Tess Sharpe, hitting you with a sapphic, deeply-heartfelt, extreme pining, tear-jerking novel! Penny and Tate are two teenagers whose lives have been shaped by trauma and grief, which has forced them to grow up and take on the weight of adult responsibility. The two girls have been forced into proximity by their moms, who have been friends since childhood and are inseparable as adults. This bond leads the moms to move in together when one must donate liver to the other, and the girls get even closer, as they share both space and the worry of how the procedure will go.

This is not an easy read — it deals with heavy themes such as grief, trauma, chronically sick/dying parents, emotional abuse, depression, anxiety, financial hardship, and more. Sharpe handles these themes sensitively and always in the service of the larger story. It takes its time to develop a halting, tender, defensive love story that recognizes the power of family both found and lost. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this YA — Sharpe’s The Girls I’ve Been was a sapphic heist/con man story and I feel like her strength is on creating a sort of Russian-nesting doll dupe of narrative in which the deeper you go, the more nuggets of emotion you find and the richer the romance becomes. Both stories have left me wowed at how raw I am left, with hope for what could be next.

If you’re looking for a different type of YA, that’s unapologetically sapphic and surprising, pick this up! Thanks to NetGalley for an early review copy, all opinions are my own.

6 times we almost kissed is a brilliant coming-of-age story in which we follow tate and penny. tess sharpe has managed to create these very real and well-developed characters who you, as a reader, want to root for and want to see succeed. both tate and penny have my heart; i loved following their journeys both individually and together.

as much as the romance between tate and penny is at the forefront of this book, themes such as mental health, trauma, grief, and complex familial relationships play a big role as well. and tess sharpe has a way of dealing with these topics in the most delicate yet truthful way.

a delightful read and truly a beautiful piece of work.

the publisher kindly provided this arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sad and heartbreaking but also uplifting and hopeful. 
 
I love emotional books; I’ve said it time and again. So while the cover and the blurb feel like a romantic enemies to lovers YA, Six Times We almost Kissed is so much more. Yes, there is bickering, and there are cute moments. Yes, the title refers to all those times Penny and Tate almost kissed. Yes, this book is a slow-burn romance. Above all, though, this story is about grief, friendship, mom-daughter relationships, and strength.
 
I haven’t read any of Tess Sharpe’s novels before, but oh boy, she can write. The moment I started reading, I immediately felt at home. The writing is moving, vibrant, and quite blunt, and I adored the mix of dual POVs and dual timelines. 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.
 
This novel caused a whirlwind of emotions in me. One moment, the corners of my lips tugged into smiles; sometime later, a band pulled tight around my chest, and the lump in my throat pushed tears into my eyes. Those moments at the river, my stomach almost contracted and fear came over me like a fire closing me in. But also warmth in my chest afterward, for those two girls who cared for each other, even though they didn’t realize it themselves even though they almost kissed so many times.
 
I’ll be watching out for other novels by Tess Sharpe, and I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves emotional and well-written contemporary YA!

Tess Sharpe’s “Six Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did)” (2023) is a poignant and expertly-plotted young adult contemporary romance novel releasing next year from publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Penny and Tate aren’t friends. Penny is anxious and hyper-organized whereas Tate is a quiet, competitive swimmer who can be found swimming laps in the pool. But because their mothers are best friends, their lives have always been intertwined even though they’ve never wanted them to be. And when medical circumstances force the two girls to live together, they’ll be forced to confront everything they’ve been running from — including their pasts, their traumas and the times they’ve almost kissed.

Inspired by the “5+1” structure popular in fanfiction, Sharpe crafts an unforgettable sapphic romance novel full of angst and heart. Told through both girls’ perspectives of the present and six moments of almost kisses from their pasts, the novel unfolds in wholly unexpected ways and allows for the reader’s understanding of their character to slowly build over time. Penny and Tate are equally compelling characters with their own unique voices, traumas and hopes. And while “Six Times” is a slowburn, sapphic romance, it’s equal parts a thoughtful exploration of trauma and what it’s like to be forced to grow up too fast as a result of it. From the long-term illness Tate’s mother faces to the sudden death of Penny’s father which her mother is unable to cope with, both protagonists have had their lives defined by forces out of their control that they’ve unfairly had to grapple with. Alongside the two girls accepting their feelings for one another, they also embark on a journey of healing. Their romantic arcs and character arcs intertwine and conclude in satisfying ways, showing readers that the process of healing and pursuing relationships, both platonic and romantic, may be messy — but is ultimately worth it. For all the grief and sadness in the pages of this book, there’s an equal amount of hope.

