The second I saw a new book from Alison Cochran I knew I had to request for it. I love reading a Christmas story in July. The premise of a love trapezoid was so different and fun. The way everything wrapped up at the end was perfect.

After falling in love with Alison's writing in The Charm Offensive I knew I needed to read this book ASAP. I was not disappointed. Everything about this book screamed magical wintery Christmas and I am so excited to read it with the snow as a backdrop this winter. The characters were so well done I forgot they were fictional at times. I was laughing, crying, and smiling all at the same time. This is a must-read for rom-com lovers in my opinion. The queer characters, mental illness rawness, and family disfunction were a breath of fresh air from the otherwise "perfect" Christmas novels.

The only reason it wasn't 5 stars is that there were some parts that were just a little too unrealistic for me. I know there was "Christmas magic" but it lost me for just a short while.

Charm Offensive was one of my favorite books last year and probably one of my favorite books to date. So I started this book with health anxiety, but I'm afraid it won't live up to my expectations. I didn't expect to love this as much as charm because this book was really special to me and I didn't expect it, but I still loved it. It's a very powerful and fun Christmas read, but something you hide from yourself is also very profound. Elle's story of being an anxious perfectionist tends to give up for me before trying to get a little closer to home. After reading this book I find it very interesting. If you are in your twenties and work on mental health issues, I think this is a credible experience. But this certainly didn't seem like a heavy story. It was like the happiest season was a relaxing movie with everyone out. There is always the same amount of MESS! When Charlie dealt with Charlie who had doubts about her sexuality, Erie was confident in her bisexuality from the start, and it was great to see him. I loved her, I loved Jack and I loved the other characters (except the ones I hate). I especially enjoyed watching Erie and Jack's flashbacks of the perfect day via Erie's Comic Web (get the text version).

I loved this book. Capital L. Not only was it a cute romance, but it also included detailed characters with relatable issues. I enjoyed the plot and all of its ups and downs. It was entertaining and also meaningful. And who doesn't love an adorable Christmas romcom? This book had all of the right tropes, plus some that I didn't expect. I did have to knock off a point because I hate the miscommunication trope, but overall, a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: biphobia, homophobia and transphobia (brief and all are immediately challenged), toxic relationship with a parent, cheating (side character), anxiety over money, generalized anxiety disorder

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-f/f one night stand
-holiday romance
-forced proximity
-ooops am I fake engaged to your brother?
-slow burn
-stranded in the snow
-forbidden relationship elements
-demisexual rep
-so many Taylor Swift easter eggs

I loved this book so much. Alison Cochrun just writes the softest stories. Despite the elements that would create angst, this book was just soft and like reading a hug. It gave me all of the holiday vibes, the comforts of home, and was such a joy to read.

Ellie was so very relatable, down on her luck, and trying to figure out what she wants, always thinking back to the one who got away. I loved how her drawing and creativity were interwoven into her character. And Jack, with her excellent forearms and appreciation for a good flannel, Jack just got Ellie in so many ways, was infinitely patient and just so much about consent. I loved the flashbacks to their time together, as it was interwoven through the story. The impact they both had on the other's life, the very real misunderstandings that can happen, and just how hard it can be to trust someone after being hurt by the people you love for so long.

The secondary characters were such an added gem. I loved the grandmas, all of the subplots, and how they were interwoven. Alison Cochrun cemented she's just an auto read author for me. And each TSwift easter egg had me screaming. Cannot wait to see what she writes next

Steam: 3

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a free digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely love holiday rom-coms and the fake dating trope, so when I heard about this wlw novel with a bi woman who is actually in love with her fake fiancé’s sister… I just knew I had to read it! This is my first Alison Cochrun novel, but it won’t be my last. Kiss Her Once for Me is a fun and adorable Christmas love story with a little more depth than you might expect.

