Thank you @BerkleyRomance #Berkley #BerkleyPartner for the free book and @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This was fantastic. Amerie is trying to set herself up running a new business, but it's a slow start. After a chance meeting with Vincent, they end up fake dating as she moves in with him to save money.

Theirs was the greatest meet cute at a coffee shop. It felt like exactly the meet cute I have always wished for, running into a hot guy with hot coffee. I loved that he really is an astronaut and the nod to the lies we see on dating apps.

Fake dating is always one of my favorite tropes, and it was done so well here. I really appreciated how they came together. And I loved the character growth and the families for each. I especially appreciated her care for her mother. It resonated with me greatly.

The story was told entirely in first person from Amerie's perspective. Angel Pean did a fantastic job narrating the whole book.

4.5 stars rounded up

Even though this is a debut novel, Etta Easton’s narrative voice leaps off the page from the very beginning of The Kiss Countdown. The story is told from the perspective of Amerie “Mimi” Price, an event planner who’s down on her luck. After her mother’s most recent health crisis, Amerie lost her job and her boyfriend, and her own business hasn’t taken off yet… which is no help for her medical bills and her increasing rent. When she runs into her ex at a coffeeshop one morning, Amerie makes the rash decision to pretend she’s there meeting her boyfriend, roping virtual stranger Vincent Rogers into her charade. But the joke is on her: Vincent could also use with a fake girlfriend, but for a longer term.

Fake dating isn’t my favorite romance trope; it can be hard to make it seem like a realistic choice for the characters. But here, it works really well. I also love how the stakes keep escalating. From a one-off conversation to a New Year’s party to a months-long fake dating stint, the pretend dating keeps getting extended to something more. And when Amerie moves in with Vincent (of mutual benefit to them both), they’re also effectively roommates. Later, the only-one-bed trope gets thrown in for good measure (and to good use!), further pushing this fake couple together.

Amerie and Vincent are such opposites in nearly every way. She’s prickly and grumpy; he’s easy-going and considerate. She’s highly risk-averse; he’s an adrenaline junkie with the career to prove it. I love how they even each other out… or, rather, how Vincent is such a balm to Amerie.

Both are close to their families and have complicated relationships with their mothers. Indeed, those mom relationships are a driving factor behind much of what happens between Amerie and Vincent. While Amerie has some baggage she needs to confront, with Vincent, it’s his mom who’s in need of some introspection. There are some heavy topics, from chronic illness to the loss of a loved one. Both are handled very well and add a lot to the story.

Amerie and Vincent are a couple that I was rooting for the whole time, even when Amerie got a bit frustrating! Their relationship is believable and sweet, and the book is bolstered by bigger themes, great side characters, and lots of fascinating space talk.

The Kiss Countdown is a cute and smart romance for fans of space and NASA, the importance of family, and a fake dating love story that escalates all the way into the real deal. This is a fabulous debut, and I’m counting down the days until I can read Etta Easton’s next book.

“What, are you gonna go all Mandy Moore in A Walk to Remember and make him promise not to fall in love with you?” Ugh cause yes!!! Lol This was such a fun read. I love, love, love the fake dating trope. And I laughed literally out loud how it was revealed to Amerie Vince occupation. I live for that type of light get back. As far as a debut novel this was a definite hit for me. The chemistry between Amerie and Vince was instant. The banter was funny and the buildup was worth the wait. I never thought about dating an astronaut but if they anything like Vincent sign me up lol.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this e-ARC. All opinions of this book are my own.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This was a super cute romance. Amerie aka Mimi to her close friends and family, is going through a rough time. She had a successful career as an event planner, but when an event went poorly and her focus was on her ailing mom she was let go from her firm and her life has been spiraling ever since. Now she is ready to take control and branch out on her own, but she is struggling to get her business off the ground and make rent. Enter Vincent, a successful and handsome astronaut about to launch into space on his biggest mission yet. His family isn't the most supportive of his career choice, but he loves what he does. They want him to settle down, or at least find someone. When he and Amerie collide at their favorite coffee shop, and a little white lie about a fake relationship quickly morphs into something much more.

I completely related to Amerie's dad making PB&J with butter, my dad also made them that way when we were kids. That made me smile and that bit of nostalgia really hit home for me. I really loved the family aspect for both main characters. As we get to know both Amerie and Vincent, we get to understand them both and their personalities. Vincent is driven and like a scientist likes to control the variables. Amerie is risk adverse, doesn't deal well with her emotions, and she too likes everything controlled and perfect. They are kind of perfect for each other and shaped by their life experiences. I really enjoyed getting to know them, their families, and watching them fall for one another. They have good banter with one another, and

Overall I this was a solid debut romance. I really enjoyed the characters and the slow burn pacing worked really well. This has a bit of spice but isn't overly detailed in that area which I actually prefer in my romances.

This is a solid rom com and it’s a debut! Amerie is struggling. She has lost her job, her relationship and about to lose her home. When she runs into her ex and his new girlfriend she just can’t take it. She does something impulsive. She pretends that the stranger she spilled her coffee on is her new boyfriend. Turns out astronaut Vincent could use this fake relationship as well.
Like all good fake relationships in a rom com fake becomes reality! This was a fun one and I’m looking forward to Easton’s next book.

.
Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am always amazed when an authors debut book is so good! Etta Easton knocked it out of the park with this strangers-roommates-to lovers/fake dating romcom. The writing and pacing were well done and I loved all of the characters. I would have liked a little more banter/humor but I still really enjoyed it and will definitely be recommending!

It's tough for me to pass a book with MC an astronaut, and this being romcom, I was totally in. By the summary, I expected it to be cheesy and filled with over the top moments and it was spot on. It was a fun and light read with fake dating trope bringing in the crackling chemistry between Amerie and Vincent.

YES YES YES! This was SO DAMN GOOD!

Immediately this book starts off with Amerie's dry humor that follows throughout the story. What begins as a way to make her ex jealous, turns into a full fledged fake dating situation with an astronaut. The chemistry between these two is established immediately and only grows stronger as their fake dating gets more in depth and deeper. I absolutely love Amerie, she is resilient and hilarious. Her relationship with her best friend was also so fun to see throughout the story. And Vincent is just a hunk, I couldn't get enough of him and the way I imagined his voice and way he talked just got to me.

This is a fake dating trope done PERFECTLY. What a wonderful debut romance, I will absolutely be buying any and all of Etta Easton's books in the future.

Smart and steamy, lots of great banter and heartfelt connection between both the main characters and side characters. A really excellent debut and an author to watch.

First of all thank you to net galley, Berkeley romance, & Etta Easton for providing me with this ARC. This was such a solid debut novel. I love black romance novels & a black astronaut?! How dreamy. This book was sweet & funny but also dealt with some difficult topics. The only reason this book isn’t getting five stars from me is because I feel like the “love” came outta nowhere. Like yes, there was instant underlying attraction, but I don’t believe at any point we actually see Amerie & Vincent fall in love on page. And the spicy seasons could have been a little more developed.

Some minor things I think this book could benefit from are trigger warnings for the difficult topics & a playlist since music is such an influence here.

I can’t wait to see what else comes from this author in the future 🫶🏾

This was a good read, I am always here for a slow burn relation and who can pass up a fake relationship trope. I thoroughly enjoyed despite the fact that I felt there was a lack of chemistry between the characters and the romance almost seemed forced other than that it was good. Definitely will recommend.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this fake dating rom com. I can't believe this was a debut. There is so much chemistry between these strangers turned daters. The characters were so well developed, I absolutely loved both MCs. Their extended family and friends were great additions.

I will definitely be (im)patiently waiting for her next book.

Amerie just lost her boyfriend and her job, and now she's about to lose her apartment. When she meets up with a friend for coffee to discuss her new event planning business, she quite literally runs into Vincent and his coffee, spilling it on him. The next time she returns to the same coffee shop, her ex is there with another woman, so of course Amerie says she's also seeing someone. I'm Walls Vincent and Amerie grabs him and introduces him to her ex as her boyfriend. Vincent plays along, but asks Amerie for something in return.

