I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sunkissed by Kasie West was such a fast, fun read! From the very beginning, I was completely enamored with the characters and their banter with each other. Avery reminded me of myself in that she's more comfortable staying in her box instead of allowing herself to break out of her shell, but she decides that living boldly is not so bad after all. I was swept away to this summer camp, and I wasn't ready to leave these characters when the novel was finished. Another well done novel by Kasie West!!

Such a cozy read! Family, friendships, humor, romance, summer camps, self-discovery - Kasie West has done it again! An adorable read that transports the reader to pre-COVID days.

I was excited to read another book by Kasie West, but felt a little let down by this one. This novel is set at a family summer camp, and while this was a great setting, it took so long for the story to ramp up because we had to establish why the family was there, what the place looked like, etc.

I was intrigued by the main character’s story of finding herself, but wish finding herself had been about more than just finding a boy. I also wish more time had been spent on the main character’s relationship with her sister.

Overall, this was okay, but not my favorite Kasie West by a long shot.

I finally read one of Kasie West’s books. My students always talked about how great they are and I couldn’t agree more! If you or your students are looking for a sweet YA romance than this book is for you.

We meet Avery, who was recently betrayed by her best friend and ex-boyfriend, on her way to a summer camp with her family. While checking in, Avery has coffee spilt all over her and goes to switch shirts. On her way back to meet her family, she hears music. There, she finds four boys practicing as a band and one of them named Brooks catches her eye with his confidence. He doesn’t realize she is there as a camper and not an employee which sets a negative tone between them. But will it stay like that?

Such a great coming-of-age story for middle school and up. I look forward to reading and recommending more of her books!

LOVE! This is another classic Kasie West novel.... sweet and entertaining. I can't wait to add this to my classroom library. My 8th grade girls are OBSESSED with Kasie West and I know they will love this one too!

Another romance by West that will be popular with my high schoolers looking for 'swoon' content. A fun read. Wish it was available in better format though (had to read it from my laptop since it wasn't available on Kindle or on the NetGalley app/reader).

You would think I’d know better than to start a Kasie West book at 8 pm with the intention of only reading a few chapters. Inevitably this leads to thinking I will just read one more chapter and the next thing you know it is 2:30 in the morning when you sigh with contentment as you read the final words. As I thought over the growth of the characters and the issues she tackled in Sunkissed, I knew I had to get my review written up before I’d be able to sleep. As with all of her novels, Kasie West creates very real characters with struggles and personalities that are easy to identify with. In this case, Avery is a girl who has trouble setting boundaries and sticking to them. She is the peacemaker who goes along with others even when she is longing for her own path. Avery’s journey is one that I know will speak straight to the heart of many of the middle school kids that frequent my library. The character development is on point. There were a few jokes and references at the beginning that I didn’t quite get, but Avery’s faux pas when flustered were endearing. The story was a little open at the end and I did wish we could know a little more about where they were going next, but perhaps we will get another glimpse at Avery and Brooks story in a future book?

Kasie West fans will clamor for this California-based homage to Dirty Dancing. Avery just wants an amazing summer before her senior year of high school. Instead, she’s facing a family vacation at a summer camp resort with no internet, no playlist, and no prospect of escaping the corner where she feels stuck. She’s having boy trouble, best friend trouble, and a crisis of self-confidence. When she decides to free herself from that corner, what unfolds is a summer she never expected.
The book has everything you expect from a Kasie West novel – a fluffy, sweet romance, characters with just enough issues to give them a little depth, a few self-inflicted crises, and a main character struggling to come into her own. I didn’t engage with Avery and the other characters as deeply as I have with some of Kasie West’s other characters, and I found the ending a little disjointed. All in all, though, Sunkissed is a cute summer read!

This was absolutely everything I needed when I needed it.

Who doesn't love a sweet coming of age story that will make you smile, melt your heart a little and wish you knew all these amazing characters in real life because, once again, West has made them seem so real. Characters that you have come to care about and most of all, love.

West has this amazing ability to make outstanding characters that stick with you long after her stories are through. Stories filled with wonderful friendships and family, with real situations that almost anyone can relate to and mixes them all together to make one heck of a feel good story.

She is one of those authors that I come to time and time again because I know I will always get a good story. One that will leave me with warm fuzzies and a smile on my face.

When I saw that I'd been approved to read an ARC of Sunkissed, curtesy of Delacorte Press, it literally made my day. From the first page, I was hooked, and I’m so incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

Sunkissed centers around a teenage girl named Avery and the unforgettable summer she shared with her family and new friends at summer camp. Along with her cell phone reception and beloved music playlists, Avery is leaving behind some intense friend drama when she comes to camp and decides that venturing outside of her comfort zone is the perfect remedy for her problems. She overcomes anxiety, fear, and sadness in a way that is truly inspirational to read about. This story was also incredibly relatable because almost everyone has experienced betrayal and heartache at some point in their lives. Avery’s willingness to confront, address, and move past it made her an admirable character. She made me laugh out loud at times, and hold my breath at others. I sincerely believe that readers will enjoy and cherish this new heroine in the YA genre. 5/5 would recommend; Sunkissed by Kasie West won’t disappoint.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. Kasie West is a master of YA Romance.

