Several years ago I remember seeing an article online about people doing a blind kiss study and I was so intrigued. It was a fascinating experiment to judge raw chemistry. So when I saw the premise of Renee Carlino's new book, I knew I wanted to read it. Perhaps I should have read the synopsis more objectively.

Let me be really honest. There is a reason I stick primarily to romantic comedies. I am an emotional reader. And the angst and sadness is just too overwhelming for me most of the time. Reading rom-com helps to keep my head and my mood in a much happier place. But, every once in a while a book that makes you feel and breaks your heart just a little bit is a reminder of the power of great stories.

Penny is a beautiful, talented and dedicated dancer when she meets Gavin in college during the Blind Kiss experiment. Their chemistry is instantaneous and explosive. Their youth and other issues keep them apart romantically but they determine to be best friends. That relationship proves distressing for many other people in their lives and themselves.

Penny is complicated. But, she is also passionate, creative, nurturing and fiercely loyal. Gavin is a lost soul and Penny is the center of his world that keeps him grounded. Their convoluted and intricate relationship is fascinating. Together they weather some of the most difficult of life's circumstances, depend on and love one another in ways they love no one else.

Again, I am an emotional reader and it has been quite some time since I have read a heartbreaking book. I cried through more than half of this book. While it is a romance and the ending brought satisfaction and closure, it wasn’t enough. I needed more positive to heal the negative and I’m not sure the good was sufficient enough to make up for the bad.

If you are a fan of angst and heartache, this is a book for you! The storyline is unique and captivating and you will care deeply about the characters. The book is exceptionally well written. But be fully and completely prepared that this emotional story will take its toll on your heart and your tear ducts.

An advance copy of this book was received from the author. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review. BFF Book Blog also uses a set of icon ratings. This book received additional icons for: angst, tears, character development and tension.

This was a good book but for me at the time I really couldn't click with it. Blind Kiss had an interesting premise and I can say it made me keep on reading to know what was going to happen. I really like Carlino's work but I just couldn't connect with the characters. This will not deter me though from reading some of her future work.

Arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of Blind Kiss is intriguing, and I confess I expected there to be some angst. What I didn’t expect was for the book to leave me emotionally exhausted and exasperated.

The book opens with high intensity in the present day. There’s so much raw emotion and crazy behavior that I couldn’t help but get sucked in. I wanted to know what led the characters to such a desperate point in their lives.

Rewind to fourteen years ago and we see how Penny and Gavin met. This was one of the most enjoyable parts of the book. They are paired up as subjects in a college psychology experiment that tests whether or not you can be physically attracted to someone you haven’t seen. It’s funny and sweet. Gavin’s quirky personality and caring nature are clear from the start, and I instantly fell in love. I was drawn to Penny’s complexity.

They rapidly become best friends who have a whole lot of sexual tension between them. I envied their strong bond. I understood Penny’s reasons for placing Gavin in the friend zone initially, but I grew weary of all the years of pining and denial. It stopped making sense after awhile. As the story flip flops between past and present, the characters are surrounded by toxic influences and are prone to melodrama.

Honestly, most of this soap opera is rather depressing and predictable. I felt tortured by and for these characters up until the extremely rushed ending. Ultimately, I was left drained and had a bitter taste in my mouth. I’m giving the book praise for the strong beginning and the writing style, but unfortunately it just didn’t live up to my expectations.

Oh my heart! I don't know how I survived that story.
I am an angst lover and that book fulfilled that for me.
I felt like this book was kind of different from the average story but I can't quite explain why or how it stands out.
Penny & Gavin have never met before the time they are blindfolded and asked to kiss for a study.
You could feel the passion and chemistry between these characters.
The story bounces back and forth between the present and various times during the past in order to paint the complete picture of this relationship.... which is complicated to say the least.
I was riveted though. This story kept me glued to it's pages for the whole thing. I felt such a wide variety of feelings about these two. Actually needed a day to process the story before I could move on.

What a refreshing and intense story.From the first pages I was hooked and intrigued.Blind Kiss was another fantastic read from Renee Carliino, if you love angst and slow burn them this is for you.

Gavin and Penny meet during an experimental study in college where they both agreed to kiss a total stranger while blindfolded in order to test their physical chemistry. They have great connection these two.The concept was brilliant I haven't read anything like this one.

