Penny & Tate grew up together but never really got along. But when the two girls have to move in together after Penny’s mom decides to donate her kidney Tate’s mom they make a pact to get along for the sake of their mothers.

And their plan works, except for one little thing: they almost keep kissing.

I must warn you not to go into this book thinking, like I did, that it would be a series of cute fanfiction-type near misses until the end when the two finally have their happy ending. This book is full of trans and grief. If you are an emotional reader I highly recommend having a pack of tissues nearby when you read this book.

But I highly recommend this book. The characters are very well written and I like how it occasionally will switch to text messages to hear what other people think about the girls relationship.

I wish I had taken less days to read this. I did enjoy it a lot, but I just think I would have enjoyed it so much more if I'd read it in fewer sittings. Maybe I'll reread it one day.

The cover and the title are so cute as is the contents, but also be aware this is very much a Tess Sharpe book and take a look at the content warnings on her website if you're worried about that.

Don’t let the illustrated cover fool you - this was much heavier than I anticipated. It was so, so good though. This is a book about grief and how hurt people hurt people and people with trauma don’t always make healthy choices. These characters have had hard lives and have been living with tragedy almost continuously for so long that they are perpetually stuck in survival mode. But they have each other, and even if their relationships aren’t perfect, they will figure it out and get through it together. It’s about grief and tragedy but it’s also healing and love. I really, really liked it.

I enjoyed the structure of the book because it was filled with a breakdown of the main character's encounters of the six times over the years when they almost kissed each other! Text message threads are thrown in and I like those in books. It was a good insight into getting to know more about them. The writing was engrossing, the story flowed beautifully, the story was poetic, it's the perfect coming of age story. There were some great funny moments in the book, but it also dealt with some heavy themes in an honest and thought-provoking way. I really enjoyed the dual POV which allowed me to see their individual struggles and how their feelings developed on both sides. Penny and Tate’s POVs were incredibly distinctive, and the flashbacks granted me an inside into why Penny and Tate were feeling what they were feeling. I also thought the use of text messages between their friends was a really clever way to give outside points of view on their relationship. Penny and Tate are both very full characters with rich histories and complicated relationships with each other, with their mothers, and with their circumstances. I loved watching them grow closer as they got to know each other better. I wish we would've gotten more right at the end! Another few chapters, or at least some sort of an epilogue! I really liked the way the book ended and yet I wanted to see the two girls properly together longer! I wanted to see them get to navigate this new-old relationship as well as see what their future holds. I can't help but hope to see some sort of continuation in the future. Overall, this was such a well-written, emotional story and one I won’t forget. It had a lot of heartbreaking moments but ultimately felt like a hopeful story. This is the first Tess Sharpe book I've read, and I would definitely read more by this author. Thank you to Tess Sharpe, NetGalley and Little Brown Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Y'all I was expecting a cutesy "will they / won't they' romance, with all the adorable sapphic teen love vibes. I was not expecting for my heart to be ripped out of my chest, torn to pieces, and slowly be glued back together with flecks of gold.

What I loved:

💋 Absolutely perfect pining. The MCs relationship feels so genuine in its horrible timing, perfect moments of "almosts," and understanding of when it is not the right time to push the other. The way I was hugging my pillow DESPERATE for them to kiss every single section of this book, oof.
💋 Penny and Tate's fiercely protective nature for the other. They will fight each other up over the stupid stuff but when it comes down to it, there is no one the other would be better have in their corner. This is especially true with Penny's absolute POS mother, Tate's POS landlord, and how Tate literally has kept Penny together all these years. These two loves see each other so incredibly clearly.
💋 Penny and Tate's back stories are so very well developed. I was sobbing with Penny by the river, devastated with Tate at her mother's second diagnosis, and gutted at the depth of hurt these two young women have gone through at such a young age. These MCs had to grow up so fast and the glimpses you get of them as pure teens is few and far between.
💋The storylines are written with such depth and gorgeous prose that I was hooked on every word. I have not read such beautiful writing in a YA romance in a long time.
💋 The final kiss moment is so well earned!! I want everything bright and beautiful in the world for Penny and Tate.
💋 Penny and Tate's BFFs are such great comic relief in this story and if I don't get a side story starring them I will be very upset.

What I disliked:

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THIS BOOK IS PERFECT! GO PREORDER IT NOW!!

Coming to a bookshelf near you January 24th 2023!

This book is amazingly written. It’s a dual-perspective, in which both girls struggle with their mothers in their own way. The book is structured around the romantic trope of almost-kisses, but it is definitely not a romcom. It’s about grief, trauma, parentification, learning to trust… Penny and Tate are going to make their ways into your heart and won’t leave you. The slow burn is done so well. I’m picky with the pacing and building of tension sometimes, but it all comes together immaculately in here. Tess Sharpe has a way to write witty and yet punch you emotionally when needed. Absolute would recommend this to anyone looking for a cute yet hard-hitting contemporary!

I loved this book! It was super cute and gay, which I loved. Definitely recommend as a cute contemporary novel to read.

This book was romantic and necessary in the YA space! I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to a friend.

ou’d think we all would’ve learned by now but it bears repeating for relevancy — and also because I have not learned by now — but : a colourfully illustrated cover does not mean there is a lack of heavy. And this book has the heavy. Hoo boy.

Yes, spoiler alert, I cried. Twice.

This book is hard, yo. There is a lot of grief and loss to wade through, especially as it manifests so differently for so many people; and these characters are no exception. And, hey. Do you also love fraught mother-daughter dynamics? Because this has that, too. I do not love that dynamic, I find it incredibly horrible to experience, but instead of ruining the book (which has definitely happened to me before) I can respect it because Sharpe did such a great job with.. well, everything.

But before you run screaming in the opposite direction, this is also a queer romance and wow. Sharpe did this so well, too. The will-they-won’t-they-why-the-fuck-haven’t-they-already was perfect. All the flashbacks were brilliant. The core of these two girls was just.. gah. Their whole thing. Not friends, not enemies, but constantly in orbit. I loved them so much. You know that scene in The Pirates of the Caribbean? The “JUST KISS” scene? That was this entire book, pretty much. Minus the parts that were not.

Oh, and before, I forget, because it bears mentioning. I also loved their friends, both grade A cinnamon rolls, so much. I love me a friend group. This one wasn’t quite an ensemble but they left their mark nonetheless.

Yeah, I really loved this. And it’s left me with the same feeling I had after finishing THE GIRLS I'VE BEEN. Which is : I need to read this author again. Deep dive her backlist. Put her on my radar for upcoming reads. All of the things.

If you can handle a heartbreaking and emotional but also really lovely story, with incredibly connections and complex dynamics, you need to pick this up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Penny lost her dad a few years ago, but nobody talks about the accident, or how distant her mom is. Tate has almost lost her mom more times than she can count, and the weight of it is heavy on her shoulders. Though their moms are besties, Penny and Tate... aren't. But they're something. Maybe. Trauma breaks and bonds, so they say...

Oof the EMOTIONS! There is so much sadness in this story, and yet you can't help but hold hope for the characters too. Penny and Tate are important to me now and I need to protect them forever. This one is an emotional roller coaster through genuine life struggles, with the added longing of queer romance. If you don't mind feeling your feelings a little extra, this is the one. I loved it. Thank you Tess Sharpe for the masterpiece!

CW: medical content, death of a parent, trauma, gaslighting, infidelity, strained parental relationships, mental illness, suicidal ideation

Wow. This was a beautiful YA contemporary that was at once heartbreaking and hopeful. The story dealt with some difficult topics in an honest, meaningful way, and the characters were all so well-developed.

