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.

Liv wants to have it all friends, family, and a thriving acting career, but when her father dies, she puts her life on hold to help her mom. But when Liv enters an alternate universe, she sees what could have been had she gone after her dreams of Julliard and stardom. Seeing the other side of life, Liv has to choose which reality she wants to stay in, one where her career dreams come true or one where she has her strongest support system.

I came into this story pretty blind and didn't realize this was a dual-timeline read. I found it pretty interesting! In real life, Liv is down on her luck but has the love of her mom and best friend to get her through it, while Jake, her high school nemesis, has all the success Liv never got. In the alternate life, Liv is a famous actress with the success she always wanted but has ruined the relationships she had with her best friend and mom while in a shocking turn of events is married to Jake who plays a secondary role in her glamorous life. Its such a classic what-if scenario and I loved every minute of it.

You have to suspend disbelief a little and accept the magical realism. It started out a little slow because you have to get through the "how she figures out" part, but by the end of the book I was flipping pages so fast to see how it would end. It left me so happy. I had a big smile on my face.

Read if you like enemies to lovers, second chance romances with a touch of magical realism. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 7/2

A fantastic read. I am a fan of alternate reality romances when the FMC wakes up to a different version of her life. It was a little ridiculous the many ways a kiss can be interrupted in many funny ways. Great look into how making one decision can affect other aspects of your life.

This was super cute! I love going into books blind because when I like them it’s makes it more authentic. So I totally didn’t know that this was an alternative life plot! Such a cute twist on the high school enemies to lovers trope. Overall just a great story about love, friendship, family, and self growth. Definitely recommend reading this one.

Olivia and Jake are so sweet together! In both timelines honestly… the chemistry is so apparent that it makes you wonder how they could have gone 10 years as enemies. Their banter was top notch as well. Also Gram Parsons was such a cute little doggo, and the fact that he’s in both lives… too precious!

In Olivia’s “ideal life” she has what she’s wished for but obviously not without consequences. I loved that she tried to fix it all before leaving that life, but ultimately it wasn’t her place and she really couldn’t. And the color coded diaries!!! And the fact the Jake had a journal as well was adorable. There are some steamy moments but nothing too explicit.

Lauren Kate is always going to be my comfort author! I love how her books are wholesome, genuine, and a little bit of whimsical (especially this one!).

When Liv meets her high school crush-turned-nemesis, Jake, after 10 years at her best friend's wedding, she thinks she can handle him for 1 day. But everything changes when she looks into her eyes during the wedding vows & suddenly she's transported to another reality where they are happily married.

As much as I loved Liv's growth, I loved Jake even more. I really appreciated how Lauren gave a snarky between Liv and Jake in one life and being madly in love on another. And let me tell you, I absolutely loved both timelines & banters.

Though we didn't get to see much of the "real life," I could totally understand how things changed & unfolded in the alternate one. The friendship was top tier, and it made me sad to see that wasn't the case in the 2nd reality.

BUT THE ROMANCE WAS EVERYTHING! Jake & Liv were meant to be together since their prom night & in the end, it was proven so. Loved the ending so much, especially when Liv sees all her timelines with Jake! Can't wait to read more by Lauren.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

i went into this with zero idea of what was going on and omg i loved this book. this was not at all what i was expecting when i started this and i am so glad it was what it was.

the transition between “universes” was kinda choppy, but otherwise, amazing. the dog existing in both timelines???? obsessed.

i also do wish more of the alt-universe relationships had been more explored. how is her mother a narcissist in one life but not in another? what happened between her and mesha? did jake’s dad actually die or not? i wish those plot points had been more addressed, but otherwise still loved this.

Overall I enjoyed this read. It was super charming and such a heartwarming story. This second chance romance was cute and fun to read but the parallel universe aspect left me a little confused at times.

What's in a Kiss? by Lauren Kate was so sweet, and I absolutely loved everything about!
Such a delightful romantic comedy with the best characters.
This is a fast read and has all the swoony moments I love in a good romance. I really enjoyed the banter and laughs within the book.
I love how Lauren Kate paints such a vivid picture.

Thank You NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I really loved the characters in this book. Give me more and more of Jake. But there were just a lot of questions I had that never got answered, especially in the "fake" life. I would have loved more "fake" life world building about why her mom and Masha won't speak to her at all. I need more information about Aurora and her relationship with Liv in the fake world and Jake in the real world. But most of all I need an epilogue!!! I"m such a sucker for them and any romance book without one feels incomplete to me. But this was a super fun and quick read and would be great for the beach.

I love a good 90's/early 2000's romcom, and this definitely gives off those vibes. The alternate reality trope isn't one I typically like but it worked in this book! It's a funny and heartwarming exploration of what happens when one choice can make all the difference or change a consequence about love, life, and family.

Olivia is planning her best friend's wedding and her high school nemesis is the best man. Jake humiliated her the night of her prom and nothing has been the same since 10 years ago. Her father passed away and she never continued going to school to follow her dreams. As the "I do's" are said, Olivia stares into Jake's eyes and the earth shifts. The reality changes and she's suddenly the love of Jake's life.

