One night, Jill hears a tap on her bedroom window in the middle of the night, just to find her neighbor Max on the other side. In a weak moment, Jill lets a very drunk Max into her room and he ends up kissing her, something that catches Jill my surprise, but she finds she likes it. But her father catches them, and bans her form seeing Max, which isn't a problem, right? But maybe it is since Jill might have hidden feelings for Max she did not realize before, but unfortunately he has a girlfriend. It could not be more complicated.</p>

I had been wanting to read this book for months when I first heard about and I was so excited to get my hands on the advanced copy. All my friends who got there hands on it raved about how cute and wonderful this book was, so my expectations were incredibly high. That being said, I found this to be a really solid book that focused on relationship dynamics, not just between Max and Jill, but between Jill and her family and friends, as well as Max and his family. There was also a lot of growing up that happened in the pages, where Jill learned what family was, how to deal with disappointment and unexpected situations and how to make the best of whatever is thrown at you.

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I liked Jill as a character right from the start. I was a little miffed at how she was with Max after the shock of the first initial kiss, which was not her fault and she was caught off guard. But the way she kept seeking out Max and letting him use her made me want her to grow some self worth, and I hated how negative she was about his girlfriend Becky, who I will admit I felt bad for even though the book tried to make her the bad guy. On one hand I knew that the plot dealt with Max and Jill kissing even though he had a girlfriend, but I don't think that I really thought about the story being about cheating, which I hate! So for like half the book I was irritated at the relationship between the two, and when Jill finally stood up for herself I wanted to cheer. I absolutely loved Kyle as her bestie, how supportive, available and level-headed he was. But my favorite relationship in the story was between Jill and her stepmom Meredith. I anticipated the sterotype of evil step-monster, but that was not the case. At first the two sort of coexisted but didn't interact, but then at a certain super awkward (for Jill) moment, they became family and I loved it.

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I spent the first half of the book not liking Max, the love interest, hating his relationship and life choices, hoping some other guy would come in and sweep Jill of her feet (she made herself too available to Max!) but alas that never happened. But there was a sneaky moment in the book that I did not even notice at first that changed my mind with out me being aware of it- when I tried to figure out what it was, I realized it was when he taught Jill how to take care of her baby sister. I guess there is just something about a big strong guy who loves and is perfectly capable of taking care of a baby that I can't resist. So after our relationship turning point, I started to like Max and I loved how well he tried to take care of Jill. I think they balanced each other nicely, her maturity and his spark of fun. If only they got together that summer she walked the angry dog...


So yes, this is a romance between Jill and Max, but can I just say that I was in lust with all the delicious sounding treats that filled the book? Oh my geeze, I spent half the story salivating over the amazing confections that Jill created, imagining how yummy they would be if I could just have a bite... (I dream about that sugar cake Jill baked for her stepmom after the delivery, mmmm). So yeah, I was in love with the baking aspect of the story hands down, and I think I need a cookbook follow up to this story full of recipes for those baked goods, most of which I had never heard of but now desperately need.

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This was a cute romance that had a bit of a rocky start with the series of questionable life choices but ended super sweet and really uplifting in general, which I did not anticipate. This was the first book that I have read by Katy Upperman and I look forward to more because she is able to create realistic flawed people that I connected to and root for, and characters are my favorite part of any story (and it doesn't hurt that sweet treats played a role either).

I received this title in return for my honest review.
Visit my blog at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ to follow the book tour.

Kissing Max Holden really took me by surprise, I went into the book expecting a light, cute, fluffy read, but I appreciated the depth and serious issues that Upperman dealt with. Jill and Max have been friends forever, although they’ve sort of drifted apart at school, they’d never imagined something more than their friendship until one night, they end up kissing. It comes completely out of the blue, as Max has a girlfriend and with everything being chaotic for Max at home, maybe it was just the comfort that he needed? But really what I loved most after was the turmoil of emotions that it left our characters in afterwards. Jill is constantly denying it that it’s just a onetime thing, but she really can’t get it out of her head or go back to the way things were between her and Max. It was obvious to me, that there was the potential for great things between Max and Jill if they ever decided to go down that route, but with so many obstacles in the way, was that even possible?

