About the Book:Title: Kissing Max Holden
Author: Katy Upperman
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: August 1st 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Kissing Max Holden was a terrible idea…
After his father has a life-altering stroke, Max Holden isn’t himself. As his long-time friend, Jillian Eldridge only wants to help him, but she doesn’t know how. When Max climbs through her window one night, Jill knows that she shouldn’t let him kiss her. But she can’t resist, and when they’re caught in the act by her dad, Jill swears it’ll never happen again. Because kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea.
With a new baby sibling on the way, her parents fighting all the time, and her dream of culinary school up in the air, Jill starts spending more and more time with Max. And even though her father disapproves and Max still has a girlfriend, not kissing Max is easier said than done. Will Jill follow her heart and allow their friendship to blossom into something more, or will she listen to her head and stop kissing Max Holden once and for all?
Author Bio:Katy Upperman is a graduate of Washington State University, a former elementary school teacher, and an insatiable reader. When not writing for young adults, Katy can be found whipping up batches of chocolate chip cookies, or exploring the country with her husband and daughter. Kissing Max Holden is her debut novel.
Review:
I'm always a sucker for romance that involves best friends turning into something more, so I knew this book was right up my alley as soon as I read the description. Katy Upperman crafted the perfect romance for fans of the genre, with just the right amount of build up throughout the story. The characters are all excellently written and the plot is perfect. There were very few things that I didn't like about this story, and it's safe to say that I will be checking out more from Ms. Upperman in the future!
To start, this book is very much character-driven, and it was the perfect way for this story to be written! I honestly loved this aspect of the book the most because it made the story that much more compelling. Jillian was such an excellent character. She was strong, loyal, and very passionate. I was easily able to relate to her because she's a fellow baker, so I get that devotion and love of being in the kitchen baking up a storm! Max too was a great character who had the perfect mix of cockiness and sweetness. Granted this was sometimes infuriating, but still you had to love him. While I don't necessarily agree with all of his decisions in this book, I did like the person he became when Jillian and him finally got together. Together Jillian and Max were a powerful couple. They balanced each other out perfectly and helped each other face/work through some pretty tough situations. I liked how they were always there for each other when they needed the other the most. At the end of the day, they are also best friends which is how any great relationship starts!
The plot was also such a great part of this story. I liked the individual character's storylines, and I became invested in every single character in this book. There was a lot of back and forth between Jillian and Max, which ordinarily annoy me, but in this book, it just worked. I think it's because Jillian was such a strong character to begin with and she never backed down. She kept fighting for what she wanted, and even when Jillian and Max did get together and there were some up and down moments, she still didn't give up. I know this might not appeal or work for some people, but in my opinion, I thought Katy Upperman did an excellent job at portraying a realistic relationship (especially given everything this characters have gone through in their lives).
I would highly recommend checking out this book for anyone who is a fan of contemporary romance novels. With strong characters and a character-driven plot, this is a win all around. I am excited to see what else Katy Upperman writes and will be reading from her in the future!!
To start, this book is very much character-driven, and it was the perfect way for this story to be written! I honestly loved this aspect of the book the most because it made the story that much more compelling. Jillian was such an excellent character. She was strong, loyal, and very passionate. I was easily able to relate to her because she's a fellow baker, so I get that devotion and love of being in the kitchen baking up a storm! Max too was a great character who had the perfect mix of cockiness and sweetness. Granted this was sometimes infuriating, but still you had to love him. While I don't necessarily agree with all of his decisions in this book, I did like the person he became when Jillian and him finally got together. Together Jillian and Max were a powerful couple. They balanced each other out perfectly and helped each other face/work through some pretty tough situations. I liked how they were always there for each other when they needed the other the most. At the end of the day, they are also best friends which is how any great relationship starts!
The plot was also such a great part of this story. I liked the individual character's storylines, and I became invested in every single character in this book. There was a lot of back and forth between Jillian and Max, which ordinarily annoy me, but in this book, it just worked. I think it's because Jillian was such a strong character to begin with and she never backed down. She kept fighting for what she wanted, and even when Jillian and Max did get together and there were some up and down moments, she still didn't give up. I know this might not appeal or work for some people, but in my opinion, I thought Katy Upperman did an excellent job at portraying a realistic relationship (especially given everything this characters have gone through in their lives).
I would highly recommend checking out this book for anyone who is a fan of contemporary romance novels. With strong characters and a character-driven plot, this is a win all around. I am excited to see what else Katy Upperman writes and will be reading from her in the future!!
Happy reading :)
~Cassie
Great review, Cassie! This sounds like a great read - I love how much personality it seems to have, and the plot sounds compelling and well crafted!
ReplyDeleteThanks!! The characters were so unique and fun to read! Hopefully you can check it out soon :)
Delete~Cassie