Thank you so much to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thought and opinions are still my own.

This was on my most anticipated list for 2024 because I loved the idea of a romance featuring an astronaut. And this was just as swoony and wonderful as I was hoping.

The heroine is a feisty and determined event planner who is struggling to get back on her feet and find her confidence after a family emergency that led to the loss of her dream job. When she meets the soft spoken, and closed off hero who is secretly a huge softy.

The two of them strike up a bargain to fake date (as one does) to get the hero's family off his back about dating.

Now they're stuck together for a long family weekend and the chemistry between them is anything but fake.

I loved their banter and chemistry. The forced proximity aspect made it feel that much more intense and I ate it up.

I loved the discussions surrounding family and relationships and work. And how complex both characters were.

This also has one of the most romantic picnic-under-the-stars scenes I've ever read. Swoon.

Very excited to check out more from this author in the future!!

“She can be testy sometimes, and why not? She’s been hit with blow after blow. But she still rises. Still stands strong. She’s truly beautiful, in all her phases.”

The Kiss Countdown is a fake dating “roommance” following struggling event planner, Amerie Price and Astronaut, Vincent Rogers. In her desperation of seeing her ex happily dating a new woman, she introduces her coffee shop acquaintance as her boyfriend. However, things get more complicated when his sister is there to witness their show as well. This leads to Amerie and Vince fake dating so she can live rent free while her business gets started and Vince can get his family off his back. Could this small misstep lead them to infinity and beyond? (I’m sorry, I had to)

I read this one while sick, so I don’t know if it was a case of the wrong book, wrong time but I didn’t love it. I had a hard time connecting with Amerie. She was committed to doing things for her parents but had a very distant relationship with them at the same time. It was an interesting dynamic. I understood the dynamic Vince had with his parents better. I think Vince did bring out the best parts of Amerie and got her to be more lighthearted and enjoy things more. Amerie forced Vince to look at his priorities and take more time away from work. Vince was very thoughtful and sweet. He took her on some pretty cute dates and called her “my Mimi”.

Overall, I rated this book 3 stars. I really liked Vince and his character, but struggled to connect with Amerie. However, I think if you really like these tropes listed below, you should still give it a try!
•Fake dating/ engagement
•Astronaut & Event Planner
•Temporary roommates
•Single POV
•Grumpy (her), sunshine (him)
•Houston setting

Thank you to @berkleyromance for the free copy of The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton. All thoughts are my own.

While I love romances and the idea of an astronaut MMC was unique and exciting, The Kiss Countdown fell a bit flat for me. Much of the dialogue felt cheesy and disingenuous, and the FMC’s inner monologue was constantly catastrophizing. The fake dating trope is always fun, but this one seemed to lack the quintessential silliness and pining. There was also a lot of unnecessary text (e.g., memories, observations, etc.) that didn’t seem to further the plot or character development and took me out of the story a bit. Overall, the book wasn’t bad, just lackluster and forgettable compared to other romances I’ve read.

I do hope this book finds its readers, even if that’s not me! It’s a slow burn with low steam, which I know some readers will appreciate.

This was a sweet book! i loved the highlighting of an astronaut male MC across from an equally resilient and badass female MC. The themes of family, found family, the meaning of home, and vulnerability felt very touching. However, i found the family’s forgiving Amelie to be a bit quick and hasty. Overall, i think the author did a lot of telling instead of showing, as certain parts got very wordy and spelled out scenarios that the reader could have been trusted to understand themselves.

I really wanted to love this book but it fell a bit flat for me. I didn't really feel invested in either MC, although I feel the book could have benefitted from the use of dual POV.

This book swept me off my feet with its heartwarming romantic plot and captivating characters. While I longed for Vincent's perspective to deepen the connection, the author skillfully kept him endearing throughout. I adored the characters' depth, especially Amerie's career journey and Vincent's varied successes. Although Vincent's occasional mansplaining irked Amerie (and me), it added a charming quirk reminiscent of Sheldon from "The Big Bang Theory." And Vincent's mother? Talk about drama! Despite the wild twists, the reactions felt genuine, leading to a satisfying romantic conclusion. For fellow romance enthusiasts, this book is an absolute gem, delivering all the feels and then some.

