This was very cute and very reminiscent of a 90's Julia Roberts/Meg Ryan type of rom com, which I obviously love. I also LOVE any element of sci-fi and alternate realities and how the lend themselves to a romance. This one was great and felt genuinely balanced on the pros and cons of each life in several ways. The banter between Olivia and Jake was a dream and added to their chemistry so much. I loved this!

I absolutely adored this book. The alternate reality timeline? The characters? The plot? The meaning? It was beautiful. Lauren did phenomenal with allowing one to stop and analyze their life. Stopping and realizing “what is in a kiss?” Seeing the life Liv has by kissing Jake and the other life Liv has by not kissing Jake.

Personally, I truly enjoyed their relationship. Liv and Jake were fun and endearing. I was giggling, tearing up, and just overall in awe of the concept of the book and its writing. I do love a good second chance romance/rivals to lovers and this was it! Add in a sparkling of alternate reality and it was everything! ✨

This is 100% for the Ashley Poston lovers because I’m sobbing here about a book with magical elements and alternate realities just as I did with the seven-year slip and the dead romantics

What’s in a Kiss? is out now! Thank you so much to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the arc copy!

P.S I didn’t realize Lauren also wrote By Any Other Name which I loved so much when I read it in 2022, so I’m loving her work!

- Alternate Reality
- Second Chance Romance
- Rivals to Lovers
- Contemporary Romance
- One is famous
- He falls first, and 100x harder
- Self Discovery
- Character Development

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for providing the ARC.

When Liv looks at Jake Glasswell the moment her friend says "I do," her whole world changes. She goes from a furloughed drama teacher to a star on a hit TV show, she lives in a ritzy mansion with a pool, and Jake is her "happily ever after" husband. The only catch? She's lost literally everyone else in her life and there there seems to be no chance for reconciliation.

This book had an interesting, if not original premise. We've all seen/read the various stories of people switching bodies, switching lives, switching timelines. It was interesting that this one came about because of one rambunctious yogi/rabbi and his propensity to meddle. Regardless, despite transporting into this new reality, there is very little about that Liv (and the reader) understands. What happened with her and Masha to cause a decade long friend breakup? What happened with her mom that means they're no longer on speaking terms? And none of this is really explored. The only thing that's explored is how in love Jake is with Liv, and how much he gave up in this alternate lifestyle.

I wanted more from this book than I got. I wanted a deeper dive into what happened with Liv's life in this new reality and why things ended up the way that they did. And we got glimpses of it, but not enough to fully glean what happened. And while having to be in a life that is not yours for a week may seem like a daunting challenge, it feels like it wasn't enough time, especially since during that week, the most we got was Jake mooning after her.

Overall, not a bad book. I just wanted something more than what I got.

Set in LA, this was a fun magical realism, sliding doors style romance that sees Olivia getting a chance to live another life in which she marries her first love when one kiss at her best friend's wedding sweeps her into an alternate universe. Perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle, Holly James or Ashley Poston, this was a fun what if romance full of female friendship, second chances and all the feels! Great on audio too narrated by Kristen DiMercurio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

What’s in a kiss? It’s crazy how one single moment or decision can change the trajectory of your life. This book made me think of all the possible alternate realities of myself if I would have made a different decision. In this case, her life hung on whether she kissed Jake or not at the prom. In her reality, she didn’t, and he rose to fame and the two hate each other. But she has her mom and best friend. In the alternate reality, she is married to Jake and a famous actress, but her mom and best friend hate her. She struggles to find how she can get the best of both worlds but also return to her reality. In her new reality, she uncovers some revelations, since the history before the kiss is the same and gets a new perspective on things— especially Jake’s.

I loved the “Freaky Friday” moment with the ground shake, and Yogi Dan being the anchor between the realities. It also reminded me of 13 Going on 30, as she’s tripping over herself trying to figure out who she is in this new reality and adjust to her job and life while not having the memories of the last 10 years. I also loved that we got to see how much of a gem Jake is. We didn’t really get to in the “real world” because he was hiding away his emotions from her, but in the new reality there’s none of that. He got the girl and he’s happy with his life.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the read!

What’s in a Kiss by Lauren Kate

ARC Review

Available 07/02/2024

5/10 - 3 stars

What to expect:
Alternate timelines
Second Chance
Enemies to Lovers

The concept of What’s in a Kiss was great! I love dual/alternative timelines and going down the rabbit hole of what choices affected our lives differently. Overall this was a cute book but at times I felt as if I had already read it. It’s you’ve seen Sliding Doors or Look Both Ways and liked them you’d probably love this book.

I really liked the author style of writing and the flow of the story. Nothing was too complicated to understand and for an alternative timeline it all made sense. There were a few plot holes, mainly to do with personalities that I didn’t like and that honestly took me by surprise. When I first met the FMC I wasn’t a fan. When it came to one man that he went to high school with she fell completely apart and acted pretty immaturely. She came out of the alternative world with a mature outlook but I wish there had been a couple more chapters on her growth there when it came to her relationship and career.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future

3.5 stars.

