21 Stolen Kisses

by Lauren Blakely

This book is no longer for sale or available for purchase.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes a steamy romance that follows Kennedy as she falls for Noah . . . even though she shouldn't.

When I first met him I resisted.
Like any forbidden love, I told myself he was a crush, and it would pass.
That was a lie. It never faded.

And I never expected he would fall for me just as hard.

There were so many reasons that should have kept us apart, least of all, the decade that separated us.
Growing up in New York City, I learned early on that love is a double-edged sword.

Love broke up my parents, love took away my friends, and love — the big, intense, never-been-like-this-before
love — landed me in therapy.

Now I'm heading to college, and it's time to give love a clean slate again. But, can I really start over when he's still in my life?

Because the one man I've always wanted, and also the only guy I absolutely can't have...
And he wants me just as fiercely.

Can I settle for anything less than the love of my life?

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Forbidden Love, Forbidden Romance

251 pages, ebook

First published May 26, 2015

About the author

You can find Lauren on TikTok at @laurenblakelybooks! A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.

Reviews

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars!

I haven’t read a book from this author in almost 2 years and never felt the urge to pick up her books anytime soon, but when I saw she was releasing a NA forbidden romance I immediately jumped on it. Sadly, this book disappointed me on all accounts and by the time I got to the end I was sighing in relief.

What mainly drew me to this book was that enticing blurb that promised a taboo romance. But instead, what I got was 60% of a book that focused on the heroine atoning for her self-destructive mother’s mistakes and then breaking free from her, and the other 40% on the romance that was jerkily told in past/present POVs. This sounds harsh but as a reader I absolutely feel cheated by the blurb because romance was NOT the main focus of the book here, and what little of it was present was disappointing. The whole taboo part is:

1. The heroine Kennedy is 17
2. The hero Noah is an agent who’s her mom’s colleague.

Kudos to the author for not going through the traditional forbidden romance routes (ex: student/teacher) but this combo wasn’t exactly appealing either. I think I would’ve enjoyed the story more if the author approached this aspect differently. What I love so much about forbidden romances is the chasing, the hiding, those first few moments where the couple in question realize they have feelings for each other but have to hide it because it’s not legally and/or socially acceptable. I got NONE of that in this book because it started out with Kennedy and Noah already broken up, but the moment they see each other again they’re back together like nothing has happened. I can tell the author put a lot of effort into making their chemistry crackle in the air but I needed more. Specifically, I needed to read more about how they first started, not get a summary of it through the ’21 stolen kisses’ letter part of the book. It almost felt like this book was lacking a prequel or a novella or something that gave me more background info about this couple before they were a couple.

Another thing that irritated me was the confusing past/present scenes that weren’t clearly marked. At one point I’d be reading a chapter in the present and then by the end of that page I’d be back in time either through a character’s flashback or one of the letters and it just wasn’t marked so I know there’s a time jump. This happened a couple of times and it was so jarring by the end I just lost whatever interest I had left for the story. And being the grammar Nazi that I am, there were multiple errors – misspelled words, wrong verb tense that messes up the whole sentence, facts that don’t match up (ex: couple orders a pie but the next sentence says it’s a pizza box)...my point is, where is the editor?

The writing was very mediocre – easy to read, but nothing outstanding that left my brain stunned or heart beating fast. In short, this is a book that lacks depth. After I finished, I went ahead and also read the author’s note, which surprisingly touched me more than the story ever did (hence, I added half a star to my rating). Had the forbidden aspect of the book been approached differently and had the romance been the main focus of the book like the blurb suggested, I would’ve definitely enjoyed this story more.

21 Stolen Kisses is a NA romance standalone unrelated to the author’s other books.

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 STARS! ★★☆

"I'd never forget how it felt to say those words. To be in our place. In love with you, in love with us, in love with our secret, with the island we were building, keeping out the whole wide world."

I actually read this book a week plus ago but was caught up with real life terribly that I didn't had the time to churn out a review. This author is one my go-to for the steamy reads but when I heard she was switching up to contemporary NA genre, I was definitely intrigued. It also seemed to hinted at the forbidden romance aspect which is a bonus for me.

21 Stolen Kisses is about Kennedy, soon to be 18-year old girl who is in love with her mother's TV agent, Noah Hayes. He's 25 and has been a close friend to her mother who helped him kickstart his career. Both Kennedy and Noah bonded over their love for the Broadway musicals and those shared moments remained a secret among everyone who knows them.

When it comes to secrets, Kennedy has been engulfed in one almost her entire life especially with her mother having multiple affairs and became a pawn in her mother's social affairs by helping her cover them up since she was young. The guilt that has been weighing finally pushes her to embark on a journey to send love letters as a form of apology to all the women that her mother has wronged in the past.



Now the thing is, I loved the crux of this story. This was more than just a forbidden love story, it was also telling about a teenage girl trying to atone the sins for her mother due to her misplaced guilt and seeking forgiveness from those who got hurt by her mother's actions. I also liked the idea that each stolen kiss moment between Noah and Kennedy were placed between chapters and those were written quite beautifully.

At times I thought Kennedy was a little childish by some of her actions and more often than not, she was then portrayed for being rather mature for her age with her deep thoughts. I found the disparity there a bit confusing for me sometimes. I also didn't really feel the connection between both MCs other than their shared love for Broadway, it just didn't come off as that passionate or longing love that made me want to die-hard root for this couple, y'know?

Another major struggle I had with this book was how the past/present was weaved within the chapters. There was no distinct telling that a certain 'present' scene was then followed by a 'past' scene (which is a rather long scene) and suddenly back into the 'present' scene. This is very much a pet peeve for me if not done right because it disrupts my reading momentum and even worse when I put it down and later get back to it to only forget if it was the past or present.

Also this book just wasn't what I expected it to be based on the blurb prior going in. Sadly, the "forbidden" love aspect in this book completely fell short for me. I believed the idea of forbidden here was due to the fact that the heroine is barely 18, coupled with the fact that the guy she loves is 8 years older. Morevoer, the guy is close to her mum and in a way, sneaking behind her back to be together sorta makes it taboo? =\ I really don't know but I wasn't feeling it at all.

Overall the book can be quite heart-breaking at times, mostly the parts where Kennedy deals with her family affairs. It's almost strange that I love those parts better than the forbidden love aspect. It was still a decent read for me but sadly it wasn't exactly what I was hoping with my expectations being very different from what I imagined this book turned out to be.



ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

21 Stolen Kisses is a New Adult contemporary romance read.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I sure hate to have to write this review; but I have always promised myself that I would be honest when it came to reviewing the books that I have read. "21 Stolen Kisses" was a major disappointment for me. First of all, I want to make it very clear that even though this is classified as a NA Forbidden Romance, I feel that that is very misleading. Romance is there in this book; but it is very minimal. Also, there is a lot of moving back and forth between the past and the present and it does at times get very confusing. I also found a huge lack of depth with the characters, and who they were as people. I will try and clarify without causing too many spoilers.

Kennedy is a 17 year old girl who has lived with the guilt of hiding her mother's indescretion's against Kennedy's father, as well as many married men's wives. Yes, you heard right. Her mother had many affairs, and Kennedy was expected to lie for her mother, as well as hold on to the knowledge of what her mother was doing behind many people's backs. That right there...turns my stomach. I mean, how can any "good" mother expect that from her child. Along with this guilt, Kennedy has something else that she was hiding. She was falling for her mother's agent; Noah, who I might add is 8 years older than Kennedy. Now, I have read forbidden relationships in the past..and didnt mind them at all. My issue with this particular one, is that Kennedy (in my opinion) is not a mature 17 year old. She is very immature and has a lot of emotional baggage which I felt was some of her biggest reason for even having a forbidden relationship to begin with. For me, I didn't view the relationship between her and Noah as being "fate" or love at first site. What I saw through out the story was parralell's between Kennedy and her mother. Kennedy learned how to cover for her mom, then she began a relationship where she was lying and covering up to her parents and her friends. There was nothing romantic about that in my eyes. I felt that she needed a good therapist..and I will go out on a limb and say it probably should be a woman!!! This girl has major issues!! I just wasn't able to look at this book as a wooing type of romance! Maybe because I have raised teenage daughters?? Don't know?? But there was nothing glamorous about it in my eyes!

Kennedy gets a bright idea of writing letters to the wives that her mom has hurt in the past. I guess she is hoping that somehow this will bring closure to them. Of course, these letters are anonymous, and she gets her friend Lane involved in helping her secretly deliver these letters. This whole part of the story line made me cringe, and again confirm the fact that this is a girl with some major emotional baggage. Really, it should be her mom with the guilt, not Kennedy. Eventually, her plan explodes in her face, and all hell breaks loose. Bottom line, this story just didn't inspire me, or even give me an enjoyable escape that I love to receive when I'm reading a great story.

There is an author's note at the end of this book stating that she had been in the process of writing this story for six years, and that she put her heart and soul into it. I in no way would ever want to stomp on someone's heart and soul, so this was a very hard review for me to write. I respect how hard it must be to write a book, and the time and effort that it takes to do it too. This story just wasn't for me. I did feel that I was mislead a bit into what it was all about. Therefore, that is what I wish to let readers know before they go into buying this one or reading it. This is NOT a full on romance, sexy novel. It is also one that didn't reach down and make me FEEL for the characters. Now, there are a ton of four and five star reviews out there, so maybe I am one of few that feel this way. They are my true feelings though, and they have been expressed in a way that I hope is not hurtful to anyone.
Would I ever read a Lauren Blakely book again? Of course I would. In the past, I have enjoyed some of her stories very much. This particular one, was just not for me!!!

Thank you to Steph for Buddy Reading this with me..Steph...our perfect score of awesome Buddy Reads has now been tarnished!!! We need to find our mojo back quickly! LOL But as always, it was still a pleasure to share the experience with you!♥

[Lauren Blakely · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is no longer available for sale or purchase. Stay tuned for details on these characters.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Live on Amazon

21 Stolen Kisses is a different type of love story, to me the story was more about Kennedy’s personal growth. I am not sure if that was the intent, but her personal growth and guilt is what really stood out to me.



Kennedy’s mother is a famous screenwriter and Noah is her agent and best friend. We quickly learn that Kennedy and Noah had been dating secretly. This is where I was expecting a forbidden love story. Kennedy is seventeen and Noah is 25, completely off limits. I was obviously so intrigued by their past and to see where things would go in the future.

However, most of the story Noah and Kennedy are apart. The story mostly focuses on Kennedy trying to overcome the guilt and blame she puts on herself because of her mother’s actions. Kennedy develops a plan to rid her of her guilt and “help” her mother. This was seriously frustrating for me as a reader. First, her actions had disaster written all over them. Second, it went against every ounce of my loyal, family first thought process.

But as things continued to build and unfold my heart broke for Kennedy. In my opinion, she is just a kid who was forced to grow up way too soon. She was put in adult situations and thus made bad choices. The problem here is my frustration then shifted to a new source, so while I wanted to love this story I think I was just too frustrated throughout most of it.



I think this story had a great premise, I love her epic love letter. I loved seeing the flashbacks of her time with Noah and seeing how their love unfolded. I love how Kennedy grew throughout the story and found her peace. So I definitely enjoyed this read and would recommend it, but keep in mind this is more about personal growth than forbidden love.


ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Dali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, unhurried and heartbreaking love story about a woman-girl and a man who fell in love out of time. A girl who wasn’t exactly ready but kept trying to figure out her life.

“Everything fits, especially me with him, and him with me. He is the puzzle piece that slides into place in my heart, filling all the sad and empty spots inside me.”

Kennedy has known Noah Hayes for years now, since he’s her mother’s twenty-five year old agent. He’s also the only person she can truly be herself with. She didn’t anticipate she would fall for him, much less believe he would fall for her. But not even their eight year age gap could keep them apart. Until the web of secrets surrounding Kennedy’s life are unraveled and leave her unsure of herself and of love.

Noah Hayes has dedicated his adult life to his job and has had Kennedy’s mother as his number one client from the start. But the fact that everyone wants something from him except Kennedy, and their shared love for show tunes and Broadway musicals, has opened the opportunity to a connection he very much wants but knows he shouldn’t have.

What happens when two people that belong with each other meet out of time?

“Can I give you a stolen kiss, K?”
“You don’t have to steal it, because I’ll give it to you freely.”

Kennedy should be thinking of prom, fun, college and being a carefree seventeen year old. But her mother has saddled her with the burden of her many secrets. Forcing her to grow up and mature too fast.

I felt so much for her in the course of the book. Her struggle to atone for her mother’s sins was touching. I could feel her misplaced guilt and see how her mother’s behavior wreaked havoc in her young life. Until she found solace, comfort, understanding and love in Noah.

“I think I was his lifeline too. We were both adrift in New Your City. We were both surrounded by so many people, but ultimately we were terribly alone. Until we found each other.”

Noah was completely adorable. Of course he’s older and very much aware of their age difference. He wasn’t even looking for love. All he had ever seen in Kennedy before was friendship. They had so many likes in common. But once she took tentative steps towards more, he threaded painfully slow and carefully with Kennedy so that their relationship never felt weird and I could feel how much he loved her.

“With Kennedy, I was anchored. She filled all the lonely spaces inside of me with her laughter, with her wry and witty humor, with everything we had in common.
___________________________________
“I wish she’d say she’s ready. But I won’t push her. I can’t. She needs what she needs right now, even though she’s the only person who ever truly needed me.”

It was a slow burn throughout their story because there were lines he knew he probably shouldn’t cross but did, even if unhurriedly. And then there were others he absolutely didn’t until Kennedy was unquestionably sure and ready.

Lauren Blakely handled the age difference well. She describes their unrushed relationship in a way and detail that had me rooting and hoping they would eventually get to a place where they could both be completely free to love each other.

"She was some kind of magic to me. She was everything I never knew I wanted, and she’d quickly become the one and only person I felt like myself with."

I really liked how the author builds the longing and attraction between Noah and Kennedy without having to bring sex into the mix. There are a lot of sweet, tender moments between them as well as some very sultry and steamy ones.

There were many other aspects that I loved. Including the character development where we truly get to know Kennedy and Noah. One of Kennedy’s passions was for love letters and we see how that reflects in her life. One of the sweetest being the little pieces of Kennedy’s love letter to Noah scattered throughout the book describing their Stolen Kisses.

“Lover of love. I adore love letters, and professions of love, and true, heartfelt moments when two people know they’re meant for each other.”

Lauren Blakely writes a wonderful love story enriched with vibrant descriptions. From Kennedy's fascination with love in nature, to all the places, artistic and touristy, Noah and Kennedy took me to all over NYC. I loved her friends, especially Lane who knew her secrets and supported her unequivocally. I do hope we get to know more of him in subsequent books. And I will certainly look out for more of Lauren Blakely's work.

Book facts:21 Stolen Kisses is a standalone, new adult contemporary romance. Written from both point of view. With a happy ending.

Amazon US -> http://amzn.to/1R026dI

* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. *

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[The Hopeless Romantics Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review-Jo

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"They are all black and white and she is color. She is all my colors."

What a sweet and swoony read this was. I loved it so much that I was absolutely gutted when it came to an end. The thing I loved the most about this story were the main characters. I adored Kennedy and Noah, they were one of the most cutest couples that I have ever met in the book world. If you are in the mood for a gorgeous tale of forbidden love this should be at the top of your list!

"Nothing between us feels dangerous. Everything feels right."

Kennedy was a delightful, musical loving young woman who had a lot going on her world. Problems that related to her parents had interfered in Kennedy's life, leaving her with a whole lot of anguish and concern about love. On top of that, she had another hurdle in her life to tackle that related to love. She had fallen crazily in love with someone who was quite a bit older than her seventeen years and this is where the taboo side of the story kicked in. I do love a forbidden love story so I knew that this was going to be a book that I would enjoy.

I've already gone through all the reasons to ignore her. I've already tried to fight this for far too long. I'm not winning any awards for resistance. I never did. I threw in the towel many moons ago.

Noah was an adorably sweet and slightly dorky guy who had fallen head over heels in love with Kennedy. He was so lovely and I instantly fell for his gentle and caring personality. Because Noah felt so wrapped up in Kennedy, he was willing to risk everything to be with her. But did Kennedy feel the same way? Did she love Noah enough to let her insecurity's go and take a gamble on her first love?

He is the eye of my hurricane; the calm I am drawn to amid the chaos of my home.

I really wanted Noah and Kennedy's relationship to work out because they truly made a perfect couple. They were so sweet and loving together and I found myself grinning like a loon on so many occasions during their story. I also loved how they both shared the same passion for musicals. I myself am a lover of musicals so I could relate whenever Kennedy and Noah started talking about or reciting the lines from their favourite musicals together. At times I felt like I was watching the TV programme "Glee". If you are also a fan of musicals you will totally get this couple.

"You were falling for me, and I was falling for you, and we were falling together into the land of the fallen."

I loved so much about this story. I loved the writing, the characters, the swoony romance. I loved the journey that the book took me on. Sometimes I was giddy with joy with how things were going and other times my heart hurt for the couple and I felt frustrated with the direction that the story took but overall it was truly a beautiful, standalone story that was well worth the read.

"In that whisper of a kiss, we became a we."

"21 Stolen Kisses" gets ❤️❤️❤️❤️.5 from me!

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time gives and takes. Hurts and heals. Races and crawls. It's the answer and it's the problem. It is so many things...just like this brilliant book.

Their love is forbidden. It's not just a crush, a passing fancy, or lust. It's not unrequited and it's not unreturned. For so many reasons, it's not supposed to be.

But it is meant to be...

I'm not entirely sure where to start with 21 Stolen Kisses. This book is so unlike anything I've read by Lauren Blakely before, and yet...so perfectly Lauren, that I'm a little lost. In a good way, don't get me wrong. As always, the banter was charming and playful. The city was as much of a character as the couple that used as a cloak. There was even a crossover appearance from my favorite Blakely boy. But the story was so different. It was sweeter, gentler, softer, tamer, all the while being a little darker. How is that possible? This love flirts with the taboo, that's how.

I read this book as fast as my eyes and my life would allow. I read it like I was in a race and there was a reward waiting for me at the end. And there was. There was the completion of this singular story; there was this couple, their struggle, their love, their past, their present and their future, their battles and hurdles and mistakes.

At times, I was a little unsure of the forbidden nature of their romance. The time that stood between them, the years that separated them, I think, was designed to make me question them. And it did, absolutely. But at the same time, the way Ms. Blakely's words shielded them in a cocoon of rightness made it so that questioning it is what ultimately felt wrong.

This book right here? This book is one that came at me from nowhere; I gave myself time to read it, not really sure from the blurb exactly what I was going to get, worried I wouldn't like a book written by one of my favorite authors. Turns out, I didn't need time. Nor did I need to worry. This time, time gave and healed and raced and answered. This time, I fell in love. ~ Beth, 5 stars

~~~

Wow! I have been a fan of Ms. Blakely since her first book; since before I was a part of this blogging world and reviewed books. 21 Stolen Kisses is so different from all of Lauren’s other books, but it was sooooo good! It was addictive and I couldn’t put it down. I was so mad when life got in the way and I couldn’t read.

“I’m tired of holding back, tired of waiting, tired of pretending he is not what I want right now, when he the very thing I want and I need.”

This was a tale of forbidden love, of two people falling in love at the wrong time. It was the story of a girl who was forced to lie her entire life and doesn’t know any other way. It was the story of a man who is all alone in the world. You can’t help who you love and this story is a testament to that.

“No one has ever looked at me like he does. I doubt anyone ever will.”

This story was heartbreakingly beautiful. It was real, and raw, and emotional. Make sure you have some tissues handy because you are going to need them. My favorite part of the entire story was the love letters, the short tales of stolen kisses.

“The air between us crackles like it always has, like it has its own energy or frequency. One of us is going to bend. One of us is going to break.”

This is another phenomenal, heartfelt story from Ms. Blakely. She continues to be one of my favorite, must read authors. I can’t wait for more from her! ~ Tiffany, 5 stars

~~~

21 Stolen Kisses by Lauren Blakely was such an unexpected, amazing, love story!

"I can no longer think of anything but you." ~ Honoré de Balzac to the married countess, Hanksa.

This sums up the story so simply. I’ve always said, your heart doesn’t choose who you love! What an amazing story of love, heartache, sacrifice, and everything that goes with loving someone with all of your being, this book is.

Kennedy Stanzlinger is a young woman who falls in love with Noah Hayes. Noah is a bit older than her and works hard to keep his feelings under control… but the heart wants what it wants. In the beginning, I was a bit worried about the dynamics and how it was all going to play out, but Kennedy is wise beyond her years. Her life hasn’t been easy and she falls for Noah in a way that all of us would love to have fallen. Slow, hard and deep. Without question or reservation. Then, all of that changes...

The end of this book send me to tears. Big, ugly cry, monster, cleansing tears! I felt so good afterwards! They weren’t sad tears, but tears of recognition and yes, of love! I guess we’ve all had times like Kennedy and Noah <3. ~ Heather, 4.5 stars

[Three Chicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by Natasha Gentile

Where do I begin with this book? I’ll start with this, it is by far my favorite love story this year. I don’t think that gives it justice. It was an all-consuming, heart pounding, wholeheartedly beautiful love story between a man and a woman. It was also a story about acceptance, forgiveness, sacrifice and knowing the difference between right and wrong. Even if the only things you have ever known are lies.

Meet Kennedy, a seventeen year old soul. When most 17 year olds are going out attending proms she is trying to right her wrongs. She has been a pawn in her mother’s social games for years.

Yes, I am that girl. The messed-up, mixed-up seventeen-year old child of well-to-do divorced parents who sees a shrink in Manhattan. It’s a bit of a caricature, and caricature is something I aim to avoid in life.

Lies -that is all she has every known; it’s what was instilled in her, protect the one you love by lying. Until l him.

I drink none, and instead I run my finger absently along the rim, wanting one thing, wishing I could want nothing. But I can’t.
I want him.

What starts off as a friendship between two people, slowly turns into something else. Something that they both know isn’t good, something that they both know shouldn’t happen, but something they know they can’t fight. It is a force greater than them.

His eyes meet mine. His are dark blue, the color of the dawn before the day takes over. They give me my answer when he doesn’t look away, and my heart tries to spring free of my chest and bound over to him. Being in the same space-even with him so many feet away-is hard. So hard. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Noah had everything that he thought he wanted. A great job at a respected talent agency, good friends and most of all a friendship with his biggest client-Jewel Stanza's daughter. A daughter that understood him like no one else. A daughter who laughed with him, shared his interests and most importantly, who loved him.

But before she can give herself to him wholeheartedly she decides to seek forgiveness. Forgiveness for her wrongs. In doing this she decided that she will send the people that have been touched by her mistake a love letter anonymously.

This is where the story took my heart and never gave it back.

This beautiful soul made a list of all of her mistakes, tracking down each and every person she touched, leaving them beautiful love letters.

The most beautiful one however was her own. It was to Noah and it was the story of her love for him and his beautiful kisses.

I’m here because of a letter.
Not the kind with hearts and lipstick marks, but the kind that takes your breath away. I wanted it to have that effect on him, and so it was the story of how we fell in love told through our kisses. Both kisses we’d had and kisses I wanted to have, and places I wanted to kiss. Places like Paris and Amsterdam, along the river or by the canal, or Kauai under waterfalls.
It was an epic love letter, and it was all I’d ever wanted in my life-to feel that kind of epic love.

What happens when you start off a love affair with a secret? For some it clearly means nothing, but for someone that wants to purge all her secrets away- it burns everything that she is.

Kennedy was pushed to grow up way before her time, but that is actually a gift. A gift to know what love really is. A gift to know when something is right and when it is wrong and it is with this gift that she understands how to love.

This story has left a mark on my heart as one of the purest love affairs of all time. It is rare these days that you get a story that is purely about one thing and one thing only- Love. Thank you so much Lauren for bringing this love into my life.

[Trish Mint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this moments ago and I am blown away; although I'm not surprised at Lauren's ability to:
A. Tell an amazing, heart felt and unforgettable story
B. make me ball my eyes out
C. Touch my heart
D. Make me fall in love with her characters
E. Leave me 100 percent satisfied

These are the reasons Blakely will always be on my list of go-to authors.

Her writing in this beautiful love story was poetic and brought me to tears.


I give this 5 hollas all the way! TrishMint Approved.

[KathyAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say time heals all wounds. But does it close the gaps too? Maybe it can. Maybe in a year it turns an eight-year time gap into dust. Maybe it turns a girl who didn't know what she wanted into someone who became certain. Maybe it turns twenty-one stolen kisses into endless given ones.

This is probably my favorite Lauren Blakely book to date! I loved this story so much. The author pegged the conflicted emotions of a 17 yr old young woman perfectly. What a conflicting age, anyone remember being seventeen?? :)
This is the first time I've read anything outside of LB's erotica series. I will admit that I was worried that I wouldn't like it, but she has now proven to me that she is indeed a beautiful and talented story teller.
Kennedy is a girl who has grown up surrounded by shame and lies because of a mother who is in denial of her sex addiction. She would use Kennedy as her scapegoat and it is now beginning to weigh heavily on her conscience. It has given her a warped sense of love and whether or not it is actually something people can truly have. In fact, Kennedy is obsessed with love. She looks for signs of it everywhere. Her collection of hearts was very symbolic of her hopes and dreams that love can be something tangible and real. This was my favorite part of the book. It became a sweet and romantic game between her and Noah. I loved it... :) I think I'm going to start my own collection. I'll start with this one:



Because we are indeed lucky to find true love right?? Yes, I know... a little sappy... just go with it! I'm having fun... :)

Noah works for Kennedy's mother. They have a very close relationship. His closeness to the family is what sparked the seeds of interest between him and Kennedy. He never set out to fall in love with her. But, the heart wants what it wants! They were perfect for each other. Noah wasn't blind to the age gap, in fact, he was very conflicted about it, but she completed him in ways he never thought possible. Sometimes time is your enemy. And, these two just fell in love at the worst possible moment in both of their lives.
Noah really was an outstanding guy. He never pushed Kennedy. He was always very patient and understanding but at the same time hopeful they could find a way to love each other openly and freely. My heart went out to both of them. I was rooting for them and hoping they could find a way to be together. But, at the same time I was thinking... "She's only seventeen!"... so, yes I was totally empathizing with Kennedy's father. What parent wouldn't be concerned about an 8 yr age gap when your daughter is only 17. But, love is love and it doesn't care about timing.
Kennedy's relationship with her mother really got to me. Even though she hated what her mother was doing, she still loved her. But, she could no longer allow herself to be defined by her mother's actions. She had to make a very hard choice at the end and I was very proud of her for the decisions she made. Sometimes, you just have to save yourself.
I'm not sure why this book spoke to me so much. Perhaps it's because I have 3 daughters of my own... or, maybe it stirred up a lot of familiar emotions. It's kind of hard to put into words. But, this book will definitely be going into my top favorite reads of the year so far. It's a book I plan to read again and again...

I've said this before and I'll say it again:
I heart you Lauren Blakely!!! :)

ARC was provided by Inkslinger PR


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[Shayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep breath in...deep breath out. I mean, WOW! 21 Stolen Kisses was a truly beautiful and genuine love story. This is romantic as it gets people. Lauren Blakely brought it, and she brought it hard. Nothing will make you believe in true love more than this story right here. This was pure magic!

Kennedy and Noah's story of forbidden love just took my breath away. It's a story that makes your heart beat faster with every word you read. It's a great story to read when you are down and a beautiful story to read when your belief in true love has waned. The emotions that are pulled from you are vast, and you can't help but wish that one day, you will be so lucky as to find your soul mate, the one person who knows you better than you know yourself. I hope to feel that deep kind of love one day and 21 Stolen Kisses has given me that hope.

Kennedy was a fantastic female lead that I could relate to on so many levels. She is an old soul, wise beyond her years, and just wants to right the wrongs done by her overzealous mother. She loves her mother dearly, but she can't stand her actions, which I know everyone can relate to sometimes. The plan to help the people who her mother wronged was a brilliant idea, and not something a normal 17-year-old girl would tend to think of. I think her main goal was to bestow some amount of peace to those people and in doing so, she brought some upon herself.

As you can tell, 21 Stolen Kisses was more than just a love story, a beautiful romance to end all romances. There is a nice solid lesson learned throughout that made this novel that much better. The slow burning affection that developed between Kennedy and Noah was something to experience. It's not the usual for Ms. Blakely, as she usually sets the pages on fire from the very first chapter. But this was a refreshing change of pace for the author and just confirmed what a well-developed writer she has become. Instead of the sex now, questions later approach, we take a journey with Noah and Kennedy and the love the grows deeper with each passing moment. With bumps and bruises along the way, and not quick fixes, as to be expected in a realistic romance, this made the story that much wondrous and charming.

Lauren Blakely will always be an auto-buy author for me. No matter what genre she writes, I read, I devour, and I sing her praises all day long. Nothing will get you out of a reading funk faster than the likes of a Lauren Blakely novel. Trust me on this. She gives a deep seeded love, a love that burns in your chest, a love that you can't deny. 21 Stolen Kisses is only one example of Ms. Blakely's ongoing brilliance.







*Gifted copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Angy Potter - Collector of Book Boyfriends · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: 5 STOLEN STARS
I love 21 Stolen Kisses’ audiobook, it’s a perfect companion to this fascinating book. I loved listening to their stolen kisses , it felt like they were poems. In those moments, the narrator’s pace was slower and more seductive and sweeter. It was wonderful. I was eager to listen my favorite moment in the book, the ending. And it was as perfect or even more as when I read it the first time. It was very romantic and beautiful.

Marisa Vitali did an amazing job with the narration of 21 Stolen Kisses. Her soft voice made a perfect translation of Kennedy’s personality and when she was reading the Stolen Kisses it was poetic, beautiful. Her inflections for Noah * sigh * were wonderful. I could hear and feel all his love toward Kennedy in her voice. It was amazing. I also enjoyed her voices for the secondary characters.

This audiobook is 100% recommended! <3 So as everything and anything Lauren writes.

CHAT REVIEW WITH CLAU, VIVIAN AND ANGY: 5 STARS
Angy: Hello girls! I'm so happy you both decided to read 21 Stolen Kisses. You both know how much I love Lauren's books, and I was so happy knowing you were loving the book while you read it!

Clau: Hello Angy, hello Viv, I wanted to read it since I saw the cover. I didn't even know what it was about, but yeah, as you always talk about Lauren's books, I decided to read it ;)

Angy: OMG yes, the cover is so beautiful! Did you see the first cover this book had?

Vivian: Hi! I LOVE the cover...I had it as my facebook profile for FOREVER ;) I think it is PERFECT for the book <3 I have not seen the original cover :/

Clau: Nope, I haven't seen it, but the current one is a beautiful! Beautiful cover...I loved it since I saw it, and well after reading the book, I LOVE IT more. I love Noah <3

Angy: *sigh* I want Noah for me! *dibs*

Clau: I love more the second cover. Even though this one is like one of the scenes where Kennedy and Noah kissed, but I love the second one more.

Angy: I like both! OK, now.... The story! I loved the story! I dont know why, but I never saw it in a bad way that they started their relationship when she was 17 and he 25. Maybe because here in Colombia that is normal, (or because when I was 17, I had a boyfriend who was 25), but for me it was completely normal.

Clau: True, that’s not as creepy as many people might think it is. 8 years is not that much. Besides, that's how love works, you can't choose who you fall in love with and they were perfect for each other

Viv: I honestly wasn't bothered by the age difference either! It really wasn't a factor and yes, it was a major reason why they "shouldn't" be together, but it wasn’t THE meaning of the story.

Angy: I agree about that. The meaning in the story was more the lies. Kennedy had to lie for her mom and then she started lying to keep her secret relationship with Noah. Lies are like snowballs: when they start, they get bigger and bigger, until they hit you (or someone who’s near you). Those lies caused so much hurt to Kennedy, her family, her friends, and lots of people. I saw her relationship with Noah as a secure place for her.

Clau: What bothers me the most was her mother. God, I can't believe she made her daughter lie for her. I agree with Angy, lies and more lies. Poor Kennedy! She kept lying because she was used to doing it. And she has to lie about her relationship with Noah too because she wants her own secret too.

Angy: Ugh! Kennedy's mom! Why oh why? That woman was so selfish!

Viv: The lies come easily to Kennedy...it's like second nature! And I HATE HER MOM!

Clau: At the end I understand that her mom was sick. She loved her daughter, but she had an addiction.

Viv: Very true Claudia. "You are what you're taught" She was taught to lie...hence the lying.

Clau: It was both parents fault, because Kennedy’'s dad didn't tell his wife why he was leaving her. So the lies continue and continue. But even though she finally knew how her daughter felt about her “relationships”, she admitted she couldn't stop.

Viv: Denial, Claudia. She didn't see it as a problem....it was WHO she was.

Angy: Her mom's addiction was bad, and Caroline was right when she told Kennedy to let her mom to “hit rock bottom” by herself because she wouldn’t accept she had a problem if Kennedy was the one telling her. Her mom was a “junkie” in a sense. That's right Viv….denial indeed! *shakes head* I'm going to tell you something about Lauren's books: This isn’t the first book with a horrible mother.

Viv: Oh really? Each good book needs a villain :P

Angy: hahaha yes! And this mom is the worst kind of villain!

Clau: Exactly, she was that way, sadly. I didn't know, Ange...this is my 1st Lauren Blakely book. I’m a big fan now!!!! <3

Viv: It's my first too Claudia! And now I LOVE Lauren♡

Angy: *happy dance* We all love Lauren! <3 You'll have to read all her books!

Viv: That's the plan!

Angy: OK girls, we have to talk about the most important in this book: NOAH!

Viv: LOVE HIM! #dibs

Angy: I love him too! <3 *double dibs*

Viv: We can share ;)

Clau: MY NOAH???

Angy: My Noah!

Clau: <3

Angy: *chuckles* We always fight for our book boyfriends and we end up sharing them!! (But he's only mine)

Clau: He's the perfect guy for ME! LOL. He was a great guy, he respected Kennedy, and he loved her

Viv: He was SO respectful!

Angy: OMG I can't believe how much he respected her! That is true love! <3

Clau: He waited for her too. She left him twice and she broke his heart too.

Viv: This wasn't your typical "wham bam thank you mam" kinda book....he respected her and loved her.

And for that...I love him! <3

Angy: How not to love him? He's perfect <3

Viv: I loved how it was described as they fell in love "out of time". That was SO ACCURATE!

Angy: YES! I agree! Everything happens for a reason!

Clau: Other guys wouldn't have bothered at all...any other guy would continue with his life, but not Noah. As Noah said it: “Kennedy ruined him for other women”.

Viv: I truly believe people come into our lives when we most need them. Noah and Kennedy came into each others lives when they needed each other the most, but they didn't know it.

Angy: Like I said, everything happens for a reason!

Viv: That's a good way to put it, Ange!

Clau: I'm glad they have their reason! They are soulmates. True pure love <3

Viv: I think Kennedy was mature beyond her age (due to life circumstance), but yet at the same time she was still very much a teenage. Noah was the same way. He was older and mature, but very much stuck as a teenager in certain aspects.

Clau: True. I love how they both handle their backgrounds. Kennedy didn't want to be like her mom, neither as Noah about his mom.

Viv: I think that's why the age difference didn't bother me. It's like they were "going through" the same things and dealing with the same/similar issues. Does that make sense?

Clau: Yes it does. As I said, it wasn't creepy

Angy: I think Lauren wrote Kennedy as a teenager...she didn’t create a mature character in a 17 year old girl (like some authors do), but due the circumstances, Kennedy acted different from other teenagers. And Noah's personality was a mixture of a young man and a grown man. I think they both complemented each other in so many ways!

Viv: Yes, I considered Kennedy to be a “chameleon”. She adjusted who she was, depending on who she was with.

Clau: I read that Lauren has this story for a long time. Maybe she is Kennedy, LOL

Viv: Yes, I heard that too Claudia! I think she put that in the back of the book?

Clau: She said the story is so special to her, so I'm assuming. Yes the back of the book

Viv: ♡♡♡

Angy: Really? Maybe that's the reason the connection of this book with the others isn't so evident? I told this to Viv the other day...Lauren connects all her books and this one had so little connections. The biggest connection in this book was Matthew, Noah's best friend, he's the main character of Far Too Tempting . And of course, they mentioned Davis Milo from Playing With Her Heart (My Book Boyfriend #2 in Lauren's books)

Clau: Well I didn't know that, maybe.....who knows.... I just love this book so much.

Viv: Yes, Ange. I believe you are correct. She's been writing this book for years, so it would make sense that the minor characters don't connect the other books as easily.

Angy: I'm ashamed to say this, but I didn’t read the acknowledgments in this book. I'm reading it now and WOW!!! This is amazing!!! This is the book of Lauren's heart!! <3

Clau: Told you <3 I'm glad she finally wrote it! I'm so glad I read it. 5 stars for sure !!!!!

Angy: 5 stars from me too! What about Viv?

Viv: 5 stars indeed!!!

Angy: Woohoo!!

Clau: 5 stars for Lauren and two new fans (Viv and me)!

Angy: This means we give 15 stars to this book? hahaha

Viv: LOL! Yes!

Clau: So are we making a dream cast, right??

Viv: My Noah♡ Minus the tie...because he never wears ties LOL

Angy: Our Noah!

Viv: Oh yes, OUR NOAH ;)

Angy: hahahah we need to find a picture of Adam Gallagher with a colorful shirt

Viv: I still can't believe we actually agreed our Noah! That's a first!

Clau: Purple please LOL

Viv: Yes!!!!

Angy: TeamWork!

Viv: It was a complete fluke we ALL liked Adam LOL

Angy: We are awesome girls! hahahaha This is the best way to write reviews!

Viv: I think 21 Stolen Kisses is a MUST READ!!!! ;)

Clau: 500% recommended!

Angy: I think anything Lauren writes is a Must Read! I just love all of her books! I was talking to a girl on twitter last week (about another author) and I'm going to steal something she said: "I'll read even her list of groceries" hahahahah.

Viv: LOL! LOVE IT and SO TRUE♡ I love when you can find an author that you love that much...and Lauren easily became that author for us! ♡

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars!! I had picked this up a few times to read but I could never get into it, but I am a sucker for perseverance and I always try to finish a book. Once I had eventually got past the halfway mark it did pick up.

For some reason I just didn't gel with the characters, Noah did make me smile but I never got their connection. I loved how the title fits with the story but for some reason, this one just wasn't for me.

[Shannon Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a lot deeper than what I was expecting. By the name and summary, I was expecting a little forbidden romance with a touch of humor perhaps. I did get the forbidden romance, but there were plot complications and deeper emotions that I didn't anticipate.

First of all, I loved the two main characters. Noah is an older man in his mid-twenties, hence the forbidden quality to the relationship, as he is into the 17 year old daughter of one of his clients. I have to say though, that even with that large age difference, I was surprised and gratified with how careful, how gentle, how honorable and noble he was about the entire scenario. He never took advantage of Kennedy. I loved him for loving her for herself and not for sex.

Kennedy was harder to get to know, but only because she was a bit closed off as a character. She's had to be due to the complicated relationship she has with her parents, especially her mother. The nature of that relationship with her mother just made me want to shake the woman for doing what she's doing to her daughter and for having no qualms about it, not realizing how her actions might affect Kennedy. I also wanted Kennedy to stand up for herself, and yet, that was really the point of the whole story. Will she reach a point where she grows strong enough to do that?

I loved the character growth Kennedy goes through in this story. It was very well done, and very believable. The story had some surprises I didn't expect, was at times very romantic, and sad as well. I enjoyed reading this story very much.

[Steph]

I absolutely hate doing this, but I am having to put this book aside at 20%.
I have just had a baby and my reading time has become severely limited. I haven't connected with these characters AT ALL. The book feels so slow and I'm sorry to say it, but I am bored stiff!!

I was hoping my wonderful buddy reading partner, who had gotten to 60%, was going to tell me that that the book really picked up, the characters got more likable and it was definitely worth continuing. Unfortunately, she said exactly what I was afraid of... nothing had changed at all!!

I love taboo subjects (although this is really mild compared to some I have read), but this just felt a bit odd.
Kennedy, for me, feels way too naïve and childish to be in any kind of relationship, let alone one with a man eight years older than her. I think even if I did get to see anything physical between her and Noah, it would just make me uncomfortable. I don't feel that Kennedy is mature enough for an adult relationship.

We don't know Noah at all really so far. Which kind of sucks.
I liked him so far, but I can't understand what he sees in Kennedy. She's so childish...
i.e. What was it with all the love letters to the poor wives her mother had hurt? It was such a silly idea. What did she think she was going to achieve by sending these adults love letters?
I just don't get it.

I can't say any more because I didn't get too far, but I just don't think this is the book for me.
Sorry.

[Nancy's Romance Reads]

I'm getting all excited about this new STANDALONE romance!! It sounds amazing, can't wait! :D Release day: 26 May 2015.

Purchase: Amazon US * Amazon UK



Blurb:

When I first met him I resisted.

Like any forbidden love, I told myself he was a crush, and it would pass.
That was a lie. It never faded.

And I never expected he would fall for me just as hard.

There were so many reasons that should have kept us apart, least of all, the decade that separated us.

Growing up in New York City, I learned early on that love is a double-edged sword.

Love broke up my parents, love took away my friends, and love -- the big, intense, never-been-like-this-before love -- landed me in therapy.

Now I'm heading to college, and it's time to give love a clean slate again. But, can I really start over when he's still in my life?

Because the one man I've always wanted, is also the only guy I absolutely can't have...

And he wants me just as fiercely.

Can I settle for anything less than the love of my life?

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshingly different and poignant, yet an eye-opening reveal. A surprise package -- not anything like I was expecting but so much more in every way. The writing is smooth and beautiful. The characters are a blend of so many out-of-the-ordinary expectations that I was at times mesmerized by their personalities and actions. The story is filled with tenderness, sadness, fun, quirky, and even a bit of scandalous behavior. But don't expect page after page of sex because you won't find it here, and what there is takes place in its own due time. Again, kudos to the writer for making it meaningful and demonstrative relationship in it own special way.

A story of coming of age and of forbidden love that won't easily be forgotten. A book that will definitely be read again. A nice change of pace where nothing was rushed and, at times, felt like I was reading in slow motion. And I don't mean that in a negative way. It worked from start to finish.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++ I want to steal Noah's kisses stars!!! What an incredible story with all the feels. I love Lauren's writing and this one captured my heart. Damn does she know how to make you fall in love. Pure bliss!!!

Review to come on the blog!!

[Amanda (Fandomly Bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

21 Stolen Kisses is a unique and intricate tale of relationships, lies, love affairs and love.

[Georgana ~ Valentine PR & Literary Managment · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow, I am his weakness, I am his tipping point, I am the exception for him. "You are my everything," he whispers

I am a huge fan of the forbidden love story. I am not sure why I gravitate to this type of book so much…maybe it is because when love is broken down to its most basic form, the forbidden lovers have to work a bit harder to get where they are going. They have to brave the prejudices and obstacles of what society thinks of as acceptable and normal. Forbidden lovers have to justify why they love each other, not that they simply love each other. It’s 2 people against the world, and I am a romantic enough to believe that they will ultimately win. In Lauren Blakely’s 21 Stolen Kisses, Noah and Kennedy are our forbidden lovers…it is their journey…it is their story to tell….it is their love story that pulled at the deepest depths of my romantic soul, and oh what a brilliant love story it was.

I love the NA genre…I love the youth, their finding independence, I love that they have the future in the palms of their hands. It is a time to dream, a time to make mistakes, a time to fall in love and a time to find yourself. In 21 Stolen Kisses Lauren Blakely gives a voice to 17 year old Kennedy that is about as honest, refined, and mature as I might have ever read. This young girl has a strength about her that is just unbridled and it captivated me throughout this entire book. Kennedy comes from wealth, she has her head on straight, she is loved and adored by her divorced parents, yet there is a part of her that yearns for so much more and she finds that in the arms and kisses of Noah.

21 Stolen Kisses is just that….a book of kisses retold from Kennedy’s POV and the way Lauren writes them is just breathtaking yet heart wrenching at the same time because you know they are stolen, they are forbidden but also they are the most meaningful things in this beautiful young girls life. Even though there is an 8 year age gap between Kennedy and Noah, there is also an innocence that resonated from these pages. A bit of patience that I am not sure anyone could have described in such vivid detail better than Lauren. Noah, at times, seemed more youthful than even Kennedy…not in an immature way, but in a way that they could really relate to each other. They related to each other to a depth that only the two of them understood. I loved their journey, the past and the present colliding. The hiding and the risk was always on the periphery almost like another character in their love story.