The story follows Ellie, a 25 year-old who lost her dream job, lost a woman she fell in love with during a whirlwind 24-hour romance last Christmas, and is now barely able to pay rent by working as a barista. One drunken evening, the coffee shop’s handsome landlord, Andrew, confides in her that he’ll receive 2 million dollars from his late grandfather’s will if he marries. The two agree to a marriage of convenience, giving Ellie a $200,000 cut of the inheritance if she stays married to him for a year. Things are finally looking up, until Ellie spends the week before Christmas meeting her new fiancé’s family, only to realize Andrew’s sister is the one who broke her heart last year, Jack. The story is full of chaos, hilarity, sweet family moments, and, of course, a yearning romance.

I really liked this novel! It’s an endearing holiday rom-com with a wide array of LGBTQ+ representation. I’ve read quite a few sapphic love stories in the past year or so, and this one felt fresh and fun. I liked the twist on fake dating and the cozy atmosphere of the Kim-Prescott family’s cabin. So many queer romance books have dual perspectives featuring both love interests, so it was refreshing that this one stuck with Ellie the entire time. I also loved the diversity— there are so many identities and cultures represented by the characters. It all flows seamlessly into the story, without feeling like the author is shoehorning diversity in just for the sake of it.

The characters are mostly all great! I could truly relate to Ellie, as I’m sure many other millennials will. She deals with imposter syndrome, fear of abandonment, fear of failure, social anxiety, and more. Your mid-twenties are so hard; it can be difficult to break out of old patterns and take risks, especially when you are still in the early stages of your career and are just trying to get yourself off the ground. Ellie portrayed all of that well, and her growth was satisfying to watch. The other characters felt fleshed-out and likable, too. I appreciated that Jack was a butch lesbian, and Ellie continually emphasized how hot and beautiful she was. I could feel their chemistry spilling off of the page. Jack’s loud and blunt personality contrasted nicely with her job as a baker. I was rooting for her and Ellie throughout the novel. Andrew, Dylan, and the grandmothers were so cute and fantastic, as well!

I liked the plot and pacing. This book has a good mix of romance, holiday festivities, and character growth. It is similar to a Hallmark movie, but I found it deeper than I originally expected. If you like your romances to have strong themes and subplots, you’ll probably like this. Christmas is a large element, but there are many other plot points going on, as well. Because I could relate to Ellie and her anxieties so much, the story felt a tad bit heavier than a traditional holiday rom-com, but that could just be where I am in life right now.

The writing is pretty good. I didn’t find it overly descriptive, but I could still perfectly picture everything that was going on. Ellie’s voice came through clearly, and I found some of her descriptions to be comical. The author also pulled off first-person present narration well; I didn’t find it distracting, as I often do with some present tense fiction.

My only complaints with the novel are all minor (though they did keep me from rating this 5 stars). I would have liked more interactions between Ellie and Jack’s family. Particularly, the dynamic between Ellie and Andrew was lovely at the beginning, but they stopped interacting as much midway through the novel. Since they had to sleep in the same bed and spend so much time together, I feel like there were so many missed opportunities for comedic moments or to show their friendship growing. The ending was also a bit abrupt; an epilogue would have been nice. Finally, some words and phrases were also repeated too often. We know Jack smells like bread and has a smile that resembles phases of the moon. Those characteristics sound delightful, but would have been even more delightful had they been repeated maybe 30% less frequently.

There were occasionally some chapters thrown in that were supposed to be text versions of Ellie’s webcomic series, which she illustrated as a way of coping after her initial encounter with Jack. I was pretty indifferent about those chapters, but I do think they could have been written more uniquely. Besides being labeled as webcomics and clearly taking place a year prior to the plot, they weren’t notably different from the writing in the rest of the book. It would have been cool if some illustrations or comics were added, but I get that the author was probably working with the skillset and resources she had. Perhaps it could have been written in a different way, though (maybe like a series of captions of images or even just in a different tone or tense).

