I knew about Alison Cochrun as an author from around, but she managed to surprise me with Kiss Her Once for Me. First of all, the plot was unique in its own way. While it’s true that at first it seems like your typical fake-relationship kind of book, but soon after you realize it’s a second-chance romance that manages to pair not one but two couples.

I loved this book so much, it felt like I was curled up near a fire with a blanket the whole time that I was reading it, not only because of the Christmas atmosphere but also because everything seemed so heartwarming. There’s of course the romance, but the family aspect was great to read about too! There were so many relationships to unpack, not that it was difficult to, but that it ranged from friendships, family and love-relationships.

I also liked that the book dealt with trauma and anxiety. As a person that deals with anxiety every day of her life, it was nice in a way to read about Ellies struggles. I feel validated in a way, understood even and realized that there’s people that share this feeling and managed to go into beautiful relationships.

Just going to put it out there but I would love the idea of a larger glimpse into Andrew and Dylan’s future.

*ARC kindly provided by Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was cute and did exactly what it set out to do. I did have times in which I had wished that more time had been spent on the couple and reinforcing why we should root for them, but I understand that would have dragged the story out. Suffice to say it was a good holiday story with both funny and heartwarming parts.

DNF at 82%

I thought that I could push through this and I expected it to be at least a 3 star read but oh my god I can’t stand any of these people and the cheating.

I really struggled with this book, so much of this book was so frustrating and cringy! I wanted so badly for the characters to figure stuff out for the sake of the reader, but I found myself just putting this book down because Iw as getting so mad. It was definitely well written, and entertaining but I really wanted more after the Charm Offensive. I really enjoyed the saphic representation, but unfortunately that was not enough to make me fall in love with all of the characters and root for them in the end.

An easy read that was a enjoyable to read! This was a new author to me so I love finding new options to consider

I loved this so much! After reading the Charmed Offensive by this author I immediately decided that I would read anything she puts out. So when I heard she was coming out with a sapphic romance I was thrilled! I loved everything about this book. The plot, the characters. The main character especially. I felt I could really relate to her and what she was going through. The plot itself was very intriguing. I don't usually like contemporary books, let alone contemporary romance but this one pulled me right in. I really fell in love with the characters and their journey. It was a very satisfying read for me and I highly recommend it!

Such a good follow up after you fall in love with this authors writing in The Charm Offensive. I couldn't put this one down untill i finished and made sure there was a HEA!

Thai book follows a file who decides to get fake engaged with her works property manager in order to help him get his inheritance that he will give her a chunk of. When she goes to his family’s for the holidays she is shocked to find her one night stand from last Christmas is his sister. Together they have to navigate pretending not to know each other while still trying to conceive the family that she is happily engaged to the brother. This was a cute fun story but far too insta-lovely. I feel like they at least addressed how insta-lovey it was but it was still too much. I did really enjoy the characters and the story overall.

I so enjoyed this book! I thought the dual timeline was a perfect way to tell this story. Alison Cochrun is so skilled in creating characters that I root for from beginning to end. They engage in such growth, both as individuals and as couples, and that is so cool to see. I'll read anything she writes basically forever.

I really enjoyed this one! It was sweet and, while miscommunication is typically my least favorite in romance novels, everything else about this novel overshadowed it. Alison Cochrun will forever be an auto read for me.

One year ago, recent Portland transplant Ellie Oliver had her dream job in animation and a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. But after a betrayal the next morning and the loss of her job soon after, she finds herself adrift, alone, and desperate for money.
Finding work at a local coffee shop, she’s just getting through the days—until Andrew, the shop’s landlord, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will give him his recent inheritance and alleviate Ellie’s financial woes and isolation. They make a plan to spend the holidays together at his family cabin to keep up the ruse. But when Andrew introduces his new fiancée to his sister, Ellie is shocked to discover it’s Jack—the mysterious woman she fell for over the course of one magical Christmas Eve the year before.
This is cute, fun and you'll feel all the feels reading it

An excellent holiday read with all the charm I expected from Alison Cochrun. The romance was sweet and I loved the relationships between Ellie and the side characters. There was lots of adorable found family and the deeper subjects were incredibly well handled. It also lowkey made me want to move to Portland.

