Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the both the book and audiobook advanced reader copy.

I tried to get into this audiobook/book but just found myself rolling my eyes and thinking I can't wait until it's over. Clearly I am one of the few as all the other ratings are 4 or 5 stars. Sadly this book was just not for me.

Unfortunately, I found this book quite boring. I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two FMCs, and I really wasn’t rooting for them at all.

Getting through this book was a bit of a struggle for me and I feel like part of the reason is timing. There have been many romance novels published in the past few months where the characters have high energy chemistry that is all encompassing. By comparison, Wil and Katie’s chemistry was not quite as dynamic and I had trouble connecting as a result.

I enjoyed the old friends to lovers trope; especially as each character began to understand the nature of their high school relationship. The author does a fantastic job of revisiting memories as Wil and Katie discover the nuances that they were unable (unwilling?) to recognize as teenagers.

I loved the Wisconsin references and particularly appreciated setting this sapphic romance in a traditionally conservative location.

Ultimately, I felt the book was a bit longer than it needed to be and, thus, felt like this contributed to the drag I felt at times. I would have preferred a quicker pace to hold my attention.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Solid 3.5 stars! Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous is a new sapphic romance release about childhood best friends who have both gotten famous and are now back together again and I had such a good time with this one!

Katie and Wil grew up in their small town in Wisconsin and were childhood friends, their moms are even best friends. After high school they went their separate ways, Katie went on and became an A-list star and Wil stayed back. While Wil’s plans of becoming a lawyer didn’t pan out, she has become an online sensation when she started challenging herself to kiss 2 new people each week and film and post it on social media. Through the years, Wil and Katie have both thought about one another often and now they’re back in the same place spending time together and figuring out all their feelings!

While I mostly enjoyed this one, I do think it was too long and kinda would lag in some parts. The cats were both interesting but also felt like a lot of time was spent around describing their lives. 😅 I also wasn’t that sure why Wil was even doing the kissing thing besides it like being interesting/working for the plot. 😅 There are some heavier/emotional conversations around one of the character’s family health and a toxic relationship with an ex.

I received an audio ALC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.

CW: death of a parent, emotional abuse, terminal illness, toxic relationship

This was one of the best sapphic romances I've read. The plot was interesting, the characters had depth, the spice was perfect.

I really wanted to like this one, but it just fell flat for me. Had elements for an enjoyable book: sapphic, celebrity romance, "old friends" to lovers, some decent banter. The romance just wasn't there for me. The conversations between the main characters made me think: "what?".

This was a more heavy story and not a light hearted rom-com. It was interesting and engaging. I’d be interested to see what else this author has.

I’m having such a hard time with this one and it’s a shame as I was really looking forward to it. I purposely waited until June to read it as part of my Pride Month goals but it was a disappointment to start off on.

I am thankful to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. It’s because of that that I didn’t DNF it along the way.

Is the book well written? Yes. Is the audio book highly produced, yes. Does the narrator try to make it exciting through her read, yes.

Do I care about the characters? Not so much. I kept waiting for that moment to pull me in and it just didn’t happen. The dialogue was strange as people just don’t communicate the way they did. It probably would be great if people did to be honest but it’s just not realistic.

I just didn’t see the chemistry between them despite the author having them removed the days gone by. There was a disconnect. The other part that I had trouble with was the Huntingtons Disease content. There was a bunch of skewed information as well as plain incorrect info. I’m not sure if the author just randomly picked a chronic illness or if they or someone they know have it but they need to do a bit more credible research on the topic. With this book being a very anticipated book that many will read it’s a shame to have people’s exposure to a disease be incorrect.

There are plenty of people who will love this book, for that I am sure, it just didn’t capture me.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thank you for the ARC! I was really excited about this book, and the narration was beautiful. Unfortunately I had to stop around 36% because of the discomfort I was experiencing around the topic of Huntington's Disease. As someone with the disease in my family, it was poorly handled and researched. There was misinformation about the disease (symptoms appear in your 20s? You die within 10 years? Both unlikely, not a good general description) that made it feel as though it was for shock/drama rather than an authentic representation. No one would have pressured Wil to get tested upon turning 18, it is discouraged that young, and her mother pressuring her into it being presented as a positive thing made me deeply uncomfortable. It is a very personal decision that can have serious consequences and that is the first thing doctors tell family and friends who are not at risk. It requires extensive genetic counseling before you are even allowed.

It is admittedly difficult for me to read about this illness but I found the way it was handled to bother me more than the actual triggering content of the disease. This sorely needed a sensitivity reader.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Perfection!