I liked this book for the characters and relationships as well as the diversity. Unfortunately I didn’t quite buy the romance and there wasn’t enough stream for me.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this book!

Not only does it have two main characters with interesting careers (an event planner and astronaut), but we get a cute fake dating scenario and two people who were just fun to read about.

Amerie is strong and sassy and maybe a little neurotic...You can't help but root for her to get her business back up off the ground after a past incident tainted her reputation. Vincent is wonderful. He's kind and a great listener. And did I mention he's an astronaut?? Together, they have amazing chemistry on page.

Additionally, I really enjoyed reading about Vincent's family. And even when they get upset about being tricked, it never feels overdramatic. It's totally understandable why they're sad about it.

I wouldn't have said no to more added into the story, but ultimately it was a fun, quick read. I would definitely read another book by Etta Easton!

This was such a fun read. I liked how both of the careers were such a big part of the character's lives but didn't take away from the romance. How the fake dating helped him deal with his family was great. The romance built well and I really enjoyed with this one.

The Kiss Countdown is a nice debut novel with likeable characters and lots of fake dating trope fun.

Amerie is dealing with a lot at once. She's worried about her mother's medical bills and she recently lost both her job and boyfriend. I could understand her motivations and fears about security and relationships with her childhood spent moving from place to place. It was nice to see her connect with Vincent's family and also opening up to her parents as well.

I do wish there had been some chapters from Vincent's POV as the story entailed him working through his own family issues too.

3.5 stars rounded up

A fun contemporary romance with fake dating between an astronaut and a party planner, The Kiss Countdown is a promising debut. Amerie is struggling to launch her own business after losing her job, juggling stress about her mom's health, AND the fact that her rent is about to jump up! Then of course she runs into her ex at a coffee shop. The same one where she accidentally spilled coffee on a man's shirt, and he goes along with her pretending he's her boyfriend. As it turns out, Vincent is an actual astronaut and also in need of a fake girlfriend to get his worrying family off his back. But things heat up between the pair in unexpected ways...

I really liked the setup and characters in this. It's fun but has some more serious threads to do with family as well. I didn't love the way all of the conflict between the characters played out, but for a debut this is really quite good and I would read more from this author in the future. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thanks to Berkley and PRHAudio for the ARC!

I had the pleasure of both reading and listening to this book during my drive to Colorado, and it was a delightful experience. I'm a sucker for a good fake dating trope, especially when it involves the "he falls first" dynamic.

Vincent Rogers, a real astronaut, swoops into Amerie's life with an offer she can't refuse. He suggests she play the role of his doting partner for three months leading up to his big mission. In exchange, she gets a rent-free spot in his house to help her struggling business. But what starts as a simple arrangement gets real complicated real quick when Amerie starts catching feelings for Vincent's irresistible charm. We all know fake dating will lead to more!

This book is a heartwarming tale of love, risk, and seizing opportunities. Etta Easton weaves a captivating story filled with humor, romance, and genuine emotion, making it a delightful read for fans of the genre. I particularly appreciated how the book tackles tough topics such as sickle cell, family loss, and healing, which added depth and resonance to the story.

Tropes:
• Slow Burn
• Fake Dating
• Forced Proximity
• RomCom

My Thoughts:

I love, love, loved this book!
Amerie is an event planner who decides to start her own company after losing her job because her mom was in the hospital. As she's trying to find events to host and plan; she goes to her favorite coffee shop and bumps into a literal astronaut!
Vincent is dealing with his own personal demons and is determined to live life to the fullest. His family misses him though, because of their strong dislike of his job.
When Amerie's ex just so happens to be at her usual coffee shop with his new girlfriend; Amerie pretends that Vincent is her new boyfriend. Vincent's self-confidence is such a irritation to Mimi but he decides to ask her for help. By pretending to be his girlfriend while he visits with his family before he takes off for 6 months to the moon.
This story is such an emotional toll that I would love to experience it again!

The Kiss Countdown is a sweet, fun summer vibe story that captures the breezy mood of the season perfectly.