Kennedy’s mom, Jewel is a philanderer. She is a cheater and for her, it doesn’t matter what the cost is to her partner’s life, she takes what she wants without ever thinking about the repercussions yet she has taken poor Kennedy on this ride with her. She has made Kennedy her partner in crime for a lack of a better term. She has made Kennedy be the cover up in her trysts and it is this burden that Kennedy carries that makes this story develop into what it is. Everything that Kennedy does, is in direct proportion to what her mom has done. Noah fights off his feelings for Kennedy, yet the hold they have on each other is so strong with their common threads they share. I love learning in such incredible detail everything about New York and the theater and Broadway show tunes….it was their link, and because they loved those things, I in turn fell for them too.

As I read this story one of the things that resonated the most for me, because I am a parent, is that the choices we make as adults directly affect our children. You don’t not have to come from a broken home or be battered to have some scars on your soul. Kennedy was loved fully by her parents, she was taken care of, she was the epitome of a good girl, but the choices that both her parents made messed with her in an astounding way. She was collateral damage in their love story but I don’t think they ever realized it. I am not so sure that Lauren meant for me to be smacked over the head with this ideology, but I was. And for me, it lent the credence to what ultimately made Kennedy the young adult that she was.

21 Stolen Kisses was quite an epic read for me. It pulled at all of my emotions and I honestly didn’t know how this book was going to turn out. Kennedy is so pragmatic that when she realizes what the true reason she and Noah found their way to each other is, it just killed me. It was an Aha moment that only she could reach, yet it was so authentic that my heart sided with her and was going to support whatever decision she made. If you take the time to read Lauren’s acknowledgements, you will see this story was several years in the making. She believed in it so passionately that it resonated on the pages in such a spectacular way. I hope in some way, shape or form we all can experience the beauty of a stolen kiss, and maybe if we are lucky we will get 21 of them. Don’t miss out on this beautiful journey, it was one I am so glad I got to experience. 5 “I felt it too” Stars.

[Yvette ~ Nose Stuck in a Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a reason why Lauren Blakely is one of my go-to authors and, after reading her newest release, 21 Stolen Kisses, I’m reminded exactly why this is the case. With each book, Lauren Blakely constantly reinvents herself within the romance genre and 21 Stolen Kisses is yet another refreshingly unique narrative, putting a new spin on a taboo subject. If you're familiar with this author’s books, 21 Stolen Kisses is incomparable to anything she's written thus far, although if I had to describe it, the book is a hybrid of Stars in their Eyes and the No Regrets series, tackling mature issues yet maintaining a certain innocence not typically found in adult romances. Having read all of Lauren Blakely’s books, I can confidently say that 21 Stolen Kisses is one of her most evocative book to date that took me on an emotionally-charged journey via the forbidden romance between protagonists, Kennedy and Noah.

The narrative is told through alternating perspectives yet Kennedy is the true focus of the story. Kennedy is an interesting study in contradictions, impossibly jaded about love after having witnessed the demise of her parents' marriage but also wildly hopeful when it comes to the possibility of her own happily ever after. She’s incredibly young yet she emits this world-weariness more befitting of someone twice her age. It’s therefore fitting that she’s drawn to a man who’s not only older but who can relate to her on a deeper level. Their romance is built on a shared love of Broadway musicals, a quietly powerful kind of chemistry, and an epic collection of kisses that filled the pages with their poetic beauty. From page one and right up to the final chapter, Kennedy and Noah were responsible for all those gut-wrenching, pulse-pounding moments of anticipation and uncertainty that had my emotions yo-yoing alongside those of these characters.

21 Stolen Kisses is such a fascinating book because it's nothing like I thought it would be yet it's everything I have come to expect from a Lauren Blakely novel. You hear the combination of younger girl and older man and might picture something sordid and illicit, and perhaps that's what the story could have been in someone else's hands, yet this book is quite the opposite. This book is an ode to love – a love letter about falling in love and being in love. Kennedy and Noah’s story is achingly sweet, beautifully tragic, and unfailingly romantic, and, even though at times I worried over their intertwined fates, I had faith that everything would happen exactly as it should.

*complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review

[Janey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Nobody kisses like us stars

This was a true love story of a young girl and an older boy. Their initial connection was through others, and would to most, seem inappropriate at the time.

But time moves on, and what at first could be construed as a crush, becomes more to both of them.

This is a story that catalogues Kennedy’s life, how the disappointments are handled by her, and how she goes about rectifying them. She has a fabulous cast of friends, who distract, support and comfort her throughout her growth.

This is a story about how Noah attempts to resist the beguiling 17 year old girl, but soon falls into her ways, her nuances, her perfectness, her Shangri-la.

An epic love story, told most beautifully. There were hearts of all shapes and sizes oozing from my kindle *sigh*.

Kennedy was young, but smart.

”I know who I am. A purist. A lover of love. I adore love letters, and professions of love, and true, heartfelt moments when two people know they���re meant for each other.”

Noah was patient and just bloody perfect.

”I’ve always been certain. I will always be certain. You were worth it. You’ll always have been worth it."

Left me with a *fat cheesy smile*

[Tangerine · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 STARS

I really wanted to love this book. I did. But, sadly, it didn't work out. I love the premise of the storyline. My husband is ten years older than I am and we met when I was the same age as the heroine in this story so I didn't really feel that there was anything taboo about the age difference but I went with it anyway. I really liked the characters at the beginning. Kennedy seemed really mature for her age. It didn't last long. The immaturity showed up really quick. I didn't really feel the connection between Kennedy and Noah either. That may very well be because of how it was written. It was really hard to follow. The past and present are woven together and you never knew which you were in. It took a minute to realize you were reading their past and vice versa.

There was about 20% of the book that I liked. At around the halfway mark I thought, "Good, here we go! This should've been the start of the story." But then it started falling apart. At about 85% I was ready to throw in the towel. I'd had enough. I didn't want to finish but I had come too far to quit. I skipped and skimmed the last 15%. I just wasn't feeling it and was rather annoyed. Things were all over the place.

2.5 stars because I somewhat finished, I loved the stolen kisses letters, and I liked the premise and some of the storyline quite a bit. It just didn't come together. I'm kind of bummed that it didn't.

[Judy Miracle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far one of the best love stories I have read in a little while. It a heart pounding, all holds bared amazing read.

Kennedy is 17 years old by age but she has an old soul and has been dealt with dealing with a lot of crap. While most people are worried about the prom and graduation she has to worry about secrets within her family and being her mother's little pawn. Shes always been taught to lie and has done it with no issues until Noah.

Noah is older, Kennedy's best friend and employed by her mother. He has everything he ever thought he needed except for Kennedy as more than just a friend. You feel just how much love he has for her and her for him.

But what happens when you start a relationship based on a lie? Can they over come the unthinkable and make some thing work between the two of them?

This was and absolutely genuine and beautiful love story that everyone must read.

[Samira · Rating 5 out of 5]

21 Stolen Kisses. The title caught my attention right away. This book took me on an emotional journey and broke my heart over and over again for Kennedy and Noah. Their love story was beautiful, romantic and heartbreaking. What starts out as a friendship born out their love for all things musical grows into a deep connection.

"He's the eye of my hurricane; the calm I am drawn to amid the chaos of my home."

This book reminds me a little bit of Slammed by Colleen Hoover! The main characters fall in love because of their favorite band, but can't be together because their romance is forbidden. In this case, Kennedy is a 17 year old still in high school and Noah is her mom's 25 year old agent.

There are so many quotes in this book that I love.

"I know who I am. A purist. A lover of love. I adore love letters, and professions of love, and true, heartfelt moments when two people know they are meant for each other."

