As always, IIsa has another hit on her hand. This book was a fun quick read. I'm hoping she continues a series with these characters because they were hilarious, and I think there could be more to tell.

This story revolved around Everly, who hasn't been home in 10 years and her high school crush Beckett. Before Everly left town, Beckett told her he never wanted to see her again. This is why, along with her mom dying, that Everly never returned to town. However, someone sent Everly and invite to the town's annual Kiss Lottery, and she is determined to go back and see who sent the invitation.

The book follows Everly as she returns to Rose to tell the story of the Kiss Lottery and other town stories on her popular travel podcast. Along the way, we meet her and Beckett's hilarious friends, learn some town secrets and feel the undeniable spark between Everly and Beckett.

You have to read this book if you are an IIsa fan or anyone who loves a nice fun short story.

This is a small town romance. Everly is a podcaster who returns home after a long absence. Beckett is a writer who makes her a villain in his book.

A quick fun read. Everly and Beckett are fun characters. Love the humour. Really enjoy the romance. Another winner.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Unfortunately, I felt quite disconnected from the characters of this novella. They felt very surface level and immature, but I ultimately decided to continue on because of the fact that this was so short.

What really bothered me was how manufactured the entire story felt. As a reader you really want to feel immersed in the story to the point where you forget it is fiction. But with this novella every action that the characters have felt manufactured by the author. I never really felt like the characters were complete.

Regardless, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I had a lot of trouble with this book, mainly because it felt so immature in its approach to relationships and conflict. The male lead (ML) was incredibly selfish throughout the story, and it seemed like he was always shifting the blame onto the female lead (FL) for everything that went wrong, even when it wasn’t her fault. What bothered me the most, though, was how little growth or redemption he showed. There wasn’t a real, heartfelt apology or a genuine groveling moment that I expect in a story like this. Instead, he just stayed the same—his flaws never fully addressed in a meaningful way.

The lack of accountability from the ML was frustrating. He didn’t even have the courage to face the consequences of his actions and reveal the truth himself. He seemed far more comfortable hiding behind his mother’s pedestal, and I couldn’t understand why. Why hold her up as some perfect figure when she clearly wasn’t? It felt like a cop-out to me. Moreover, the whole situation with his father’s infidelity was never dealt with in a mature way. He knew about it but didn’t seem to have the guts to do anything about it. If you’re in a toxic situation like that, why not take the steps to change things instead of letting it linger and fester?

Ultimately, everything about this book felt unresolved or childish. The characters acted in ways that didn’t make sense, and the plot didn’t offer much depth. The lack of emotional development or real conflict resolution left me disappointed and frustrated. Therefore I'm giving this book 1 aka 0 ⭐.

The Kiss Lottery is a dual POV, second chance rom-com, set in the small town of Rose, TN about Everly and Beckett who were childhood friends; however, due to an incident that occurred during high school, they grew apart and Everly eventually left Rose to pursue a career in NY. Everly, now a podcaster, receives a mysterious invitation to return to Rose for the annual tradition, Kiss Lottery. While in Rose, we see Everly connect to her childhood friends and her "former friend" Beckett, who is now a bestseller author.

The Kiss Lottery is the first book I read from Author Ilsa Madden-Mills, and I loved everything about it. Although it is advertised as a novella, the author did an excellent job in giving us a story with great plot and characters. I loved how I was able to picture everything in mind as I was reading about the town and residents in Rose, TN. The relationships that Everly and Beckett had with the other characters was amazing. Would love to see this be part of a series to read about the other characters.

Thank you Montlake for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

For being a quick read, this story had me feeling all the emotions! It’s giving small town Friends To Enemies To Lovers with a bit of Second Chance Romance with a side of Slow Burn!
Just like Everly (FMC), I couldn’t never not answer the invitation for the Kiss Lottery for sheer wondering if who sent it, even if it brought me back to a whole past I wanted to stay away from too! This read by Ilsa Madden-Mills easily had me captivated within the first few chapters and rooting for the FMC and MMC to be together, but not without throwing a few twists and turns in the mix! The banter between Everly and Beckett (MMC) had me truly giggling out loud, and really had me falling for them! This story met all my expectation plus some when I picked up a short romance book to bide time between reads!

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve read several of books by Isla and absolutes loved and devoured them all! And this one was no exception!!!! Second Chance Romance is always a favorite troupe of mine. The characters in this novella absolutely loved!! Every and Beckett ugh the chemistry, the history and second chance love was perfect! Beckett just maybe my new book boyfriend!

