Do not make the mistake I made and read this book in public. I spent more time trying not to cry in front of strangers than actually reading this on my commute to and from placements. This book will make you sob. It's a tragic love story but it's also so sweet. This book will break your heart. And that epilogue????? As if I already wasn't crying enough.

I can see why people love this book so much! I was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. While I did really enjoy it, I was expecting a bit more due to the hype around it. But still, it was such a cute story that will make you feel deeper. Overall, I'd recommend it.

This is easily one of the most depression yet beautiful books I have ever read. It’s definitely in my top 10 of the year! Poppymin and rune have my heart forever!!!

I liked it. Although I think it's a bit overhyped. It is very cute and sad but at the same time can be very corny.

THIS BOOK!!!! I feel like everyone who hasn't needs to read this book right now. If not for the amazing writing style then for the tears and reminder that life is too short to not live it to the fullest. Tillie Cole did an amazing job with the heart wrenching YA romance novel. I will warn you however, it's not for the faint hearted. I sobbed throughout the last 100 pages.

NON STOP SOBBING 😭 this had me in puddles and gasping for breaths. I have never in my life cried more reading a book.

Although I found certain parts cheesy, and didn’t loveee the epilogue, this was close to perfection and easily a new favorite read. I am so glad I picked this up. It’s sure to be one I’ll refer back to often.

Just yesterday I was leaving the grocery store in the pouring rain, and instead of dreading it - I thought to myself how would poppy feel right now? Every day is a gift. Smile through the storm. Dance in the rain and remember how lucky you are to be here.

4.5 ⭐️

Ugh! If I could only read this book for the first time again! It was perfection. A must read for anyone that wants a beautiful, pure romance book that will bring you to tears. I definitely bought my own copy!

I have never had a book just completely wreck me in the first chapter. I cried and cried so hard all the way home once I started this audiobook. Once the first chapter ended it was hard to listen to. It seemed to drag on for a long while. But Rune and Poppy were still very lovable characters. I just wish there would have been a little more insight as to what was happening while Rune was away. I would have loved to know what he was actually up to. Or the reality of what was going on in Poppy's life.
When Poppy finally came clean about why she just up and vanished from Rune's life I understood the lack of knowledge in the book. I hated how angry Rune was at everyone including Poppy. The things that Rune did for Poppy to make those last few days everything she wanted and needed it to be. Being able to fulfill her dreams of going to New York, going to prom, watching the sun rise on the beach as well as filling her jar to its entirety. I still did not see the ending when it blindsided me.
This book may have had many instances where it was cliché but I believe that this book was meant for those who believe in eternal love. This book was made for those who believe in love at first sight and for those who love with all of their whole being.

I ugly cried through this story. It hits all the right emotional triggers. Dealing with mortality and the concept of true love. And having the main characters at seventeen is such a gut punch. They are so young and deserve a lifetime of happiness.

The author does a phenomenal job showing the characters are fated as soul mates. The plot was sappy and at times a little farfetched. But for a heartbreaking book that has the reader in their feelings, the sappiness was much needed.

The character growth from Rune was executed perfectly by the author. At time he is so angry that it seems to be his only characteristic. The only thing that bothered this reader was how perfect Poppy is and upbeat all the time. At times her acceptance and upbeat attitude were a little bit annoying.

But if you need a good cry, then this is the book for you!

I wish I could give this book a more detailed review but honestly I'm too busy sobbing, I have never cried so much over one book in my entire life 😭

I had heard people talk about this book before, and it really lived up to the hype. This book was heart wrenching, and page turning, and romantic and it was really fast paced and easy to digest. I loved following Rune and Poppy’s story!

This book was so predictable I had to force myself to finish it. The dialogue was ridiculous for teenagers and the plot was straight out of a cheesy Hallmark movie.

At no point did I not know what was going to happen and the characters didn't develop, their circumstances just changed.

The epilogue was truly awful and essentially made the entire book pointless.

Three stars- it wasn't a particularly enjoyable ride but it was emotional. That counts for something, right?

This book was so beautifully written. Poppy & Rune had a genuine love that could surpass time. It’s so sad, but I highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love this book. If I were a re-reader this would be at the top of my re-read list.

As a five-year-old child, Rune moves from Norway to Blossom Grove, Georgia, and meets Poppy. They become instant friends and as they grow up, develop romantic feelings for each other. At fifteen-years-old Rune is forced to move back to Norway. Poppy cuts ties. When Rune returns to Georgia at seventeen, he’s changed, heartbroken, and destructive. Why did Poppy ignore him while he was gone?

The emotions, the heartache, the love, the hope, the yearning that I felt as I watched Rune and Poppy find their way back to each other was almost soul-shattering. There have been two books (both read years ago) that have brought me to tears and this just made the third. And with this book it happened twice. It was so well-written, so well-told. I felt like I developed a bond with these two characters. I felt like I was feeling what they were feeling. That’s solid writing. In addition, the background of “a thousand boy kisses” was dreamy and tender. And Rune just 🥰

The one thing that almost marked this book down to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ was the epilogue. It needs to be cut. It’s utterly ridiculous and unrealistic. When I finished this emotionally wrenching book, reading that junk epilogue almost squashed those feelings and voided everything that I read. GET. RID. OF. THE. EPILOGUE.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title for review.