This book was so cute and had me hooked from the first chapter! I loved how Amerie did not believe Vincent was an astronaut at first. This seems like such a small detail, but a fun one and totally makes sense that something like that would happen in Houston. As a mother, I can understand Vincent's mother's concern about him being an astronaut, but I also feel like she caused too much of a fuss over it, so you'll enjoy this if you enjoy family drama. Most of all, and I don't know why this is, I love it when I find a book with an astronaut in it! They aren't very common, but they are out there. I'm definitely looking forward to the next Etta Easton book!

A big thank you to Berkley Romance and the author for letting me review this advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You love a fun fake relationship with family drama and a dash of slow burn goodness.

** frantically google where does hot astronaut hang out *** this was a really fun debut, and astronaut and event planner was a new one for me, but I kinda loved all the random science facts, and the meteor shower scene was really cute.

Amerie life is out of control, she got fired from her job, her boyfriend broke up with her and she’s worried about her moms health. So when she bumps into sexy astronaut Vincent and then wrangles him into pretending to be her boyfriend since her ex just happens to be at her favorite coffee shop with his new girlfriend.. what could go wrong….

Vincent is a astronaut whose past involves a lot of trauma, and he relationship with his family isn’t the best.. so when Amerie agrees to continue being his fake girlfriend for three month, it’s one less thing he has to worry about, or so he thought.

I enjoyed the banter and most of the moments that we did get with these two. However, You know the saying action speaks louder than words? I wish I knew how to put that in book terms.. I loved Amerie and Vincent together but Im left wanting more..this story could’ve really benefited from Vincent pov.

I felt like I was swept away on a whirlwind adventure through the magical world of romance, laughter, and unexpected surprises. From the very first page, I found myself captivated by the endearing protagonist, Lily, and her quest to find love amidst the quirky traditions of her small town. As a lover of romances that portray authentic emotions of Black people, I was thrilled to discover a story that not only celebrated love in all its forms but also provided a heartfelt representation of characters who felt real and relatable.

I think that Etta Easton crafted a tale that balances sweetness with a healthy dose of unpredictability, keeping me eagerly flipping pages to see what twists and turns awaited Lily on her journey to that much-anticipated first kiss. And oh, the romance! Love it, love it, loved it!! Every stolen glance, every tender moment shared between Lily and her potentials, filled me with a sense of warmth and joy that resonated deeply. This book left me grinning like a love struck teenage girly and reminded me why I fell in love with romance in the first place.

Bless rom coms coming back. Is this overtly funny? In some moments, but it was mostly funny because it wasn’t trying to be. I loved Amerie’s confidence in herself even though her whole world was being turn upside down and in the moments it was shaken her best friend Gina was there to gas her up. The relationship she built with Vincent was something I came to love in the end, but it took a while to get there. The pacing would be fine if this became a movie but in a book we tend to expect more relationship building details. I rated this so highly because in the end it was well done and while at times the relationship development felt rushed, the foundation and vulnerability was ever present.

Thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook, and Netgalley & Berkeley for the digital review copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a delightful debut!! I loved their meet disaster - literally running into each other at a coffee shop and stumbling into a fake dating scheme. I felt the chemistry between Amerie and Vincent immediately. This story balances delicate topics such as grief and chronic illness (sickle cell anemia) alongside lighthearted jokes with Amerie’s inner monologue. The hardest part of reading fake dating romances is that they are inevitably lying to people they care about, which is the case in The Kiss Countdown. However, I also could see how both Amerie and Vincent felt they couldn’t be honest with their family members with the expectations they had placed on them and they did have good intentions at heart. Overall, really enjoyable romance read - the audio was also fantastic - Angel Pean was new to me as a narrator and she brought Amerie’s POV to life in this 10.5 hour audiobook.

4.25-4.5 rounded up

*IG review posted 4/9*

NEW ROMANCE RELEASE

Thank you #partners @berkleyromance for my #gifted copies and @prhaudio for my gifted audio copy. 💕 #berkleypartner #berkleyig #penguinrandomhousepartner

Happy pub day to The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton

📖 A struggling event planner and a sinfully hot astronaut must decide if their fake relationship is worth a shot at happily-ever-after, in this starry debut.

💭 The Kiss Countdown is scrumptious! It's sweet, smart, sexy, and satisfying! It's the kind of book you can't wait to return to, as Easton builds up unbelievable tension! Y'all, the pining is next level!🔥 I adore Amerie and Vincent, two well-crafted characters, each with their own troubles, giving them depth, complexity and believability. I also appreciate that Easton shines a light on Sickle Cell, (which disproportionately afflicts Black folks) and the ways this disease impacts families. Well-paced, with the perfect blend of heavy and light, The Kiss Countdown is a ✨winner✨ and I absolutely recommend it for romance readers.

🎧 I went hard on this one, rotating between print, ebook, and audio. 😅 The audiobook is divine! Narrator Angel Pean is exceptional, portraying both feminine and masculine voices. I recognized her voice from Jodie Slaughter's Bet on It, and hope to hear more from her in the future.

This is a feel good romance about how opposites truly attract. Amerie is the typical independent black woman who hides her feeling behind attitude and sarcasm. Never wanting to take risks she soon realizes that her life is drastically lacking. Recently breaking up with her boyfriend and her job, Amerie is a little insufferable at time until she met Vincent.

Vincent was too good to be true. An educated Astronaut training for trip to Mars with NASA. Vincent has hopes and dreams but those dreams come at his family's displeasure. Dealing with the constant nagging from his mother for him to settle down.

Amerie and Vincent embark upon a fake dating scheme so that she can save face when confronted with her ex and his less complicated girlfriend and Vincent appeasing his family with a fake girlfriend.

Amerie and Vincent had an uphill battle but the one who was making things hard was Amerie. It was obvious from their first meeting that Vincent was interested in Amerie and Amerie still reeling from her recent breakup was pretty much rude and abrupt with Vincent.

While on this journey Vincent was not only able to appease his family but he began to realize that he wanted to keep Amerie for longer than their agreed upon arrangement and Amerie is finally learning to loosen up and love a little.

Love comes when you least expect it but Vincent and Amerie have some decisions to make. Tell the truth or continue with their charade until playtime officially becomes reality.

This was an absolutely delightful romance debut. I was hooked from the first page, and if you love fake dating schemes filled with classic rom-com vibes, then this is one you need to check out.

From their first interaction, I knew I was going to love Amerie and Vincent. The pair could not be more different, but they work so well together. It was so entertaining seeing how the fake dating scheme came about, and I loved watching as their ruse kept growing and spiraling out of control. The forced proximity that came with their roommate agreement was such a fun element, and I enjoyed how it allowed the pair to get to know each other as Amerie came to realize the depth of her feelings for Vincent.

Speaking of Vincent, oh. my. goodness. I am absolutely OBSESSED with him. Even though this story is told solely from Amerie's perspective, his feelings for her are clear. As much as I love a dual POV romance, picking up on the hints hidden in the subtext of the main characters interactions with their love interest in a single POV love story can be just as fun, which is the case with this book. There are so many moments of Vincent's that had me absolutely swooning over him, but my favorite is undoubtedly the picnic (if you know, you know). Not to mention the fact that he's an astronaut. So... you know, just another reason to love him.

I loved watching Amerie come to take risks over the course of this story, especially after all she had been through. She perseveres through a lot of BS, and I was so happy to see her finally find success with her event planning agency. I also really enjoyed watching her interact with Vincent's family, especially when she stood up for him when no one else would. Another highlight was her friendship with Gina, who brought a wonderful element to the book.

Overall, this debut romance is an absolute must read. With a heroine you can't help but root for, a lovable cinnamon roll book boyfriend, and all the classic rom-com vibes, this is one you need to have on your tbr!