This is probably the best romantic story of the decade, and definitely the best of the year. I know it's only April, but contenders have a lot to beat with this sassy, funny, thoughtful and brilliantly executed novel.
From the very first page, Pernille Hughes captivated me with her perfectly imangined and expressed ensemble cast. Jen (our heroine) has a boss who is a complete incarnation of the rich, entitled, beautifully coiffed business woman who 'has it all' (money, looks, great staff, children, show-off-able partner) but doesn't actually understand the real life costs of her way of living on people who are less privileged. In a short, brilliantly witty scene, the author tells us all this without an excess word or a hint of judgement. It's all there for the reader - we are trusted to suss out these characters and enter their ways of thinking and behaving. Brilliant! I thought, I'm going to love this book.
And from there it only gets better.
Jen is very engaging and her relationship with her sister Lydia provides a context and emotional depth that is too often missing in modern romance. Jen is REAL, and fully understandable, even if we don't always agree with her choices ... which of course she manages to repair by the end. Lydia is a wonderful, inspiring character (who really deserves a book of her own - I would definitely read it!). Jen's other dedication - to her dream of a micro-brewery - is also a clever addition, giving her even more depth and purpose.
The scenes in Copenhagen are very grounded and charming, making me sigh with the remembered pleasure of my last visit there. I'm sure this book should entice many an English-speaking traveller to explore Denmark - maybe the Danish tourist board should hand it out at promotional events. If only we could all meet the perfect Dane. Ah, Yakob. Hamlet, you are SO old hat with your hand-wringing style of romance - poor Ophelia. Move over and let lucky (and deserving) Jen and Yakob get on with it.
All in all, this is a pleasure to read and wull brighten anyone's day. Satsifying all the needs of the genre, Probably the Best Kiss also manages to deliver more depth and engagement than many in this mode. I will be looking out with great interest for this author's next book.

This book is a true rom-com and I absolutely loved it!

After a trip to Copenhagen, Jen is caught between the classic battle of heart and head. Prior to Copenhagen Jen was comfortable with her life, newly engaged to long-term boyfriend Robert and in control, then she met Jakob.

What I liked about this book were the aspects that ran underneath the overall love story. A big part of the book was Jen’s passion for craft beer and throughout the story, we learn a lot about the process of brewing. Another underlying story that I think brings another element to the book is that of Jen’s sister Lydia. Lydia faces her own battles and throughout this book, she becomes an inspiration with the things that she is achieving (I’m not going to give spoilers) as well as trying to open older sister, Jen’s, eyes to the possibilities of life.

From the very beginning of the book, there are laugh out loud moments and I just wanted to keep reading.

This is the first of Pernille’s books but I will be keeping my eyes peeled for more in the future.

I am happy I stumbled upon this book!

Pick this one up if you’re interested in a rom-com that weaves much more into the story, also if you are interested in beer like the protagonist of this story 🍻 Cheers & happy reading!

I started out thinking I was in for another rom-com,while this definitely hit the mark, this story-line was filled with other complexities including: not settling and your passion(s) as well as what it means to let go. These additions added great depth to a story that could have flat-lined.

The story was easy to follow and many of the characters felt life-like and relatable.

Pick this one up if you’re interested in a rom-com that weaves much more into the story, also if you are interested in beer like the protagonist of this story 🍻 Cheers & happy reading!

(A review has also been posted to Amazon, but has yet to show up on the website - once it does show up, you can find it under the name @readwithkimmy)

Jen is in business with her long time friend. They market and sell incontinence pads. Jen has been seeing Robert, her bosses brother for six years and they have an arrangement that they see each other Wednesdays and Sundays as this fits in with their busy lives. When Robert proposes it is the last thing that Jen expected. When her business partner suggests they move things up a notch with a new product she is left wondering what on earth happened. Her real love in life is brewing, something she has a passion for and she sells at farmers markets and such like.(if you are from the UK you will recognise that the title is a play on a certain beer advert). Her sister Lydia is an inspiration. She lost her leg in the accident that killed their parents and Jen does all she can to support Lydia although sometimes it is the other way around. I learnt so much about beer and that there is such a thing as knitted/crocheted tampons- who knew such a thing existed? ! This is a well researched book and one that left me with a huge smile. Sometimes we all need that tonic to lift the spirits and this for me was perfect. One determined spirit, one slightly lost soul.
A truly wonderful read.
(links as part of blog tour)

I absolutely loved this book, yes you know whats going to happen from very early on but the journey is so worth it.

Jen a woman whose life is a series of to do lists is whisked away on her hen weekend with her sister and two friends. When she is rescued from a canal she starts to reevaluate her life and her relationships.

The side stories are well fleshed out so not just there to move things along. Loved the characters and in some cases their eccentricities. Well written and had me page turning way into the night. Will definitely look for this author again.

