I was really very excited about this story and dived into it with so many expectations, but somehow the characters failed to hold my attention no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't bring myself to care for them, not really. In the end, I DNFed it.

The thing with romance books is that if you're not that invested in the main relationship, there's...not much left. This was a cute story, and I thought the last few chapters were particularly great, but I was never as immersed in the story as I wanted to be. I saw a lot of the conflicts coming a mile away, particularly the ones having to do with Noa and Lilah's relationship, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it did make me kind of frustrated with how long it took to actually get to them after they were basically spelled out. However, this gets major points in my book for having not one, but two sapphic Jewish protagonists!!

CW: stalking

Now has dropped out of college for a job as a makeup artist for B-rated horror movies. Her first job turns out to be with the actress she has a crush on. Her name is Lilah Silver. Noa is anxious and nervous about working on her as she doesn’t want to say the wrong thing to her. This movie is Lilah’s hope that it will be her last horror flick and be casted. In a more serious novel. Lilah and Noa don’t hit it off at first. Why? Noa and Lilah take a day together so that Lilah can be aware of the things and places where Noa hangs out. Why does this happen? Meanwhile unknown to Lilah and Noa, Lilah is being stalked. The stalker is becoming more forward towards Lilah. When she tells the director, he says keep quiet, I will take care of it. However Lilah doesn’t know who her stalker is. Will she find out?

In this coming of age novel (plus more), Lilah and Noa have a rocky romance. The quirky staff of the movie and supporting cast and “heart” is a novel that I enjoyed reading. It’s a low-heat and sweet coming of age novel.

I Kissed a Girl is a cute enough romance, but it really didn't do much for me. I found myself not caring about the characters at all.

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

This is a cute f/f rom com with awesome representation. The story is a bit slow for my liking, but I liked the main characters. I liked that Noa has a really artsy fun job as not just a makeup artist, but a special effects makeup artist. I also liked how Lilah came to terms with her bisexuality.

If this book was faster paced, I would have enjoyed it much more.

I Kissed a Girl is Jennet Alexander's debut novel. It's a contemporary romance where sparks fly between a makeup artist and an actress on a movie set. Horror-buff Noa Birnbaum is looking to find her place in the world of horror movie makeup, and she can't believe it when she's assigned to work on her long-time crush, Lilah Silver. Meanwhile, Lilah is drawn to the out-and-proud Noa, and hopes that Noa can help her find her place in the queer community.

My favorite thing about this book was Lilah. The depiction of her coming into her bisexuality, learning to find her place in the queer community, and battling internalized homophobia resonated so strongly with me as a bisexual reader. Her journey felt genuine and real, and I was rooting for her every step of the way. I can't personally speak to the Judaism rep, but I did love how both heroines bonded over their faith.

Unfortunately, I struggled with Noa and the romance blossoming between them. Noa is incredibly judgemental towards Lilah (from her love of romance novels to the feminine aesthetics of her home) and while it's clear that Alexander wanted to show Noa growing throughout the book, it often felt too much as though Noa was trying to fall in love with her idealized version of Lilah, rather than who Lilah actually was.

Still Alexander's research into Hollywood, makeup, and movie making really shines. The details she included brought the setting to life without ever bogging the story down.

While this wasn't a hit for me, I am looking forward to seeing what Alexander does next! I do think that readers who enjoy romances featuring actors or the movie business (particularly B-movie horror fans) will find a lot to enjoy here.

A cute f/f romance with horror movie references and two Jewish main characters for when you're looking for a quick, fun read. The pace was a little slow for me, but overall I enjoyed it.

It wasn't bad, just not anything really special. The dialogue at times felt kind of forced or unnatural, and maybe that's just how millennials speak, but it was hard to enjoy any of the banter between the two main characters. The conflict was pretty well written, but I found myself absolutely not rooting for the starring couple. The subplot is what the book had going for it in my opinion, though some of the "mystery" was a bit too on the nose and expected, but for a romance it should've had better- romance. It's not a terrible read, it's just not that good either. If you're bored, sure, give it a shot, otherwise, it isn't really worth your time.

First I should probably mention the pros.

- Lilah was a great character. Her thoughts, her entire story just helped me continue the book. Even down to the worries she had throughout the book. I wanted to see how she came out of everything, especially with the large side plot going on in the background.