Amerie Price lost her job, boyfriend, and reputation when her mom got sick, but she regrets nothing. Being at her mother’s side while she was so clearly in need was a priority for her and she is proud of her choice. Now Amerie is getting ready to use her savings to help her parents pay off some of their medical bills, but it won’t be easy. When she went AWOL from the wedding she organized to be with her ailing mother, a public fiasco ensued. No other event planning firm wants to hire her, and that tarnish makes it difficult for her to find clients for her startup. It will take every ounce of her ingenuity to keep herself afloat and pay off her folks’ debts.

Grabbing a coffee at her favorite shop is technically outside of her budget, but in desperate need of a caffeine fix, Amerie stops in at her usual place and, as luck would have it, runs into her ex and his new girlfriend. While they condescendingly cross-question her about her life, Amerie finds herself lying about having found a new love, too. Fortunately, the amazingly hot guy she met at the shop just last week happens to come in and agreeably plays along as Amerie introduces him as her new man.

In the not-so-friendly game of one-upmanship that follows between her ex and her (fake) current squeeze, Amerie learns that Vincent Rogers is an astronaut preparing to go on a mission in three months. Amerie’s dream man has always been an astronaut (what girl in Houston hasn’t had that fantasy?), but just as she is enjoying the moment, convinced she will exit this encounter the winner, his sister Camille approaches them. Thrilled to meet Vincent’s new girl, she insists on getting Amerie to promise they will be at her New Year’s Eve party. Amerie can tell Vince would prefer not to go, but with Camille pouting and her ex and his new girlfriend right there, Amerie tells Camille they will be delighted to attend. And just like that, we are off and running on an only-in-a-romance-novel style love story.

Our newly formed couple attends the party, Vincent hears all about Amerie’s lost job and soon-to-be-lost apartment and offers to let her stay rent-free at his place (yes, after just two or three meetings). In exchange, she will join him for family events, keeping up the illusion that they are a couple. She initially demurs but then realizes the options are the street, not helping her parents, or taking him up on his offer, and of course, chooses the latter. The question of will they or won’t they is a moot point. This is a romance, so of course they will.

The positives to the tale are that Amerie and Vincent make a good couple. They have ample chemistry and fit naturally into each other’s lives, and the author remembers throughout the whole book that she is writing a romance (in today’s market, with all the books that hover between women’s fiction and romance, this is a skill in and of itself), and the focus of the narrative remains firmly on the central relationship.

This is a character-driven story, and the author does a terrific job of showcasing Vincent and Amerie. Amerie’s feisty nature could sometimes make her a bit too demanding (the incident with the guest room being one such instance), but for the most part, she is an amiable, hardworking individual who makes a good counterpart to Vincent. She has strong friends and family connections from the start, so it feels very organic when she easily settles in with Vincent’s significant others. Amerie is the kind of person who would prioritize that because it is of very high value to her. She is also independent and capable; an absolute must given the amount of time Vincent’s job demands of him.

Vincent is a great guy whose success has given him a touch too much solitude. Amerie reminds him of the value of human connection and serves as a bridge in the strained relationship between him, his mom, and his sisters.

The secondary characters are really well done. They stay in the background and serve as a foil for our couple, but the author does a great job of making them three-dimensional. I especially liked that the two groups - Vincent’s and Amerie’s family and friends - don’t just immediately form one big super group. Amerie still hangs out with bestie Gina on her own. She meets her parents on her own often, too. Amerie does get along very well with Vince’s family, but she doesn’t ditch her former friends for those new alliances.

There is some angst here - Amerie’s mom’s sickle cell anemia, Amerie’s lost job, subsequent career struggles, and Vincent’s difficult family relationships - but the book never loses its positive vibe. I felt that was appropriate given the story emphasizes finding joy in the moment.

The book does have some flaws in terms of capturing their careers. Vincent worked in Search and Rescue prior to being an astronaut, but when coming down a mountain carrying Amerie, who had a sprained ankle, he cradles her in his arms rather than using a fireman’s hold while traversing uneven terrain. Amerie speaks of having a team at her former position, but how that functioned and why it failed to do so in such a spectacular manner at the event over which she lost her job is never fully explained.

