4 stars

Stefanie London's Kissing Lessons is a delightful addition to the romance genre that provides fabulous representation of a plus-size woman discovering all of the many things that she can be.

I really, REALLY enjoyed this book. As a plus-size woman myself, I love reading books about heroines who deal with romantic issues that I encounter in my life. So many times with plus-size romance, I find that insta-love gets used too liberally and I really appreciated how the relationship between Ronan and Audrey progressed a lot more naturally.

Where this book really excelled for me, however, was the way that London did not define the heroine by her size alone. It is certainly referenced, but the source of her doubt in the relationship revolve around other factors. The idea that Ronan would not be interested in her because of her size is mentioned maybe once or twice, but it is immediately undercut by making a point that such thinking is harmful.

Huge thanks to this book for letting me live my fantasy about a sexy Irish professor! I hope that there are more Kissing Creek books to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange of a fair and honest review!

I had so much fun with Audrey and Ronan's story! There was an underlying deep subject throughout that I'm glad got resolved satisfactorily. Audrey deserved to get what she needed to thrive. Ronan finally found a place to call home. Wonderful book. Can't wait for more Kissing books...

I admit, I’m a fan of Stefanie London’s writing, so I’m not sure my review will be all that impartial. Stefanie’s books, for me, always have the right dose of heart, humor and heat, and “Kissing Lessons” is no exception. Both main characters, Audrey and Ronan, come to the relationship with baggage. Audrey has dedicated her life to raising her brothers and sisters, while Ronan watched his mother walk out on him as a child. It doesn’t help that their first meeting is less than ideal, too. I’m not very keen on discussing plot in a review, only because it seems so many other reviewers do and it becomes tedious. Instead I’ll say that I really connected with the characters and felt particular empathy for Audrey. There were moments of laughter, sadness and hope. “Kissing Lessons” was sweet and sexy and a great read. It was a wonderful world to get lost in for a few hours, and I’m looking forward to more visits to Kissing Creek in the future. I highly recommend it. (Note: My gratitude to the author and publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.)

Oh how I love a strong and fierce female lead character. Audrey encompassed everything I believe should be in a head of the family character. You could sense the tight bond she had with her siblings, especially Deanna. This youngest sibling is too cute, too smart, too inquisitive, with just the right of teenage sass. And she was spitting image of Audrey, inside and out. I adored the way she took care of her family, even her troubled father. But I loved even more the way she opened up and brightened with Ronan. The two of them together were a great pair and provided the personality trait that each was missing. Ronan is a determined go-getter who wanted everything for Audrey and she helped him with his family situation. A perfect match, although with baggage and hangups, that ended in a beautiful and very sweet manner.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher through Netgalley.

By the blurb, it sounded really interesting. Once I started reading the story, I really started enjoying it. A quick read, I got so involved it only took the weekend to finish. Great story!

Audrey would do anything for her family and that includes pushing aside all her plans and wishes for the future in order to be there for those she loved. She works multiple jobs to make ends meet and the one source of entertainment she has is the intermittent college courses she manages to take.

Ronan is a college professor who has recently moved to town to be near his family, but his time here has an expiry date. Even though he and Audrey’s first meeting wasn’t without its confusion they are both drawn to each other in a way that neither expected.

The interactions between them are humorous while the romance is the perfect mix of sweet and steamy. The only thing they have in common are their feelings for each other which causes some angst along the way as they decide if all they can have are happy memories or the life they both deserve together.

This book was such a good story! Normally I am not for the teacher who falls in love with the student and vice versa stories. But this one was so different because one, she was much older and two, you could feel their connection through the pages. I love when a romance novel just pulls you in and you can feel the connection in your soul! This was such a great read; I wish I could forget it and re-read it!
I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Audrey is all her siblings have. After their mom died, their dad fell off the wagon and turns to drinking and becoming angry. She has put her entire life on hold for her siblings so they can grow up and leave Kissing Creek. Working two jobs and taking a wide range of night classes just to fulfill her love for knowledge she has no time for herself. In comes Ronan, a college professor straight out of Cambridge and into their little town. The attraction between them is instant from the second she calls him a sex robot. Ronan does not have the life that everyone thinks he has; he spends all his time invested in work leaving little time for himself. With both of his parents being deadbeats and his grandmother raising him. He decided to come back to the states to teach to be closer to her. The last thing he expects is to meet Audrey. Can their romance survive the obstacles in their way?

Stories like this warm my heart! In the very beginning, we are introduced to Audrey, who is virtually raising her four younger siblings. She is so caring, selfless, responsible, intelligent and beautiful that right away we are rooting for a happy ending for her. Her mother passed away and her father became a drunk and was abusive. Audrey felt she owed it to her mother to raise her siblings. So, she gave up every chance for herself so that her siblings could thrive. Then she meets Ronan, a professor at the local college. He encourages her to want to thrive for herself and achieve the dreams she gave up. There is also tremendous chemistry between them. Will she give herself a chance at really living? Just loved ghis story
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kissing Lessons introduces us to the New England town of Kissing Creek. We also meet life time resident, Audrey, and visiting professor Ronan.

This is a book I have mixed feelings about. I liked both Audrey and Ronan, but had a hard time connecting with them. I’m not sure why, but the emotional investment wasn’t there for me.

I enjoyed the fact that Ronan was able to look past circumstances and see just how wonderful Audrey was, but I think part of my struggle was that the towns people around her seemed content to let the struggle happen in the first place. Maybe it’s the current world wide situation, but part of me really wondered how Audrey was forced into being the sole caregiver for 4 younger siblings when her father was present.

The push/pull between Ronan and Audrey was entertaining and I was glad to see them inspire growth in each other. The random quotes and trivia added an element of fun that helped to offset some of the more serious elements.

Overall, this was a book that I liked. I am curious to see what may happen to Audrey’s siblings and other residents of Kissing Creek.

Kissing Lessons by Stefanie London

Contemporary romance. Romantic comedy style.
Ronan accepted a professor position in a small college outside Boston so he could be near family. Audrey supported her brother and sisters working multiple jobs, getting them to and from school and making sure homework was done. She ran the household and waylaid their father as much as possible. She loved her siblings so much and wanted them to get to college and lead successful lives so any sacrifice on her part was in the name of love. With a smile on her face and trivia to keep them engaged, Audrey is a power force of determination.

“It was this woman—this gorgeous, quick-witted woman. Ronan’s personal catnip was humor and a curvy figure, and Audrey had both dialed up to ten. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had gotten under his skin so […] quickly.“
Excerpt from Kissing Lessons by Stefanie London

Delightfully romantic and adorable with a couple of sexy hot scenes to make this romance dreamy.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Sweet college town story about what love and sacrifice truly mean. But does it mean you have to give up your own dreams too? Kissing Lessons is a charming, quic read that had me laughing so hard my sides hurt with Audrey's quirky trivia & Lily the llama's mean antics, and in tears during the tender moments that were shared about past family pain. In essence, this story has it all.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for Providing an advanced copy of this e-book. My thoughts and review are my own.

I always enjoy reading books by Stefanie London because she really has a gift in creating and describing her characters so individually and making it easy to dive into the story and feel connected.

Working two jobs Audrey Miller has a tough life, losing her mum early and shouldering the responsibility for her siblings and her deadbeat father. While always trying to be positive on the outside, she is afraid to admit to herself that she might be missing out on her own life. Then on her shift as Barista a new young professor steps right into her life and challenges not only her wits but also her personal boundaries. Audrey, who happens to be in one of his night classes, intrigues Ronan Walsh. But even if there is hell of a lot chemistry it is clear that they live totally different lives, have different goals and are not made for long-term….or so it seems ;-)

The story is enriched with quips, fun facts and deep conversations and perfectly balanced. I enjoyed reading it with a lot on fun moments laughing out loud and a nice hea. I recommend this one.

3.75stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the advance readers copy of this title.

Kissing Lessons by Stefanie London was a satisfying romance. Audrey Miller is a woman forced to grow up quickly when her mom passes away when she was a teenager. With a distraught dad who can't cope, Audrey steps in to take care of her four younger siblings. She does this while working two jobs and slipping in a college class here and there for her own enjoyment. One day Ronan Walsh comes into the cafe where Audrey works and sparks fly.

I found the book enjoyable. Audrey and Ronan are both enjoyable characters with their own separate hangups. I loved the little town of Kissing Creek and the relationship both main characters had with their families.

If there was something that didn't work for me it was that at times I felt like there was a bit too much of a deep dive into psychoanalysis as part of Ronan's research. I'm in a pretty strange headspace right now though so maybe if I were reading this at a different time I would have had a different impression?