Both Max and Jill had a rough time over the course of this book, Max’s dad had a stroke, he was the light of the family, but now that he was restricted to a wheelchair, things weren’t the same as they used to be. On top of that there’s the conflicted feelings between him and Jill, Max also has a girlfriend, so shouldn’t it be best that they stay away from each other. I know Max wasn’t in the best of situations, with him kissing Jill whilst having a girlfriend, I don’t condone cheating at all, but with the way things were going with Max and his girlfriend I just wanted him to finally sort things out and be with who he wanted to really be with instead of going behind other people’s back and hurting a lot of people in the process. There was Max’s girlfriend, Max’s sister (who was his girlfriend's best friend) and even Jill’s dad to consider who didn’t want Jill to be anywhere near Max, which I could understand especially with the reputation he had. But with all the stuff going on, I was glad that Max and Jill were able to find solace with each other. If you thought Max’s situation was bad, I really felt for Jill as the story progressed, it completely changed my assumptions about how I felt regarding certain characters.

Kissing Max Holden really had a lot going for it, it had the boy next door forbidden romance vibe going on, one which I was fully rooting for, but the depth and number of issues that was tackled by Upperman was really done well too. I loved watching Jill and Max grow into wonderful characters over the course of the story and also the meaningful relationships that they developed along the way with people I didn’t expect. Also I was completely won over by Max by the end, he’d gone from this uptight guy who was hell bent on destroying his life, to someone who was sweet and wanted the very best for those he loved, I for one wouldn’t mind Max popping in through my bedroom window! ;) I’ve only read a handful of debuts this year, but Kissing Max Holden will definitely be one of the most memorable!

Kissing Max Holden is Katy Upperman’s debut novel and the latest book published by Swoon Reads. Living up to its publisher’s name, Kissing Max Holden will leave you swooning in delight.

Jill and Max were childhood friends until the day they weren’t. That’s why Max climbing through her window one night surprises Jill—it’s something that hasn’t happened in a long time. Jill knows she shouldn’t let Max kiss her for a couple of reasons: 1) because he’s drunk, and 2) he has a girlfriend. After being caught in the act, Jill promises her dad it won’t happened again. But with her life falling a part, Jill soon finds Max to be the perfect distraction and a person she can confide in.

Oh man, I loved Kissing Max Holden. I could not put this book down and was able to easily read it in one sitting. It’s such an enjoyable read, and I fell in love with the story instantly. The writing style was addicting, and I could not get enough of Jill and Max’s story. They aren’t perfect, but I loved that about them. They’re both in difficult situations with their families, yet they find a way to get through it together. One highlight from this book was the relationship Jill has with her stepmom, Meredith. It was refreshing that Meredith not be portrayed as the stereotypical “evil” stepmother and to actually see their relationship grow throughout the book . The family dynamics of both families in general added to the story’s depth. Another highlight? Jill’s talent for baking. I adored that her dream was to attend culinary, specifically pastry, school. More importantly, we see her love for baking in action throughout the story with all the different types of pastries she bakes. It sure made me want to throw on my apron and bake some delicious desserts.

Now to address a certain part of the book, beware semi-spoilers are ahead. Ready? Okay. Yes, Max cheats on his girlfriend several times by kissing and confiding in Jill the way he does. Is the girlfriend manipulative? Yes. Does she deserve it? No. What Max should have done is break up with her. However, he makes a mistake as does Jill by continuing to let this happen. Towards the end of the book, we see a parallel between Jill and her dad who is also having an affair. That’s where the similarities end. What Jill’s dad does is completely inappropriate and wrong. He cheats on his pregnant wife. Not only that, but he cheated on his first wife, Jill’s mother, which is why she left. After Jill confronts him, he continues to have his affair. He obviously does not learn from his mistakes. Jill and Max, on the other hand, are teenagers. They are not grown adults in a serious, life-long committed relationship. Teenagers make mistakes, it’s how they learn to grow up. Could the situation have been handled better? Of course. Do I fault them for it? No, because they both undergo major character development within the story, which is the most important part.

Overall, I adored Kissing Max Holden. It included the tropes I love reading in YA romances and was such a swoon-worthy novel. I look forward to reading Katy Upperman’s next book!

I wanted to read KISSING MAX HOLDEN because I knew there would be a lot of kissing. I mean, kissing is in the title. I'm not at all ashamed to admit that. Plus, I love the friends-to-more trope. It is one of my favorites, and I liked the idea that there was something forbidden about the relationship.

KISSING MAX HOLDEN is more that just kissing. Much more. It's about friendships, loyalty, family, betrayals, and baking. A lot of baking. I liked the passion that Jillian has for baking and how it as big part of how she relates to situations as well as the role it has in her future.

