I love a good 90's/early 2000's romcom, and this definitely gives off those vibes. The alternate reality trope isn't one I typically like but it worked in this book! It's a funny and heartwarming exploration of what happens when one choice can make all the difference or change a consequence about love, life, and family.

Olivia is planning her best friend's wedding and her high school nemesis is the best man. Jake humiliated her the night of her prom and nothing has been the same since 10 years ago. Her father passed away and she never continued going to school to follow her dreams. As the "I do's" are said, Olivia stares into Jake's eyes and the earth shifts. The reality changes and she's suddenly the love of Jake's life.

Olivia is a hotmess express and sometimes it's a little hard to follow. Jake's character was very lovable and heartfelt and I thoroughly enjoyed their interactions and banter. I felt it was good representation of what can happen when one missed opportunity can change a whole perspective or mindset. It was charming and whimsical and gave me all the feels a good romcom is supposed to give you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/ G.P. Putnam's Sons for allowing me to review this arc for a fair and honest review. I really enjoyed it! It was a great summer read!

"Here. There. Everywhere. All the wheres in all the worlds. Always."

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Lauren Kate for the advanced copy of What's in a Kiss?

I.... Have no words for this book. From the first chapter, I was hooked with Olivia's characterization and story and her relationship with so many important people in her life. I forgot it was even an alternate reality book until it happened, I was that engrossed. I read about 80% in one day, I could NOT put it down.

Olivia and Jake's inevitability across realities made me ugly cry. Their relationship felt so real and raw. Olivia's bond with Masha and her mom was heartfelt and wholesome.

I want to live in the bubble of this book for a while.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for a review copy of What’s in a Kiss? in exchange for my honest opinion.
What’s in a Kiss? is an enemies-to-lovers romance involving a time-warp a la the Gwyneth Paltrow movie Sliding Doors, which gets a fun shout-out in the book. Ten years after high school graduation, Masha and Eli are getting married and Olivia is the maid of honor, a well-deserved honor as the couple ended up together at their high school prom after Olivia ditched Eli. Also at their prom, Olivia *almost* kissed her rival Jake, who is now Eli’s best man and a famous TV show host. On the other hand, Olivia has been furloughed from her job and is waitressing and driving for Lyft to make ends meet. But when Olivia wakes up, she’s the famous one - and she’s married to Jake.
This read was so enjoyable - I binged it in one day. The LA setting is prominent, and I felt like I was right there with them even though I’ve never been to LA. I definitely recommend this one to romcom readers, and I hope you like it as much as I did.

When requesting this book I really was intrigued by the premise of the story. But then when I started this one, I felt a reallly hard time connecting the chemistry between these two. I did really feel bad for Liv, it sounded like she has been served curveball after curveball in life and has gone with the punches. It was easy to connect with her. But honestly after the first few chapters, I was just not into this book. I felt that the life switch was difficult to follow and kind of all over the place. Loved the last book I read by Lauren Kate, but this one just didn't hit for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“In love with you. Here. There. Everywhere. All the wheres in the world. Always.”
Excuse me while I melt!

Having to face her high school rival and ALMOST prom kiss, 10 years later at her best friend’s wedding is not ideal for Olivia Dusk. Especially when said rival is Jake Glasswell, an adored newscaster and also her Lyft passenger?!
After losing her father, Olivia Dusk was met with a decision that led her to giving up a dream of attending Juilliard. While Liv was unable to pursue her dream she still had her biggest supporters: her mom, her best friend, and her adorable dog!
But what could have been if Liv had decided to choose another path? One that included a prom kiss with Jake?
Well she’s about to find out…
Olivia ends up in an alternative reality as a successful actress and… married to Jake Glasswell?!

This book was giving me major 13 going on 30 with a splash of freaky Friday vibes!! What more could you want?!?!
This story was so much fun and addicting!
I absolutely adored the banter between Olivia in Jake in both the real life and the “high life”. The characters in this book kept me giggling throughout and I enjoyed getting to see the alternative reality of the side characters as well!
I do wish we could have had maybe some flashbacks to high school to experience more interactions between Olivia and Jake. Maybe even a epilogue with Jake’s POV. I would have loved to see Jake having a similar experience as Olivia. Overall, I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a great romance with a twist!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this e-ARC! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

At first, I wasn't sure where this book was going, but the more I read, the more easily I was swept up in the magic of Olivia and Jake. Their story is so compelling and sweet. Interestingly enough, it did remind me of some recent books I loved! I highly recommend this one.

Initially I was intrigued because this book felt similar to one of my favorite movies, 13 going on 30 and was very excited to dive in and it was so much more! What's in a Kiss? by Lauren Kate focuses on Olivia Dusk, a woman in her late 20s who is going through a tough time (job loss, unfulfilled career & relationship wise) but has the excellent support system in her best friend, Masha & her mom. We begin with Masha's wedding preparations in which Olivia must put on her most polite self as she will be interacting with the best man, Jake Glasswell, AKA super famous Everything's Jake TV host. The animosity can be pinpointed to their time in high school where it seems Jake tried to outdo Olivia in everything culminating to their prom night which led to an almost kiss that never happened. After an incident with a yogi, she's transported into another life that shows her what could've happened had that kiss taken place. Olivia's world turns upside down as she ends up discovering all the things she's gained along with the things she lost.

I was consistently engaged with this romcom and felt surprised at every turn through the end. My favorite parts of this book involved all of the female relationships Olivia maintained. Her love for others was very apparent regardless of which world she lived through. She had to learn a few lessons, but ultimately discovers the meaning of fate & fearlessness. Lauren's writing captivated me to the point where I truly understood the struggles Olivia faced between either of these worlds and the sacrifices she would have to make in return. I very much enjoyed my first read from Lauren Kate and will be on the lookout for any future projects. Thank you very much to NetGalley, Lauren Kate & Penguin Random House/G.P. Putnam's Sons for an early copy of What's in a Kiss? in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute! A nice lighthearted read. Some magical realism in that Olivia jumps to another realm of reality during her best friend’s wedding to see another life if just one decision had been made differently.

I loved the “reality” Liv and Masha and their bond, and exploring which relationships are priorities in life and why. I also loved the ending, and Liv’s actions both to return to her reality and her bravery once she got there. But I wish we got a bit more at the end; while it’s clear what happened, it felt incomplete.

Overall super cute with some thought-provoking elements, but wasn’t amazing (for me).

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Pub Date: 7/02/24

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

He was her high school rival and the one who gave her the most humiliating moment at prom when she thought they were going to kiss and he backed away. Olivia hasn't seen Jake in ten years and her life didn't go the way she expected back then but in a true sliding doors moment, she's tossed into a life where the kiss happened, she and Jake are married, and everything else about her life has changed. If she had the power to choose, which life would she really want?
It's strange to think how one little thing can change a whole life. How many decisions have I made in my own life that would have made it better... or worse? This is such an entertaining story of what ifs and miscommunications. I really loved Jake in the High Life reality and was so hoping that they'd get an HEA in her real life!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I found the FMC a little immature and annoying in the beginning but, ultimately it helped to serve her character growth in the end. This was a really enjoyable romance with a fund alternate reality twist.

5/5 - My whole heart fell hard for this book! I stayed up late two nights in a row because I simply had to know what happened next.

Admittedly, I’m not typically an alternate world / what if / sliding doors / time hop gal. Often those stories have me a little anxious and unsettled. This was the opposite - I felt intrigued and excited and invested. It speaks to both Kate’s descriptive writing style, perfect pacing and the world of relatable characters she created and I adored. I felt like Kate’s words jumped off the page and pulled me right in!

This is a story about choices and changes. Can one decision change the path of your entire life? For Olivia Dusk, that choice was not kissing Jake Glasswell (her sworn competitor and high school enemy) after prom. But what if she had? A wild whirl of events plops her into a universe where prom night went differently… and so did the rest of her life. In both worlds, Olivia is loved - but it comes with a price.

Heart warming, thoughtful, insightful, witty and utterly charming, this story swept me off my feet! It was deeply relatable and emotional, too, and I caught myself holding my breath and tearing up more than once. I will miss this book so very much.

Thank you to @netgalley, Putnam and @laurenkatebooks for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! Out July 2nd!

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Who knew there was so much at stake in one kiss? In the story, What’s in a Kiss, we meet two high school rivals, spunky and super talented Olivia (Liv) and her handsome competitive classmate, Jake Glasswell. Their relationship in high school consists of them one upping each other in any and every event. It isn’t until their senior prom where they can talk as prom dates and maybe find out what’s behind all those pent up emotions. But it’s high school and every emotion is magnified and over analyzed 500% and rational decision making is out the window. Thank you teenage hormones and underdeveloped brains.

Fast forward to Liv’s current life years after high school and she’s barely scraping by, not living her dreams and hitting rock bottom by becoming an Uber driver. Meanwhile her arch nemesis, Jake, is living the Hollywood dream and has become a hot shot celebrity. Poor Liv, if only she could change the past… and that is where the magic begins. The what if question that we all go back to sometime in our lives becomes reality for Liv and we see this played out masterfully in Lauren Kate’s novel.

