Book Review and Giveaway: It Felt Like a Kiss

By Becky Gulc

It Felt Like a Kiss is the first novel I've read by Sarra Manning, but I don't think it will be my last. This is a book that has great characters, characters to love, characters to despise and the essential character that makes you go a bit weak at the knees. But what's it all about?

Ellie Cohen is in her mid twenties and unlucky in love, or at least her friends think she is. We join Ellie as her best friends deliver a bit of an intervention over her latest boyfriend Richie, whom they feel is no good for her, just like her previous boyfriends. Whilst Ellie is a bit in denial, she soon learns they were right when a box of her most private possessions goes missing and her life is turned upside down when the Sunday papers out her as being the secret love child of the famous rock star Billy King, someone who has never wanted anything to do with Ellie. Ellie is mortified to say the least and the stories in the papers about her just keep getting worse as the days go on. With Ellie in hiding thanks to Billy's lawyer, David, attempting damage limitation, will she ever get the chance to show the public she isn't the gold digging floozy she is being made out to be? And will Ellie be able to control her feelings towards someone with whom it would be highly inconvenient to fall in love?

Whilst this felt like quite a long book, I see that as a positive. The pace was just right for me to get to know and like Ellie before she hits the headlines and this builds up our empathy and outrage that this could happen to such a lovely character. I loved the somewhat complex relationship between Ellie and David. David was someone who, as a reader, you change your mind about as a possible love interest for Ellie as the twists and turns unfold.

The book also switches between the Ellie's story in the present and her mother's story in the past, so it helped us to see what actually happened with Ellie's father and how we should feel about him. I was quite pleased that what I thought might happen at the end didn't in terms of this relationship, it felt real.

A particular positive for me with this novel is the truly rich description throughout, from describing places to people and feelings. Sometimes in novels it can feel like description is there for the sake of it but this was never the case here, I felt truly transported with clear images in my head of the characters and places. A definite recommended read from me!

Thanks to Madeline Toy Public Relations for the book in exchange for an honest review. She has FIVE copies for some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

How to win:
"Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind."--The Princess Bride

Tell us what your favorite on-screen kiss is (from TV or movies).

One entry per person.

Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.

Worldwide. Giveaway ends February 5th at midnight EST.

More by Sarra Manning: