*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was a total flashback to high school for me (I graduated in 2002, so I was in the same grade as Erin’s older sister, Annabel). So many memories, just like when I read Chasing Love in the same series. Except I must correct something: Erin refers to the movie How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, implying that she owns it by saying she needs to review some strategies in it. However, that movie didn’t come out in the theater until 2003 (I know because I saw it with my roommates, and then I confirmed with IMDB).

It’s funny. I usually love it when best friends fall
In love, so I should have been more angry about Nick and Libby breaking up Nick and Erin’s relationship, right? But I wasn’t—it was pretty obvious that Erin wasn’t in love with him, that she was just mad that they went behind her back (understandable). And then there was Peter, who was adorable. So really, thank you to Nick and Libby.

I liked Erin, especially when she was being real. I say that because there were holes in the book when she felt like she was playing a part rather then living as she really was. Homecoming Queen wasn’t important to her, but she acted like it was. She wasn’t really hurt that Nick didn’t want to date her anymore, but she acted like she was. See what I mean? But she was more herself as the book progressed, and I liked her more as that occurred.

Peter was fantastic, and I loved their interaction throughout the book. He was genuinely good and kind. He was funny and responsible and a hard worker. He was a good friend, and I enjoyed watching them fall for each other. What I feel is missing, though, is some more information from Peter. When did he figure out how he felt about Erin? What prevented him from following through with the almost-kiss freshman year? What was his actual game plan for their scheme? And what if things hadn’t happened as they did for Homecoming?

This book has some solid friendships and family relationships. Are they perfect? No, but I’d say they’re pretty realistic.

What bothered me the most about this book is something I really, really hope was corrected in the final printing. It was riddled with errors—word usage, punctuation, sentence structure, etc. It was so hard for me to overlook those things sometimes and just enjoy the story (but I did). I don’t say that to make myself sound like an elitist snob, I promise. It’s just me. You know how when you learn something—really learn it—you can’t help seeing it? Well, there you go.

But back to the good. This book was cute and fun. It had a touch of serious topics (the failing health of Erin’s grandfather, the runaway status of her older sister, and even a little about alcohol addition toward the end), but it all fit.

Note: Can’t recall anything bad. Maybe a little swearing if anything at all.

Having experienced my own teenage years during the aughts, I was excited to take a trip down memory lane with Lorson’s Stage Kiss. While formulaic at points, a sweet teen romance is delivered. Thankfully, lead character Erin evolves throughout the book.

This book is the cutest throwback to high school love and getting revenge. It's also about finding out who your real friends are and what it means to lose those people you thought you were bonded too for life. Erin struck me as arrogant and stubborn at times but I can see her heart for the things and people she loves. I loved watching her stand up for herself.

A cute, fun and easy read YA romance that didn't just concentrate solely on romance but had a fully fleshed story about friendships and family too.

I would have preferred some more insight into the main love interest's thoughts and behaviour but overall a good read.

This was a fun trip back to the 90's! Cute references to all the things that made the 90's a magical time. This is a romantic read about a girl who hopes to be homecoming queen but her boyfriend and bestie crush that dream when they start dating and he drops her. Finding a fill in date to help her win comes with a lot of exciting romantic moments. Overall this was a cute book but it just fell a little short from some of the other books I have read in this trope.

Bottom line: A perfectly serviceable novel with sweet romance and poor role models. The 2000s setting does little more than emphasize that this same book could have been published two decades ago.

This is a short, frothy little book with a predictable but compelling romantic arc, infused with some heartfelt family drama. A strong reader could gobble it in one sitting and enjoy being transported into Erin's strange little world. The series had strong potential.

There's not a lot that's technically wrong here, but it was disappointing to me on a few counts. In the last five or ten years, YA has done such a great job of affirming and validating the geeky, nerdy girls that make up the bulk of its readership. I'm not sure why the author(s) chose to center a girl who was ashamed of her closeted nerdiness and putting all her energy into playing Mean Girls, but it just isn't the kind of character I would hand to a teen girl in my life.

Unfortunately, the book falls short on voice, which is where YA contemporary is KILLING it at the moment. Erin doesn't feel at all real--her motivations are very shallow and I don't get the sense she has anything new or interesting to say.