Olivia is a hotmess express and sometimes it's a little hard to follow. Jake's character was very lovable and heartfelt and I thoroughly enjoyed their interactions and banter. I felt it was good representation of what can happen when one missed opportunity can change a whole perspective or mindset. It was charming and whimsical and gave me all the feels a good romcom is supposed to give you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/ G.P. Putnam's Sons for allowing me to review this arc for a fair and honest review. I really enjoyed it! It was a great summer read!

"Here. There. Everywhere. All the wheres in all the worlds. Always."

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Lauren Kate for the advanced copy of What's in a Kiss?

I.... Have no words for this book. From the first chapter, I was hooked with Olivia's characterization and story and her relationship with so many important people in her life. I forgot it was even an alternate reality book until it happened, I was that engrossed. I read about 80% in one day, I could NOT put it down.

Olivia and Jake's inevitability across realities made me ugly cry. Their relationship felt so real and raw. Olivia's bond with Masha and her mom was heartfelt and wholesome.

I want to live in the bubble of this book for a while.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for a review copy of What’s in a Kiss? in exchange for my honest opinion.
What’s in a Kiss? is an enemies-to-lovers romance involving a time-warp a la the Gwyneth Paltrow movie Sliding Doors, which gets a fun shout-out in the book. Ten years after high school graduation, Masha and Eli are getting married and Olivia is the maid of honor, a well-deserved honor as the couple ended up together at their high school prom after Olivia ditched Eli. Also at their prom, Olivia *almost* kissed her rival Jake, who is now Eli’s best man and a famous TV show host. On the other hand, Olivia has been furloughed from her job and is waitressing and driving for Lyft to make ends meet. But when Olivia wakes up, she’s the famous one - and she’s married to Jake.
This read was so enjoyable - I binged it in one day. The LA setting is prominent, and I felt like I was right there with them even though I’ve never been to LA. I definitely recommend this one to romcom readers, and I hope you like it as much as I did.

When requesting this book I really was intrigued by the premise of the story. But then when I started this one, I felt a reallly hard time connecting the chemistry between these two. I did really feel bad for Liv, it sounded like she has been served curveball after curveball in life and has gone with the punches. It was easy to connect with her. But honestly after the first few chapters, I was just not into this book. I felt that the life switch was difficult to follow and kind of all over the place. Loved the last book I read by Lauren Kate, but this one just didn't hit for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“In love with you. Here. There. Everywhere. All the wheres in the world. Always.”
Excuse me while I melt!

Having to face her high school rival and ALMOST prom kiss, 10 years later at her best friend’s wedding is not ideal for Olivia Dusk. Especially when said rival is Jake Glasswell, an adored newscaster and also her Lyft passenger?!
After losing her father, Olivia Dusk was met with a decision that led her to giving up a dream of attending Juilliard. While Liv was unable to pursue her dream she still had her biggest supporters: her mom, her best friend, and her adorable dog!
But what could have been if Liv had decided to choose another path? One that included a prom kiss with Jake?
Well she’s about to find out…
Olivia ends up in an alternative reality as a successful actress and… married to Jake Glasswell?!

This book was giving me major 13 going on 30 with a splash of freaky Friday vibes!! What more could you want?!?!
This story was so much fun and addicting!
I absolutely adored the banter between Olivia in Jake in both the real life and the “high life”. The characters in this book kept me giggling throughout and I enjoyed getting to see the alternative reality of the side characters as well!
I do wish we could have had maybe some flashbacks to high school to experience more interactions between Olivia and Jake. Maybe even a epilogue with Jake’s POV. I would have loved to see Jake having a similar experience as Olivia. Overall, I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a great romance with a twist!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this e-ARC! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

At first, I wasn't sure where this book was going, but the more I read, the more easily I was swept up in the magic of Olivia and Jake. Their story is so compelling and sweet. Interestingly enough, it did remind me of some recent books I loved! I highly recommend this one.

Initially I was intrigued because this book felt similar to one of my favorite movies, 13 going on 30 and was very excited to dive in and it was so much more! What's in a Kiss? by Lauren Kate focuses on Olivia Dusk, a woman in her late 20s who is going through a tough time (job loss, unfulfilled career & relationship wise) but has the excellent support system in her best friend, Masha & her mom. We begin with Masha's wedding preparations in which Olivia must put on her most polite self as she will be interacting with the best man, Jake Glasswell, AKA super famous Everything's Jake TV host. The animosity can be pinpointed to their time in high school where it seems Jake tried to outdo Olivia in everything culminating to their prom night which led to an almost kiss that never happened. After an incident with a yogi, she's transported into another life that shows her what could've happened had that kiss taken place. Olivia's world turns upside down as she ends up discovering all the things she's gained along with the things she lost.

I was consistently engaged with this romcom and felt surprised at every turn through the end. My favorite parts of this book involved all of the female relationships Olivia maintained. Her love for others was very apparent regardless of which world she lived through. She had to learn a few lessons, but ultimately discovers the meaning of fate & fearlessness. Lauren's writing captivated me to the point where I truly understood the struggles Olivia faced between either of these worlds and the sacrifices she would have to make in return. I very much enjoyed my first read from Lauren Kate and will be on the lookout for any future projects. Thank you very much to NetGalley, Lauren Kate & Penguin Random House/G.P. Putnam's Sons for an early copy of What's in a Kiss? in exchange for an honest review.