(Update: I listened to this book. The male narrator is Norwegian which deepens and intensifies the mood of the book.)

Tillie Cole's writing is exquisite. Her prose is lyrical and poetic, painting vivid imagery of the Norwegian countryside and the emotional landscape of her characters. The narrative alternates between the past and the present, providing insight into the depths of Poppy and Rune's connection and the tragedies that test their love.

What sets this book apart is its ability to elicit a wide range of emotions. I laughed, I cried, and I felt my heartache as if it were my own. The emotional depth of "A Thousand Boy Kisses" is a testament to the author's skill in evoking genuine feelings from her readers. It's a story that will stay with me for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much!

I could not finish this book, I was really hoping I would love it because I have heard so many good things. Unfortunately every time I tried to start reading I just could not keep going. I only got 19% done 🙁.

I will never ever doubt BookTok again.. I went into A Thousand Boy Kisses by this author so confident that I wouldn’t be like all those people having mental breakdowns over this book.

Boy was I wrong… I did last quite a bit which I’m personally proud of! But by the time I got through half way or so this book was breaking me. But the end? Whoa. I don’t think a book has EVER made me cry so much to the point of wanting to be physically ill and having an almost panic attack. 🫠

I don’t know how the author does it but this book was a masterpiece of writing. Sure it was an immediate five stars but it was SO much more than that. Giving it five stars felt so.. little, like this book deserved more if only because a week later and I’m still feeling the after effects of this book.

To say it was amazing is an understatement. I don’t think there are enough words to describe this book whose ending broke me so inevitably…

If I’m not the last person on earth to have read this book then I wholeheartedly recommend it.. just make sure you have a crate of tissues and a therapist on stand by. 😂

This is a young adult tearjerker that touched me deeply. It tells the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of Rune and Poppy, two souls who meet as kids and share a bond that transcends time and distance. As I read about their journey, I couldn't help but shed tears and feel a rollercoaster of emotions. This book isn't just a love story; it's a powerful exploration of the purest form of love. Rune and Poppy's connection is so beautifully depicted that it left a lasting impression on me. I found myself fully immersed in their moments, cherishing every kiss and experiencing their joy and pain. While reading, I felt like I was on a profound emotional journey, and I couldn't put it down even when it became heart-wrenching. This book is a must-read that will tug at your heartstrings, make you appreciate the strength of love, and leave you with a lasting impact.

3.5/5 rounded to 4.

What a heart wrenching book! Check your TW!

This starts off as a cute little love story between two neighbors and best friends. Rune and an Poppy have been sweet hearts since the age of eight. Rune ends up moving back to Norway and eventually returns angry and tense.

Poppy was gone for two years but nobody knows where she went to. You get the sense that something is going on with her, but the reveal is quite slow. When Rune returns she tries to keep her distance but she is unable to. She is protecting Rune from a terrible truth. She has terminal Hodgkin's.

Granted the main characters in this book can grate on your nerves. You have Rune who is angry and unreachable and then you have eternal optimist Poppy who will give you a tooth ache! The dialogue was quite cringey at times as well. I almost DNF'd this novel at some point. However I am glad I stuck it out. The only question I had was when Rune dies and is reunited with Poppy what does he die of? How old is he? That part irked me.


This novel is cheesy but heart wrenching, for when you just need a good cry. It is worth a read, and I will check out other novels by this author in the future.

Thanks to netgalley and Sourcebooks Bloom books for this ARC

I really should have read more about what this book would be about, because I was not prepared for this emotional beatdown.

A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole was originally published in 2016. Which I didn't realize. I think the ARC was for a new epilogue included in the 2023 edition.

That epilogue was my least favorite part. But we'll get to that.

This is billed as a YA romance with recommended reading for ages 14 and up.

I was a little uncomfy reading this as it was sort of intimate for underage kids. I understand why the romance had to happen so young, but it was kinda weird to read. Also kinda weird to tell an eight-year-old to kiss a boy or boys 1,000 times as your dying wish.

If you ignored how young the characters were, then the premise was sweet. The characters were likable and their struggle to come back together kept me reading.

Some of the things they said were super repetitive. I get that it's what made them "them." The sweet sayings they always held dear and such. But I was ready to move on at some parts.

The ending did get some tears out of me. The writing wrung my heart out pretty good. That takes a lot for me, so well done.

However, I think the epilogue ruined the sweet ending. Without spoiling anything: I didn't like the jump out of reality and the attempt to give a happily ever after. And 10 years? What the heck happened??

Anyway, cute romance. Not sure I'd actually want a 14-year-old to read it though.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC. This edition of A Thousand Boy Kisses is now available.