I loved reading about Max and Jillian's history as childhood friends and how their families were connected and seeing just how much they relied on each other. Their lives are so intertwined that situations and circumstances continue to bring them together.

It's important to understand that Jillian isn't the perfect character. She is kissing a guy who has a girlfriend. (Not a spoiler - it's in the synopsis) This may turn off some readers, but it wasn't an issue for me. Instead it raised the questions: How does she deal with that choices? What are her inner struggles? How do her choices affect her friendship with Max?


What I liked:
*The friends-to-more trope
*Coffee-shop wisdom
*Teenagers making bad choices, messing up, growing up
*The relationship between Jillian and her step-mother
*All of the sweet-tender moments, the "glances with meaning" between Max and Jillian (it's not just about the kissing)
*And, of course, all of the kissing

Favorite Quotes:

The corners of his mouth lift in a smug smile. And then he levels me with the most awkward question ever: “You’re thinking about last night, aren’t you?”

I don’t want to be jealous of something I don’t understand.

***spoiler-ish***
"It pisses me off that I’ve wasted time I could’ve spent with you, so God, don’t make me worry that the future’s not a sure thing. If you’re not serious, tell me now, before I get in any deeper.”

I loved reading KISSING MAX HOLDEN for the story, the character growth, the friendships, and yes, for all of the swoon-worthy yummy kisses.

I'm always wary when it comes to the friends-turning-into-something-more troupe because they leave me with a bittersweet taste and I'm usually left feeling more conflicted than satisfied at the end. This book, however, wasn't as bad as I had feared. Some aspects of the story I had issues with (all the cheating) while the other parts (sweet moments, family dynamics, friendships, etc.) helped lessen the bad taste the former left behind and helped me enjoy the story for the cute romantic contemporary that it is.

"Kissing Max Holden" is a character-driven story that is told in Jillian's point of view and I found her voice to be really easy to follow, engaging, and genuine. Realistically flawed, she felt like a real teenager who I could have easily known back in high school. I always appreciate it when the main characters actually act like the teenagers that they are. I also enjoyed Katy's writing style: simple without oversimplifying the narration, fun and easy to follow, with great pacing and flow to the story.

I wanted to like Max, I really did, but it frustrated and drove me absolutely insane every time he initiated a kiss, or even hinted at having more-than-platonic feelings for Jillian, when he still had a girlfriend. Maybe I have less patience for that kind of thing than Jillian, but it irritated me so much that Max wouldn't just break up with his girlfriend when he was so clearly unhappy with her that he would resort to cheating on her with his childhood friend, thus involving her in his mess as well. Unfortunately, there were very few moments were I actually found him to be endearing and a likable character because the majority of the time he was a short-tempered, reckless asshole. Sure, I felt sympathy for him when it came to his father's condition, but that was no excuse for him acting out the way he did, and especially not for cheating. At his best, however, Max is passionate and loves fiercely, and strives to become a better version of himself.

Jill, on the other hand, I adored right away despite her flaws. Although I still think it's awful that she essentially became the Other Woman, I found that her other qualities mostly redeemed her. I love how passionate she was about baking and admire her dream of turning that passion into her future career. Every time she baked I found myself craving to taste whatever it was she had made! I'm not even exaggerating when I say this book gave me serious munchies. She's strong and a hard-worker, and acted very mature and patient for her age. I often found myself wondering where she found the patience to deal with Max when he was acting out and being awful. I really enjoyed seeing Jill's character development throughout the story, which was conveyed exceptionally well with her feelings of becoming an older sister, her changing relationship with her stepmother and father, as well as her quickly evolving relationship with Max.

I wish there were more first-hand recounts of Jillian and Max when they were younger, before the distance between them started. There were times that Jillian mentioned a random memory of her and Max as children, but I feel like the way she talked about it felt hallow and didn't really help convince me of their deep bond that was forged as children. Maybe if there had actually been dialogue between them as kids I would have felt their connection more rather than just having a simple summary of what happened when they were little. Though a scene later on in the story kind of made up for it, where Max talked about knowing so many of Jill's little quirks, things that people would only know if they spent many years growing up together.