This is a great choice if you’re interested in holiday books, rom-coms, or queer romance in general! There were so many cute little moments that rang true to the queer experience (in my opinion). I thought the author handled all of the subjects respectfully and touched on some important topics. I’ll definitely be recommending Kiss Her Once for Me to all of the romance readers I know this winter.

4 out of 5 stars.

4.5!

Christmas in July anyone?! When I heard Alison Cochrun was writing another novel, I got SO excited. If you know me, you know The Charm Offensive is my favorite romcom ever (and one of my absolute favorite books). Im happy to say Alison did it again! Although nothing will ever top Charm for me, Kiss Her Once for Me was funny, heartwarming, raw, and just an all around fun time!
🎄🎄🎄
The story follows Ellie, a 25 y/o with generalized anxiety disorder, during a rough time in her life. As a result, she agrees to fake marry a rich acquaintance in exchange for a lump sum of money. Along the way, she develops feelings for his sister. Oh and it takes place during Christmas!!
🎄🎄🎄
My favorite thing about this novel was Ellie. She’s 25, has anxiety, and feels like a failure in her career. She was just such a relatable character, as is common with Alison’s characters (cough cough Charlie). The anxiety representation was excellent and I also appreciated the demisexual rep as well! I also LOVED the side characters, especially Andrew and Dylan. They were very well developed and added a ton to the story!

The one tiny issue I had was the insta love. Jack and Ellie fall in love during the course of a day. Their relationship was adorable, however I just don’t love insta love. That’s more of a personal preference though!

Overall, Kiss Her Once for Me was another fantastic romcom from Alison Cochrun. Alison is definitely one of my autobuy authors at this point!

I hope everyone goes out and reads this when it comes out in November!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Rating: 5 stars

While I haven't read Alison Cochrun's first novel, The Charm Offensive, I'd heard many good things about it, so I was very excited when I heard about this sapphic romance she was writing. It also sounded like an interesting premise; our main character, Ellie, makes a deal with the landlord of the coffee shop she works at to fake marry him in exchange for a cut of the money he would get in his inheritance (that has the stipulation that he must be married to receive it). This also involves spending Christmas with his family while pretending to be engaged to him. Little does Ellie know, she'll end up falling for his sister. I can't really say any more about the plot because I don't want to risk spoiling it, but trust me, it was VERY enjoyable. The chemistry, the YEARNING, was just immaculate. I honestly couldn't put this book down, which was surprising, because being that engrossed in it is something that is less common for me when I'm reading romance books.

I absolutely loved ALL of the characters in this book. Ellie is kind of a disaster; she also has anxiety, and I found the representation in this book to be super relatable. And the most pleasant surprise was how much I liked Andrew's character, and the rest of his family (however, I was expecting to like his sister, and my expectations were in fact met). They were all honestly so sweet and funny, and messy in a way that is realistic but also wholesome at the same time. This was a perfect holiday romance, and I probably would have enjoyed it even more (if that's possible) if I read it while feeling festive.

Something that I wasn't expecting was it to be written in first-person with only one POV, which I was a little disappointed by at first. However, I do think that this served a purpose and there were some aspects of the plot that wouldn't have worked quite as well if it there had been multiple POVs, so I completely understand why it was done that way and still really enjoyed it.

If you hadn't already assumed while reading the rest of my review, I HIGHLY encourage you to pick this up and give it a try. I'll be buying a copy once it's released since I know I'm going to want to reread it, that's how much I enjoyed it.

Alison Cochrun does it again! 5/5 stars! Officially I will read anything this woman writes. Her style reminds me very much of Casey McQuiston's in terms of wit and charm, so naturally, I'm in love 💜

But Kiss Her Once For Me is more than a love story - it's very much a story about paralyzing fear, and letting that fear rule your life to a point that nothing goes right, that you stop living your life. And at some point, enough is enough, right? Ellie's anxiety was beyond relatable to a point I kept saying "same girl same" and "omg girl come let me hold you because SAME."

Chock full of queer characters, hilarious and loving grandmas, an all of the antics one would expect the rich to get up to during the holidays, Kiss Her Once For Me accomplishes what it's predecessor also did - the perfect balance of humor, human aches and queer celebration (bi-rep all the way baby). As with The Charm Offensive, she drives home the importance of seeking help and accepting support. Ellie's anxiety disorders aren't written in to be quirks, no, Cochrun writes with such authenticity that you walk away with lessons of value - therapy is the way to go.

I also adored the back and forth story telling where we get Ellie and Jack's past encounter told in a web novel style. One of my favorite parts of TCO were the reality show outtakes, so I'm glad Cochrun didn't write a traditionally told novel for her sophomore release, and instead, opted to add some flavor here as well!

I have one, and only one complaint and it's based on pure selfishness - Gods I wanted an extended epilogue with Ellie, Jack, Dylan and Andrew!

I would highly recommend this one if you enjoyed Delilah Green Doesn't Care, The Charm Offensive and One Last Stop!

TW: perceived/implied cheating, mental illness, drug use, transphobia, biphobia.

I have received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the eARC!

Thank you to @netgalley @atriabooks and @alisoncochrun for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Anyone else living for Christmas in July? 👀 I’m so glad I decided to read Kiss Her Once for Me this month. I absolutely adored the Charm Offensive, so when I heard that Alison was writing a sapphic holiday rom-com, I knew I would read it. When I saw that Ellie and Jack initially fell in love over the course of a day, I was admittedly cautious. But if there’s one thing that’s becoming abundantly clear, it’s that I’m a sucker for a fated insta-love 😭 And an even bigger sucker for sweet butch lesbians in Carhartt jackets who love to bake 👀 Ellie, you’re valid!
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My stomach was in knots the entire time 😂 Wouldn’t you be if you met the love of your life, lost them, and found them engaged to your sibling (unknowingly) a year down the line? This book was funny, obviously, but it was also full of gut punches. With that premise how could it not be? I rooted for Ellie and Jack from beginning to end. I loved them together, but I also loved them individually. Ellie’s struggles with anxiety and toxic familial relationships felt extremely personal to me. As did Jack’s struggle to remain independent to a fault. They loved each other wholly, but also knew that they both needed, and still need, personal growth.
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Another thing I loved about Kiss Her Once for Me was the rep. This is the second book I’ve read in recent memory with a demisexual MC (who in this case is also biromantic) and discussion of romantic and sexual attraction. There are various characters on different spots along the sexual/romantic/gender identity spectrum. Dylan, one of our most prominent secondary characters is also non-binary!
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Side note: I loved the Kim-Prescott clan so much. I want to spend Christmas in an obnoxious not-so-log-cabin and become besties with Meemaw and Lovey!
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I loved this book with all my heart and I think you guys would love it, too 🖤 Kiss Her Once for Me is available for pre-order now and will officially be released on November 1, 2022.

I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the cozy feel of it. I love LOVED Andrew and Dylan and wish there was more of them. I really loved Ellie but sometimes had trouble connecting to Jack. Really loved the found family aspect of this book.

Holy freakin moly I loved this book. Ellie and the way she worked through her anxiety throughout the course of this story were incredibly relatable, and I felt for her as she struggled to come to terms with the mistakes she made. Jack was kind and warm yet guarded and I vacillated between wanting to be her and wanting to date her. And her dog's name?! I died. The tension and chemsitry between Ellie and Jack felt natural within the context of the story and I felt myself rooting for them the whole way. I loved the Kim-Prescott family and the ways they showed up for one another. I am so thankful I had a chance to read this eARC, and I will probably have to pick up a copy of my own when it's released!

*Received as a free ARC*
*Excited flailing* Okay, so! I was super excited to get this ARC because I loved the Charm Offensive and boy was I not disappointed! My only regret is that it's not actually Christmas time yet. This book has excellent LGBTQ+ rep (demi, bi, non binary, lesbian, and more!) and excellent representation of anxiety. I felt seen, I felt heard, and I could not get enough. This is definitely in my top five books of all time. I absolutely cannot wait to see what's next.

