Audrey has had a really rough life. Losing her mom at 15yrs old, having to pitch in and help raise her siblings because her dad is so bogged down with grief...But to Audrey, family is EVERYTHING! She makes the ultimate sacrifice when putting her life on hold in order to keep her family together. She does have one “selfish” indulgence-she takes one class per semester at the community college. She‘s not taking classes working towards a degree, but because she truly enjoys learning. But she begins to wonder what she may be missing out on when she meets the handsome, new college professor.

Ronan loves teaching! When his grandma suffers a health crisis, Ronan decides to temporarily move back to the Boston area, to Kissing Creek. Ronan accepts a job as a professor at the area community college where he can continue to teach and work on his book. Although his family (sister and grandma) are important to him, his work is his LIFE. Ronan has no intentions of EVER settling down. HIs flighty mom all but guaranteed that. Until he stops by for coffee and meets Audrey...

Love, loss, and life....This story had all the feels. I laughed, cried, and wanted to strangle a few people along the way. The quirky facts were AWESOME. I loved that education was highly valued! Ronan’s support of Audrey and her dreams was endearing. I also enjoyed that Audrey wasn’t your typical “skinny, perfect girl”. She was NORMAL and was very accepting of herself. Ronan’s grandma was gruff, but a softy too. This was a feel good, huggable story with forgiveness being key in moving towards happiness. I read a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.

Favorite Quotes:

Ronan didn’t date much these days—he’d tried it once or twice, and it always ended up in tears. Never his.

The llama let out the same bleating, hollering sound, which could only be described as Chewbacca on helium crossed with angry cat gurgling. In other words, a sound that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

He loved his grandmother to bits… But her stubborn Irish blood made her tough as nails and twice as sharp.

Maybe it was the worry festering in his brain about his grandmother getting old. But his resentment was hot and angry, and it was so close to the surface he was sure that if he turned his wrist over he would see it bubbling in his veins.

She had dark hair and darker eyes and looked so effortlessly glamorous that Audrey suddenly felt like a cave troll having a bad hair day.

“…their coffee tastes like dishwater.” “That’s putting it mildly,” Audrey quipped. “I would have said it tastes like Satan’s backwash.”

My Review:

I enjoyed this kickoff installment for a new series; it was a fun and cleverly amusing read, yet it hit all the feels with insightful observations, realistic issues, heartbreaking family concerns, delicious sensual steam, and enigmatic personalities. The characters were appealing and endearing as well as earnest, hard-working, and sincere. I loved that the Rubenesque and uneducated high school dropout Audrey was a trivia genius with a brain bulging with obscure facts on an endless array of topics that could stump a panel of college professors on their best days. I gleaned a considerable amount of UBIs from Audrey that may prove useful someday such as the fact that babies have extra bones, wombats poo in cubical form, and male elephants have highly impressive personal units… all information that was previously unknown to me. I had such a good time with this one I am eager to see what Ms. London does with the rest of the series.

I get so excited every time I see a new novel from this author. She never disappoints with the way she takes a seemingly normal story and transforms in into a romance we dive head first into and enjoy the ride.

Audrey Miller is stuck in a job she hates but can’t walk away from. Not when her siblings are counting on her to provide for them. She hates all things mushy which doesn’t fit in with her hometown of Kissing Creek. Cue the eye rolls. Then one day Ronan Walsh walks into the coffee shop and she thinks she may have to reconsider. He isn’t looking for permanent and neither is she, but they may find a temporary distraction is just what they need.

This novel is so cute, but not in that overly cute way that leads you to put the book down. It flows and touches on feelings and emotions that most of us have felt at one point or another. As usual the storyline flows effortlessly and sucks me right in. Such a nice way to head into the cooler, stay at home reading weather. Curl up with this new release and a cup of tea and enjoy the ride. 4 1/2 stars

Ronan Walsh has never known unconditional love, leading him to a life observing others and become a professor teaching the nuance of human connections.
Audrey has sacrificed everything she ever had to protect and provide for her siblings to ensure they have the education and the tools to get them out of the town they grew up in. The town of kissing is where she has to be, a town that is a transient place for those studying to better themselves. Taking occasional courses at the college to keep her mind sharp is the only thing that keeps her going.
Fate has a way of healing the wounds that are bone deep. For Ronan and Audrey their connection is just as deep. This romance is beautiful and impactful, their connection and sacrifices powerful. This book is enticing and truly powerful to read. I fell in love with them.

Kissing Lessons is the first in Stefanie London's Kissing Creek series. I enjoyed my intro to small-town Kissing Creek where romance and love should be just around the corner. I enjoyed getting to know Audrey and Ronan and seeing how their relationship developed. Kissing Lessons is a fun, sweet, and sexy romance that I couldn't put down. And the chapter facts might come in handy the next trivia night.

Kissing Lessons is a sweet story with characters who are strong and positive. An easy, positive read.

Kissing Lessons is an adorably sweet story about a small down girl and the young professor who moves into town. Audrey is the eldest sibling of 5 who took over raising her siblings when her mother died. She is an extremely strong and dedicated person who loves her family. Ronan has traveled and studied all over the world, the small town of Kissing Creek is just a stop on his journey so he can be closer to his family in Boston.

I loved the nerdy aspects of this book. This love story is entertaining and has some definite steam which i wasn't sure would happen, but this was definitely not a "Fade to black" book. There was tension and drama and a whole cast of colorful characters. A very entertaining book. I didn't love the 3rd person POV and it was sometimes challenging to know who's chapter it was. Initially there were interesting facts at the start of each of Audreys POV chapters, but it wasn't consistent so that became confusing.

If you like small town romances you will definitely want to take a trip to Kissing Creek for some Kissing Lessons.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily give my review.

I can always count on a great read with Stefanie's books and this did not disappoint. I really think this is one of my favorites of hers. Kissing Lessons is the first in a new series and set in a college town. The two leads, Audrey and Ronan, are both beautifully damaged people. I love nothing more than a book that is character driven, and this one most assuredly is. Audrey has essentially lost her parents and is consumed with raising her younger sibling; at an extreme cost to herself. Ronan has dissociated himself from pretty much everyone in his life. When these two lost souls meet everything changes for them.

Watching the growth and love develop between Audrey and Ronan is a beautiful thing. Two very lost people learning how to adapt to placing their relationship first is a joy to read. This is one of those books where you fall in love with the characters.

I also love the trivia tidbits Stefanie has peppered throughout the story. Having done trivia in pubs many times, it was fun reading about an experience I enjoy so much. Thanks for the great read and I am looking forward to the next in this series.

Received as an ARC from Netgalley. Thank you.

The story as intriguing and exciting. I enjoyed the characters and their backstories. It could have been a bit quicker but nevertheless, it was a lot of fun.

Great book. Loved the premise and the characters. Must read. Go get it. Loved Ronan and Audrey. Yeah book

Such a nice reading! I love Audrey and Ronan. They are so real, like everybody’s small town neighbor. This is a rom-com about family love, devotion, funny facts, taking chances and fighting our own demons.
Audrey Miller has two jobs to be able to maintain her siblings. His dad is perpetually unemployed, an alcoholic and sometimes a bit violent. He doesn´t want his children to study or to have a better life, but Audrey is giving up her own dreams for them.
Ronan has a lot of family issues with his mom, and he doesn´t do forever. He doesn´t trust relationships. But when he arrives at Kissing Creek, he immediately falls for Audrey´s charm and intelligence. She is full of funny facts and love for knowledge.
As they spend time together, Audrey and Ronan are going to learn that falling in love is not an option, and that dreaming of a better life is always the right choice.
The book has great sexy times, is quite romantic and if you love small town romances you are going to find this really engaging. Beautiful HEA and lots of love declarations!!

*I received this book free from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.*

Audrey hadn't been dealt the best hand in life, but she did everything in her power to make the best of what she had. Her mother passed away, her father was present, but not really there, and she spent her time working two jobs and trying to raise her four younger siblings so that they could ascend to bigger and better things. Ultimately she put her own wants and desires in a box and locked it away so deep she never even visited it.

Ronan grew up with a non-existent father and a mother who was self-involved in her art that it seemed as if she forgot she had two kids. Thankfully he had a grandmother who was there for him and his sister. Although that wasn't enough to keep him from becoming more like his mother than he'd care to admit. He focused on his career, put all his effort into it, and never wanted anything to care for so he wouldn't have to risk getting his heart broke again. Of course that all changed when he moved to Kissing Creek in order to be closer to his aging grandmother and his nephew. That was where he discovered getting a coffee wasn't as simple as he'd thought. It came with being called a sex robot and accused of being a thief by a woman he would never forget.

"No, I was dancing with a leprechaun, and he turned me too fast." She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I fell."

Ronan was intrigued by her brain and entranced by her beauty (curves and all). Audrey was enraptured by everything that was Ronan. Did they try to fight it when they realized he was her professor? Yes. Did they fight it after she dropped his class? Not, at all!

Ronan discovered that he wanted roots. He wanted Audrey. And Audrey discovered she wanted everything that she'd put in that locked box. Together they learned that they could have it all without a single sacrifice.

"Every day without you is like being torn apart."

Kissing Lessons was a cutsie read. It had drama, mixed with a little humor, and a little romance. Oh and a llama. Can't forget the llama...or the fun facts. I may have already shared a few of those facts with my own kids.

Audrey and Ronan’s love story in Kissing Lessons by Stefanie London, book one in her Kissing Creek series, was an amazing, sizzling, emotional and humorous tale. Ms. London is a definite go-to for small town reads; understanding the quirkiness of its residents. From the daily trivia bits of information Audrey imparts on her siblings to the mean llama who’s the college mascot, Kissing Lessons will draw you in and not let go.

Life didn’t give Audrey Miller much of a life. With the death of her mom, she dropped out of high school, became the pseudo-mom for her younger siblings, and works as a barista, in a college town, meeting lots of people for whom she has no time for, to help with their finances. Ronan Walsh is a new, young professor who decides to step in for a coffee; and unexpectedly steps into Audrey life. Audrey knows his type, intelligent and charming, yet as sweet as a cinnamon roll; definitely her cup of tea but always out of her league. Ronan sees through Audrey, encouraging her need to learn and how intelligent she actually is. Audrey’s walls keep her from believing that she has no future but Ronan has been destroying that wall, a brick at a time. Ronan’s teaching position is temporary, but he has the power to make it more permanent. Neither are looking for love, but in a small town called Kissing Creek, love is not always possible to avoid.

Ms. London wrote a fun, emotional, and sizzling romance that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with emotions, sizzling chemistry, humor, trivia tidbits, and charming characters giving Audrey and Ronan a chance at love and forever. I highly recommend Kissing Lessons to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

What a pleasant surprise Kissing Lessons was! Honestly? I requested to review this book based solely on the cover and synopsis (picturesque small town where everybody knows everybody’s business? Yes please!) So I wasn’t expecting much from the characters; for me (initially) the star of the book was looking to be the town.

And then I started reading and colour me shocked! I absolutely ADORED Audrey and Ronan! To be fair anything that begins with the female protagonist calling the male protagonist a sex robot (even if it was by accident) in their first meeting is looking to be a winning read in my eyes (and it was). I really wasn’t expecting to like the main characters as much as I did. Individually and together, they were both so much fun to read!

You know what I think makes this book stand out the most though? The fact that the author steers away from stereotypes altogether, (well except for the town itself), when it would’ve been so easy to just fall in to the whole stereotype thing, especially with a book featuring a small town. Ronan is unlike any professor I’ve ever come across or read about and I was so happy to see a body-positive portrayal of Audrey. It was such a breath of fresh air and honestly such a relief (because had the book even had a hint of fatphobia in it, it would’ve ruined the whole book for me (and this review wouldn’t have been half as positive as it is now).

Kissing Lesson’s bought back the slow-burn (and how!) romance for me, this is the first decent slow-developing (in a good way) romance that I’ve read in months. No sexy stuff goes on with the main characters for at least the first 40% of the book, although this may have changed as I read an early release copy of Kissing Lessons.

I would love to see Kissing Lessons, turned into a film or a TV show (Prime, Netflix or Passionflix, I’m not picky). I’d say Hallmark because that’s the feel I got/what popped into my head as soon as I read the first chapter but Kissing Lessons has way more sexy times (and I was here for all of them haha). I know I’ve said this about a couple of books recently, but what can I say? Entangled’s recently been publishing books that would make great book to tv/film adaptations.

Apparently this is book one in the Kissing Creek series and I’m intrigued, I have no idea who the next book might be about (I don’t think we were given any hints) but I CANNOT wait to go back to Kissing Creek and find out.

Anyone who has read my reviews knows that I’m a huge fan of Stefanie London. Let me tell you, KISSING LESSONS, didn’t let me down. I loved so much about this book: a curvy heroine who puts family first, but doesn’t let life’s lemons keep her down. Add in a smart, sweet hero who has a soft spot for his grandmother, and our heroine…Perfection.

The chemistry between Audrey and Ronan sparked from the first moment and just kept building, giving us a tender, romantic, yet very sexy romance.

As in all Stefanie London books, the secondary characters really rounded out the storyline and added additional depth and emotion (and laughter…can you say, mean llama). The author does include a serious subject matter (death, grief, a family shaken), but it’s handled in a gentle and kind manner. This is also a student/teacher romance in the beginning, but again it was handled in a professional and responsible manner (she’s an adult…26, part-time student, and he’s only a few years older).

You would think looking at Audrey and Ronan’s backgrounds, their priorities, and goals, there is no way these two will end up with a HEA, but in reality, they were the perfect match. In KISSING LESSONS, you get a sweet, fun, sexy romance, and may even win the next pub trivia challenge!

I highly recommend KISSING LESSONS and can’t wait for the next installment in this new series.

This is an espresso shot of rom com joy! This was exactly what I needed to uplift my spirits this week.
Audrey and Ronan are great characters on their own but their interactions are whimsical and fun. I was endlessly entertained by the rom com shenanigans they found themselves in.
Besides the funny, romantic side this story also had a serious one. Audrey and Ronan come from troubled homes and its so nice to see people overcome less than stellar circumstances. I particularly admired Audrey for her outlook on life and her devotion to her siblings, as well as to her dreams. Ronan was a dreamboat too. I knew I was going to like him from the first interaction we have with him and his family.
The dilemma is one that London has tackled before: long-distance relationship/living in different places romances. I think this is a plot line she handles well and doesn't linger on too much. It doesn't take over the story and is quickly resolved. I would like to see London venture away from this plot in future books though since I've read this plot line in three of her books already (The Aussie Next Door, Her Aussie Holiday & Kissing Lessons).
Kissing Lessons offers a perfect getaway from real life and delivers the reader to a Stars Hollow-like town filled romance and fun. I would recommend this to readers who like Jill Shalvis, Melonie Johnson and Tawna Fenske.

What an enjoyable read! I've read only one book by this other before but have added more to my TBR list.

What I loved:
- small, quirky town
- full figured heroine
- smart heroine
- handsome hero with a sense of humour - those elbow patches
- both having a hard family life in the past and present
- their connection
- his admiration of her intelligence
- the side characters (siblings & grandmother)

What I missed:
- more....I wanted more.
- more interaction with her siblings & hero together
- interactions with his grandmother
I enjoyed the story and wanted it to continue a bit more.

3.5 stars

I liked Rowan and Audrey quite a bit and would have loved the story more if the family issues they both were dealing with were dealt with a bit deeper since they’re a major part of their lives. I found the off page confrontation between Audrey and her father less than satisfying and not fitting with what she’s put up with from him. If serious subject matter is going to be part of the plot line, it deserves more than lip service in its conclusion.
The characters were fine, but the town is a bit too kitchsy for my taste. From what I understand, it’s part of a series, so I’ll try the next book, as I do love many of the other stories in the author’s catalogue. This one just didn’t impress me much.

I’m always on the lookout for curvy heroines, and seeing one on the cover of the book really caught my eye. Even better, this book leans hard into some rom-com tropes and it was such a satisfying read because of it.

“But, in Audrey’s opinion, the little moments mattered in life, too.
And that’s what she did—she gave people little moments of joy.”


Ronan studies motivation and mental fortitude. He’s spent most of his time focused on his career with the end goal of getting tenure at an Ivy league college. That’s carried him through Harvard and Cambridge, but after his beloved grandma started having health problems, he accepted a visiting professor position in Kissing Creek in order to be closer to Boston and his family. Audrey has lived in Kissing Creek all her life and has no plans to go anyone else. After her mom died in childbirth 14 years ago, Audrey dropped out of high school and dedicated her life to helping her younger siblings, working two jobs. With one off at college, two getting ready to graduate high school, and one starting high school, the end is in sight. Her lone concessions to her intellectual curiosity are one college night course a semester and researching daily trivia facts for her siblings. She’s really looking forward to the positivity class she’s taking this semester – until she has an embarrassing run-in with the new and extremely hot professor at the coffee shop she works at. They’ve got serious sparks, however, and in such a small town, they can’t help but keep running into each other. One thing leads to another, and soon they’re unable to deny their connection any longer. But with Ronan on the way off to bigger and better things, and Audrey firmly planted in her home, what chance does their relationship have?

“Aren’t dreams a bit…” Audrey lifted one shoulder into a shrug. “Self-indulgent? That sounds harsh, and I don’t mean to be. Maybe I mean more that dreams are for people who’ve got survival sorted out.”


Audrey was such a fun and positive character. She tried so hard to do the best for he siblings while not completely short-changed herself. I loved the trivia facts as something that she used to both connect with her siblings and satisfy her intellectual curiosity. I have a thing for Cinderella retellings, and in some ways, Audrey’s life has a very Cinderella vibe. Audrey is very, very clear, however, that she can rescue herself, thank you very much. She’s almost to the opposite extreme – she refuses to accept help, even well-intentioned help. If someone puts a toe over one of her boundaries, she’s done. Ronan’s deliberately not made time for anything except work, and his feelings for Audrey, and the changes in his life, are strange and unsettling. They bond, though, over their shared love of learning. While they do spend some time as professor and student, their relationship only really starts to progress once that’s no longer true.

“You’re a mystery reader?” Audrey asked, peering around his arm.
“My grandmother is. She’s got quite the collection, so I always keep a lookout for anything special when I find a new bookstore.”
“You’re looking for books for your grandmother’s collection?” Audrey shook her head. “Could you be any more of a cinnamon roll?”


Both of their families play a big part in the book. Audrey’s siblings, of course, are her life, and the amount of love they had for each other was delightful. Ronan’s relationship with his cantankerous grandma and sister was sweet, as well. A lot of Ronan’s qualities, for better or worse, came from his grandma, and he truly appreciates her for that. Both also have negative family relationships, as Ronan has a strained relationship with his estranged mom, and Audrey’s dad is, well, awful.

“Aren’t llamas supposed to be all fuzzy and cute?”
Audrey made a scoffing noise. “No. You’re thinking about alpacas, which are sweet-natured little bundles of fleece and eyelashes. They wouldn’t hurt a fly. I love alpacas. But llamas… They’ll cut you.”


One of the things I loved about the book was that it’s very wink-wink-nudge-nudge about its rom-com status. With a name like Kissing Creek, most of the small businesses try to capitalize on it with silly romance-themed puns. At one point, Ronan sarcastically asks if he’s in a rom-com and should be on the lookout for any princesses-in-hiding, and Audrey calls him a cinnamon roll at one point (he is, he really is). There’s also some traditionally silly small town hijinx, like the local llama escaping the farm and cornering the two of them in a book store. Given the title of my blog, I was 100% here for the cantankerous llama-inspired rom-commery.

Given that the heroine on the cover is noticeably curvy, I figure I should also address that. There’s some minor fatphobia, but mostly in terms of how she was bullied in school for her weight and how she’s happy with her size now. There’s a couple of mentions of food not being good for her, etc, but it wasn’t overpowering. And while Ronan appreciates her curves, it didn’t feel to me like it was fetishizing. Her weight doesn’t really play a part – negative or positive – in her relationship.

Overall, this was the perfect book for a stressful week, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something lighthearted, especially if they love llamas!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Love all the fun facts in the beginning of some of the chapters. Audrey and Ronan are two broken souls who heal their brokenness with each other. Love the story line. Their ending is beautiful.