I loved the summer camp aspect of it and how it reminded me of Dirty Dancing in some ways. Avery's journey with her sister was my favorite part, and I would've enjoyed having more content with the two of them.

All in all, it was a wonderful escape read. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 because the story was great but the ending was rather abrupt. It didn't fit with the rest of the book at all; it was all tied up and finished after the main event in 2-3 pages.

I love Kasie West's books. She has a way of making the characters feel real. This one was not my favorite of her's but I would buy this one for the school and recommend it.

Kasie West books are a hit or miss for me. This one wasn't bad but I didn't love it. I really enjoyed the character growth in this. I think the singing was a great way to show that growth. It even showed the character opening up more and realizing things that she didn't think about like her sister's vlogging thing. She didn't think it was as huge as it actually was until she started noticing more things around her. I think the love interest and her were pretty cute, as well.

This lighthearted summer romance story was a quick and sweet read. The family relationships were thoughtful and interesting. Fans of Kacie West will enjoy the romance story between Brooks and Avery.

Seventeen year-old Avery Young had it all: a fantastic best friend and a wonderful boyfriend. But when she’s betrayed by both of them, it looks like she’s in for a rough summer. That is, until her parents shuttle Avery and her sister off to a remote family camp, and Avery meets a super cute musician staff member. Soon, Avery decides to embark on a quest to break out of the flow and try new things. With a whirlwind romance and the terrifying prospect of performing at a music festival, Avery’s summer may just turn out to be what she needs to discover what she truly wants in life.

This book is as wonderfully fun and flirty as the title makes it sound. Kasie West has crafted another fantastic contemporary romance that’s full of moments of laughter, moments of growth, and moments of heartwarming affection. Avery is such a relatable protagonist as she realizes that she wants to take control of where her life is heading, and it was a pleasure for me to join her on her journey. The family dynamics between Avery, her sister, and their parents feel very real and often brought a smile to my face. I loved the relationship that develops between Avery and Brooks and how they help each other grow. Filled with wonderful messages and surprising twists, this book is the perfect summer read for those who enjoy sweet and swoony teen romances.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change.)

This book had a HUGE "Dirty Dancing" vibe, which is why I think I loved it so much. It gives just the right amount of nostalgia, while also adding in that 'summer romance' factor that everyone loves to immerse themselves in. The characters were superbly developed, relationships were spot on, and I simply could read another 3 books in this book universe woven by Kasie West. Bravo!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think everyone knows that I'm one of Kasie West's biggest fans. She is a master of capturing the essence of teen love. Her books are always easy, fun, heartwarming reads, and Sunkissed was no exception.

The story takes place at a summer camp—away from the outside world, including Avery's best friend, who Avery recently caught kissing her ex-boyfriend. The camp is a welcome distraction from the drama of her life, but it also brings new adventures, friends, and possibly a cute boy to steal her heart (it is a Kasie West novel, after all).

This is a fantastic summer read and is sure to leave your heart warm—perhaps even... sunkissed ;)

Kasie West just went and killed me with her writing, yet again! This book is definitely in the top three of my favorite books by Kasie West.

This book was so effing cute. I loved Avery- her conflicts, growth, personality, and humor. I found myself really relating to Avery and really loved reading from her POV. Brooks was a great male protagonist as well! The family summer camp was such a great setting. It was a fun escape for a few hours while I was sitting at home, in snowy December, in month 9 of a pandemic.

I loved the imperfect family and friendship dynamics in this book and like that some things were left open-ended. It helps a story feel more realistic when not everything is tied up neatly and I like that Kasie West chose to leave room for more growth and development, even if it does only take place in our heads instead of on paper.

This was the perfect read for me today. It's super cute, very relatable, and has a well-rounded storyline. I can't wait to buy myself a copy!

I could not get this ARC to download. I'm hoping that a kindle version becomes available later this year.

5/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Avery can't wait to escape the drama that has recently taken over her life. Unfortunately, the family vacation involves a camp in the middle of the mountains with no internet or cell service. A cute staff member catches her eye, but the employees aren't supposed to hang out with guests--let alone date them. Meanwhile, Avery's little sister won't leave her alone, making it hard to spend any quality time away from her family. Avery comes to realize that she has no idea who she is or what she wants to do with her life, so she decides to spend the summer attempting to find out. The family vacation doesn't go the way they expected at all, but maybe that's a good thing.

A Kasie West book? Count me in! I really enjoyed this book, though it did make me long for a vacation during this pandemic. Avery's realization that she has no idea who she is or what she wants to do was very relatable. I loved the concept of her trying to figure it out by leaving her comfort zone. All the camp activities sounded like fun, despite the lack of internet (I've actually been to a camp without internet before anyway!) Brooks is a great character and I enjoyed his interactions with Avery. I've seen other people say this book has Dirty Dancing vibes, but I'm ashamed to admit that I've never seen it! This book was cute and enjoyable, like every Kasie West book that I've read! Her books never fail to make me happy, and this one was no exception!

I'd highly recommend this book to Kasie West fans, people looking to take their mind off the pandemic, or anyone looking for a cute YA romance!