When I first started Consider Yourself Kissed, I thought I was in for a charming, modern romance. And it is—but it’s also something deeper, quieter, and much more bittersweet.

Coralie and Adam’s relationship felt refreshingly real. There’s no whirlwind drama, no explosive twists—just two people building a life together over ten years, raising a child, navigating careers, and surviving everything from Brexit to pandemic lockdowns. And in the middle of all that noise, Coralie’s slow realization that she may have lost a piece of herself really hit home.

The writing is sharp and observant, and there’s a lovely balance of humor and poignancy. I laughed out loud at a few moments (especially anything involving Adam’s overly logical takes on romance), but there was also a lingering sadness that stayed with me. That tension between love and selfhood—between the life you dream of and the person you want to be—was handled with a lot of nuance.

My only gripe? It meandered a bit in the middle. There were times when the pace sagged and I found myself skimming, hoping we’d get back to the emotional core. But by the end, I was glad I stuck with it.

It’s not your typical "happily ever after" story—but that’s what made it resonate. It asks harder questions. And even if the answers aren’t always clear, the journey is worth taking.

3.5/3.75 stars

Consider Yourself Kissed is a cute and relatable albeit sometimes a frustrating and depressing story about the chaos of family life, love, and the struggle to balance personal dreams with the demands of raising kids and relationships. it follows coralie, a young australian who moves to london, falls in love with adam, a journalist and political commentator, and quickly gets swept into his busy world of family and career. as adam’s career takes off, coralie’s own ambitions, specifically her lifelong dream to write a book, get sidelined as she juggles managing the house, caring for adam’s daughter, and having kids of her own.

the characters are fun and well-developed. i appreciated the authentic family dynamics. also loved the cute shorthand between coralie and adam (like their "CYK" sign-off), which added a sweet, intimate touch.

although it was likely to elicit relatability, the constant cycle of family responsibilities and coralie’s dissatisfaction began to feel repetitive, and i found myself less invested as the story went on. i think there is absolutely an audience who would eat this up and enjoy it, but i just started to drift off a bit. especially due to the political backdrop of the book (im sure english readers will have no problem following along), there were just a couple moments that felt hard to connect to or stick with.

it’s a charming and funny book with great characters. i recommend to those who like a good old fashioned rom-com, with a little bit of a twist in the sense that we start the book with a family and kids and work our way from there.

Every once in a while you read a novel, and you just know it will stick with you for a long while. This is such a novel! Stanley’s debut is relatable, sharp, and warm and one that I think every woman will see bits of herself in. A novel of blended families - the working through it all, the joys and incredible challenges of parenting, unconventional childhoods, dealing with extended family, and navigating marriage through the seasons. Coralie is an Australian living in London and easily relatable - a woman who gives up her career to keep her family’s home life in motion. There’s guilt and sadness because her life is so great, but at the same time she’s incredibly dissatisfied. Her husband Adam is a political journalist, writer and the story takes place against the backdrop of the political landscape in the UK over ten years.
Stanley’s characters leap off the page with secondary characters being equally memorable. Her depictions of family life - think children attending Montessori schools, (the need for indoor shoes IYKYK), the desire for thinking one should take up Yoga with Adrienne, (haven’t we all?), the hustle and bustle of morning routines, the insulation of Covid… (remember when we all stayed home?) are clever, astutely observed and humourous. I think this will be widely popular! I loved it!