Gavin and Penny's story is unique and get ready for an intense and angsty ride.Because these two will drive you crazy in a good way.

Well... this book... I'm not really sure what to say. Did I love it??? Yes! Did I hate it? To an extent, yes! I was frustrated, mad, annoyed, yet I swooned, laughed and cried. The emotions and the feels that this story managed to squeeze out of me was incredible. Half the time I felt like my heart and mind couldn't take any more, yet the other half of my just wanted to feel more, absorb more and enjoy more of this incredible story.

Penny and Gavin meet at college where they are part of a study in which they have an immediate connection and chemistry. From that moment on they are the very best of friends. The story starts at the present day, and immediately we are made to feel... to wonder what on earth is happening and how the story gets tot this point.

From there on we are taken back and forth over many, many years, with heartbreak, loss, anger, love, emotion. Penny and Gavin are perfect for each other, their friendship and connection is enviable... but that's it. For one reason or another they just don't get there.

I really don't want to give too much away as I really feel it will take away from the impact of the book. You really need to FEEL the frustrations and you need to enjoy (or not) that maddening feeling of pure angst!

The characters were great. Well written personalities and even though at times some of the choices they made annoyed me, I still grew to like them overall. The plot was well paced and the book flowed nicely in my opinion.

This is going to be a marmite read, some will love it and some will hate it, but I urge you to give it a go and see what you think!! I'll definitely be reading more from this author as I really loved her way with words (and my emotions... I think!!)

4.5 stars!

Angst lovers rejoice! There’s nothing I enjoy more than a book that makes my heart beat faster, ties my stomach up in knots, and packs an emotional punch that leaves me reeling for days. Blind Kiss gave me exactly what I was looking for.

Penny and Gavin met as participants in a psychological study that Penny’s friend was conducting. Penny and Gavin connected right from their first kiss, which also happened to be their first introduction. It didn’t matter how uncomfortable and unnerving the study was, Penny and Gavin clicked in that moment. Right from the beginning, their spark was strong and shining bright. I was in their corner, rooting for them, cheering them on, hoping that they would just be in the moment and let themselves fall, but that would’ve been too easy, wouldn’t it? Renée Carlino had other plans - plans that involved making her readers squirm, grip their e-readers, and tap their fingers in anxious frustration. Thank you, Ms. Carlino, it was all well worth it!

This book is about friendship, connections, and unbreakable bonds that neither time nor distance can fray. It’s about two people who are as close as two people can be without taking that extra little step out of the friend zone. I’m a true believer that men and women can be best friends, but these two had more than just a mutual appreciation for each other. Their feelings went much deeper, however, once they decided to just be friends, life happened, choices were made, and decisions were lived with.

Blind Kiss is told from different points in Penny and Gavin’s relationship. It goes back and forth from fourteen years ago to the more recent years and months. This allowed me to witness all of their pivotal moments, to see the time when their relationship developed, when it flourished, and even the times when it seemed to dim. It was fourteen years’ worth of good times and bad, laughter and tears, heartache and love.

Blind Kiss is a fast-paced read that is impossible to put down. I was immediately invested in the characters’ lives and was happily held captive until the very end. It is the best kind of slow burn. It makes your insides churn with anticipation, while keeping you frantically flipping the pages to see where the author is going to take you. And, oh, what a journey she takes you on. There was never a moment where I felt comfortable or secure in how I thought Penny and Gavin’s story would end, but I will tell you this, it was worth every minute of the trip!


*5 Stars

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I usually love Renee Carlino’s books, but this one was not my favorite. It reminded me a little of One Day by David Nicholls, where the main characters spend many years and too many pages of the book being friends and dancing around their angst for more while engaging in relationships with other people instead of being in a relationship with each other as one hopes for in a romance-centered novel. I understand needing the characters to experience obstacles before getting their happily ever after but I prefer books where the couple overcomes the obstacles together as opposed to spending the whole time overcoming obstacles just to be together for few pages at the end of the book. It was a disappointing read for me but I’ll still be anticipating Renee’s next book.

The couples in Renée Carlino's books tend to be torn apart due to circumstances beyond their control, whether job transfers or illnesses. In this case, Penny and Gavin are not together simply because one of them, at various times, thinks it's a bad idea. Carlino makes it very clear, however, that this couple transcends soulmates. They are not so much meant to be together as they must be together.