And there’s only one bed scene, which is equally important to note.

“Six Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did)” is the perfect read for anyone in need of proof that happy endings exist for people like them or for anyone who prefers romance novels that explore heavier themes. The novel is available for pre-order now.

Tess Sharpe does it again... and does it better than ever! This is my third Tess Sharpe book, and definitely my favourite.

I'm an emotional reader. In fact, if a book doesn't make me cry, that's a bad sign. But this book... this book had me sobbing the entire way through. I know I say that often in a hyperbolic way. But I am being completely honest here when I say that I did not stop crying the entire time that I was reading this story. From the very first page to the last, tears were streaming down my face, non-stop. I couldn't even read this book out in public because it was a guarantee that I would start crying in front of a bunch of strangers—and not just a couple of tears, but full-on violently sobbing.

The characters in this story were so well-written. The complexities of their family dynamics and the way they deal with their trauma... it was all so raw and so realistic. I love Tate and Penny both so much and I want to give them the world.

The book honestly felt almost therapeutic to read through. It's definitely heavy, but Sharpe does such an amazing job with it. Even though I knew it was going to cause me irreparable emotional damage, I could not put it down.

I recommend this book with every fiber of my being. If you want to know what it's like to have your heart shattered into a million little pieces, this is the book for you.

Source: NetGalley

This was interesting. We get a duel pov spanning the past and present. I was not expecting this book to be heavily grief based with focus on the relationship between Penny & her mom. That was not a bad thing though. I became very interested in the ways Lottie (Penny’s mom) has hurt Penny through her grief. I love reading about toxic mother/daughter relationships so this was treat.
Penny and Tate describe their relationship as not friend but not enemies. They simply drop everything to be there for one another when they’re struggling. Because of this, they constantly see each other at their worst. They’re the type to search for each other in a crowded room.
I loved all the talk about mental health. I feel like this was realistic in how it portrayed the difference in which parents vs children are allowed to deal with a death.

Such a cute and fun YA romance. I would love to have this audiobook with multiple narrators. Would recommend this to all YA romance lovers.

I went into this book blind. I liked the premises of the story and I was thinking this was going to be a coming of age teen rom com type story. It was not. This was an emotional rollercoaster and contained deep meaningful relationships and gut wrenching situations. I was in tears multiple times and I think my heart still hurts for Penny. The story while following the very complicated relationship between Penny and Tate also deals with so much more. The death of a parent, medical instability, dealing with a parent who is sick with cancer, mental illness, suicide and what it means to always be there for some one. So although I didn't get my cute rom com I got so much more. Complex and brilliantly told.

While this book isn’t one of the usual murder mysteries that Sharpe is known for, it’s still a worthwhile read if you enjoyed her mother books. Tess Sharpe has a way of writing teenage girls that draw you into their world. She really understands their psyche and creates lifelike, well developed lead characters. Her descriptions of the rural area where Tate and Penny live make me want to move out to the Pacific Northwest, though I don’t think I would last very long.

Thank you to a NetGalley, Liitle, Brown Books for Young Readers, and most of all, to Tess Sharpe for sharing this ARC with me. I’m looking forward to adding it to my high school collection.

A cute and emotional story giving us the kind of representation we've been craving in the YA space (coming of age story). One of the best YA romances I've read in awhile! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advanced copy.

I really didn't know what I was signing up for when I got this book, but what a beautiful story I got! Penny and Tate had such a unique story in how they come together and it kept me turning the page. 6 Times we Almost Kissed is a coming of age story that I think everyone should read! Beautiful, beautiful story.

First, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Tess Sharpe and her team, for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5 stars

"6 TIMES WE ALMOST KISSED (AND ONE TIME WE DID) is a YA Romance with dual POV’s. It’s about Penny and Tate, two girls who have always clashed, but whose life paths are forever intertwined because of their mothers’ epic, life-long friendship.

When Penny’s mother is able to become a living liver donor for Tate’s mother, ending her wait for a liver transplant, the girls find themselves in new territory as their families combine their households in order to recover financially and physically together.

The girls make a pact: they’ll be the perfect daughters during this hopeful and scary time. There’s just one problem: Penny and Tate keep almost kissing.

It’s just a thing that happens. For basically their entire teenaged existence. But some things—and some kisses—can’t stay almost forever.

This is a YA Romance about two seventeen-year-olds who’ve had to grow up way too fast—because of a parent’s long-term illness and because of a father’s death and a mother’s unraveling into grief. It’s about the family you choose, the family you cling to, and the family who almost destroys you in order to survive themselves. It’s an angsty Romance novel about trauma, rural medical access, and admitting you’re in love with the person who keeps witnessing your very worst moments, but still sees the good in you."

This book is for anyone who ever read a "five times they almost kissed" fanfic and said someone should turn it into a book. As a long-time fanfiction lover and a Tess Sharpe worshipper (ever since I first read "Far From You" which you should definitely check out!), I knew from the moment it was first announced that I had to get my hands on this book, and I wasn't wrong!
Tess Sharpe's writing is incredible and both Penny and Tate capture you immediately. You can't help but feel for both of them - when they hurt you hurt, when they cry you cry (and I've cried) and when they long for each other (which is always) - you want to SCREAM.

I'll start with Tate, I WANNA MARRY HER.
Girl is head over heels so bad she has no illusions about ever finding the way out. She would do pretty much anything for Penny including waiting forever watching from the sidelines and it's not because she romanticizes her - she is very well aware of Penny's flaws and imperfections, more than anyone else, yet she loves her regardless and maybe even because of them. Tate is also just as imperfect as Penny and yet under the definition of "Perfect Love Interest" in the dictionary, there should be Tate's photo. I don't have even one bad word to say about her and trust me I've tried.

Penny.
Right from the first chapter, seeing her situation at home and the way her mother treats her, you immediately know you're going to be protecting that girl to your death. The more you get exposed to the traumatic experience that defined her life and her so-called "relationship" with her mother, the more you want to just pull that girl straight out of the book and hug her until all her tears dry out and all her demons disappear. She is desperate. She is desperate for someone to see her, to be on her side, to be there and have her back - to love her. Seeing her slowly discover she not only can have those things, but that she DESERVES those things, and that really, she had them right under her nose all along, was a very satisfying experience. Someone really needs to give that girl a hug.

There are only two things I disliked about this book:
1. 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~! How will it affect their interactions with their families, friends, with each other? 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.

2. There was also some conversation near the end about the titanic and Greek mythology and I have to admit that even though I'm familiar with the referenced stories, it felt like a really sudden and out-of-place conversation as those things weren't previously referenced (as far as I recall). It was part of a pretty important scene and I think that entire scene and conversation didn't hit as much as I wanted it to, unfortunately. Considering everything that happened before that scene and its importance, it felt a bit anti-climactic and could have hit a lot harder had the girls properly talked and referenced specific situations we've seen them going through, rather than suddenly using these unrelated metaphors.

Overall - these girls are basically the definition of soulmates, and no matter how much they try to stay away from each other, they continually find themselves in each other's orbit, unable to look away.
I highly recommend it for any fanfiction lovers (it's brilliantly filled with the best fanfiction tropes <3), and for those who love slow-burn, soulmate-y, tension and longing filled love stories. It's a story about two girls that improve each other and bring out the best in each other while helping each other survive harsh life circumstances. That witness each other's worst moments, and yet are still unyieldingly there, always.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

I must say this is not what I was expecting! But I am not mad about it. While this is a romance it’s also an exploration of familial relationships and grief and anxiety. The relationship between both MC’s blossomed slowly. This is NOT a light read. At many times it got very heavy and it took me some time to get through it because the themes were hard for me to swallow personally. This book has mother/daughter issues deeply engrained in it. Although I must say it it handled really well and with lots of obvious love. Which I think made it easier for me to read.