"What's in a Kiss?" by Lauren Kate boasts a cute but familiar parallel universe/alternate timeline enemies-to-lovers love story. I liked the characters in this book. The main female character, Olivia, finds herself in an alternate life where she gets the romance she didn't know she always wanted but loses her mother and her best friend Masha in the process. She has to determine if a second chance at true love in the "high life" is worth losing the two most important people to her. This book can be quite compelling but also a little frustrating. It feels like the story is a bit rushed here and there. Some of the timeline gets choppy and the rules for "time travel"/"time jumping" are not quite clear. I finished the book with several unanswered questions and a couple of unsatisfied answers. That being said, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. I found myself drawn to "high life" Jake because he was such a silly lil' cinnamon roll of a guy. I wanted Olivia to end up with that version of him so badly! I liked their dynamic despite the flaws in their personalities. I think the fracturing of Olivia's relationships with her mother and Masha in the "high life" was the most compelling part of the story. This book likely won't win any awards, but it was a fun, light, quick summertime read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren Kate, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Sweet book, I always have the what if in my life. What if I met my husband earlier, etc. I felt Lauren Kate wrote a book about her what if? I felt for the characters in both lives and flipped back and forth which time I wanted to keep. Very Sliding Doors-like.

I enjoyed reading What's in a Kiss by Lauren Kate. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

This is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that captured my heart. Liv Dusk's life has been off-course since a prom night kiss with Jake Glasswell never happened. Ten years later, she meets Jake again, now a TV star, when he becomes her Lyft passenger. As they reconnect at their friends' wedding, a magical twist thrusts Liv into an alternate reality where she and Jake are together. While navigating this new life, Liv faces the tough choice between newfound love and strained relationships with her mother and best friend. The book beautifully explores missed opportunities, personal growth, and the power of love. I adored Liv and Jake's banter, and their chemistry made this a captivating read.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

A kiss is just a kiss, or is it? After reuniting with her high school rival, Olivia can't help but wonder if things could have been different for her. What if Jake had kissed her on prom night? Would her reality be any different? Well, it seemed the universe was there to answer her questions when Olivia suddenly found herself living the High Life with Jake. But was she willing to give up the important things from her Real Life?

I had a lot of fun reading What's in a Kiss? I really felt for Olivia and her struggle in the Real Life. Though she was down, she was never really out. She had so much love from her mom, best friend, and dog. But I couldn't blame her for being a little jealous when she was finally face-to-face with her biggest competition in high school. Both Jake and Olivia was voted Most Likely to Succeed, but Olivia was forced to change paths following her father's death. There was always that question in the back of her mind - what if?

Alternate realities are a fun way for a character to explore those what-ifs. There is usually a lot of the grass-is-always-greener and missing how good you actually had it. Olivia definitely experienced that, but there were also things she loved about the High Life which she wasn't too sure would be attainable back in her Real Life.

One of the pluses in the High Life was her relationship with Jake. It was fun seeing Olivia and Jake spar in Real Life, but it was so much better to watch them interact in a reality where they were in love. I adored them as a couple. The romance was great, and it was fantastic reading about these two in both realities.

But do you know what really warmed my heart? The way Olivia realized what was really important in life. She valued her relationships more than fame and money. That's a beautiful thing! "You gotta have friends", "All we need is love" -- that's the message, and it's a great one.

Though I YEARNED for an epilogue, I greatly enjoyed taking this journey with Olivia. What's in a Kiss? combined humor, romance, family, and friendships and the result was a story that had me smiley, swoony, and misty eyed.

I really enjoyed By Any Other Name, and picked this one up purely based on that. That being said, one of my *least* favorite tropes is the what if/alternate universe story lines and I probably wouldn't have picked it up if I realized that. This was a very sweet story that I think a lot of people will enjoy but the trope is just an automatic no from me.

The story starts off with Olivia and her bestie having a bachelorette day before her BFFs wedding, in which Olivia who's a bit down on her luck, will come face to face for the first time in years, with her high school rival turned famous TV personality, Jake. When the best man and maid of honor lock eyes during the ceremony, they're transported to a universe where high school rivals turned sweethearts with a prom night kiss and the two have been married for the last decade.

I LOVED high life Jake. What a cinnamon roll. He was so intentional with Olivia and their relationship and it was just the sweetest to see his side of the what if. Olivia, on the other hand, in both universes I really didn't love....in each version of her there was WAY too much focus on what could be (and she got to see what could be!) rather than just embracing what was and living in that moment.

While the story was fine, I was bummed we didn't get to see Olivia and Jake make a run of it in real life, because truly he made the book for me and I wanted to see more of him and more of them to keep rooting for their story.


Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my review!

What’s in a Kiss? by @laurenkatebooks is an romantic novel that explores what could have been, if different choices were made. 🤔✨

Blurb: This is not how Liv wanted to see Jake Glasswell for the first time in ten years. Once her high school rival and the prom date who humiliated her, now a successful TV personality, he’s more attractive than he has any right to be. And he’s her Lyft passenger.

