this book – to the point where you are wondering why Carlino decided to keep “hiding” the secrets… It wasn’t necessary. Every reader will know… And the predictable parts were the parts that were so non-affecting to the big story… Nonetheless, this didn’t affect how much I loved the story of Penny and Gavin. Their passion was so real and the characters were so unique. I am scared to say too much more for fear of giving anything away.

If you are a fan of Carlino – READ THIS BOOK! Have some tissues ready… for the sad tears and the happy tears that will follow. Enjoy Penny and Gavin’s love story – it is one to remember!

Rating: 9/10

I don’t think Renée can write a bad book. This book was just as awesome as all her others that I have read. I loved the premise of the story, the slow burn was just right and the characters were well developed.

I feel as though this was a love it or hate it type of book. I loved it but I can easily see how others wouldn’t.

I finished this book a few days ago, and I really had a hard time trying to decide what to write. On one hand, I loved the story, on the other hand, I felt like there was a major timeline issue. I even went back and re-read certain parts to see if I was mistaken. I've been a reader for so many years that I have some big pet peeves, timeline is one of them. Yet despite loving the majority of the story, I just can't get past this. It irks me to no end.

If you like those angsty type books, you'll probably adore this one as well. Maybe I'm just reading into things more than they need to be, I just find it hard to believe that this mistake wasn't caught.

Full disclosure, this was an ARC copy I received, where it's stated it may differ from the published version. However, I can only rate the book I read.

I love this author and this book was absolutely fantastic! Emotional and so well written, the characters were relatable and the pacing super satisfying. I recommend it.

It freaked my head out. Not sure if I loved it or hated it, but definitely a GREAT read. I just really love Renee Carlino's original books and ideas.

This was such a pleasant surprise. Though I do always enjoy Renee's books, I didn't expect to be as touched by this one as I was. It really made me think, and it was packed full of feels. Thank you for the opportunity to read this title early.

Amazing story! Such a sweet read. really enjoyed it! Great read for anyone looking to find a great one to curl up with!

5 Beautiful Awe Filled Stars!!

Omg this book! There is a reason that Renee is an automatic one click author for me and she continues to prove it each and every time she releases a new book! This one is no exception.
I absolutely LOVED Penny & Gavin’s story, a story of an unbreakable friendship that started in the most unusual way. This just has all the feels and more, I was so incredibly invested in seeing how things would turn out with Penny & Gavin. I devoured this book in a matter of sittings, it would have been one if I hadn’t had work lol.
The heartache that they both go through throughout the years, the ways in which they are there for each other. The love they both have for each other as friends is just so incredibly beautiful, you are just dying to see if they could be anything more!
This has by far become one of my favourites of Renee’s and I highly recommend you one click it right now!

" I wish it were you, Penny."

Blind Kiss resolves around Gavin and Penny. Their friendship was extraordinary. Many people envied that they always had each other's backs. And only time would tell that they would become more.... until Penny gets married and has a child. Things take a different direction.

Blind Kiss is filled with angst, drama, jealousy, and an everlasting romance.

I am a massive fan of Renee Carlino and I was extremely excited to check out Blind Kiss. The beginning of the novel was super catchy and I was so excited to see where the characters would end up. Unfortunately, there were a few slow portions of the novel that seemed to drag, and it was a little darker than I was expecting. I tried to look past that (surprisingly easy) and it became quite addicting.

The characters and the story were complex and I was constantly guessing what would happen next. I flew through the last half of this novel and I loved how it all ended for the characters. If you are a fan of Carlino's work or a fan of Christina Lauren, I would highly recommend checking out this novel. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 3/5

Renee Carlino is one of those authors that pulls me in, and doesn’t release me until the end. However, it didn’t happen so quickly with this book. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did, I felt great about it. It’s not my favorite of hers, but I still highly recommend.

Penny and Gavin denied what was right in front of them. They denied the chemistry they had in an experiment, the chemistry that let them know they were the right ones for each other.

And, they deny it well and for years. Through other relationships, marriages and children, they are friends. The kind of friends that threaten their significant others with their closeness. The kind of friends who are the ones you tell everything to...even when it is not the greatest, or embarrassing, or makes you feel like the other may judge you.

So, what do you do when that chemistry is there, but for some reason, you are always pulled in other directions? What happens when you try to make a life for yourself without the other person. Does it work or do you fail as your heart isn't connected to that life?

Really, that is what this book is about...Penny and Gavin, their attraction, fighting the attraction...and then finally finding their way to one another.

I did believe the attraction with Penny and Gavin, but I wanted more. More time with them as a couple, more time with them as the people they are today. More time getting to see them as they are today. So for me, this was an area that didn't totally work. Although, I did love the ending and when it got to that point, I was fully on board with their relationship and their attraction.

I enjoyed this title overall, and I do recommend it.

4 stars. I nearly gave this on 4 1/2 stars but it felt very rushed in the end. Angst is my thing and this book was chock full of it. The only other complaint I have is that it seemed so obvious how the leads felt about each other. It was hard to understand why the timing could never seem to work out. It was hard to buy into some of the reasoning. Overall a good read.

A blind kiss experiment leads to Penny and Gavin becoming the best of friends. However, nothing has ever happened between them, even though it's not as if Gavin hasn't tried to convince her to take a chance on him. Yet, things have happened in the course of their lives with big decisions and mistakes made. Will Penny and Gavin finally get their shot at happy ever after or will their friendship totally fall apart?

I love Ms. Carlino's books and this story was another entertaining and engaging read where the wonderful main characters have the best friendship and have stuck together through thick and thin; and the dialogue was compelling and had me liking how all that Penny and Gavin go through on their journey to happy ever after. Really, the way this story jumps back and forth between different times in the past and then the now had me reading quickly, determined to discover if Penny would ever take a chance on Gavin.

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories and everything they go through on their journey to happy ever after, as they've both suffered loss and done their best to move forward from those losses, even though it feels like the losses they've suffered led to the heroine making bad decisions, although her son is a gift. Moreover, I absolutely loved the hero. He's confident, cocky, a total flirt with Penny and I liked the growing connection between him and the heroine, which had me hoping for the best for the pair because they're meant to be together, despite the difficult obstacles they face that keep them apart. While the heroine, she's resilient, courageous and I liked the decisions she makes in order to make her life better after everything that's happened in her life. I also liked the close relationship she shares with her son and how her son wants to see her happy.

Overall, Ms. Carlino has delivered a really good read in this book where the chemistry between Gavin and Penny was off-the-charts; the romance was delightful and had me cheering for this couple's happy ever after; and the ending and epilogue had me loving the decisions these two make to achieve their happy ever after. I would recommend Blind Kiss by Renee Carlino, if you enjoy the friends to lovers trope or books by authors Kelly Elliott, Lauren Blakely, Claire Contreras and Kristy Bromberg.

I unfortunately couldn't finish this book, I found the relationship between the main characters to be a lot juvenile. It was kind of troublesome and a bit stilted. It just wasnt a good fit for me.