The Charm Offensive is one of my all time favourites so I knew when I saw this one on Netgalley I had to request it.

I love both Ellie and Jack. They're literally OTP/goals. I literally said "awe" like 100 times while reading.

I'm definitely going to reread this one near Christmas as it gave the best Christmas romcom vibes ✨️

Admittedly, it’s difficult to write a review for this book because it was so. Freaking. Good. Was it strange to read a Christmas book in July? Honestly, not really. This novel brings the same energy as the Hallmark’s July Christmas Movie Marathon. This story was hilarious, romantic, and everything in between, all wrapped up beneath one well-written bow. (Okay, I’ll stop with the holiday puns.) All joking aside, this novel read like a gay Christina Lauren novel, and I loved every single second I spent in the pages of this story.

This may be one of the best sophomore novels I have ever read. Was it full of tropes that are constantly used in the adult romance genre? Absolutely. But those are all tropes that I adore (just one bed, for example), and only further helped the comedy aspect of this rom-com. And that’s the most important distinction to make here: this novel was actually a rom-com. It had balanced elements of both romance and comedy, which truly makes this story worthy of that genre title.

But I had greater appreciation for all of the representation in this novel: from social anxiety to asexual spectrum to a wide cast of LGBTQ+ characters, this novel truly had it all. And Cochrun treated these characters and topics with the respect and understanding they deserved. As an anxious, cisgendered asexual, I appreciated the care and detail Cochrun put into Ellie (cisgendered, bisexual, demisexual). I often found myself nodding along and felt truly connected with our main character because her personal journey and experiences mirrored so many of my own. If you are looking to feel seen in a book, this is a great novel to start with.

Alison Cochrun opened the novel with an author’s note, warning readers that she would be handling difficult topics (such as homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia). Although I cannot speak to how well she handled these issues, as I do not identify in those labels and have not experienced those phobias personally, I did find them to be important story pieces to the characters’ journeys.

As always, I have to speak to the writing of this novel. It was amazing (in terms of details building up setting, atmosphere, and Ellie’s voice), but it was also hilarious. I’ve never laughed aloud so much while reading a book before. More importantly, this writing made me completely disappear out of my head and into Ellie’s emotional headspace for a while.

The most important aspect of this novel, however, was how poignant and comforting all of the themes are. As a twenty-five-year-old lady myself, it’s hard to not struggle with becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, dealing with thoughts of failure or imposter syndrome. And, honestly, this novel made me wish we had a wider away of stories working through those themes and conflicts. And I say that because this novel taught me a lot about my own personal journey, but also brought me comfort as I struggle with these very issues in real time. Knowing that you aren’t alone is one of the most important messages a novel can share, and Cochrun explored that message with deftness and grace.

If there is one critique I had to give, it would be that the resolution was too short. Then again, resolutions in rom-coms are always too short for me. I always want to spend longer with the characters getting to experience the love and joy they have been fighting for (or against) throughout their story journey, and that desire holds true for this novel as well.

Overall, I was completely blown away by Cochrun’s sophomore novel. It delivered in crafting a poignant and hilarious rom-com that played with some of the best romance tropes out there. I know I cannot wait to return to re-read this fluffy holiday read when December comes back around.

TW: Swearing, on-page sex, alcohol consumption and light drug use (weed), anxiety, depression, some ableism about ADHD (challenged on page), negligent parents, familial estrangement, biphobia (challenged on page), transphobia (challenged on page), references to cheating and adultery.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I adored this book. The PNW setting, snow-locked cabin, kooky family members, it was all there and Alison Cochrun is a master at character development and truly did not disappoint. I'll be recommending this holiday rom com to all my friends!

I want to start by saying: I loved this book. This was my first book by Alison Cochrum, but it will definitely not be the last!