Overall, despite my several issues with certain aspects of the plot,  I still really did enjoy reading this book and would definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary romance. Sweet and semi-swoonworthy, deeply heartfelt family drama, character-driven plot, and a generous spoonful of teenage angst, "Kissing Max Holden" is a light and fun summer read that YA contemporary fans should check out!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Swoon Reads, through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to start this review by saying that I enjoy drama, at least watching it unfold. You offer me a ticket to a relationship train wreck, and I'm going to jump on board because it's entertaining. And that's what Kissing Max Holden was, a months long relationship train wreck. Reading this book was almost like watching a mini soap opera. Trying to figure out who was hooking up with whom definitely kept me flipping the pages (even after I got a friend to spill the beans).

I feel like most of the conflict in this story was due to a lack of communication. Like if Jillian would have just been up front with Max from the get go, she wouldn't have had anything to feel guilty about in the first place. But in true teenager fashion, she acted like she's the only person in the world to ever be in her particular situation, so clearly no one else could ever understand what she was going through. So that was annoying and I could have done without that aspect of the story, but I will admit that it was at least authentic.

In spite of the fact that I don't personally approve of cheaters, I did really want Jill and Max to get together, because they really seemed perfect for each other and Becky just seemed like a drag from the get go. At the same time, I really just wanted Max to realize that he needed to drop Becky, whether he got with Jill or not. Although I'm also sad that I didn't get to see more of that train wreck (my love of relationship train wrecks often leaves me feeling conflicted).

In the end, this book did keep me hooked even after getting a friend to spoil the ending for me, and the angst satisfied my craving for drama, so I give Kissing Max Holden 4 out of 5 stars.

Max and Jilly just pushed into first place as my OTP. Katy Upperman is an amazing, strong writer. Her style of bringing a story together and character development is brilliant. Everything just flows beautifully and I highly recommend this book to everyone! I even remember voting for the cover! I'm so happy to see people get this on in their hands! I wish I could give more than 5 stars!

2.5 stars

I finished reading Max Holden, but can not give it more than a 2.5 star rating. While the writing was good, and the story flowed well, the plot was kind of a drag.

Kissing Max Holden just doesn’t feel like a book for me. I’m not a big fan of teenage girls losing themselves in a boy. While I could understand that Jillian didn’t want to give up on Max, who’s life was spiraling, I do believe she deserved better than this lost boy.

For me she could have been there for Max as a friend, but I never really saw his appeal. Since the most of the story is about “will or won’t they”, and Jillians’s life falling apart, I lost hope after a while, and never quite recovered.

Quite disappointed. Full review on Goodreads.

I knew I was taking a risk with this book when I requested it. Cheating is a tricky thing for me - and I did some homework, read some reviews before I pulled the trigger. I decided it was worth the chance. Unfortunately - this book was not for me.

I felt like the writing was great and the storytelling was engaging - but I couldn't handle the ongoing cheating. Honestly, by the time I decided not to continue reading (around 40%) the only person I still liked was Kyle (who got far too little screen time, as far as I'm concerned). I understand that they were all going through difficult times, but not one single person behaved like a responsible, respectable adult (not even the ACTUAL adults) and in the end it wasn't worth the risk to my blood pressure.

Like I said, I knew this was going to be hit or miss for me, and unfortunately it was a miss. I'd definitely try another book by this author though - it's definitely not the writing that turned me off. Just a storyline that I couldn't connect with.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read and review!

*I would firstly like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.*

Kissing Max Holden follows patisserie extraordinaire, Jillian Eldridge and her rocky and complicated relationship with her neighbor, Max Holden. Jillian is surrounded by chaos in her home and basically her entire 'relationship' with Max reflects that chaos. She has a new sibling on the way (which she annoyingly calls a "leech baby") and a dad who grows increasingly absent as her step-mother nears term. On top of that, her relationship with her father becomes estranged and her entire college fund disappears.

Max is troubled to say the least. He is a selfish little punk, who knows he is a selfish little punk, who also does not care that he is a selfish little punk. His dad suffered a massive stroke and has major residual illness from that stroke. And what does Max do about it? Drink himself into stupors and parades around with his girlfriend...whom he then cheats on with Jillian...repeatedly. He is disrespectful. He IS the quintessential bad boy, but without the goodness. I really can't think of a positive quality. OH! Maybe he loves his nephew. But that's about it. He talks down to people, Jillian in particular. He stays with his girlfriend even though he doesn't love OR LIKE her. He is not a good person.

