Sunkissed by Kasie West follows Avery when her family decides to spend the summer at a remote family camp. Avery's love of music quickly draws her towards Brooks, a camp employee, and musician in the camp band. I enjoyed the romance aspect of this book, and especially loved the music aspect and seeing Avery and Brooks work together to create something they are passionate about. I felt like the enemies-to-lovers trope was kind of forced, and it took a little while for me to get invested in the book and characters.

I love books with a camp setting because they bring me back to my summer camp days. This was the perfect summer read filled with everything I would expect from a Kasie West book.

This was just… not interesting in the slightest. All the characters felt super shallow and one-dimensional, I didn’t care if they achieved their goals or not, and there was really no good plot to this. The romance also felt super forced?? Not worth it.

Kasie West releases another sweet teen romance novel with "Sunkissed." As the romance blossoms throughout the novel, the reader roots for the main characters and hopes for everything to work out. Fans of Kasie West's work will enjoy this latest novel from her.

I didn't think this book was about a young adult ... until I read that the main character was in high school. I didn't mean that it was an interesting story.

What I liked the most about the plot was the music, and was trying to avoid reading about it. I also found the setting interesting since I haven't read something like that so far and I found it intriguing.

The relationship between the characters seemed organic and credible, it didn't seem rushed at all and I didn't think it was only a summer love.

Anyway, I would like to read more books written by the author.

I found this to be an enjoyable read, keeping me on my toes throughout. The storyline was written well and flowed seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author!

This book was fun and enjoyable to read! I didn't love the take on enemies-to-lovers in this case. It felt a little forced. The setting was really different, fun, and reminiscent of Dirty Dancing.

Kasie West is such a fantastic author. I have loved all of her books and this was no exception. If you are a fan of fun, swoon worthy romance definitely check out all her books.

From all the books I've read from Kasie West. this is my least favorite thus far. Unlike my past reading experiences with Kasie West's work, reading Sunkissed took me longer than how I'd normally read her books. I didn't find the romance between Brooks and Avery as compelling. I think that their chemistry is somewhat lacking. Their relationship looks more like pals than lovers.

However, that doesn't mean that the book is bad. It is an okay read. I just think that the relationship build up could have been so much better.

This will still make a nice summer read with the summer camp premise and all.

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Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC from Penguin Random House International in exchange for an honest review This doesn’t affect my opinion of the book in this review in any way.

Thank you Penguin Random House International for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How long has it been since I last read a Kasie West book? She's one of my go-to YA authors whose novels take away effectively my reading slump. Sunkissed is a good summer themed story set in camp. Avery Young and her family spend their vacation in the mountains, no internet connection and physical activities.

Sometimes it's nice to unwind away from the social media and reflect. Avery is a quiet, talented girl who loves music but needs to overcome her stage fright. With the help of Brooks, the boy she met at the camp and is part of the band, worked together in a competition. Both worked on their music secretively.

The story is decent but something is missing. The main characters lacked the romance build up and I find them platonic. The ending was cute but I am not head-over-heels in love with it unlike The Distance Between Us or On the Fence. I miss that vibe.

Sunkissed is such an adorable summer romance. This one is a light retelling of Dirty Dancing, if you’ve seen that movie I recommend you check this out. B
A YA romance that is perfect when you’re wanting something light.

Avery and her family are spending 2 months at a family camp. For a teenager this is probably the worst way to spend the summer! There she meets Brooks, who works at the camp and the summer romance begins.
Alexa play This Is Me by Camp Rock. I got so many Camp Rock vibes and that’s reason enough for me to love it.

I really enjoyed the characters, Avery was the kind of YA character I love. I’d say this is a coming of age story. Avery decides she wants to step out of her comfort zone and try new things.

I thought this was a sweet story. I found myself rooting for Avery the entire time.

This was a quick read and I highly suggest it if you’re looking for a sweet romance.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory

I loved this cute summer romance that reminded me of Dirty Dancing but with a singing twist. Kasie West Is definitely my go to for a cute summer romance and this one was so good and so cute

Sunkissed is sweet and swoons. As always with K. West stories, the characters are relatable and the stories full of self-discovery and growth.

Avery's expectations for her summer vacation are low. Her college professor parents always make summer vacations an event but now, the summer before her senior year, Avery's parents are more determined than ever to have a summer full of family bonding. Unfortunately that means a summer at a hokey family camp. Without WiFi.

While Avery mourns her now inaccessible playlists, she relishes the chance to completely unplug and avoid her best friend--the one who betrayed her right before they left. Watching her younger, extroverted sister struggle without access to all of her social media accounts is an added bonus.

The summer starts to look up when Avery meets Brooks--the aloof frontman for the camp's band. Who tells Avery that all of the camp's guests are hopeless snobs before he realizes she is, in fact, one of those guests.

Despite a disastrous first meeting, circumstances keep bringing Avery and Brooks together while giving Avery a chance to step out of her comfort zone. After years of curating the perfect playlist for every occasion, this summer could be Avery's chance to write her own song--and sing it center stage in Sunkissed (2021) by Kasie West.