SAPPHICS NEVER LOSE especially when tess sharpe is behind the keyboard the characters felt so well established and their dynamic was so addicting to read. Going to be one of the best books of 2023

This was a fun, sometimes silly sometimes serious YA rom com. I'm glad the YA cannon is opening up to allow space for LGBTQ+ stories that are rooted in the values that make John Hughes esque movies popular rather than focusing on queer trauma, and this was a perfect example of that. Reminded me of "She Drives Me Crazy" and "I Kissed Shara Wheeler".

I throughly enjoyed this novel. In fact, it’s one of the few lately that has held my attention throughout the entire story. While I could see a few things coming, I never felt like rushing though it. I would definitely recommend it to friends.

Another thought-provoking book by Tess Sharpe--but one that seems, on the surface, very different. Although this was a different genre for Sharpe than I'm used to, there were strong throughlines with her other work. I really appreciated how poignant this was at times, with themes of grief woven throughout. I also enjoyed reading about their family structure. The characters felt real and three-dimensional. I would definitely recommend this book to other fans of YA romance -- and hope this helps her reach new audiences.

This is a sweet, deep moving story of love, of friendship, of grieving and growing up. Well written and heartfelt. Good for younger reader and good for those that are older as well.

A gorgeous tribute to both a beloved fanfiction trope and the hard choices we have to make and endure. It's not always easy to do both but the author does it beautifully. At the beginning, I struggled to understand why the main characters "disliked" each other so much but I steadily came to know Penny and Tate. The author excels at getting the reader to "buy in" to the concept, including the complex and sometimes-crappy choices the characters make. Although this book is emotional and heartbreaking at times, at its heart is a charming love story sure to delight those of us who just want girls who like girls to find their way and... well, finally kiss each other.

I will continue to read anything Tess Sharpe writes! I loved the premise and the amount of angst. A story filled with emotional that I'm still thinking about after reading. Will be highly recommending this one!

SIX TIMES WE ALMOST KISSED (AND ONE TIME WE DID) is a young adult sapphic romance that caught my attention from page one and did not let go. It is slow burn, queer joy, and it is so important.

Penny and Tate don’t kiss. They don’t talk about the attraction between them. They don’t talk about any of it. When Penny’s mom agrees to be a liver doner for Tate’s mom, sacrifices have to be made. This includes Tate moving out of her apartment and into Penny’s house. This makes not talking about any of it hard for Penny and Tate, so they make a pact. But, when they find themselves almost kissing over and over again, it calls into question what they know, and whether they want to let go and just let it happen.

This book was a love letter to queer girls. It was sweet, and heart-warming, and heart wrenching, most of all. I loved every second of it, from page one to the very last. Penny and Tate went together so well. Tate spoke to me as being the one who can fix everything, the one who knows how to be there. The fact that she was always there for Penny made my heart sing, and I couldn’t get enough of them. Penny’s character development and the way she was able to stand up for herself at the end really made me love the book more.

I really enjoyed the storyline with Penny and her mom, and how Penny knew what she wanted, and she made sure she got it. I felt for Penny when we got the explanation for her dad’s death, and I felt her pain at the fact that she felt like she’d lost both parents, rather than simply just one. Her mom made me angry on her behalf, and I was so relieved when it seemed to be getting better, and that her issues were actually going to be resolved.

I also loved how this story just got straight to the queer storyline. I, personally, love coming out stories, and I love reading the process of people—especially girls—coming to terms with their own queerness and identity. However, I loved how with this book, they were queer from the first page. There was no coming out storyline and everyone knew from the very beginning. This was a breath of fresh air that I feel like young adult queer stories definitely need.

Tess Sharpe’s writing has the power to trap me within her stories and not let me go until I’ve finished. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I have already pre-ordered a hard copy.

Thank you, NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Tess Sharpe always tells a good story, and 6 Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did) continues that tradition.

This story of Penny and Tate (and their moms) is one with a strong narrative arc and a deep emotional core. The reader knows that there's an attraction between these two, but it's more complex than a will they/won't they rom-com.

These two each have their own traumas from which to heal, and it's a matter of if they can figure out how to be together.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.