Thank you to HarperImpulse and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a fast, funny read with a happy end, but also touched on deeper issues in a positive way. Thinking here of topics like sibling relationships, Jen's changing point of view on romantic relationships and the status of women in a marriage beyond being a wife and baby-producing machine, being true to yourself and your passion in life, being able to ask for and accept help from friends. And I loved the inside knowledge on beer brewing, and the funny puns -'unbeerliebable!

I really enjoyed this book and was rooting for its very likeable heroine. It's a romcom, yes, but set against a beer brewing background I have never read about before, which sets it apart as something a bit different. A family tragedy, a disabled but feisty sister, a fiance so unsuitable he made me want to scream (!!!), and a horrendous prospective mother in law (not to mention crochet tampons) all add to the quirkiness and charm of this novel. But of course there is a hunky romantic hero too, and all the usual misunderstandings along the way that make the anticipated happy ending work.

If you are a fan of quirky, fun, light hearted rom-coms this is definitely the book you need to read. It is definitely a book with a feel good factor. If you are also a fan a craft ales/home brewing then this will be right up your street. A story revolved around following your heart, making choices and doing something for the passion of it; whether that is professionally or romantically.

With fun, likeable characters you can relate too, well written descriptions this book is a real treat. I enjoyed it in a couple of sittings.

Loved it! Was surprised by it- found it uplifting and engaging. Will post it shortly on my bookedupgirl blog

Upon being proposed to, Jen Attison naturally accepted it. Being a realist, she couldn't not, because even though Robert is not everything she would want in a partner, he is a decent man and stability in the marriage is definitely guaranteed - and boy is stability everything to her. But all that changed during her trip to Copenhagen where she meets a man who rescued her from falling into the water.

Apart from several grammatical errors (that thankfully did not affect my reading experience much), I'd say I enjoyed this fairly well. It's a meaningful book that is more about dreams, family and self-love than romance. Jen is also a very relatable character, and the author wrote her well. Her flaws were out for all to see, and though the story is pretty predictable, reading about how she got past her mistakes still made it interesting. Plus, brewing beer is her passion. Who has read about a character with that kind of skill? Certainly not me, and learning about it allowed me to keep my interest up. Definitely learned a thing or two!

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This book was really cute! Although it had a great romance aspect to it, there was so much more about it that was enjoyable. Jen's relationship with her friends and family as well as the difficulties she faced in putting herself first and chasing after her dreams, definitely helped in creating some conflict and a great story line. I loved everything about Jakob and that first kiss....probably one of the best kissing scenes I have ever read!

This made my heart go all fuzzy! I loved this rom-com book as it was different to anything I had read before. I could really identify with the character of Jen and how she keeps doing the safe thing. If you are looking for some good chick-lit this summer, this book is for you!

I have to admit, the craft beer brewing element was heavy in the beginning of this book and almost put me off. Especially b/c Jen in the beginning of this story is quite rigid and a little boring. But once I got into the story, the craft beer element was key and Jen softened around the edges and I couldn't stop reading. I really loved the secondary characters and how Jen's self-realization was multi-layered.

Funny, poignant and wonderfully descriptive - Pernille Hughes mixes family loyalties, perfect kisses and homebrew into an unlikely but perfect romcom.

From Copenhagen to the the British coast, from Yakob's almost perfection to Lydia's lust for life, from the inside of the brewing shed to the fabulous ensemble cast there was nothing not to love.

You might think you know how this is going to go- and you're sort of right- but there's more to it than you find in the the standard rom-com. Jen's living life but she's not having fun. She's working for money, not in her dream job, which is brewing. She's also caring for her sister Lydia, who was seriously injured and copes with loss. AND, while she's got a love interest in Robert, he's well, ho hum. A weekend trip to Copenhagen opens her eyes to other possibilities, including Jacob, the very nice Danish man who pulled her out of the canal. How does her life proceed? Will she accept Robert's proposal? Will she throw him over for Jacob? What about Lydia? What about brewing??? SO many questions! Thanks to net galley for the ARC. A very good read.

It's øl-verwhelmingly one of my favourite books of the year.

Jen Attison's life is organised...just as she likes it even though she wouldn't have chosen her current job if she's been honest. Taking on the guardianship of her younger sister meant responsibility far beyond her years and personal sacrifice. Life has been tough. As a consequence, she's making the best of life in an easily predictable way. So when her long-term boyfriend surprises her by proposing, she accepts her fate. Only, her sister, Lydia and their friends have other plans...a premature 'hen-do' in Copenhagen and a mystery man none of them envisaged but overwhelmingly glad he showed up when he did.

Jen is a woman of our current times...micromanaging her hectic life and responsibilities by relying on phone apps, lists and spreadsheets. She's a control freak...it works for her but it also makes her dull and predictable. By stark contrast, her sister is a ray of positivity. Lydia, maybe the younger sister, but she's insightfully refreshing. They clash as siblings do but for once, it is Lydia who is the wise one, pointing out where her older sister is going wrong in her life. For the sisters, it is a long overdue turning point in their relationship, freeing them both to follow their passions in their own unique way.

I can wholeheartedly say is, I was one hundred per cent invested in Jen's Danish distraction. As a reader it wasn't difficult, to fall for this fine specimen of Nordic swoon-worthy masculinity. He oozed sincere charm in a too-good-to-be-true way. As a result, I was sure this novel would be a five-star read for me. However, I felt a bit let down after the end of chapter 31...not because of his dramatic departure but because he didn't re-appear again until chapter 38! I was distraught!

Stand out elements of the narrative are the author's ability to bring her protagonists to life enabling the reader to feel their emotions. Additionally, an integral piece is this novel is passion and Ms Hughes does a fantastic job of drawing these intense reactions from the characters in both a positive and negative way. The dialogue is witty, the humour is subtle...just as I like it. Then there're the contrasting backdrops...Copenhagen, small town, England and the fascinating insight into the craft beer industry. With the latter offering some useful tips.

Last but not least, I haven't read any novels by any of the authors mentioned in the blurb so I haven't a clue if this novel is a good comparison. What I can say is, the author is new to me and one I'll be looking out for again. Skål!

4.5 stars

***arc received courtesy of HarperImpulse via NetGalley***

It's possible that since I am from a totally different geography, I might not relate to their way of speaking. I get the sentiments, but not the words. This story was very mild and light hearted, follow your passion, break free from safe and boring..and all that. The pace was a little slow for my liking, and since it was also angst-less, it made very less impact on me. Lydia's character was well very written and I enjoyed reading the banter of the sisters. Alice, the mature friend was also a very good addition to the story. We get to see very little of Jakob and their chemistry although good, comes sparingly.

Robert's character although expected to be boring, was way beyond boring and self centered. I expected a little more a fight from him, but he was hardly bothered. Goes to show how wrong he is for Jen, but still a little bit disappointed. I liked how Jen and Lydia made up. On the whole, a decent read, but left me wanting more passion or feelings.

The best aspect of this story was however, Jen's beer passion and I loved reading how it all came to be. The names of the flavors were awesome and they did so much justice to what she was feeling at that time. I wish we could get a glimpse into Attison Brewery's future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book was a surprise, and more women's fiction than romance. The main character Jen, doesn't realise that it wasn't only her sister's life that changed the day of the accident. Her outlook on life changed too, and she became afraid of losing the only family she had, keeping her own life safe and repetitive.
There was a big focus on beer, but it was a refreshing change and it was nice to be reminded that we only have one life and we should live it passionately with no regrets. Jen probably should have come clean a lot earlier to everyone, but again, that was the character's choice.
3.5 stars

I have to agree with the title, that almost certainly was Probably The Best Kiss in the World for Jen, after all she has been in a relationship for most of her adult life with a man that doesn't give her any excitement or passion.

So when she finds there is even some attraction to the Danish hunk that fishes her out of a canal, which she fell into saving her mobile phone, her life goes a bit into free-fall.

Jen loves control and to do lists, she has every second of a day mapped out, and hates the unexpected, so for her meeting Jakub isn't exactly in her life plan. After all she has a boyfriend, who she could be engaged to - but it is when she can't bring herself to start lists on her new wedding app, that the reader gets an inkling things aren't quite right.

What I loved about Jen was her true passion, which is for craft beer, and you get to know a fair bit about it. I don't think I've read a book where craft beer and brewing plays such a large part before, but it was incredibly welcome.

However as much as I enjoyed reading about Jen, it was the insights into her sister Lydia that added another dimension to this story. Without giving anything away I will say that Lydia is an inspiration, and the tragic happening in the sisters past has shaped everything about their current character traits.

From the first few pages I knew I would enjoy this, from the funny start, to the company that Jen works for - again definitely not read a main character that is in charge or marketing incontinence pads before! In fact Jen is just rather unique and every time I had to put the book down due to real life I did so with a smile on my face and a yearning to continue.

This is the second book I've now read from Pernille Hughes and it is just a great as the first. If you are looking for a wonderful rom-com, that also had a few surprises in it, then this is definitely worth a read.

Many thanks to Harper Impulse and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I wanted to love this book, However, for me, it was spoiled by the never ending talk about beer. What beer is made of. How beer is made. The many many many different types of beer described in depth, the sales of beer. The marketing of beer. Beer around the world. The smell of beer. The taste of beer. The colour of beer. Beer. Beer. Beer.

That is not what I wanted to read and not what the descriptor spoke of. Feeling disappointed in this book and couldn’t even finish it. Sorry but this is not for me