Katie Price and Wil Greene spent a magical summer together their senior year of high school before they were pulled away from each other by realities they couldn't escape. Ten years later and their worlds are very different but when movie star Katie Price sees Wil Greene again in person it's like nothing has changed.
I am a sucker for the celeb trope and this one was very well done, 4.5 stars. I liked the idea of a movie star being the one that got away. They both are in their own way a little stilted in their lives until they come back together. The characters themselves are well written and keep you engaged in the story. The love story seemed a bit quick but it being a second chance love story it also felt right for these two. These two have great chemistry from the start and it moved along the plot very well. The authors chose not to do any real flashbacks which I found unusual for a second chance romance like this but I think it was the right choice as I feel they often drag the plot too much into the past. The cast of side characters are fun and all very much care for the two MCs. The characters and their story will stick with me and I even see myself doing a re-read of this one. Overall this was a fun book and I'd absolutely pick up the next release from Mae Marvel.

This was a super cute LGBTQIA+ read. I enjoyed the story line and the characters. I do feel that at times some of the detail that was included was a bit much and the story could have been finished much faster with the same effect.

Thank you St, Martin’s for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in order to give my unbiased review.

In “Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous” by Mae Marvel, readers experience a captivating tale of love, self-discovery, and the complexities of fame. Set against the backdrop of Green Bay, Wisconsin, this methodically told story follows the lives of a renowned movie star and her high school best friend turned insurance adjuster.

Meet Katie. At 31, she has conquered Hollywood, winning every acting award imaginable. Now, she yearns to transition into directing. Seeking solace and inspiration, she returns to her hometown for Christmas. There, she reunites with Wil, who has become famous for her TikTok channel where she kisses strangers. It’s an exploration of intimacy in the age of social media.

Marvel's prose beautifully captures the evolution of Wil and Katie's relationship. Their bond, once thought to be purely platonic, gradually transforms into something deeper. As they navigate their feelings, they also confront personal demons. Katie's reputation has been marred by an abusive ex-boyfriend's smear campaign, leaving her wary of dragging Wil into her media-frenzied life. Meanwhile, Wil grapples with emotional risks after losing her father.

The novel delves into self-awareness as both characters discover their true selves. Wil and Katie's journey from friends to lovers is tenderly portrayed, emphasizing the power of connection and vulnerability. The chemistry between them leaps off the pages, making their love story all the more poignant.

Marvel's exploration of fame and its impact on relationships is thought-provoking. Katie's struggle with the media circus contrasts with Wil's quiet existence in Green Bay. Together, they learn that love transcends fame and adversity.

“Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous” is a heartfelt read, filled with genuine emotion. Marvel's writing invites readers to reflect on their own relationships, past and present. While the plot unfolds at a leisurely pace, it allows for deep character development and emotional resonance.

Marvel's novel is a five-star gem. This story is a testament to the enduring power of love, friendship, and the quest for belonging. Whether you're a fan of romance or simply appreciate well-crafted storytelling, this book deserves a spot on your reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

what a sweet and endearing romance!! i’m a sucker for a soft and sweet sapphic story.

I loved reading Wil and Katie's story, despite my issues with the overall pacing~ The flow felt both rushed and slow, I wanted the build up to last longer and the tension to build more before I was given the release the characters created together.

I liked that the main conflict wasn't necessarily a conflict and more a communication hurdle that felt natural to the characters' personalities and overall journey - it was a fun
read!

loved this romance and how the characters were able to figure things out and find their way to love. Loved the friends .

2.5 ⭐️

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley. Cannot say it was my favorite romance novel. The characters were the stories redeeming quality, I loved them all. The flow of the book was just not my cup of tea.

The author is thoughtful and put in so much detail. The plot was expected but I still actually really love it. I was not prepared for how it would get me in my feeels. Five stars all the way!

Katie Price is America's sweetheart and one of the most known and decorated actresses. When she reconnects with former best friend Wil Greene during a Christmas home in Green Bay, sparks fly.

But, they both have a lot of baggage. They haven't spoken in 13 years. This book is full of emotion, steam and big decisions with huge stakes. It's much deeper than the description and cover would suggest. I genuinely enjoyed this heartfelt look at two women overcoming their trauma and trying to find their own professional and personal paths.

I did feel like it dragged a bit in the middle and was a bit to long--repetitive. Enjoying read.

A delightful sapphic romance. Reminded me a bit of Meryl Wilsner’s Something to Talk About with the witty exploration of fame and love.

I absolutely LOVED the characters and their chemistry, they were FANTASTIC!! However, the pacing was not working for me (& that is very likely just a me problem). I feel like the first 25% we usually see in a romance novel (the entire set-up) got rushed over, and at 20% I emotionally found myself where I'd normally expect to be at 40% in a romance novel. And I love reading the build-up of a romance novel, it's probably my favourite part. Not to say that there isn't build-up here (because there is), it's just incredibly fast.

Besides the pacing thing, I also didn't love that one of the characters was a celebrity & working in Hollywood. I keep thinking that I'm gonna be able to like books with that trope more than I end up liking them, I just need to accept this about myself lol.

All that being said, I will absolutely be reading more from this author in the future. I really like their characters and writing style, and I cannot wait to see what more will come in the future! I will also be recommending this book to patrons and friends, even though it didn't work out for me!

I read a lot of books, review a lot of books. And Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous was just not a favorite for me. I found it hard to really pay attention and I am hoping to give this one another try. Just an ok for me.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin for an ARC copy of this book.

This really was hard for me to get through. I might try and read it again once the audiobook comes out. It just felt slow and it took too long to get to the point with something’s and I had a hard time caring about the characters and their romance.

I’m sure swifties (I say, a swiftie myself) will love this though because the plot is very ‘tis the damn season.

Will definitely consider giving it another shot on audio.

This book was an absolute delight, keeping me thoroughly engaged from start to finish.

The characters were impeccably depicted, with just enough detail to lend credibility to their actions and decisions. Wil, in particular, exuded an aura of dominance and allure, making him my personal favorite throughout the story. Katie, on the other hand, portrayed an endearing blend of innocence and exploration, having once been Wil's close friend in high school before achieving fame. As they reignite their friendship, one wonders if their connection runs deeper than mere camaraderie. Could they have overlooked their true feelings in their youth, blinded by naivety?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. Childhood friends reconnect after one of them gets famous. This book was lovely; healthy communication and such a beautiful relationship. The dedication let me know I was in for it from the very beginning.

It’s no secret that I obsess over thrillers BUT when you read them back to back you almost feel like you need to change things up to appreciate them even more and “cleanse your palette”

I have noticed lately that I am actually really enjoying other genre’s so why not broaden my horizons and continue to try new things .

This is the perfect book to jump start my countdown to summer .

Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous

I enjoyed this light read and it definitely pulled at my heart strings . I adored Wil and Katie!!! I laughed ,I cried, I laughed some more.

The passion is ever present and you could literally feel the love.

Kudos to Mae Marvel on her sure to be grand slam of a debut!

Teaser :

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Reads of 2024

Hollywood glamor meets “‘Tis the Damn Season” in this irresistibly buzzy sapphic romance, perfect for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur and Casey McQuiston.

Katie Price is known in every living room in America. A small-town Wisconsin girl who became an A-list star, she rarely makes it home, but this year is different . . . Little does she know it will lead her straight into the piercing blue-eyed gaze of Wil Greene.

A lot has happened in the decade since those cold Wisconsin nights when Wil and Katie drove around in Wil’s Bronco senior year. Since then, Wil's law career hasn’t taken off. Her father passed away. And what started as a personal challenge―kissing a new person twice a week, every week―has made her a growing sensation, but her life is still stuck in phase one. Through the years, the two have never left each other's thoughts and desires, but now suddenly, they are back in each other’s lives. Their reconnection is instantaneous, and the passion is palpable...but can it stand the test of time?

This was a light, easy read. It was outside my normal genre, but I enjoyed it. I felt a connection with the characters. While there are some touchy subjects, they are handled with care and not gone too in depth. Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous follows Wil Greene and Katie Price as they reunite for the first time in thirteen years. Thirteen years ago, they were seniors in high school in the kind of intense friendship that in retrospect feels more like a relationship. Now, Katie Price is a famous actress on the verge of a big career transition and Wil Greene is an insurance adjuster by day TikTok star famous for kissing two different people a week in her free time. When Katie comes home for time to work away from LA, she reconnects with Wil, picking up their friendship where it left off, except maybe it was more the whole time. I really enjoyed the overall plot of the novel and the characters of Wil and Katie, but the prose was a little too much for me. I love characters in a romance who communicate but it was honestly a little too much for me. It felt like it took some of the pining out of the build up. This was a book I enjoyed but likely won’t return to.

Although I did not read this, it does not mean I won't circle it back to eventually.it has an interesting, Evelyn hugo-esque premise.

Vibes: second chance (or first chance after you never took the second), figuring out what love actually is, the cult of celebrity

Heat Index: 6.5/10

Wil Greene and Katie Price grew up together--their moms were best friends, after all. Then, in their senior year of high school, they became best friends... and almost more. But Katie went off and become a super successful, internationally famous actress; and more recently, Wil has become known for a viral TikTok account where she kisses new people every week and posts the videos. Katie's seen plenty of them. And now that she's back in Wisconsin for a month, she may be ready to finish what she and Wil almost started all those years ago.