The author in her acknowledgment thanks her agent for believing in her, when this book was noting more than a flash-out gay While You Were Sleeping FanFic. I can’t believe I didn’t see it. I guess I was too taken by the story and the characters.

Now, all the things I loved:
- The characters. They were all very well written and entertaining. They all had clear personalities and they made me laugh out loud in more than one occasions. I loved the Grandmas and their vibe. I would read a spin off about them going on adventures. I loved the Kim-Prescott family to the core. They were funny as a comedy would want them to be, but they were also so real.
- The family dynamics and all the relationships. I was amazed by Meredith and Ari’s relationship with Ellie, I loved how easily they were there for her. I loved Andrew and how his friendship evolved with Ellie (the last scene between them was amazing and I could see it unfolding in front of my eyes) and of course I loved Ellie and Jack and their whole journey as a couple and witching themselves, it was just perfect.
- I hope the author doesn’t change a single quote in this book. There were so many passages that made me laugh out loud, especially the parts about “the queer way” to deal with stuff.
- I just flew through the book, it was hard to put down because it was really a lot of fun!
- The ending was perfect.

I want to add that I loved the LGTBQ+ representation, the use of pronouns (and people asking about their preferred pronouns) and the fact that - like in Shitt’s Creek (aside from the homophobes in the book that were all very negative people all over) there was this sense of acceptance and everyone was fitting in. I wish we had in our world.
It made me feel warm and fuzzy and I can’t wait for the book to come out in November!

Thank you Alison Cochrum and NetGalley for this advanced copy of “Kiss Her Once For Me” in exchange for an honest review.

This story taught me a lot about different identities. The jump between the webcomic and the story itself was fun and provided a lot of insight into what the main character was thinking.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me access to this eBook arc!! If you’re looking for a Sapphic novel set during Christmas time with fake dating and lots Taylor swift mentions, this is the book for you. this book made me laugh but also made me cry. so beautifully written and the characters are amazing!

Kiss Her Once for Me was a gorgeous sapphic Christmas romcom that I'll be recommending for ever - also can Netflix or someone pick it up so we can enjoy an amazing, messy story around Christmas 2023?!

In KHOfM we follow Ellie who feels like her life is falling apart - her dream career is a thing of the past, she's working a dead-end job, her mother only cares about her as long as she can siphon money off of her, and she's about to be evicted from her apartment. Christmas '22 is looking dull. Until Andrew, the property-owner of the cafe Ellie works in, makes an outlandish suggestion - Ellie will marry him so he can get his inheritance and spend Christmas with his family. It all seems absurd but Ellie is in desperate need of the 200k he is offering her in return. And it all seems like it might just work out - but then Ellie finds out that Andrew's sister is none other than Jack, the gorgeous woman Ellie fell for in the span of one day last Christmas.

This book made me wish it was Christmas-time already so I could curl up with hot cocoa and watch a messy but wholesome Christmas romcom with merry jingles playing in the background. This is CHRISTMAS ROMCOM GOODNESS in a nutshell - all the familial vibes (found family is just as gorgeous and valid as the blood one), not one but TWO love stories that will steal your heart, and a very real struggle in the center. Ellie is AFRAID and while that fear colours every interaction of hers, it is also one of the most relatable feelings in the world. We are afraid of being alone, of failure, of wishing for something so bad only to realise it was all an illusion.
Alison Cochrun once again wove a beautiful story full of heart that will make you ache with how relatable it is! I felt for Ellie and her struggles (and don't even get me started on how much I adored the anxiety rep! So relatable and sensitively written!) and I rooted for her from the get-go.

If anyone is looking for me, I'll be fighting off a reread, daydreaming about Ellie, Jack, Andrew, and Dylan, and wishing it was Christmas already (and I detest winter and the cold so that is saying something!).

A must read for anyone looking for a beautiful Christmas romcom with incredible queer rep (bi MC, lesbian SC, queer SC, nb SC, side poly relationship), mental health rep, and a diverse cast of characters!