OK. So yes, I read the summary prior to getting the ARC. Yes, I noticed that it included a "cheating" story-line (which, I LOATHE). Silly me thought that there would be some explanation or "way out," to where this cheating story-line wasn't even real. Maybe Becky wasn't actually his girlfriend? Maybe she was his sponsor? Anyways. I am an idiot. Because this obviously didn't happen. The cheating story-line lasts AT LEAST 50-60% of the way through the book. Jillian and Max repeatedly "hang out" and "make out," all while Jillian justifies being a cheating counterpart by girl shaming Becky. For example, Jillian would REPEATEDLY TELL HERSELF that...if Becky wasn't such "a horrible person" and that "Becky doesn't deserve Max" and "she is the reason Max is a horrible person" and blah blah blah, she wouldn't have cheated with Max or be so tempted to....SO. MUCH. NO. I HATE THIS. CHEATING IS NEVER JUSTIFIED AND GIRL SHAMING IS NEVER OKAY.

A little louder for the people in the back:

GIRL SHAMING IS NEVER OKAY

I suppose Jillian's "justification" of her actions wouldn't be as annoying to me if she also didn't follow it up with vilifying Max. Yes, Max is primarily to blame...in the beginning. But you can only play the blame game so long. Spoiler alert: the Jillian and Max cheating story-line is not the only cheating story-line in this book.

If I can say a few positive things, it would be this: this is a very fast read, I had no problems with the writing style (only the major plot lines), and one shining thing comes out that in the end, they all reflect on the consequences of their bad actions (thank goodness). I also adored the development in the relationship between Jillian and her stepmother, Meredith. In the beginning, they are hardly more than two people who are in-house acquaintances at best. Throughout their book, their relationship grows as Jillian begins to understand Meredith and actually try to get to know her. They bond over her sister's birth and Jillian begins to grow as a person.

Kissing Max Holden comes out on August 1.

***Full book review on wildandwonderfulreads.com***

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Between the synopsis and cover (hello, gorgeous!), as soon as I discovered Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman, I KNEW that I needed to read this book. I enjoyed this read, although I did have some issues with it.

The premise of Kissing Max Holden was part of the draw for me. I generally enjoy the ‘friends-to-something-more’ literary trope. Jillian Eldridge and Max Holden were neighbors and best of friends for the 10 years that they lived across the street from each other. They grew apart a little more recently, but high school and family drama tend to have that effect on some relationships. When they needed someone, though, they only had to look as far as their friend across the street. But, the dynamics of their relationship changed one night after Max kissed Jillian…and she let him.

After reading the book’s description, it was not hard to figure out the direction the plot would lead. I was left wanting more of Jillian and Max, though. Obviously, this is their story, but I, personally, did not get enough of their evolved relationship. In fact, when I realized I was a couple of chapters from finishing the book, I felt a pang of disappointment that there was not enough time or pages left to focus on Jillian and Max as Jillian and Max (I am trying to avoid spoilers, but it is difficult to explain this without a hint of it). We got plenty of the push and pull, but I wanted more elaboration on the good times.

Generally speaking (errr…typing), I liked Jillian and Max. They were flawed, which added to their appeal. Both of their families were experiencing pretty significant strife and, of course, high school can be cruel. All of those struggles were reflected in their characters. I found that to be realistic and endearing. Who doesn’t wear at least a little of their heart on their sleeve?! That being said, sometimes the drama seemed like a bit much. Again, I was hoping for more of a focus on Jillian and Max’s relationship. I completely understand that these experiences added to the development of their relationship, but Kissing Max Holden seemed like it was full of more sadness and anger than happiness.

Here are a few other things I really enjoyed:
-Jillian’s passion for baking;
-The bond that grew between Jillian and her step-mom;
-The character maturation, especially with Jillian and Max;
-The friends-to-something-more and boy next door tropes;
-Max (with his head on straight) is totally swoon-worthy; and
-The main group of Jillian and Max’s friends/how supportive they were of each other.

Now, here are a few other things I wasn’t thrilled about:
-The amount of hating amongst the girls (I kept looking for some explanation for this, and at times there was a reason for the immense dislike, but the initial, immediate appearance of hate was a little confusing);
-The amount of infidelity and the attempts at justification for it; and
-There was animosity from Max towards Kyle early on that I didn’t understand (they were friends and Max confided in Kyle at other times, but the only thing I could think of was the animosity was Katy’s way of hinting to us readers that Max was jones-ing for Jillian and had a case of jealousy due to Kyle’s close friendship with Jillian).

There were a few things about the story that broke my heart. These were not things that I disliked, by any means, but they absolutely crushed me:
-Jillian’s college fund (I will not say more, due to spoilers);
-Max’s dad; and
-Jake the jerk (’nuff said!).

Before I wrap up this review, let me share a personal tidbit that may help you understand why I found Kissing Max Holden relatable:
-My fiance and I were very close friends for about 10 years (through college and beyond) before we caved and started dating! I understood that awkwardness that “Jilly” and Max experienced due to the shifting dynamics of their relationship, and I had a similar desire to keep things on the DL for a little while. When Max explained to Jillian that he already knows all of her shit, which he liked, I recalled when I said the exact same thing to my fiance when we first started to hang out as more-than-friends. This, obviously, won’t have an effect on YOUR feelings towards this book, but it had an effect on mine.

Overall, I found this to be a quick, enjoyable read. I like when I am driven to keep reading because I am on the edge of my seat about what will happen next, and I got that here, especially as Jillian and Max’s relationship evolved. I found aspects of the plot to be identifiable, and I always think that is a plus for YA Contemporary reads. The issues I mentioned are what caused me to lower my rating, but I would still recommend this book to others. So, on that note, Kissing Max Holden comes out August 1, 2017 — check it out!

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced galley of this book. Please note that it, in no way, affected my opinion or review.

I absolutely loved this book, it had heart something that I have learned is not a sure thing in this genre or any to be honest any genre. Max and Jillian struggled they both had real issues that needed to be worked out yet they still fought to salvage their friendship which lead to so much more for them. I loved the romance of Max and Jilly it was obvious to me that they had always loved each other and just needed time to grow up before they were together. I only have one complaint about the story, I want an epilogue telling me they made it and are still together 5 or 10 years from now, I want to know what they are up to then! This book was very well written and I would definitely read more by this author.

3 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

This book started out as a solid 4 star, and just kept slowly motoring downhill from there.  I honestly was sucked in by the storyline, and I thought Jill was an interesting heroine.  And I was pulled in by the initial chemistry and connection between Jill and Max.  And there were glimmers of goodness, don't get me wrong.  I did enjoy some aspects, but on the whole I ended the book on a heavy sigh.  This review is probably going to focus on the negative aspects way too much, but I really did enjoy the few cute moments, hence why it's not lower than 3 stars.

In the end, I didn't really enjoy either Jill or Max.  They both had good qualities, but they were HEAVILY overshadowed by their bad qualities.  Or rather, I don't feel like they redeemed themselves.  Jill was definitely better than Max.  I felt like I would start to like her, and then she would disappoint me and annoy me...then I would be impressed by some decision or choice she would make, then she would disappoint me again.  I can chalk up a lot of her annoyance as being a fairly stereotypical teenager, so I guess I gave her more of a pass than Max in the end.  But I still felt like I was shortchanged on her growth.  As an example, I didn't necessarily buy her change of heart about the money.  I certainly wouldn't have forgiven so easily, so it didn't feel authentic.

Max's journey was more of a deep valley of not good stuff, with a little blip of goodness occasionally.  I get that he was screwed up and acting out badly, and that's fine.  I mean, it doesn't leave me too impressed with him, but I get that was his storyline.  But other than occasionally being sweet to Jill, when he dived back down, he REALLY dived back down.  Where was his redemption?  Maybe it's because we don't get to see inside his head, so while he says he's trying to get better, you sort of see it, but as a reader I just didn't buy it.  I didn't want to give him a pass.  And he was so hypocritical!  After all the crap he did, he totally jumped down Jill's throat without giving her much time at all to grow as well!  Not impressed.  Gee, could you tell?

Inherently my problem with this story lies in the presence of a lot of one of my major button issues: cheating.  I'm sorry folks, it's just not for me.  Maybe if it was just that first kiss.  Maybe if he hadn't stayed with his girlfriend time and time again, while simultaneously trying to explore a relationship with Jill as well.  I could even forgive a little bit of Jill's bad judgement, and her having to live with her decisions.  But we're given hints that there is more to Becky's story, and then what we're given just didn't seem like enough, and as with most YA's, we're made to dislike her because she's a bitch and a mean girl.  It was a shame, it would have been more interesting if there was a hint of depth there.  It definitely doesn't show Max in a good light then.  And it was like I was told about Jill's emotional journey over how she feels about participating in cheating, but I didn't feel it.  AND THEN there's her Dad.  It was too much.  Too many truly reprehensible characters with no redemption.

There were bright spots.  I LOVED the development of Jill's relationship with Meredith (and Ally to a degree).  That truly surprised me in a good way.  I enjoyed Jill's passion for baking, and how she tried to figure out her future.  And I loved the little bits we saw of Marcy and Bill.

Honestly, I could probably pick apart a few more tiny things (like I wish there was more from the friend side of things, Kyle or Leah), but it's just not that important.  This was a book with a lot of potential that just fell short in the end, and was tainted for me personally by the cheating topic.  I recognize it's hinted at in the blurb, but if I'd known the degree, I would have steered clear.  Ah well.

Jillian Eldridge and Max Holden are friends and neighbors. Max is different after his father has a stroke. Jill wants to be there for him and help him just as a good friend would. But One night Max kisses Jill and things start to change. Jill knows she shouldn't be allowing Max to kiss her and her kissing him right back. Especially when they get caught by her dad in the act. Jill's dad thinks Max is trouble and forbids her from hanging out him. Plus to add more drama to the situation, Max has a girlfriend and even after they kiss he doesn't end things with her. Jill knows kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea but not kissing him is next to impossible for Jill.

Jill finds she wants to spend more time with Max. She is falling for him and the trouble is she shouldn't be. Kissing Max Holden is wrong but it is something Jill is finding a hard time to give up. Jill finds out something her dad has been hiding and it puts going to culinary school in New York next to impossible. Plus Jill's dad and step-mom are expecting a baby soon and all they do is fight nowadays. When she discovers why her dad is always at work it puts what she is doing with Max Holden in perspective. Can she stop kissing Max Holden?



I really loved this YA book. Max needed someone and Jill was also going through alot and found comfort with each other. The one main problem is that Max still had a girl friend and Jill became the other women. It just happened and once it did Jill didn't stop it from happening again. It a good story to show how easy it is to fall into that type of situation and it isn't until later that she realized how wrong it was to be kissing Max Holden. The characters both evolve and change throughout the story which is something that I love to read about. It was a easy read that I read cover to cover. Even I knew what Jill and Max was wrong but I still wanted them together. Max needed to end this right away but he didn't and Jill should have pushed for that before they kissed again. I was rooting for these two from the beginning. I loved the story and really enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend it to anyone who loves YA genre. I also love that there are some lessons that can be learned from the book. Great Read

jillian eldridge can't leave max holden out in the cold. not when he's tapping on her window in the middle of the night in spite of the fact that they've been barely speaking. even if he's been a jerk lately she knows what he's been through. he's been a part of her life forever.

and that night, it makes no sense, because one moment they are bickering and the next they are kissing. and jill's dad is catching them in the middle of something. but jill can't explain what. max has a girlfriend. he's drunk and a mess. and still kissing him is the only thing she can think about. even if it's wrong. even if it changes everything. even if she has no idea what he's thinking.

mostly jill assumes she's a mistake. a lot of the time in kissing max holden, she thinks she can't mean as much to him as he means to her. but that kiss, it actually brought max back to life. his home life has been a mess since his dad suffered a stroke six months ago. nothing is the same and he blames himself. but being with jill makes him feel like maybe things can be better.

ironic that as max's home life improves jill's falls apart. but when max is there for her, when he lets himself be the person she can rely on, it's pretty wonderful. i really enjoyed this book. i loved jill and max and their friends and family, even jill's jerk of a father was a compelling character. and that's saying something because he is such a jerk.

jill and max's relationship is stormy and emotional and full of sparks, and while those things don't stop once they get together, there is also the sweetness of loving someone who knows you as you are. they've seen each other at their worst and can love each other in spite of it. the family drama that surrounds them from all sides adds some weight to the novel, this isn't just a light and frothy ya. yes there's romance, but there are some real issues tackled here in a way that allows the characters to grow. it's not just drama for drama's sake, it's well done.

The Good:

This book was written really well! For being Upperman's first book I was pleasantly surprised. The characters all had realistic flaws and were very fleshed out. I enjoyed watching Jill and Max's growth as young adults. Especially Jill's relationship with her step mother and Max's eventual acceptance of his father's situation. The portrayal of tragedy was well done as well. Seeing realistic issues and the strain on a family might have from a massive stroke was amazingly done. I also think that all emotions in this book were very true to realistic expectations save for Jill "getting over" her college fund being squandered so quickly.