The two meet when they volunteer (or, in Penny's case, are voluntold) in a college psychology study about how rooted attraction is in the visual. In their case, their attraction is immediate. It's combustible and visceral. And yet Penny is not ready. She has her senior year dance study that she must prioritize, and she can't let her focus waver, not even for Gavin. So they settle into a best friendship, pledging their devotion to each other.

Renée Carlino goes back and forth in time, from fourteen years ago when Penny and Gavin met to three years in the future. She shows you how their relationship builds, how deeply they love each other, and how devastatingly they can hurt each other. She also shows you that no two people operate in a vacuum: there are friends, family members, and classmates who affect how Penny and Gavin behave together, separately, and toward each other. Some of the scenes will crush you, others will make you smile and laugh. There will be times when you want to shout at Penny or Gavin - or both of them - and beg them to reconsider what they're about to do. All along, Renée Carlino shows you that this relationship will never truly be broken. The question is, though, what sort of relationship will it be?

I could not put this book down, and when it was over, I was furious. I did not want to say goodbye to Gavin and Penny or their friends and family members. I wanted to spend more time with them. I wanted to see more of Gavin's silly tee shirts and watch Penny dance.

I was not ready to let go.

Isn't that the surest sign that you've spent time with a great book?

When you read this - and you MUST - please come back and let me know your thoughts.

Penny is a housewife and mother facing an empty nest and a failing marriage. Her dreams from college are long forgotten. While she may have set aside her dreams, she has kept her best friend close through all the years -- the best friend she met as part of a social experiment about the possibility of chemistry being separate from physical attraction.

The chemistry between Penny and Gavin was immediate and off the charts. The students responsible for the social experiment that led to Penny and Gavin kissing as strangers moments after meeting, noted how different the reaction was between these two. After the blindfolds were removed, I loved watching the friendship build, watching as Gavin struggled to be a man that Penny would consider dating.

I found myself frustrated with the choices that Penny made as a college student leading to her present. But I also had to give extra credit to this story because rather than the frustration turning me off to the story, it drove my mind to consider her motivation and how those choices would play out after her son left for school.

Switching between perspectives and timelines, there is a lot going on in this story. I enjoyed getting both Gavin and Penny’s thoughts, especially as they matured. The timeline switch developed the story in parallels and made me sympathetic to Penny’s current situation. The angst level is overall pretty high. Yes these two are friends, but after 14 years they still feel the intense attraction they felt when they first met, even after so many choices that have kept them separated.

This was a second chance story built on choices that seemed a good idea at the time. It was different in that readers watch choices being made that lead the characters away from each other rather than closer together. I spent days after trying to decide my true feelings about the book. At times while I was reading I wasn’t sure I could finish, but other times I was absolutely in love with the story. There were times I wanted to shake the characters, and other times I completely agreed with their decisions. I finally settled on 4 stars because even with my hesitation about some of the angst in the plot, it made me think and it made me feel. The writing is just there -- it pulled me in and challenged me.

I recieved this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Unfortunately, Blind Kiss just wasn't the book for me. Dual POVs is a favorite of mine, so I really didn't mind the different points of view nor the jumping around between timelines.

I had a different idea of how the story was going to play out than it did and I think that threw me off. I needed a bigger reason for Gavin and Penny to not be together than the one given. It didn't make any sense to me. The angst and separation felt like it was just for the sake of angst, not for any bigger reason.

Possible spoiler: no names or specifics are given but a plot point is talked about here:
The only person I liked in the book ends up dying and honestly, I saw no purpose in that. This didn't help either of the main characters grow or move in a positive direction in my opinion. It seemed to affect two side characters more than Gavin or Penny. I don't know if it was just for shock factor or to give a somewhat plausible reason for Penny making a certain decision, but I just thought it was honestly pointless.

I also thought the writing was quite poor, which pains me to say because I know Carlino is a good writer. Her book Before We Were Strangers is one of my favorite books and I consistently recommend it to people. But unfortunately, that has been the only book I have loved by her. I've given her books a lot of tries. I've read 5 books by her now and only loved 1, which isn't a very good percentage. I'm not sure if there was a different editor on Before We Were Strangers or what, but I just kept thinking of all the ways I would change this book to make it better than it was. I wasn't immersed in the story like I am when I love a book.