This is an overall lovely (though imperfect) heartfelt, funny, and sexy romance that sort of mashes second chance with friends to lovers, though like--were they ever friends? Or were they finally allowing themselves to be close to each other despite the burgeoning tension? It's hard to say.

Don't worry about the celebrity angle--it's not that sexuality doesn't matter here, but you don't have a lot of "but what will the public think?" angst. Not that that's inherently wrong for queer celebrity romances. But this book is focused on something else, and though I think it sometimes got wrapped up in the characters' heads, it still leaves me wanting to read more from the Mae Marvel team (yes, that's a pen name for two writers!).

Quick Takes:

--Okay, so I want to get something out of the way here, as the back copy mentions 'Tis the Damn Season: how Taylor Swiftian is this? I would say, overall... enough to where, even if you notice a thing here or there, you can overall ignore it. The biggest thing for me was Katie's cats, which she's quite well known for having. And really? That probably wouldn't have come off as Swiftian to me if not for the TtDS comp. So... while I get it, I do wonder if that comp will turn some people off. I hope it doesn't.

--There's actually a really interesting connection between Wil's TikTok videos and Katie. Like, I was initially hesitant about the TikTok aspect, but the way it loops back to this connection between the two of them (beyond Katie being turned on by them... which she is) is clever. I appreciate that degree of thought going into it, the subtle character work.

--What's not subtle is the way that Wil and Katie talk to each other! I was of two minds on this. On the one hand, I kind of like that right out the gate these two are upfront about being into each other. It dodges a lot of the issues I find with friends to lovers stories, because again... are they friends? When they admit that they at minimum want to fuck from the beginning?

On the other, I did feel like these two communicated a little too well. I've seen a lot of reviews celebrating this, and I get it! But there's good communication that feels real, and good communication that's a little too good to be true. This was the latter, though it isn't too big of an issue. It's just that--at some point, I was like "okay we know where we stand, let's get this tied up". It's not because I wanted the story to end... But a huge part of any potential central conflict never happened, because Wil and Katie were on the same wavelength from the jump. Again, for a lot of people that's going to be great. For me, it did slow the book down a bit.

--In the same sense, these two just like each other so much. They're so besotted. And you get that over and over in the narrative. How amazing Wil thinks Katie is, how remarkable Katie thinks Wil is. And I would say that most of the time, that's really cute and genuine and sweet and soft. But it did go a little overboard.

--There's a really compelling backstory on both sides, and both are so real (in often sad ways). And in general, this was something I liked about these characters. Even when the sequence of events isn't that realistic--Katie has done a LOT in her young years, even by super famous actress standards--the leads still feel real. It adds to their love story and the intimacy between them.

The Sex:

The sex in this novel isn't that explicit, though I appreciate the diversity of sex acts and the way in which it was all seen as sex. You get about four-ish scenes. But beyond that, there is SO much sexual tension in this book, and it's hot. I mean, a lot of this novel is about kissing, and the moments before kissing, and knowing you want to kiss someone... It's delicious.

Was this a flawless book? No. I think there are still some things that need to be smoothed out, more of an emphasis put on the things that really leans into the raw and honest moments Marvel writes. But it's a fun read, and if you want to read about two ultimately good women falling in love--this is it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was fabulous. As other reviewers have mentioned, it starts out slowly, and there's a lot of telling rather than showing, and our heroines are both The Most Impressive Ever - instantly charismatic, effortlessly gorgeous. Katie has two Oscar nominations, a hit TV show, a Tony Award (this was the point where I said out loud "Are you kidding me?") and is starting up her own production studio, as well as transitioning to directing; Wil has a mesmerizing and wildly popular TikTok channel as well as a keen legal mind despite never actually entering law school - she was published in the University of Michigan Law Journal as an undergraduate and a renowned attorney tells her, a decade later, that her paper was so "brilliant" he still has it "bookmarked" which, no comment (that's not what attorneys do with papers in law school journals) (it's just silly). There is a lot of name-dropping of celebrities (including cameos) which feels somewhat discomfiting given that the book deals a great deal with the downsides of fame, #MeToo, and abusive and toxic relationships conducted in the public eye - so many references end up not aging well, and it feels like it very specifically dates this book. What I'm trying to say is, it's not perfect.

I reminded myself - right around the Tony Award - that I read a ton of M/F romance where the male lead is a billionaire entrepreneur artist lumberjack MMA fighter and I roll with that just fine, and that was enough to get me over the initial hump of "How interested am I in watching two over-accomplished people find love?" (I will add that despite the levels of accomplishment/brilliance, both Wil and Katie felt fully-realized and fascinating as characters.) And the romance itself was such a delight - watching Katie and Wil find their way back to each other felt really joyful and true. By the end, I was completely won over.