I would say heed the content warnings on this one because the cover and romcomesque blurb make it seem much lighter than it truly is.

Tess Sharpe somehow captures the agony and the ecstasy of grief and love in her latest YA release. So much so I read it in one sitting.

I've read all of Sharpe's books so I was doubtful that another time jumping story structure would play out successfully. But I should have known better. Sharpe's mastery of this story element hits all the feels at exactly the right time. It pulls you into the lives of these two young ladies so much so you feel as though you are a part of this special bond.

Although its a slow burn queer romance at heart, the heart wrenching examination of grief and separation of family really drives the story. I never had to deal with such harrowing conditions in my own life, but by the end I was teary eyed for both the happy and healthy resolution for the protagonists.

Please check content warnings before starting this absorbing read. But by no means should this stop you from reading this book if you're able to do so.

I can't say Thank You enough to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Tess Sharpe, and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

How good is this story?!?!

I was looking for something with 90’s rom/com vibes and this is IT!!!! Think 10 Things I Hate About You, Chasing Amy, & You Again all rolled in to one story!

Can I give Tate & Penny more than 5 stars? I just can not get enough!

6 Times We Almost Kissed
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: YA Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 1/24/23
Author: Tess Sharpe
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 384
GR: 4.49

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Penny and Tate have always clashed. Unfortunately, their mothers are lifelong best friends. When Penny’s mother decides to become a living donor to Tate’s mom, things go from clashing to cataclysmic.  So Penny and Tate make a pact: Be the drama-free daughters their mothers need through this scary and hopeful time. There’s only one little hitch in their plan: Penny and Tate keep almost kissing. They’ve never talked about it. But now they’re living across the hall from each other. And some things—like their kisses—can’t be almosts forever. 

My Thoughts: The queer romance representation in this novel was authentic and real, done with grace. This story is bold, enticing, and honest, so very refreshing. I read a lot of books, a lot, and this was one of the most honest and graceful ones I have read. The book is full of hope and made me full of emotions. Even though the characters endure trauma, it was done so gracefully and wonderfully. The characters were well developed, with depth, wittiness, emotion, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, thought provoking, endearing, and kept me engaged throughout the story. This is a romance but it also more, it discusses grief, trauma, love, loss, and mental health. I do love when stories tackle difficult issues like mental health and this does so in a honest and graceful way. This story will sit with me for awhile, in a good way. While this does not publish until January, I would recommend preordering now!

This book had me feeling all the feels. Mother/Daughter relationships, friendships and romantic ones too! If you desire to read a book that is emotional and raw, pick it up!

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 book comes out in January of 2023 and it's going to be one you'll want to kick off the new year reading!
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy to read and share my thoughts!

This book was absolutely incredible. Tess Sharpe does an amazing job of weaving these two girls stories together and giving us every reason to root for them ans care about them. I was nearly brought to tears multiple times (and I say that as a compliment). 6 TIMES WE ALMOST KISSED (AND ONE TIME WE DID) is a powerful story of grief and finding love - and yourself - in the wake of loss. It broke my heart and healed it at the same time. I can't express enough how much I loved it. It's already my favorite 2023 release.

Please check the content warnings before reading!!

I must have misinterpreted the blurb for this book, because I thought it was a YA rom com. While this book is YA, and does have romance and some comedic moments, it is definitely not a YA rom com.

That said, I really loved this. "6 Times We Almost Kissed" is a sapphic slow-burn coming of age story about two teen girls in rural northern California dealing with really challenging personal and family situations over the course of a summer. This book felt very real: the characters, the settings, the struggles. 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.

Content warnings: emotional abuse, alcohol use, death of a family member, infidelity, graphic description of injuries, chronic illness, ableism, depictions of grief.

One of the best sapphic romance I've ever read. Sharpe outdone herself with nonlinear narration and well crafted characters. Her prose is wonderful and very precise. Also I loved how the narration relied on the mc navigating a dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship.