26 Kisses by Anna Michels

26 Kisses by Anna Michels
Release Date - May 24, 2016

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 304 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Breaking up with her boyfriend is not how Veda planned on starting her summer. When Mark makes it clear that it’s over between them, Veda is heartbroken and humiliated—but, more importantly, she’s inspired. And so she sets out on the love quest of a lifetime: use the summer to forget about Mark, move on, and move up. All she has to do is kiss twenty-six boys with twenty-six different names—one for each letter of the alphabet.

From the top of the Ferris wheel at her hometown carnival to the sandy dunes of Lake Michigan, Veda takes every opportunity she can to add kisses (and boys) to her list, and soon the breakup doesn’t sting quite as much. But just when Veda thinks she has the whole kissing thing figured out, she meets someone who turns her world upside down.

By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Anna Michels’s debut is the story of one girl who realizes that moving on from the supposed love of your life means taking a chance—and having the courage to love again. 

26 Kisses focuses on a timeless story - heartbreak. Everyone can relate to having their heart broken, and everyone can relate to the sometime messy, sometimes freeing, and always complicated emotions that come after. This is a story of a girl's way back to herself after a heartbreak. It also offers up a fun summer read that may just inspire a few kisses of your own.

Unsurprisingly, kisses are a big focus of this novel. The kisses themselves range from steamy to sweet. Some are hilarious and others are filled with sparky potential. The kisses themselves are well done with a perfect balance between the romantic and the humourous. There are kisses on Ferris wheels, and stolen ones, too. Innocent kisses, and embarrassing ones that make you laugh out loud. It reads like a young adult rom-com in the best possible way. It follows that structure and has a lot of those undefinable moments that many rom-com movie fans will delight in.

Perhaps my favourite aspect of the novel is that this quest to cure a broken heart ends up being about so much more than just a guy. It proves to be more than just a way to get over a heartbreak. It helps Veda discover things about herself, and helps her regain something she had lost - her confidence. It's a fun, flirty take on this type journey of self discovery but one that offers up it's own struggles and roadblocks for the characters.

Perception, slut shaming and reputation are all, sort of, dealt with here. I do wish this had been a larger part of the story but appreciated how it was handled. Veda, in no uncertain terms, refuses to let the gossip get to her. Her opinion is that she doesn't have to be ashamed of what she is doing. There are moments when she feels guilty, but those moments are handled realistically. She refuses to be shamed for what she is doing, and that made a huge difference in the novel. It is unfortunate that this element would even have to be dealt with, but it adds a realistic layer to the story.

Also great is the boy who turns Veda's plans upside down. He's the boy she didn't see coming and he is another complication in her summer of kissing. The great thing about this one boy is that he is kind, and patient. He understands Veda in a very honest way. Their connection is realistic and feels true for both characters. I like that we have another example of the type of guy teenage girls should want to date. He's someone who treats Veda well, even when things get messy.

A story filled with many different kind of kisses, and just as many complications. It's a rom-com with heart, and an important message within its final kiss. This is one you'll want to pick up if you're a fan of contemporary young adult novels.