Overall, this one just really missed the mark for me.

Have you ever finished a novel at 1 am, put it down, and stared blankly at the ceiling while your mind reels with emotion and thoughts and you're just so full of hurt and happiness and all the things? That's where I am right now. I just finished Blind Kiss and even though there was a happy ending, I'm overwhelmed with so much sadness for these characters. There were so many missed opportunities and so many times when they came sooooo close to moving from friends to lovers and I'm pretty sure I could find an Avett Brothers song that would go along with how I feel right now and I'd just sob. Is that weird? I'm in such a weird headspace because this novel just broke me a little with all of its probing observations on marriage and parenthood and aging and friendships and regret and hope and longing.

This book hangover is going to be bad, I can already tell. I'm going to be thinking about these characters and the way they made me feel for a long time. I anticipate many moments of me just thinking about all the things that this novel begs you to consider about yourself and the choices you make and the results of those choices.

This novel was a total gut punch and I, probably strangely, loved every second it.

Blind Kiss is one of those stories that readers will either adore or dislike. Unfortunately I'm on the latter of the spectrum and I struggled with feeling the draw of their connection, understanding their choices, and liking the characters themselves. Carlino typically has a handle on navigating romances, but for some reason this plot/story choice lessened the strength of her writing and I came out of it feeling like it wasn't her writing at all. I know writers can be malleable to what their stories need, but it felt like a different writer completely. Because I couldn't get a grasp on the character's motives or emotions, understanding their push-pull and what kept them coming back to one another over the years became incredibly difficult. I wasn't able to be drawn in and feel their intense emotion or enjoy the angst of their romance of which was a big piece of this story.

I've enjoyed Renee's books in the past, but sadly this book wasn't for me as her others have been. However, I am looking forward to whatever story she comes out with next.

I started this book with youthful optimism and a romantic's outlook. As I continued to be a part of Penny and Gavin's past, both my optimism and romanticism grew. As I was forced to endure their present my heart broke, my optimism withered, and my hope shriveled. This book is not an easy read. It's not unicorns and butterflies. Nothing is easy except that kiss.

Blind Kiss has an unusual meet cute. It's exciting, nervous, and the stuff romance novels are written about. Every crazy heart filled wish springs from that kiss. And yet, reality gets in the way. Life happens. Doubts, fears, and bad choices spring up. Love is misguided by pride, hurt, and loneliness.

This book will hurt the optimistic romantic. It will dull your shine for a bit. But you can't give up, there will be no quitting. Blind Kiss redeems it's depressingly realistic story with an incredible surprise.

Join me in a toast...to love!

I'm a huge fan of Renee Carlino and since I discovered her I have read all of her books. Blind Kiss is her newest angsty second chance romance. This book has more angst and back and forth than I have read in a long time. I wanted to love it. I really wanted to love it, but something was just off for me. I didn't really love either Gavin or Penny. I liked them. I even felt for them. I was mostly frustrated and mad at them for not speaking up and admitting to their feelings. It was a long fourteen years and I swear I yelled and cried the entire time. Their love was fierce, but it was never enough. The timing was off. The situations wrong. It was too frustrating for me. I still love Renee and I can't wait to get my hands on her next book.

Blind Kiss by Renee Carlino was full of angst and love, loyalty and friendship. This book had me all over the place emotionally. I felt their heartbreak, their happiness, their love and loss.

Penny is a dancer in college when the story opens. She takes part in a psychology experiment to see if a blind kiss will make you feel anything if you cannot see the person and just go with feelings and chemistry. Gavin is more of a free spirit going from one girl to another living life how he sees fit. When Penny and Gavin meet their sparks ignite. Penny pushes Gavin away and Blind Kiss takes us on their journey of ups and downs in their lives through adulthood into kids, marriage, etc. One decision puts them on this course like a roller coaster ride.

Their friendship – best friends – as they call each other, keeps them in their lives forever. They are their person for each other. This makes it hard for their other relationships. No matter how they try at times to stay apart, they always wind up needing the other one. Penny’s husband, Lance, has always had a hard time coming second. Penny lost herself in her marriage, and just coasted through life. They say timing is everything, and Penny and Gavin are never in sync with it being the right time for them to be together.