Jill and Max do not have a perfect relationship. I think that was a huge plus (and also sometimes negative) for the book. Yes they get a shitty start, but when all obstacles are out of the way and they are officially together we don't get a happily ever after. Which is good. Because that doesn't happen. They fought, they argued, there was miscommunication which is all very real in a relationship. Especially a new one. What I didn't like was the drama. So much damn drama. Half the drama could have been completely swept away if Jill was very a smidgen braver or stuck up for herself.

The Bad:

This book had a lot of infidelity. Which is one thing I really do not enjoy. As someone on the cheated on end these situations the whole idea of it in books really turns me off. That being said I hear a lot of really great things about this book so I thought "Why the hell not? I'm sure it'll be fine."

Things we're in fact, not fine.

I'm just going to go right out and say it, this book had two cases of cheating. Obviously Max and Jill, but also Jill's father. Who did not cheat just once., but at least twice that we know of. Once on his first wife, Jill's mother, which caused her to leave him. (Why she did not take Jillian with her and hence keep very minimal contact with her daughter is beyond me.) Secondly when his current wife is pregnant throughout the book. I think in all honesty I would have been "OK" with the book if it was just Jill and Max's situation. They realize what they are doing is wrong (and actually Jill says so multiple times in the book) and Max tries to right his wrongs and comes clean with his girlfriend and ends their relationship. This does not right the wrongs of cheating but he stayed true and confessed so I'll give him credit. With the lovely added bonus of us seeing how shitty Jillian's father is, I just hit my tipping point.

I'm not sure if the addition of the father's situation was meant to help Max and Jill see how wrong what they were doing was because I felt like Jill had a pretty clear idea just how wrong it was from the get go. She repeatedly tells Max she wont do anything with him while he has a boyfriend. Yes, hormones and feelings get in the way and they kiss. Often. But right from the start Jill was like "This is wrong." Max on the other hand gets a slow realization over the course of the book.

Would I buy this book? No

Would I recommend it? It was a good coming of age/relationship journey book. If you can get over the cheating then I think others might like it. I'm curious to see what else Upperman will write.

Would I re-read it? No

It's been some time since I've read anything bordering on angsty and Kissing Max Holden is being hit with it on almost every page. It sounds like I'm disparaging the book but I'm not. This story features people who are deeply discontented and how they deal (rather badly) with their circumstances.

Jillian and Max have been friends forever, essentially having been each other's shadow since childhood with their parents being just as good friends. But as it happens as years go by, they grow up and apart and then it seems like they're hardly recognizable to each other. That's how Jill feels about Max. Ever since his dad had a debilitating stroke months before, Max has done nothing but lash out in various ways like getting drunk and it's fueled in part by his tempestuous relationship with his girlfriend, Becky. Jill doesn't get why two people who are so miserable together would still wanted to stay together. Then it becomes even more confusing when Max shows up inebriated in her room one night and they wind up kissing. Not cool since he still has a girlfriend but it's all that's needed to send Jill into a spiral. Worse is that she doesn't feel she can confide in anyone about what's going on since her dad and her stepmom who are expecting their new child soon are constantly fighting, too. Jill and her dad haven't been on the best terms lately so it only makes matters worse when he notices Max hanging around her more. It just seems like everyone is trying to escape something by finding a distraction and when Jill finally gets her head cleared she tells Max she doesn't want to be the reason he and Becky break up. That he has to fix things before they can be together. At least she put that out there.

With almost everyone simmering in their own bitterness this isn't a light-hearted read. If anything, this is a story about how hard relationships are and about the value of honesty. I find it interesting that Jill's initial indiscretion with Max serves as a parallel to what's happening between her parents. It brings some perspective to the seventeen year-old who's witnessing her own family's implosion. By contrast, Max's turnaround is a timely change that gives Jill a steadying shoulder to lean on should she need it. Now that he's attempting to clean up his messes, he's able to offer insight and persuade Jill that she has to be honest about their relationship to her parents.

There's more that unfolds in the plot which spurs Jill on towards maturity much faster than she anticipated. I'm amazed by how Upperman managed to add the twists without it getting too out of hand. In the end, Kissing Max Holden is not the sugary sweet, cute boy next door love story I thought I was going to be reading but I do believe I got something even better!

~ Bel

A delightful YA romance with strong characters and great emotional turmoil. The story and conflicts are original and there is enough depth of character to keep the reader fully engaged. The heroine is strong and like able. Well done!