Katie and Wil 🥺😍🥺😍🥺 Katie Price is an award winning actress and filmmaker and Wil Greene is part internet sensation and part stuck in her career. . . When Katie comes back to her childhood home for a work retreat, she reconnects with her former friend who she never forgot and they find a way to help one another in their career... 👀... but my synopsis here is not doing this justice, so you're going to have to trust me when I tell you this is a romance *with layers* and the characters, the emotions, the deeper issues they tackled independently and together. . .so good!

• Wil is famous for kissing people! This part of the plot was so unexpectedly special, so I don't want to spoil any of it. Wil, why are you not in real life?!
• Second chance romance: I love that we were able to understand their original connection without the use of flashbacks!
• I loved the dynamics with each heroine's mom (SO MUCH)
• I'm super picky with celebrity romances, but this one was everything I want to see in this trope. It was so much more serious and thoroughly explored than a typical celebrity romcom.
• The page length/audio length is longer than most romances I gravitate towards, but it was 100% necessary for a convincing celebrity plot. These authors (it's co-written) did not leave any loose ends, which made the HEA sooo much more satisfying to me.
• I have found that a lot of popular sapphic books are lower on the steam scale, which is fine if that's your thing, but my thing. . .is when it's steamy 😅 I loooooved the slow burn, the pining, and the glorious hotness of this book. The steamy scenes were beautifully written with so much emotion and absolutely moved the plot and character development.

🎧 Mia Hutchinson-Shaw gives such a flawless performance. This was my second listen from this narrator in the last two months and this audio solidified her spot in my favorites!

3 stars.

"Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous" by Mae Marvel is a mixed bag. I love sapphic romances so, so much. Some of my all-time favorite novels are sapphic love stories. Unfortunately, this one is as dry as a bone and boring as hell. The very beginning of the story makes it clear that the main characters, Wil and Katie, haven't seen each other since they were in high school over a decade ago. They were very close friends and then they were nothing. Katie went off to become a Hollywood starlet. Wil found success as a TikToker who kisses different people twice a week and uploads the videos online. The two are quickly thrust back into each other's lives when Katie returns home for the holidays as if no time has passed at all. That's where the crux of my issues lie. There is no sense of longing or pining because it doesn't feel like *any* time has passed at all! After this quick introduction to the story, the rest of the book unfolds so, so slowly... and not in a good way. It's less slow-burn, more turtle-slow-paced. It truly felt like this book never ended. There are a lot of other subplots going on in this book: Wil dealing with her grief after her dad's passing, Wil not doing what she really wants in life, Wil's TikTok videos, Katie's struggle as an actor, Katie's ongoing "feud" with her stardom and the paparazzi, Katie wanting to direct a movie, Katie's trauma at the hands of her ex, Katie's cats, etc. While Katie and Wil have excellently executed backstories, none of it matters if there's not a lot of chemistry, and I just didn't feel much of anything between them. I felt more of a spark when Katie was describing how she felt while watching Wil's TikTok videos than I did when Katie and Wil were in the throes of passion. I appreciate the conversations around gender and s3x, about identity and taking the time to explore a relationship, about establishing healthy communication as a partnership. In a better, less plodding book, I would have eaten this stuff UP. If I hadn't had an audiobook version of this story, I probably wouldn't have finished it. Without Mia Hutchinson-Shaw's narration, I would have been even MORE bored and definitely would have DNF'ed this one. I have come to love second-chance romances, and while "Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous" had all of the makings of an instant classic, unfortunately, it just goes nowhere, isn't executed well, and lacks any sort of chemistry whatsoever.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mae Marvel, and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I am unsure why I requested this book because upon reading I realized that just about every trope used here is not my favorite.

I do think that the actual romance was decent, but most of the outside plot was a little boring for me. Also the book went on for too long at the end.

While the narrator did a great job, I would have loved this book to have two.

"Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous" by Mav Marvel is a heartwarming and steamy romantic read that gripped my heart and didn't let go. The story of Katie Price, an A-list actress returning to her small-town roots, and Wil Greene, her former best friend turned online sensation, is a perfect blend of wit, emotion, and passion.

Katie and Wil's reconnection is instantaneous, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The angst stemming from Katie's fame and Wil's ongoing quest to figure out her life adds depth to their story, making it truly gripping. The intimacy shared between the characters leads to a smoldering romance that is both captivating and memorable. The slow burn of their pining and desire is some of the best I've read in a long time.

The addition of cute and fun moments, like Katie's love for her cats and the quirky characters on her team, adds another layer to the story. However, I did struggle with Katie's mom's protectiveness and wished for more explanation about her behavior.

Regarding the audiobook narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, the narration itself was wonderful and well-executed. Hutchinson-Shaw's performance brought the characters to life, enhancing the emotional impact of the story. Unfortunately, there were some issues with audio quality. You can hear where pickups and re-recordings were done based on volume changes, which seems to be a common occurrence lately in audiobooks. It was quite distracting when it happened.

Overall, "Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous" is an unforgettable romantic read that will resonate with anyone who almost kissed their best friend and then finally did. Despite the audio quality issues, the story and narration make this audiobook worth a listen.

This was so much more than I expected and it was so lovely, deeply human, vulnerable, and tender. Wil and Katie were such soft and precious characters. They were open, honest, kind hearted, and good natured. I was cheering these two on from the beginning and was absolutely thrilled Wil and Katie got a second chance with their first love. I loved how they both looked below the surface and truly saw those around themselves, and Wil especially worked so hard to get to know people and through the kissing experiment used their platform to help others be seen and heard while taking a chance and be brave.

This slow burn might end all other slow burns. I have never cheered more or been so desperate for two characters just to kiss. The slow burn nearly took me out but it was SO worth it. I loved the push and pull and open communication from Wil and Katie throughout the entire book about their feelings, fears, and hopes.

This is also a survivor’s story. Throughout the story, Katie slowly shares about the emotional abuse she experienced in a previous relationship and the vitriol her abuser continued to spew to the tabloids. It was so powerful and moving seeing Katie take hold of the narrative and use her platform and voice to fight back while urging others to not believe the hatred and falsehoods spread by abusers.

The audiobook was a delightful experience and I couldn’t get enough! I loved the narration and flew through it in a day!

I thought that the story felt crowded. There were so many characters, all with their own stories, that at the end of the day, the main characters, Wil and Katie, felt underdeveloped. Their time together was oddly anticlimactic with the sexual tension there, but two people with such interiority, I can only imagine the silences between them and how jolted the dialogue would be. They story had all the set up of a good romance, but the follow through or delivery of it wasn't quite what I'd wanted it to be. That is not to say it wasn't written without skill, because it clearly was. The movement, the characters (all of them), and the dialogue all felt natural and thoughtful, but lacked urgency. Because there was so much interiority as well, there was almost no wondering what the characters were thinking or doing. It was all mapped out and telegraphed well ahead of time for us. The conflict mapping on this story would be a slowly sloping rise toward "conflict" and a slowly sloping line toward resolution because you have to relatively level-headed women falling for each other.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

DNF at 40%. Just could not get into the story. From what I read, nothing is wrong is the writing and I enjoyed the characters reconnecting but just didn't grab my attention.

Thank you @smpromance @netgalley @macmillan.audio for a copy.

DNF after a couple hours in. The issue that prevented me from stopping this book was that I just didn’t feel any connection with the characters. Initially it was difficult to figure out who was who. Once I understood who each person was, I still just never felt connected to any of them. They also spent a great deal of time (more than I was interested in) talking about cats and how they taught the cats to communicate by pressing buttons. I just never “got into it.” Thats okay— not every book is for every person. The narrator did a great job! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this book for an honest review.

I found this book slow-paced and unengaging, but I’m sure others will enjoy it. The emotion is understated. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I started reading the eBook version of Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous but was ready to DNF at about 30% in, so I requested the audiobook hoping that it would save the story for me. It did, I still dislike the characters and the plot and just about everything about it, but Mia Hutchinson-Shaw turned a bleh story into a banging audiobook. Great use of voice, emotions and pitch.

Thanks Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC.

*5 stars for the audiobook, 1 for the actual content of the book

Katie Price is back home for Christmas. This may not seem like a big thing—adults visit their parents all the time for holidays—but Katie Price is famous. Hollywood famous. Has won multiple awards famous. No longer living in Green Bay, Wisconsin, famous.

And Will Greene hasn’t seen her in years.

They grew up in each other’s orbits—their mothers are best friends after all—but they didn’t get close until their senior year of high school. And after that senior year? Katie was off to Hollywood, and Wil hasn’t seen in her in person since.

Wil has her own fame now—not nearly as big as Katie’s, of course—but she does have a million followers on her social media account, where she kisses a new person in every single video she posts.

And Katie is ready to reconnect with Wil.

Highlights for me:
- The chemistry between Katie and Wil
- How easily they slip back into the comfort and banter of their friendship, even after all the years
- Both Katie’s and Wil’s support networks
- How at ease Wil can make people and how she really seems to see and understand everyone she meets
- Katie being ready to take charge of her career and her life again

What didn’t work as well for me:
- The bet regarding their former high school teacher’s love life (I understand they used this as an excuse to spend time together at first, but I feel like it took up more of the book than necessary.)
- Katie’s ex’s relationship with the press
- Something I can’t quite put my finger on that didn’t keep me as engaged in their story as I would have liked
- The cats and the communication board (This is a cute and quirky detail but feels like it doesn’t have widespread appeal for readers.)

The audiobook narrator, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, kept me engaged in the story. I liked her voices for both Katie and Wil, and it was easy to keep track of which character was speaking during conversations. 4-4.5⭐️ for narration

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.