With the ability to go reversal on prom night and flip the switch in her life, we find Liv facing an alternate reality of her choices and lifestyle. But is her choices worth it compared to her current life in the real world? Is the loss of those relationships she valued so much worth it for fame?
I loved reading this story! Reading and watching Liv try to navigate her alternate reality and piece it together totally gave me 13 going on 30 vibes! Also her dog stole the show hands down!

Thank you Putman, Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

Firstly, I’d like to thank Netgalley and Lauren for allowing me to read in arc of her upcoming book in exchange for my honest review.
That being said, I really wanted to love this book. I love the concept. I really enjoyed the idea of the book but overall It just wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t really understand the whole nemesis thing. I felt like the narrative is a little confusing. it wasn’t a horrible book. I want to just say it was a good book. It just wasn’t for me, still highly recommend for anybody wanting to give it a try. This is strictly my opinion

This book was okay. The alternate universe thing was a bit confusing for me. This was very short and sweet and unfortunately left me wanting more. You'll find second chance, rival to lovers, parallel universe tropes here that had great prospect but needed more work. It was good enough to keep me intrigued with the plot and decent humor. Overall, a good palate cleanser.

Helllllllo Thirteen Going On Thirty.. Jennifer Garner is that you? This book had me laughing, crying, and gave me a bit of nostalgia from the major Thirteen going on Thirty vibes.

This was my first ever book by Lauren Kate and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At first I was not 100% sure I would be into the alternating timelines but she did an excellent job with it. At times I felt so connected to Olivia and could just feel her frustration and desperation trying to decide which world she wanted to be in. Alternate universe Jake Glasswell was a total golden retriever boyfriend and I wanted so badly for him to be transported to the real world.

I really enjoyed watching Olivia’s character develop and change in the alternate timelines but also throughout the entire book.

I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy:
Enemies to Lovers
A little magic
Second Chance Romance
Strong female friendships
Alternating timelines

Life for Olivia is not going well. She's recently been furloughed from her drama teaching job. She's living paycheck to paycheck. Her best friend Masha is getting married and Olivia is the maid of honor. Her nemesis is the best man, Jake Glaswell. Jake is living the high life, he's a famous talkshow host. As the celebrity yogi officiant allows the kiss. Something happens between Olivia & Jake. A flash and then they are holding hands and Masha is mad at her. Olivia is also a famous actress. It seems one kiss at prom that happened and didn't happen changed Olivia's life. Now she has to choose what life she wants.

This reminded me a bit of 13 going on 30 and sliding doors. I really loved this book and the different realities trope. The writing hooked me right off and I devoured this book in one day. Such a fantastic romance. *Swoon

"...every dream manifests the dreamer’s deepest, unspoken desires."
Olivia Dusk is single, unemployed and can barely make rent. The most important relationships in her life are her Mom and her BBS Masha, and of course her dog, Gram Parsons. She's hated Jake Glaswell since high school. But when she sees him again at Masha's wedding, she finds herself in an alternate reality where she and Jake are madly in love and happy but, her Mom and BBS hate her. Does she stay in this new life having found true love? Or does she find a way back to her old life filled with family and friendship? Is there a way to combine the best of both worlds?
At the beginning of this book I was not fond of Olivia. I found myself really struggling to like this character. She has some incredible qualities, like the love for her Mom and Masha but, she was immature and blamed everything bad in her life on a guy from high school that she hadn't seen in 10 years. But over the course of the book her character shows some real growth and her fun quirky characteristics start to shine. I ended up really enjoying this book and let's be honest, Jake is the perfect book boyfriend and star of both realities!

The synopsis of this so drew me in because I love books with time travel, time loops, parallel universes, or magical realism elements. And this one added in the what-ifs of romance that goes a different direction than the way it actually played out.

I loved all the characters in this and found the side characters as compelling as the MCs. The chemistry and witty banter between Jake and Olivia really shined. I laughed out loud a few times at their exchanges and rooted for them as a couple. I also loved Olivia's relationships with her mom and her best friend in her real life, so I felt for Olivia. Her choices were not easy, and I enjoyed how the author handled Olivia's growth as she experienced these two realities, the crossroads she found herself at, and the deeper themes that came up along the way.

I did wish for a few things by the end, though. Specifically, I would have liked more context as to why her mom and Masha hated her in The High Life, why their estrangement wasn't fixable, and an epilogue. Though I realize the ending was a stylistic choice, and I didn't dislike it, I was just left wanting more.

Overall, this was a cute, fun, quick read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the free book!

*3.75 rounded up

I loved this one! I didn't feel bogged down by the time travel/alternate world, and I loved the High Life and Real Life comparisons. Such a beautiful story.

DNF @15%

This was extremely confusing to understand. I really wanted to like it because I was really drawn in by the blurb.