I do think this had the potential to be a great book if it was a full length novel. Because it is a novella, things felt rushed, storylines felt weak or dropped, and characters could barely develop. The whole ghost plot point threw me for a loop as well, making it kind of seem like a valentines x Halloween crossover? But I guess some people are interested in ghosts all year round, so to each their own. The basic idea of the novella was interesting but it just needed more. Although the main male character was overall alright, it was hard to see past when he said “forgive me for hurting you” to Everly. Uh…no, that is not something you get to force her to do. Otherwise this was a quick read good for being a in between book!

This was a swoony, second chance, small town, dual POV romance that takes place over Valentines. It had lots of heart, a kitten, a secret admirer, backstories from side characters that really added emotional depth to the story. Good on audio narrated by two favs, Savannah Peachwood and Sebastian York! The kiss lottery is a perfect, quick, feel-good read to grab for the holiday! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cute novella. Perfect for a valentines day read.
Second chance
Friends-enemies-lovers
Rom-com, great banter, great side characters
I found this to be the perfect balance of story/plot and spice.

I enjoyed the twist and turns that this book took. Best friends to maybe something more to nothing. Then back to maybe something more and so on. Made this a very interesting book to read. The Kiss Lottery, makes me think of a lot of blind dates going on.

I feel like this book missing depth. It stared good but then it gone downhill. Last few books this author released were kinda like that too. I will keep reading her books hoping this is just blip. It had good potential and there wasn't really story there in general in the end. It just needed that IT; that point of even writing this book otherwise is just rambling around which this felt like.

4.75/5

I have read the revenge pact by this author before (read it its so good!) and I love love loved it, especially loved the way madden-mills writes her characters, I had a feeling I was going to like this too.

I loved Everly and Beckett, separately AND together. I understood where both of them were coming from and why they made the choices they did. Although some of their decisions were a bit odd to me, I could see why it would make sense in their head at that moment. it was so cute to see them try to get their endgame while trying to reconcile with past decisions in a way healthy. I like a little miscommunication drama here and there, but I was really happy to see conversations happening between them.

The supporting cast was also really great. They really brought in the humor and hometown feel to the book imo.

Only minor complain I have is for some of the decisions the MC’s made in the past didn’t make sense to me. Again I understand why they made them. This didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment in the end, but it definitely had me pausing in confusion a couple of times.

BUT despite that minor issue I still loved it. I love the way Everly and Beckett were with each other. I love how they were written. I love them!

Cute, quick read. I’m a total sucker for a holiday themed romance.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this novella! I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a fun little quirky Valentine’s Day novella!
💌💘

A kiss lottery… in Rose, TN…
Second chance
Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Grumpy/sunshine vibes
Return to hometown

He’s a writer… she’s the villain in his book
She’s a podcaster

Quirky side characters
Rom-com ish vibes 🤣🤣🤣
Banter

The pacing of this was perfect. Not overly spicy.
I thought this was cute.
I had a good time.
For how short it was there was a lot packed in.

4.25 ⭐️

The Kiss Lottery is a sweet, small town romance. Everly hasn't been back to Rose in 10 years since her best friend and first love, Beckett, told her he never wanted to see her again. But a surprise invitation to the town's 'Kiss Lottery' is too intriguing to ignore.

This book was a bit of a palate cleanser. I've been reading a fair amount of mystery and thriller books of late, and this was just what I needed.

I enjoyed the little ghost story thrown into the mix, but I would have loved this novella to be a full sized novel with a little more depth and backstory.

The kiss Lottery - even though the title of the boo - for me, didn't play too much of a part, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this swoon-worthy romance.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book via Netgalley.

The Kiss Lottery was all the small hometown drama feels. For a novella I thought it successfully covered all the key points of a feel good, moments of joy, of worry, and even a couple oh no moments. Overall, it was a great inbetween book.

Five stars isn’t enough loved the second chance at finding love for these characters I litterally could not put this book down and read it all in a day!!!

The Kiss Lottery by Ilsa Madden-Mills is pure swoony romance!

I love her books but this novella was perfection. it's perfect for the valentine vibes, a second chance romance, right person, wrong time set in a small town and getting the girl he let slip through his hands. it's fun, sweet, steamy and full of wit and charm. I loved seeing the small town charm and characters. I thought their chemistry and tension was absolutely palpable and their moments together were so darn sweet. I was giggling and swooning. I love a city girl goes back to her small town and the guy who's pining for her finally gets her moment and this was perfect! A must read!

Found the book highly immature. The ML was selfish. Blamed the FL for everything really. There wasn't much of a grovel. The ML didn't even have the guts to spill the secrets himself, he was this spineless. He was okay holding his mom on a pedestal. I mean, you knew your husband was Unfaithful, why don't you divorce? Ugh everything felt either unresolved or just plain childish! I received this ARC from NetGalley and Montlake to read/review.