-The representation. Heck, we have a Bi Jewish Mc, a Lesbian Jewish MC, A trans side character in a polycule, and more side queer characters. It was nice to see! And it felt right, specially with the addition for the "No one is half gay" moment.

Sadly, that's all I really loved about the book. I couldn't wait to see a work romance, that had to do between two people on a set (Where one wasn't a director or both weren't actors. Sadly, the romance didn't really catch me. The entire time I was still trying to see what Lilah saw in Noa, as she literally did keep feeling like her attraction to Lilah was all physical. Don't even get me started on the judgmental moments of the aspects of the actress. But the fact this culminated in well.... a list being seen of pros and cons, it just brought worse moments. Lists being used as plot devices is such an overused trope, and that being the reason for their blowup annoyed me more than it should have.

The 'stalker' plot was decent at first, but the heck did it spin way to fast by the last three chapters. It all happened so quickly, I still don't remember how we got to the girl's being trapped in a room and eating cake while they wait to be saved. It just felt so rushed.

Major thanks to Netgalley, Jennet Alexander, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this arc!

As a bisexual woman, the representation in this book was some of the best I've ever had the privilege of reading. A lot of Lilah's inner monologue about coming out, feeling isolated from the community, and not knowing her place resonated quite deeply with me. This quote in particular really hit me hard (in the best way): "It was fun to imagine the possibilities, while sitting in the corner booth of a cafe under a rainbow streamer, the blue, pink, and purple chain-link bracelet resting cool around Lilah's wrist. She'd put it on with a mix of fear and longing - fear that someone might see it and longing that the right people would see and understand." YES. I don't know how else to express how wonderful these two sentences are.

Another moment that really stuck out to me was when Lilah was telling Noa about her experience at Pride and almost meeting a girl: "But as soon as she found out I also dated guys, she couldn't get out of there fast enough. I guess being half-gay isn't enough." It made me so, so happy that Noa immediately reassured her that she's not "half-gay" and that it is enough! As a bisexual woman, I can't tell you how many times I've experienced something similar.

Lilah really stuck out to me, but Noa was also a very interesting character. I loved the dynamic of her own insecurities and how unsure she was about making such a big decision to leave school and follow her dream, paired with how confident she is in her identity as a lesbian.

Was it insta-love-y? I don't think so. I think this book captured the longing and pining that so many queer women experience when they have their first romantic experience. It's so acute because it's paired with the relief that you've met someone like you, that you're not alone, and that it IS possible. I don't think that's insta-love at all; I think that's part of many people's queer experience.

The stalker storyline was also a pleasant addition that added depth to the book. I was guessing through the first, oh, 75% who the stalker would be, only realizing a couple chapters before the two protagonists did.

Was this book something new and revolutionary and world-changing? No. Was it a cute, fluffy, feel-good queer romance? Yes.

And I just so happen to think we need more of those. In a market overloaded with hetero love stories, Jennet Alexander's "I Kissed a Girl" was a breath of fresh air.

This book follows Lilah and Noa, who meet at the set of the movie they're filming. Lilah is the female lead, whom Noa has had a crush on for some time, and Noa is a makeup artist. They strike up a friendship as Noa is trying to help introduce Lilah to the local lesbian community, and their friendship eventually evolves into romance. At the same time, there are some issues they have to face, as Lilah is being stalked and threatened by someone.
I loved the premise of this book and was really excited to read it but, to be honest, I felt the story dragged on a little and I didn't really connect with the characters. Their friendship and romance felt almost childish at times. It was, nevertheless an entertaining read, hence the 3 stars.
*I was send an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This is a great debut novel by Jennet Alexander. I loved how diverse the book was - from gay, bi, trans, and poly characters and so much more - it had great representation of the different types of love. This book was not what I expected at all - the thriller / horror aspect of a stalker was creepy and reminded me a lot of Sesason 1 of Criminal Minds where they go to LA to catch a starlet's Hollywood stalker. This book also reminded me a bit of Something to Talk About - you get an inside look at Hollywood and what being in the spotlight is. This book had some great romance elements as well as horror. Great debut novel - wish there had been a bit more spice in the novel, but overall was very pleased about it.

Thank you Net Gallet and Jennet for the early copy!

This was a cute quick read, but the romance felt a little bit flat for me. I really enjoyed how the book went into detail about the movie industry especially horror which is one of my favourite genres. There was also a lot of representation in this book, bisexuality, trans, lesbian, polyamory, gay etc which was amazing. Overall I loved the dedication to horror movies.

I Kissed A Girl is the debut novel of Jennet Alexander. I was drawn to it based on the premise of it being a LGBTQIA romance between a struggling B horror movie actress and the new make up artist on set. In my mind I was immediately visualizing a B horror set like something you would see on the SYFY channel. What I found while I was reading was story with a cute premise, diverse characters and positive representation.

The representation within I Kissed A Girl is so strong and likely my favorite part of the entire story. Noa is an openly out lesbian trying to find her way as a makeup artist. Lilah is a closeted bisexual actress trying to find her way out of the B horror film industry. Having these two opposing view points provided great context for the story. Lilah witnesses Noa being open about her sexuality and just living her every day life. This allows her to wrestle with her internal feelings and understand her bisexuality. There is also very positive representation of bi, trans, lesbian, and more individuals. They are living their lives, having fun, and being accepted within their environment. It was so wonderful to read about.

Unfortunately, while I really enjoyed seeing these two characters adapt to their individuality and come together, I wasn't completely sold on the romance between Noa and Lilah. These were two completely different characters and while opposites attract, I felt like they were attracted on a very surface level, and never got deeper. There are several misunderstandings and miscommunications that had me wondering if they should really be together. They just didn't seem to trust each other and there was also a lack of respect between them. This becomes especially obvious for me with the stalking subplot. A lot of the misunderstandings and miscommunications between Noa and Lilah were rooted in the stalking subplot.

I also enjoyed the moments on the horror movie set which was one of the things I was looking most foward to based on the premise. The descriptions of the horror make up were interesting and something that I was able to visualize for a B horror movie. I could just imagine the over the top presentation and the over dramatic horror scene. I also liked the descriptions of the daily activities on the set. It didn't overwhelm the story and felt like what I would imagine a movie set to be like.

While I wasn't completely sold on the idea of the Noa and Lilah romance, I still feel like I Kissed A Girl is a positive representation of the LGBTQIA community. There is also positive representation of the Jewish culture as well. These are stories and characters we still we do not get to see and read about regularly. I look forward to seeing what Jennet Alexander will bring to us next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The crew member falls for actress trope works more often than not, it's a classic of romance books. However, "I Kissed a Girl" was a bit underwhelming as a whole. While the characters could be charming on their own, there was a distinct lack of chemistry between Noa and Lilah. The storyline was dragged a bit too much and, although the stalking conflict was interesting at the beginning, it veered off sharply into ludicrous territory.

On a brighter note, I loved Lilah's development. She becomes more confident over time and we get to delve into bits from her past that have shaped her, both for good and bad. It was quite interesting, and sometimes moving, to experience her reflexive process and watch her realise her needs and aspirations.

Unfortunately, I was quite underwhelmed with this one... I'll admit, I have a really high bar for sapphic reads, but this one didn't even get close for me.

Synopsis:
Lilah is an up-and-coming actress. Noa is a make-up artist on the set of a new movie Lilah is starring in. They nearly immediately fall for each other, but fall into the traps of "no fraternization" at the workplace, discovering sexualities, and miscommunications.

Thoughts:
One of the few things I liked about this book was the representation. Lilah and Noa are both Jewish WLW and they bond over that. There is also a sapphic trans character.
Unfortunately, this story fell really flat for me. The "romance" happened way too fast, and I didn't feel like there was any build-up or connection between Lilah and Noa. It was an "insta-connection" that didn't work. Additionally, the "we have to hide this relationship because we work together" trope is overdone... especially in Hollywood... and when you're putting it on top of a queer relationship. It kind of seemed like the author was going for them not being able to be open due to work, instead of fears of the actress "coming out," which didn't seem all that believable to me.
There is an element of a stalker in this story too, which is the only thing that kept me listening, but the conclusion of that plot also fell flat.

All in all, this was a "straight" book, I wouldn't have finished it.

I was granted both eARC and then because I prefer audio and risked the request, audio ARC access to I Kissed a Girl via NetGalley, and I actually did finish it before pub day, but then the schedule on my review blog didn't give me room to post and share about it on time. Oops!

So, what's this book about? It's a New Adult coming-of-age sapphic/bisexual romance heavy with miscommunication tropes and a side of creepy stalker. It's certainly not bad, but it's not great either.

I love the ladies in this book. The chemistry works well, and some of the miscommunication tropes are my favourites. I'm also all for a sweet sapphic story.

Everything that happens beyond the leading ladies, though... it's a no from me. I'm sure low budget films really are plagued with budget mishaps and constantly changing schedules, but it felt like every time the film production had to adapt it was for the purpose of getting the plot around these ladies to the next preordained hurdle, rather than the plot designed to fit a setting. There's a whole lot of plot convenience happening here. Then there's the stalker. I can't go into specifics because that would spoil the ending, but it feels like the author picked 2 or 3 of the most absurd and unhinged stalker archetype villains from Criminal Minds and gluegunned them together to create this character, but the glue didn't work and 2-3 different villains got sections of the book to themselves.

I finished this book think "aww, that was cute, I'll probably give it 4 stars" and then I unintentionally left the review on the backburner for a week. In cooling off, it lost a star. I don't remember any of the finer points about the romance other than I thought it was cute when it was going right. I do remember the stalker climax, and it keeps on feeling like the sort of C-rate movie pitch well off actors agree to as something fun because who cares at this point with their resume of box office hits, life's too short, let's do something stupid. It's fun if you don't give it too much thought.

A nice concept, but poorly executed. What seemed to be a promising, romantic read turned out to be a boring disappointment.

While there were parts that were endearing and relatable, most of the book was boring and hard to get through. I was not invested in the main relationship, making it hard to read. The lack of chemistry between the two characters makes them unlikeable.

Thank you so much to netgalley and sourcebooks for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tw: Stalking,
I found myself very bored during a majority of this book. I was not a fan of the insta-love, and I didn't see any chemistry between the two main characters. Noa spends a majority of the book undermining Lilah's intelligence, and Lilah spends a majority of the book not trusting Noa. I did really enjoy Lilah's character, and I felt so connected to her when she spoke about her bisxuality. I also found the stalker plotline well done, though the end was a little out there to me. Ultimately, I really liked the concept of the book, but found the execution underwhelming.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and Jennet Alexander for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I gave "I Kissed a Girl" 3/5 stars, here's why:

- The LGBTQIA2S+ Rep
I loved how deep into the community this book went. Noa takes Lilah, who has had no experience in the LGBTQIA2S+ community outside of Pride, to meet people in the community, to hot spots where she will be welcomed. It's what sold the book for me. I also really appreciated the emphasis on the difficulty of coming out, as Noa remarks that she feels grateful that Lilah trusted her with that part of her.

~ The Relationship
I was under the impression that we would be watching a new relationship flourish and grow, that the focus would be on Lilah, who is struggling with her sexuality and has never been in a relationship with a woman before. But what I got instead was a lot of will they/won't they. Their relationship kept getting put aside for fear of Noa's boss finding out, or scheduling conflicts, or Lilah's inability to trust, or Noa's inability to look beyond herself. Honestly, in the end, I was surprised they ended up together. They just didn't have the spark I was expecting and the relationship felt doomed, toxic even. When Noa admitted that she loved Lilah, I was surprised. I couldn't fathom where those feelings came from when she spends a good chunk of the book bashing her crush. I wanted more from the relationship. I wanted to watch Lilah come out and understand herself. I wanted Noa to grow with Lilah. While they are cute together and support each other professionally, I wasn't entirely sold on their relationship.

- The Characters
While I enjoyed that both our main characters had realistic flaws, I didn't find either leading ladies to be particularly loveable. Noa has a very strong personality. She is very blunt and speaks before she thinks. She can also be self-centered and that became a little toxic. I liked Lilah a lot better. While she had pretty severe trust issues that got her in trouble multiple times, she was an honest character struggling to fight against the sheltered (and somewhat toxic) way she was raised. She was kind and loveable, and I enjoyed how she explored her flaws, working to better herself. I didn't find that Noa really grew as a person throughout the story, while Lilah managed to break out of her shell.

- The Plot
I thought that the plot would focus on the building relationship between Lilah and Noa, but I felt like there were two separate plots going on. Noa's story and Lilah's story. I enjoyed Lilah's story the most, as the crazed-fan-stalker plot was what ultimately hooked me.

Overall Recommend?
Yes, especially if you're looking to read more LGBTQIA2S+ novels!