If the plot of West's latest standalone contemporary sounds a lot like the film Dirty Dancing, that's because it is. Sunkissed offers an aged down, somewhat sanitized version of the film where the main characters connect while preparing for a battle of the bands contest instead of a dancing showcase. The family camp here feels a bit less plausible and is, notably, not a destination for Jewish families as was the case in the film.

Avery's first person narration is breezy and immediately draws readers into her story. She is also an extremely introverted and conflict averse character, making it painfully clear to readers early on that her problems could largely be resolved with some honest conversations--all of which Avery avoids for most of the book.

West brings her ususal skill to writing swoony banter and characters with chemistry even if, at times, the story seems to be shoehorned into the Dirty Dancing style plot. Where this story really shines is in watching Avery and Brooks connect as they ultimately push each other to strive for their goals--things neither was willing to fight for until their fateful meeting.

Sunkissed is a summery romance filled with characters who love music and are learning to dream big.

Possible Pairings: Lucky Caller by Emma Mills, Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park, Love Songs and Lies by Jessica Pennington, Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker, Dirty Dancing

*An advance eARC of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*

Very good West novel. Same genre as her others, cute story. I liked how the family still did family vacations and made it a priority.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

4/5 stars to Sunkissed by Kasie West. Thank you so much to the Penguin Teen Canada team for sending me an egalley to review! I read this book a little while ago and have purchased a finished copy since then to add to my Kasie West collection. Her books are a staple of my summer reading, the perfect fun escape, and Sunkissed lived up to the promise. We’re introduced to music-loving Avery as she is leaving with her family on an 8-week, wifi-and-boy-free summer camp vacation. Sure enough, Avery soon meets Brooks, a cute musician who just happens to be staff--and off-limits. What started as a summer that promised to be “boring family time” becomes filled with adventures and shenanigans. The atmosphere and characters were my favourite part of this book! I definitely related to Avery as someone who loves listening to music and values time alone. Also, I have so many great memories of summer camp as a kid that I loved how I could follow Avery along as she did all the fun camp activities! She makes new friends and even gets a musical chance of a lifetime. Our side characters aren't particularly complex, but they are lovable and add life to the story. You can never have a summer-y YA Contemporary book without a little romance! I feel the direction Kasie West went with this one added a lot to the fun, adventurous story. Avery and Brooks had such a delightful connection! They were able to connect through music, and it was fun how they were not allowed to be in a relationship because he was staff, and they had to avoid getting caught. Just a side note - Brooks is a teenager around the same age as Avery, so their relationship isn't inappropriate, only unprofessional. Avery encouraged Brooks with his musical aspirations, and Brooks helped Avery resolve an issue with her best friend back home. Finally, I just want to touch on Avery's family. I am super close to my family, so I love it when a book has strong themes of family. They seem super close but at the start of the book, there is a bit of tension. Avery's sister, Lauren is upset that her parents don't understand her social media platform and then took them on vacation without wifi. When Avery starts hanging out with Brooks, there is some sister tension when Lauren tells their parents. The two sisters then have to make up, especially with how close they are. What follows is a beautiful family discussion that brings the girls closer to each other and their parents.

Again, thank you Penguin Teen Canada for sending me this egalley to review! If you're a fan of Kasie West and/or YA Contemporaries set at summer camp, definitely check out Sunkissed!

This is a classic Kasie West book, which for me means it's a must read. West writes fun YA contemporary romances that I frequently suggest to library patrons, and I will do the same for this book.

I was not the biggest fan of this, but I think it is because I am definitely growing out of the young adult genre. I am more of a romance reader now.

I absolutely love Kasie West’s books, so of course I couldn’t wait to check out Sunkissed as soon as I possibly could! If you’re looking for books to add to your summer TBR list, then you definitely need to check out this summer-themed romance.

I’m not sure what it is about Kasie West’s books that always make me want to read them in the summer time, but I’ve read two so far this season, and they were both great books! (Even when they aren’t summer-themed, they are just really fun reads.) Sunkissed was one of the books I read, but I also read Moment of Truth and enjoyed it as well!

Sunkissed is Kasie’s most recent release, and yes, it is summer-themed! Avery and her family spending 2 months of their summer at a remote family camp, leaving the outside world and all its distractions behind, sounds like the perfect summer setting and storyline for a book, right? Add in some adorable romance, and yes… this book has all the requirements for a great summer read! I loved so much about this book, but the setting really won me over. I love books about camp!

I also really enjoyed the characters in the book as well. Avery was an interesting main character. Brooks, the love interest, was adorable as well. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow as the book went along! I even liked Avery’s family as well, including the relationship between Avery and her sister. So many great characters!

Overall; If you’re looking for a cute romance to add to your summer reading list, Sunkissed by Kasie West is definitely one you should check out! This book was is such a cute read, and I’m so glad I was able to check it out.

Happy Reading!

Hooray for boy band/summer camp vibes!

This wasn't anything groundbreaking or particularly memorable, but I still enjoyed it as a quick, fun, escapist read.

A big thanks to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.