This book was so emotional for me. Although Penny and Gavin can be frustrating at times, I loved them and their friendship. You may get frustrated with the characters, and their indecisiveness but it is so worth it. Renee Carlino does a fabulous job telling this story, and you will have all the feels through the characters plight. You may love it, you may hate it, but one thing is for sure, you will be emotional throughout it. I give it 5 stars, and am a huge fan of Renee’s.

With an off the charts angst level, Blind Kiss left me with all the feels. Honestly, I finished this book 24 hours ago, and I still haven't been able to process exactly how I feel about it! Laughter, tears, screams, and everything in between will be felt while reading this emotional story.

14 years ago Penny & Gavin agreed to be part of a "Blind Kiss" study, both wanting free coffee, and neither expecting it to change their lives forever. Despite their undeniable chemistry, Penny keeps Gavin firmly in the friend zone yet their relationship is anything but platonic. As the years go by they each make decisions that change the course of their lives, but their bond never seems to falter.

With a story that spans decades, Renee Carlino takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster. While I'm still torn on how I ultimately feel about the story and characters, I can say without a doubt that it was a beautifully written book. While I wanted to scream & jump through the pages to strangle Penny, or hug Gavin, I was so engrossed that I couldn't put it down. I felt every emotion, and that right there is the sign of an amazing author.

Blind Kiss centers on Penny and Gavin. From beginning to end we learn about their friendship and when Penny marries and has a child, needless to say things head into a different direction!
Jealousy, angst and family and also sad moments, this book is certainly different! Its like anyones life, with the trials and tribulations that happen!
A roller coaster ride and I often wondered how it would end!!
A good heartfelt read!

4.5 stars

"I loved women, especially the weird ones. But Penny was more unique and talented and beautiful than any girl I had ever met."

The blurb is the perfect summary of this book. It all started with the blind kiss experiment, during which the sparks flew off of Penny and Gavin. I was intrigued to see how things between these two characters would develop. Normally, I love the dark and broody types, however I loved Gavin's dramatic and chaotic personality (not always though). Penny, was more serious, dedicated and had her life somewhat figured out. Gavin didn't really fit her plan that much, but she couldn't get rid of him. He was exciting and unpredictable, and I really enjoyed reading about his unique antics. Because we go back and forth into the past and presence, we already know that Penny and Gavin settle on being just friends. I wanted to see how these two came to make this difficult decision.

Were there times I was annoyed by the decisions made by both Penny and Gavin? YES! Especially, Penny made me angry at times at the decisions she made. She had her dramatic moments as well, which made me roll my eyes. However, would these two have made it if they got together when they first met? I have no idea. Blind Kiss was definitely angsty at times, but nothing I couldn't handle. Did I cry? Yes, I shed some tears, especially towards the end when my heart broke. I have a love/hate relationship with books that go back and forth between past and presence, however, I think it fit this story very well. I really enjoyed this story a lot, and I was hooked to the story until the end. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because of the last quarter of the book. In my opinion there should've been more chapters, to have me fully enjoy the story. Everything kind of came together too perfectly and then it was finished. It left me a bit unsatisfied to be honest. However, the rest of the story was beautiful, original and heartbreaking at times. I highly recommend this book!

4.5 Hearts

Holy angst, Batman! I have never wanted to cheat and read the end of a book so bad! But I was a good little reader and didn’t do it. I actually didn’t even read the synopsis so I went in totally blind.

This is a story of friendship, family, life, and love. It all started with a kiss. An epic kiss. A kiss that starts a friendship that Penny and Gavin didn’t expect. A friendship that walked the line. That line between friendship and more. Until she had to make a decision that would change their lives.

Sorry...I can’t go into it more than that except to say how it made me feel. I felt for Penny and Gavin. I fell for Gavin from the very beginning. He is funny, smart, sexy, and protective. I liked Penny from the beginning. She had a lot to deal with with from beginning to end. I got it. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t want to throw my kindle at her head a few times. The angst, I tell ya, the angst is strong with this one. The anticipation killed me. Their story pulled me in. As much as I wanted to slap them, I want to hug them.

Overall...this book is one hell of a ride. I cried. I laughed. I swooned. I cried some more. I was a mess.

Quotes:

“Yes, Penny. I want to study you . . . I mean with you. I’ll be here.”

“I’m looking at you. I always see you, Penny.” His eyes were intense.

“Well, Tiny Dancer, I came here to see a show.”