Since the prom night kiss that never was, Liv’s life has not gone to plan. She deferred Julliard to be with her mom during a crisis, and now swears she’s happy as a recently furloughed drama teacher going on no-strings dates. This weekend she’s maid of honor to her best friend, Masha, and, of course, Jake is the best man. But when Liv glares into Jake’s eyes as Masha says, “I do,” the universe turns on its axis and Liv is suddenly living a version of her life where prom night was the beginning of her and Jake, not the end, and it turns out he’s the love of her life. The catch? Her mom and Masha hate her now. What’s in a kiss? Maybe everything.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I loved the concept of this novel, it was super unique and fairly different to what I have read before!!! The FMC and MMC were extremely likable, the plot was fast-paced, and the romantic scenes were everything I ever needed. The ending also made me cry happy and sad tears! This book will devastate you and make you laugh in the same paragraph. All in all, What’s in a Kiss? is such a good story that is amazingly written. 😊🧡

Thank you to @putnambooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read/review this ARC! 🤩📚

🏷️: #whatsinakiss #laurenkate #review #bookrecommendation #bookstagram

I absolutely adored Olivia and Jake! The pacing was perfect, the relationships were beautiful, and the story had me hooked from the first chapter. My only complaint is that I NEEDED an epilogue because I was definitely not ready to say goodbye to Olivia and Jake!

💋 Book Review 💋

What’s In A Kiss by Lauren Kate
💋
This book was funny, sweet, heartwarming, and absolutely charming. If you’re a fan of 13 Going on 30, you’ll love this one. It’s about the “what if’s” we all have and how one choice can change the entire trajectory of your life. I loved Liv’s friendship with Masha and her sweet relationship with her mom. Liv and Jake had the perfect mixture of snippy banter and swoony romance, and I totally fell for them as a couple. This book did a great job balancing between friendship, self-discovery, and romance, and I found myself rooting for Olivia from the very first page. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
💋
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️ 1.5
💋
Read if you like:
▫️parallel universe/alternate reality
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️second chance
▫️he falls first and harder
💋
Thank you to Putnam Books, NetGalley, and Lauren Kate for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was cute. I liked the characters and their differences in both life scenarios. I thought that the way the love story was written was very creative and different. I also really enjoyed how different decisions we make impact our life - but typically we don't know how they impact our life. 
Liv is not looking forward to spending her best friend's wedding weekend with Jake, her famous "enemy." When she had Jake catch one another's eyes when their friends say "I do", Liv finds herself living a different life. One where she kissed Jake on prom night and they fall in love. Downside, she no longer speaks to her Mom and Best Friend. Can she find a way to keep all the people that she loves in her life?
Be prepared to laugh and cry! A fun and fresh rom-com story. 
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This sliding doors-ish romance is so sweet and fun, while still having bittersweet moments as Liv's alternate life came with some consequences. But I really enjoyed it, with all the LA, working actor bits in her life and the romance between her and Jake as she navigates it is really enjoyable. The ending is wonderful and satisfying.

What's in a Kiss by Lauren Kate-a standalone from a new to me author

Publication date 7/2/24, Read 7/2/24

Format 368 pgs. kindle

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐

Setting: LA

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin/G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC🧡 ! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

🤷🏾‍♀️What to Expect

✔ contemporary romance
✔ adult fic/women's fic
✔ fantasy
✔ enemies to lovers/high school rivals
✔ what if/2nd chances
✔ alternate timelines
✔ HEA


🤔My Thoughts:

I'm a little burned out over "what if" tropes but the added part of Liv not having her mom or Masha's support in the alternate timeline makes up for it. Liv and Masha's friendship was well established in the beginning while planning Masha's wedding. Liv and her mother Lorena also had a close relationship even creating a pandemic podcast together. Liv was jealous of Jake because of what could have been. She worried about things she doesn't have-a successful career and a true love. When her "New Life" happened she got everything except the relationships with her mom and BFF. Liv used her new life falling in love and trying to undo mistakes she's made. In the end, only by giving up her new life for the real one does she truly find her HEA.

3.5/5 stars.

This book caught my attention right away when I was browsing though books to read. What’s In a Kiss is about the MC Olivia finding herself in an alternate reality where she has a new found relationship and the expense of others. She has a choice to make of which reality she would rather stay in.

I like the alternate reality idea and thought it was a fun twist to the story. Though I do think it was kind of confusing at first, I quickly was sucked into the story and the relationships that were building. It’s so interesting to look at the small “what if?” that could change the entire course of some ones lives.

I did think that some parts were rushed and I would have liked more details on what exactly happened to each relationship in the alt reality, but it was still a fun read and I did enjoy it overall. I think this book would definitely be a good summer/beach read! One to take on vacation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC of What’s in a Kiss? in exchange for my honest review.

What a treat! We start off with Olivia fully into her maid of honor role for her best friend, Masha. Everything is going great except Olivia does not want to see the best man, Jake. She went to school with Jake and has been in competition with him ever since, but right now she’s on the losing end. At the end of the wedding ceremony, Olivia is suddenly in a different version of the wedding. She comes to find out she’s living a different version of her life. The story goes through this alternate reality and Olivia starts to realize what she loves about her life…and who she loves. I just adored how this story played out and the ending. Read this if you love a feel good story, romance and a little spice. Overall, 4 stars. Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam via NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.