Long story short, I found this to be a satisfying read and it was easy enough to pass by parts that weren't working for me. Overall though I loved the characters and premise of the book.

OMG, I love this book! So cute, sweet, sexy, and emotional. I couldn't put it down. I just wanted to keep reading about Audrey and Ronan. Both of these characters are amazing and I really enjoyed their chemistry.

Also, as a plus-sized person, it was really nice to read a story where the plus-sized character wasn't the butt of everyone's jokes. She was comfortable with who she was and I really appreciate that.

Love finds a way to be forever...

There are many things I love about Kissing Lessons. First of all, a curvy girl, every woman deserves to be loved and cherished. I admire Audrey for taking care of her 4 siblings. She worked 2 jobs and became the mom of the family after her own died. Dad was still alive, but he was never the same and was not present in his children's lives.

When Ronan came into the Kisspresso Cafe where Audrey worked as a barista, her socks were knocked off. He was gorgeous and the first man she had feelings for since forever. He was so out of her league. He ended up being her Professor which was a "not happening" situation. Ronan saw in Audrey a goodness that she did not see in herself. Ronan was blown away by her beauty, but also her intellect and love for wanting to learn.

Their lives were going in opposite directions. It was an impossible situation that they would become serious. But the heart wants what the heart wants. Their story was charming, sexy and so much fun. Especially when there is an obnoxious animal in the mix. If you love LOL moments, romance and fun facts, this story is for you. Once again Stefanie London has written another jewel of a story.

A great read.

Set in Kissing Creek, Audrey first meets Ronan when he goes to the coffee shop where she works. They don't get off to the best of starts, and then when she meets him again it is to find he is teaching the class she is taking at college.

Audrey is great, and I couldn't believe how she was treated by her father. She does everything for her family and nows she will never leave them. Ronan is only in town for a year and then expects to go to a larger college and further his career, so do they have a chance together?

Looking forward to more books in this series.

This was such a delightful book. I finished it within a day because I was so hooked. Audrey was a likeable character, taking care of her siblings and keeping her life on track. I really enjoyed her endless facts and trivia knowledge. Ronan, the new professor in town... Very cute. I also appreciated that this does not become an illicit student-teacher-forbidden love thing. Does Audrey have some annoying angst /personal issues going on? Yeah. But they didn't drag too much on my romance! This was a light, cute read with some fun steamy scenes.

I absolutely loved Audrey and Ronan's story.

From their meet cute at the coffee shop their chemistry was obvious. Ronan was so supportive and kind. He truly saw how smart and quick witted Audrey was and wanted to encourage her to reach for her dreams. She was hard-working, loved her family, and so strong and resilient. They were two characters who were easy to love.

Their story was well paced and I couldn't put it down. It's one of my favorite books this year.

The idea of a small town themed around kissing and love is a lot of fun. It's cute and interesting but doesn't feel too over the top. I can't wait to see what stories we get from this new series!

Audrey Millers life changed when her mom died and her father emotionally checked out. At twenty-six, she's working two jobs to keep food on the table for her younger siblings. Her one college class per semester is the only thing that is completely for her. But when her newest professor strolls into the coffee shop she works at as a barista, everything changes.

Ronan finds Audrey to be absolutely captivating, and he can't stop from seeking her out, despite the potential taboo of a professor/student relationship. Both Audrey and Ronan fight to keep their relationship within the bounds of propriety.

Kissing Lessons is a sweet small town romance between two lost souls. Audrey has put her life on hold to keep her family together, and she will fight tooth an nail to insure her siblings are taken care of. And Ronan was so damaged by his mother's disappearing acts that he's spent his entire adult life avoiding connections. Both characters have to learn to let go of all the damage that was brought about from their upbringings before they can move forward.

This is a feel good romance, a definite read, with a lot of witty banter, a wayward llama, and sexy steamy scenes. Grab this one today!

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Barbara's review Nov 08, 2020

I enjoyed reading the story of Ronan, a college professor and Audrey who works in a coffee shop in a small town. Ronan is Audrey’s professor. Audrey takes classes, because she loves to learn. Audrey is very smart and is a trivia expert. I enjoyed learning many fun trivia facts in this book. I was inspired by the examples of positive attitudes in Kissing Lessons. This is a funny, positive, and warm story with likable characters!