The number one reason that I picked up this book is because the male love interest is a Black astronaut at NASA! Black?! And in STEM?! Instant read for me.⁣
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For the spicy lovers looking for smut every other chapter, sit this one out. The one is for the rom-com lovers who get swept up with a cheesy yet adorable meet cute followed by a fake dating plot that you know is going to be full of shenanigans. ⁣
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I loved both Amerie and Vincent. Their chemistry takes a bit to get off the ground but their instant banter sucked me in. ⁣
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I saw so much of myself in Amerie as someone who is risk adverse, but I could also completely relate to Vincent’s diehard passion for science even at the expense of his family’s wishes. ⁣
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If you’re looking for a cute, Black romance that also puts STEM front and center then this is for you!

It took me a few chapters to get really interested in the characters' stories, but once I did, I had to read the book through to the end to see how this love story ended. Their connection and banter were very cute. It felt much more intense because of the forced proximity element, which I really enjoyed. I loved the conversations about relationships, career, and family. And how complex each character was. Particularly Amerie's professional path and Vincent's range of accomplishments, I appreciated the characters' depth. Given that Vincent had to resolve his own family difficulties as part of the plot, I do wish there had been some chapters written from his point of view.

I am forward to read more from this author in the future!!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Solid and entertaining debut from Etta Easton!

Amerie was a lively and fun character, but she could also be maddening. I loved her quick comebacks, her drive, and her fierce love for those close to her. She felt very real to me as I was reading and one of my favorite parts was her friendship with Gina. I would have liked a bit more of them together because I think Gina was a fun balance to Amerie and didn't let her avoid the tough conversations.

Vincent was a decent character, but he never felt as fleshed out as Amerie did. He seemed to be more of an afterthought, especially since so much of the story focuses on Amerie and is all told first person. He was sweet, charming, and I loved the scenes with his family.

I also loved some of the tougher topics woven in here from illness, to long distance relationships, to career aspirations and familial expectations. This was tender and funny, and I look forward to more books by Easton!

Amerie's life isn't going well. She broke up with her boyfriend, she lost her job, and she is in danger of losing her apartment due to the rent increase. She is also worried about her mother who has sickle cell anemia. Finally, her parents go on vacation, and she can worry without them knowing all her issues. Then, one day at the coffee shop with her best friend, she runs into a solid man, spilling his coffee on him. Then, they meet again the following week, and together they make a deal. They will pretend they are in a relationship, to please both his family and also allow her to thumb her nose at her former beau. He is Vincent Rogers, an astronaut. Amerie is afraid to get involved as she avoids risk, and knowing he will go into space scares her. But, together, they overcome all the obstacles, and they heal each other.
Cute romance.

I'm a total pushover for a fake dating trope and this one was a delight. First of all, he's an astronaut? Yes, please! Okay, so maybe not in real life. Like Amerie, I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to certain things like heights, twisty mountain roads, and, oh, I don't know, waving farewell to your beloved as he soars to the moon?!? But, I'm getting ahead of myself. First we have to get these two together.

Easton has crafted a fun, relatable, slow-burn romance that had me jumping into this unexpected relationship with both feet. From the coffee shop meet cute, through meeting the family, to a fake engagement, the breakup, and the reunion, these characters kept me by their side, cheering them on and flipping pages from beginning to end. I enjoyed the exploration of Amerie and Vincent not only through their one-on-one journey but through the interactions with their families as well. Those family dynamics were spot on with the parents and siblings so well developed that I felt like I had actually met them in real life.

While the romance between Vincent and Amerie is a slow burn, I felt the chemistry between them from the start. The banter between them sparkles even before they begin to catch feelings. Once that starts, we begin to delve a bit deeper into what makes each of them tick, revealing their vulnerabilities, fears, hopes, and more. I love how smitten Vincent was and how hard he tried to hide it. It takes Amerie longer to overcome her fears but once she does, she goes after her man in grand style. It's all about facing our fears.

