Six times we almost kissed (and one time we did) by Tess Sharpe

Penny and Tate have known each other their whole lives, basically because their mums are best friends. This has not made them best friends though. In fact, they've basically always clashed. They just survived the playdates and other mum get togethers, they know each other, and know each other's history, know a LOT about each other. But are extremely surprised to learn that their mums are moving their families in together - to save money and to help with medical stuff that Tate's mum is going through. This is huge. So they make a pact to play nice, and keep things stress free for their mums. Problem is, Penny and Tate have issues. Like they don't talk. And, they keep almost kissing. And Tate keeps seeing Penny at her worst moments, and that just makes things worse. 

Written for fans of the slow-burn, waiting for the kiss and for the couple to get together, which many readers enjoy. This book has characters that some people will never like, and some characters readers will instantly love. Unfortunately, some of the lead characters are either incredibly unlikeable or make choices that frustrate the reader. The book moves between novel format and text messages format, flowing smoothly. Several of the side characters add depth to the story, which takes time to come to fruition. There are flashbacks to several years earlier, helping to make sense of why several of the characters are why they are the way they are, but not fully justifying them either.

Themes: YA; Romance, LGBTQIA+, High school, Lesbian, Mental Health Issues, Water Sports, Relationships.

Melanie Pages