What didn't work for me was how long it took miscommunication to get cleared up. Miscommunication trope doesn't really work for me and this was kind of messy. The borderline cheating felt weird to me and I wish the communication were better between characters.

I enjoyed the demisexual rep as well.

Overall, it was good but it took me a while to get into. Thankfully, switching to an audiobook helped a lot.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher*

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion of this book. All opinions are of my own formation.

Ellie does not like to fail at anything, yet a little over a year after moving to Portland, Ellie thinks she is failing big time: she has lost her prestigious job at an animation studio (her one-time dream) and works in a coffee shop which does not allow her to support herself, her mother and her small horrible apartment. Then there is the unfortunate memory and sorrow from losing her love from a one day adventure with Jack. Never before had she experienced or expected to find love and feel safe in a relationship, but that one day last Christmas was everything followed by heartbreak. Then through a series of events and a napkin contract, Ellie is spending this Christmas with her fake-fiancé, Andrew, and his family and with fate being a cruel mistress, finds herself face-to-face with Jack in all her glory and finds out Jack is Andrew's sister. Will Ellie and Jack be able to resist their scorching chemistry? Will the arrangement with Andrew work in Ellie's favor? Will Ellie be able to get over her fear of failure that disrupts her entire life?

This book was a cute fun read. Ellie's character was relatable in many ways and Jack was a fun caricature of the ideal partner. There was a lot of explorations of the queer community and shed it in a positive and loving way. I loved the relationships that Ellie formed with Andrew's family and even as everything was burning to the ground, she loved them and cared for them, despite the initial fallout of it all. I loved the development and growth in all of the main trio of characters (Ellie, Jack, and Andrew). I also loved the happy-esque ending.

What I liked and hated was the time travel between this Christmas (2022) and last Christmas (2021). I understood the importance for the development of Jack and Ellie's characters and rebuilding/downfall of their relationships for both Christmases. Good and bad, but necessary.

What I really hated: Ellie's insecurity. This is predominately due to seeing a younger me and wanting to shake Ellie through the pages and to wake up... again, part of her development and necessary for the storyline, just hard to swallow and read her struggles again and again.

Again a super cute and fun read. Would I read it again, probably not, but a fun one time read.

I really loved this book. It had everything you could possibly want. LGBTQ representation. Fake dating. Steamy romance. I loved the characters and the development throughout the book.

The dramaaaaa. SO much tension in this book. Cute holiday read. Felt forced at some points, but overall good.

This was a cute romance. It had a little forbidden, a little pining, but too much miscommunication for my liking!

I also just wanted to see more interaction between Jack and Ellie. I felt like I spent too much of the book with the fake dating trope when we really wanted more Jack!

Overall a cozy romance perfect for the holidays!

I really enjoyed the author's debut book , therefore I was really eager to read this book as well. This was a cute , sapphic holiday romance. It definitely delivered

Perfect for fans of Cochruns first book. Has all of the same charm as Charm Offensive, all wrapped into one big gay holiday getaway. There is family drama, and while there is some slight miscommunication trope within it, the author does a good job at resolving it and leaving that trope in the dust - and does so in a humourous way. The writing style alone makes this book an excellent and easy read.

LOVED this lgbtq adult romance! Such great representation and seasonal vibes for the Christmas holiday. I got it through Book of the Month and can't get enough.

I quite enjoyed this book. I don’t know why it took me so long to finally get to it, but I’m glad that I did! Though, I have to say that reading a holiday book in March was a bit weird, but whatever…

This was definitely a strong 4 star book. And while I did enjoy it, I don’t know that I would read it again, which has become my measuring stick for if a book gets five stars or not. I honestly kept flipping back and forth from 4 to 5 stars, but in the end, I didn’t love the ending. Or, I did, but I thought it felt rushed.

I liked the main characters, but I think I actually liked the side characters more? Like, please Alison, give us a book that is Andrew and Dylan’s story, PLEASE.

I liked that the book is about found family, in the usual found family way (a group of random folks who care for you) and also in the literal this other family has taken me in way. And I also liked that the other folks had their own storylines going on, and that it added to the story, instead of making it seem frantic, which could have easily happened.

Overall, very enjoyable.