If you're looking for a fun romance filled with laughter, family, slow-burn romance, one very sexy astronaut, a ride-or-die girlfriend, and a heroine you might just want to be besties with (I did), pick up a copy of The Kiss Countdown. It's sure to make you smile.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley. Fair and unbiased review.

This book follows Amerie, who has recently lost her job and now needs to start her own business, and Vincent, an astronaut about to head off to the Moon!

I really enjoyed the banter between the MCs and the general progression and pace of the plot. The characters and side characters are really fleshed out and I could truly understand the motivations behind most of the book.

The only reason I’m giving this 4⭐️s is because of the third act breakup. That felt a bit forced and in my opinion the book could have done without it and ended a bit earlier.

Having said that, the actual #HEA was absolute perfection and I loved the prologue!

This book grew on me the more I read it. It took me quite a few chapters to become invested in the characters story, but once I was hooked I had to finish the book as soon as possible so I could find out the outcome of this love story. At times it edged on too good to be true, but that is also what kept me coming back for more. I loved seeing the feisty FMC's character development. She went from a heartbroken, jobless, and broke woman, to a badass, confident, and self-employed event planner. The MMC's character development had more depth to it than I was expecting, which was a pleasant surprise.

This book is a great read for lovers of:
Banter/Tension
Forced proximity
Fake relationship
Relationship of convenience
One bed trope

I almost DNF’d this book and that would have been a serious mistake.

Amerie - I love that name - is having a rough go at life. She’s let go from her event planning job after she bails on an event for a family emergency. Then she loses her man. A chance run in with her ex and his new girlfriend at her favorite coffee shop leads her into a fake dating and later fake engagement situation with Vincent - a hot astronaut.

I found Amerie to be extremely annoying in the first chapter. She just felt bitter and aggravating, but I am glad I stuck with the book. It’s a cute EXTREMELY slow burn, but worth the read.

The family dynamics in this story were very interesting, the author Etta Easton provided a believeability that I enjoyed.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

When Amerie runs into her ex and his new girlfriend at her favorite coffee shop, she quickly ropes Vincent, the hot stranger she previously spilled coffee on, into the conversation and introduces him as her new boyfriend. She didn’t expect Vincent’s sister to also be in the coffee shop and overhear this whole thing, and now he needs Amerie to keep up the act, at least until he is off on his space mission in 3 months.

This book had me hooked from the beginning and Etta Easton’s voice was such a delight. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

rep: parent with a chronic illness (sickle cell anemia)
cw: past death of a sibling, grief

I liked this one a lot it just felt like every thing between Vincent and Mimi was so fast paced. This just won’t be memorable to me

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thought and opinions are still my own.

This was on my most anticipated list for 2024 because I loved the idea of a romance featuring an astronaut. And this was just as swoony and wonderful as I was hoping.

The heroine is a feisty and determined event planner who is struggling to get back on her feet and find her confidence after a family emergency that led to the loss of her dream job. When she meets the soft spoken, and closed off hero who is secretly a huge softy.

The two of them strike up a bargain to fake date (as one does) to get the hero's family off his back about dating.

Now they're stuck together for a long family weekend and the chemistry between them is anything but fake.

I loved their banter and chemistry. The forced proximity aspect made it feel that much more intense and I ate it up.

I loved the discussions surrounding family and relationships and work. And how complex both characters were.

This also has one of the most romantic picnic-under-the-stars scenes I've ever read. Swoon.

Very excited to check out more from this author in the future!!

“She can be testy sometimes, and why not? She’s been hit with blow after blow. But she still rises. Still stands strong. She’s truly beautiful, in all her phases.”

The Kiss Countdown is a fake dating “roommance” following struggling event planner, Amerie Price and Astronaut, Vincent Rogers. In her desperation of seeing her ex happily dating a new woman, she introduces her coffee shop acquaintance as her boyfriend. However, things get more complicated when his sister is there to witness their show as well. This leads to Amerie and Vince fake dating so she can live rent free while her business gets started and Vince can get his family off his back. Could this small misstep lead them to infinity and beyond? (I’m sorry, I had to)

I read this one while sick, so I don’t know if it was a case of the wrong book, wrong time but I didn’t love it. I had a hard time connecting with Amerie. She was committed to doing things for her parents but had a very distant relationship with them at the same time. It was an interesting dynamic. I understood the dynamic Vince had with his parents better. I think Vince did bring out the best parts of Amerie and got her to be more lighthearted and enjoy things more. Amerie forced Vince to look at his priorities and take more time away from work. Vince was very thoughtful and sweet. He took her on some pretty cute dates and called her “my Mimi”.

Overall, I rated this book 3 stars. I really liked Vince and his character, but struggled to connect with Amerie. However, I think if you really like these tropes listed below, you should still give it a try!
•Fake dating/ engagement
•Astronaut & Event Planner
•Temporary roommates
•Single POV
•Grumpy (her), sunshine (him)
•Houston setting

Thank you to @berkleyromance for the free copy of The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton. All thoughts are my own.

While I love romances and the idea of an astronaut MMC was unique and exciting, The Kiss Countdown fell a bit flat for me. Much of the dialogue felt cheesy and disingenuous, and the FMC’s inner monologue was constantly catastrophizing. The fake dating trope is always fun, but this one seemed to lack the quintessential silliness and pining. There was also a lot of unnecessary text (e.g., memories, observations, etc.) that didn’t seem to further the plot or character development and took me out of the story a bit. Overall, the book wasn’t bad, just lackluster and forgettable compared to other romances I’ve read.

I do hope this book finds its readers, even if that’s not me! It’s a slow burn with low steam, which I know some readers will appreciate.

This was a sweet book! i loved the highlighting of an astronaut male MC across from an equally resilient and badass female MC. The themes of family, found family, the meaning of home, and vulnerability felt very touching. However, i found the family’s forgiving Amelie to be a bit quick and hasty. Overall, i think the author did a lot of telling instead of showing, as certain parts got very wordy and spelled out scenarios that the reader could have been trusted to understand themselves.

I really wanted to love this book but it fell a bit flat for me. I didn't really feel invested in either MC, although I feel the book could have benefitted from the use of dual POV.

This book swept me off my feet with its heartwarming romantic plot and captivating characters. While I longed for Vincent's perspective to deepen the connection, the author skillfully kept him endearing throughout. I adored the characters' depth, especially Amerie's career journey and Vincent's varied successes. Although Vincent's occasional mansplaining irked Amerie (and me), it added a charming quirk reminiscent of Sheldon from "The Big Bang Theory." And Vincent's mother? Talk about drama! Despite the wild twists, the reactions felt genuine, leading to a satisfying romantic conclusion. For fellow romance enthusiasts, this book is an absolute gem, delivering all the feels and then some.

I liked this book for the characters and relationships as well as the diversity. Unfortunately I didn’t quite buy the romance and there wasn’t enough stream for me.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this book!

Not only does it have two main characters with interesting careers (an event planner and astronaut), but we get a cute fake dating scenario and two people who were just fun to read about.

Amerie is strong and sassy and maybe a little neurotic...You can't help but root for her to get her business back up off the ground after a past incident tainted her reputation. Vincent is wonderful. He's kind and a great listener. And did I mention he's an astronaut?? Together, they have amazing chemistry on page.

Additionally, I really enjoyed reading about Vincent's family. And even when they get upset about being tricked, it never feels overdramatic. It's totally understandable why they're sad about it.

I wouldn't have said no to more added into the story, but ultimately it was a fun, quick read. I would definitely read another book by Etta Easton!

This was such a fun read. I liked how both of the careers were such a big part of the character's lives but didn't take away from the romance. How the fake dating helped him deal with his family was great. The romance built well and I really enjoyed with this one.

The Kiss Countdown is a nice debut novel with likeable characters and lots of fake dating trope fun.

Amerie is dealing with a lot at once. She's worried about her mother's medical bills and she recently lost both her job and boyfriend. I could understand her motivations and fears about security and relationships with her childhood spent moving from place to place. It was nice to see her connect with Vincent's family and also opening up to her parents as well.

I do wish there had been some chapters from Vincent's POV as the story entailed him working through his own family issues too.