Minor quibbles like that aside, The Kiss Countdown is a good read for those looking for something light and easy. It’s perfect for whiling away a lazy afternoon.

4.5 Stars

I really have been craving a good astronaut romance and this one absolutely delivered! We have a mutually beneficial fake dating trope that turns into real feelings and past trauma as the conflict. Pretty sure Vince is my new book boyfriend and honestly I just want more of his and Amerie’s love story because I couldn’t get enough of how well these two work together. I highly recommend and the audio was fantastic. This would make an excellent read for @SpaceToRead’s #GreatSpaceRead!

I love when fake dating starts because you want to show your ex that you’re fine, even if you’re fine alone but they’d only believe it if you moved on. This book made me want to be an astronaut all over again. I do wish the third act breakup had been a little smoother, but overall I enjoyed this one and am excited to see what comes from Etta next.

If you love the fake dating trope, you’ll love this starry debut novel that follows Amerie, an event planner, and Vincent, an astronaut soon embarking on a mission to the moon. In a classic coffee shop-meet-cute, Amerie spills her drink on Vincent. He’s cute, but dating anyone is off the table since she’s fresh off a breakup and starting a new business. That is until she bumps into her ex and his new girlfriend (at this same coffee shop on another day!) and introduces Vincent as her boyfriend. He plays along because, it turns out, he’s in the market for a fake girlfriend, too. And things take off from there. It’s a bit of a slow burn but super cute, and I devoured it in one sitting.

Thank you so much to Berkley Pub for sending me a copy of this book!

I really enjoyed this one!!!! This was the exact quick, easy breezy romance I needed after finishing up another book. I am a sucker for fake dating and even though this was a slow burn I was okay letting it simmer. I thought the couple's chemistry felt natural and it progressed in a timely fashion. I also loved their meet cute in the beginning. I love the interaction with his family and how his mother just knew that she was the one for him.

Even with all the cute romance and relationship stuff, each family was dealing with their own thing - Amerie's mother has a chronic illness and Vincent's family still grieving the loss of his brother.

I thought this was a great debut and I am looking forward to more from the author in the future!

4.5

What a strong debut!! And as a girly who loves space, the nasa aspect was wonderful. Fake dating? Count me in! Loved this book so much!

much to my dismay, i didn't enjoy the kiss countdown. i'm rather disappointed with this book. the prose was incredibly promising and originally drew me to pick this book when i applied for the arc. it was fascinating from the get-go. i'd never read a book revolving around an astronaut, i was extremely interested to see how it would play out in this novel. and, unfortunately, for me, it fell flat.

although i enjoy etta easton's writing style, it took me quite a long time to get into the book. i liked reading about amerie, vincent, and their relationship but i didn't find myself getting attached to them. their personalities (and their relationship) felt surface-level at times. there are moments of depth added to their characters but i would have loved to see it expanded upon. i found myself not fully understanding who these characters are (vincent especially). this book would have benefitted immensely from a dual pov format, mostly because, even after reading the book, vincent is still somewhat of an anomaly to me.

the main grievance i had with the kiss countdown was the final act. i already felt like the book was dragging a little bit so when amerie drew it out even further i wasn't having a good time. the entire conflict could have been easily avoided and it pains me when contemporary romance novels feel the need to include an easily solvable problem. i, as a reader, don't enjoy the story archetype, i find it ruins my reading experience.

on the positive side, there were quite a few aspects of the book i enjoyed. amerie's struggle with opening up to her parents and ultimately being vulnerable with them was very accurately portrayed (coming from somebody who thinks similarly to amerie). her constant worry of "being a burden" was scarily relatable. similarly, i understood and resonated with vincent's responsibilities as an older brother. in a lighter regard, i also loved the pop culture (mostly the music) references throughout the book. the tropes were fun as well!

even though i didn't enjoy this book completely, it did introduce me to a new debut author! i do intend to pick up more etta easton books as she releases more in the future because i believe her books can only get better from here! and as always, i owe a big thank you to netgalley and berkley publishing group for providing me with an arc.