This is the first in a series all set in the same time and place. Hopefully, the next books do something more with the 2000s setting. In this book, it was really just set dressing. It seemed like the authors just set the story 20 years ago so that they wouldn't have to deal with cell phones or learn about the way teens actually live today.

This is not a great YA novel, but if you think of it as an aged-up MG, it does the job. It's clean and accessible, so it'd be perfect for readers that want to start reading about high school characters but still want books that are more MG in theme and reading level.

This part is going to seem nit-picky, but it matters. I requested this book in particular because I am a past and future theatre kid. The theatre setting was... yikes. I wish the author had done some research. I could write an entire rant about the things that don't make any sense, but the real problem was one of attitude. The book keeps telling us that, despite being a leading lady, Erin does NOT have any disdain for the "techies" and run crew, and I think the author doth protest too much. The book is infused with disdain for these kids. Much of the plot involves ingenue Erin nobly giving up her lead part to be assistant stage manager because of a family emergency (???) and discovering, shockingly, that being backstage might be almost as fulfilling! It's... gross, and reeks of a very old-fashioned way of looking at artistic or tech-minded teens.

I received a free eARC of this novel for my honest feedback. All opinions my own.

It was a nice read. I liked Erin, although not in the beginning. She grew up a lot in the weeks following the breakup. She matured and changed, for the best.
I really liked Peter. Again, not in the beginning though. And I totally knew he was into Erin. So obvious! He was so jealous it's a wonder no one noticed.
So, the story was nice. But I think the ending was a bit lackluster and unsatisfactory. I imagined Erin and Peter's kiss to be more.... well, just more.

I want to thank Netgalley for providing me an Arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so adorable.
I found myself feeling very nostalgic while reading this and I loved it even more for that.
It’s a very light hearted read so I read it in one sitting.
I loved our main character and found myself connecting with her quite a bit.
Overall a fun read if your looking for something very coming of age.
I gave it 3 stars.

Erin is supposed to be fourth girl from the family who gets voted a prom queen, but just a month before the coronation her boyfriend leaves her to be with her best friend and Erin seems to be single, lost and betrayed just before her Mum's greatest event. Yes, Mum's because it's Erin's mum who wants Erin to be another prom queen in their family. There's also Peter - Erin's long term crush who never dates and whom Erin tries to avoid at all costs. But feeling betrayed and friendless puts Peter and Erin together so is their pact according to which Peter is going to find Erin a proper prom date. The book is set in the early 2000s, it's a lovely throwback to my teenage years. The storyline is fast-paced with a few twists that will keep you gripped till the every end. I do recommend both to young adults and those young at heart!

So Stage Kiss is a YA romantic comedy with a vibe straight from the 2000s. This book reminded me of one of my favorite movies, She's All That, so I was hooked from just hearing the premise alone. Erin, our main character, is in the running for Homecoming Queen, and her life is picture perfect...until it's not. After catching her boyfriend with her best friend - Erin is out of a boyfriend, best friend, and a homecoming date. Feeling the pressure, Erin enlists the help of fellow quirky theatre member, Peter, to ensure she's the one with the crown. Romantic comedy ensues.

I enjoyed this sweet teen romance. For me, it brought me right back to high school with references to AIM, vhs, homecoming court, football games, and romcom references. Perhaps my favorite part of this story, though, was Erin's dynamic arc. She felt very multifaceted and it was fun to watch her grow as a character. If you're looking for throw-back romcom, look no further than M. F. Lorson's Stage Kiss.

I gave this one a 3/5 stars. I had fun with this one and enjoyed it. If you're looking for a lighthearted YA book, this one is for you! There were just some minor things that held this one back a little for me.

I wanted to see more interaction with the two leads and for the arc regarding Erin's sister to be a little more fleshed out. While I really enjoyed the pacing, I wish this book was a bit longer so I could have these plot arcs feel a little more "full."

Overall though I loved Erin's character. At first I was worried we were going to go the superficial popular girl route - but we were far from it. Erin is a complex character and it was fun to read her evolution.

Let me know if you try this one out! I am excited to read more from Lorson in the future. Thank you to both Netgalley and M.F. Lorson for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

See full review here: https://whimsicalandwitty.com/2019/02/24/review-m-f-lorsons-stage-kiss/