"I'm here because of a love letter. Not the kind with hearts and lipstick marks, but the kind that takes your breath away. I wanted it to have that effect on him, and so it was the story of how we fell in love told through our kisses."

Kennedy is a romantic. She collects photos of hearts found in nature. She and her friend, Lane, leaves greatest love letters ever written all over New York City to spread love and happiness because she wants to make amends for her part in her mom's infidelity .

She sends anonymous letters to women her mom hurt through her cheating. She calls it the "amends project".

"Let me get this straight. You're going to send love letters to the wives of the men your mom had affairs with?

Yes and no. They won't be love letters from me. They'll be more like letters of apology."

More than anything else, this books is about a dysfunctional relationship between a mother and daughter. "The right words, said in just the right tone, to reassure her. Because I love her, even though I hate so many things about her, my love is stronger than my hate".

She's the perfect mom- she's there for all her lacrosse games and remembers the little details-except she asks her teenage daughter to lie and cover up her affairs.

"Too much knowledge, too much worldliness, I wish I didn't know the things I know about adults."

It broke my heart that a mother could ask her daughter to do something like that. Her mother is an addict who doesn't know how to stop and won't stop no matter who she's hurts.

I loved this book so much and I highly recommend it because it's one of those books that will stay with me always. It's such a beautiful and breathtaking love story told through love letters. The past and the present collide and we are left with a love story that I'll always remember when I need to read something good and pure. 5/5 stars.

[Heather / Obsessed With Myshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so utterly and completely conflicted. Stay with me here. From a completely objective standpoint, this book is great. It’s well written, it has beautifully developed characters, it contains themes spread throughout the book that connect with each other – it’s just a good fucking book. Lauren makes writing look easy. If I were an editor, I’d snatch this book up in an instant.

However, from a subjective standpoint, I really struggled with this one – and as a reader, I can’t say that I loved it.

Before you slaughter me, hear me out. This is an NA book, so if you’re expecting the explicitly delicious blakelyesque dirty talking sex scenes, you will be disappointed. Those scenes do not exist in this book. I wasn’t looking for them though, I swear.

I knew they wouldn’t be there, and I do love many NA books, so why did it take me FIVE DAYS to read this book? Because the age thing really bothered me. It just did. I’d be lying if I said anything else. Spoiler (or comforting?) alert: the characters do nothing inappropriate; the age of consent in NY is seventeen – so even if they wanted to get some serious action on, they could.

Yet, the age difference of seventeen to twenty-five made me cringe. She’s a senior in high school and he spent time with her since she was in at least 9th grade. *cringe* He looks at her mother as his surrogate mother *cringe* The gifts he gives her are representative of her – but they’re really juvenile *cringe*

So thus, I was cringing until I hit 90% in the book. I shouldn’t have a problem with it. I shouldn’t. My husband and I are six years apart. Of course, I didn’t meet him until I was 21, so there’s that.

I have been having a serious internal personal struggle over why this particular trope bothers me so damn much. Because, let’s be honest – I have forgiven some seriously inappropriate behavior in books. Semi-stalking? Verbal abuse? Caveman style antics? ALL FORGIVEN. So why, when I’m presented with perhaps one of the most adorable, sweet, kind, LOVING men am I blanching? I don’t know.

OK. so moving away from my serious hangups for which I may need to seek counseling, the book is otherwise fantastic. Noah is a wonderful character who shows so much restraint I started to get concerned for his health. It cannot be advisable to walk around with blue balls for hours at a time. It just can’t. Kennedy is young, and while she is most certainly an old soul, she is still a bit immature. She’s been groomed to lie and while she’s trying to break out of that habit, it’s tough.

I completely fell for the love quotes that are scattered throughout the book, and the ‘found hearts’ made my heart squeeze. Lauren has a way with words that makes you think that they just appeared on the page with little to no effort, but I know differently. She is a master storyteller. Even with all of my difficulties, I really loved the characters.

So, overall, I have to give this one a 3.75; it’s a compromise for my struggle combined with the beauty of the story. It most certainly is a forbidden love story – can you handle it?

[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]
This review looks prettier on my blog: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2015/0...

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader and dare I say, “addict to reading” *wink*, I find immense joy in finding a book that completely consumes my life. A book that makes me fall in love with both, the characters and the author. Well 21 Stolen Kisses was that type of book for me!

21 Stolen Kisses had that captivating sexy innocence that made you fall in love like YOU were falling in love for the first time. Noah and Kennedy fell in love “out of time”…they did not intentionally seek this love from each other. In fact, theirs was that “forbidden love”. “Because rather than walk away from the forbidden fruit, I did what man has been doing for ages. Bit into it…” –Noah. Theirs was the story of falling line love with the right person, at the wrong time.

I LOVED that we got dual POV’s! But personally, I was drawn to Kennedy’s character right away. Reading Kennedy’s thoughts throughout the book was a “breath of fresh air”. She is so mature and knowledgeable beyond her age in some aspects of her life, but is still very much this young innocent naïve girl. I found her character extremely relatable on many levels.

And then there’s Noah…Lauren Blakely where could’ve I found a Noah when I was growing up?!? DO TELL! *wink* Noah was perfect…in every way! We meet Noah and he is content with how his life is going. He has a great career, a nice home, great friends...he doesn’t seem to notice he’s missing anything…until her. “I was no longer man against the world. I wasn’t a guy holding tight to a job because it was all he had. I was a guy crazy for a girl, and the girl was crazy for me. There was no other way about it.” –Noah.

I believe people come into our lives when we need them the most. That’s what I think happened with Noah and Kennedy. They needed each other, so they unconsciously sought each other out. It was not planned, it was just fate. 21 Stolen Kisses was about that “forbidden” relationship going right for once. “This kind of love doesn’t come around often, and you have to seize it, fight for it, and protect it if need be. To finally return to a good love—well, I’ll gladly pay the price for it.” –Noah.

5 Stolen Stars!!!

[MJLovestoRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’d think by now, since I’ve read every single one of Lauren Blakely’s books, that I wouldn’t really be surprised at how wonderful each new story is to me. But yet again, she has blown me away with this latest adventure.

What is so different about this book is that as I read it, I wasn’t completely sure how the storyline would transpire. On its face, it seems to be one of forbidden love: high school student in love with her mother’s 25 year old friend and agent. However, it is so much more than that.

This unconventional, almost quirky kind of love story between Kennedy and Noah is told in alternating POV’s with descriptions of those stolen kisses placed lovingly between chapters. This is a couple who, despite their age difference, are completely perfect for one another. Their shared love of Broadway musicals and the songs that capture each other’s moods had me falling for them in a most unexpected way. Having to meet secretly, never knowing when they could see each other. Surviving not one but two breakups along the way, Kennedy and Noah only felt alive when they could be in each other’s presence. Their clandestine meetings often felt pained. All they wanted was the freedom to be together and not care who knew.

This book is not about the seduction of a younger girl and the passion shared between them. On the contrary it’s the joyful union of two souls who are desperate to find that path that will let them love each other without any guilt or shame. I loved that it wasn’t about sex or physical intimacy. Kennedy and Noah loved each other’s minds and the sweet gestures that showed their commitment to each other. Stolen texts, heartwarming pictures sent late at night. They had a bond that refused to be broken.

Their journey is not an easy one and at times I did not know where the storyline would lead or if I would be satisfied at the conclusion. The extremely well written characters drew me in from the start and I honestly loved that it wasn’t obvious how it would all turn out. I was happily held captive by the author’s words and Kennedy’s and Noah’s actions at the end spoke louder than I thought possible.

It is a wonderful and unique book that I am honored to have been able to read. Lauren Blakely continues to floor me with her talent and she will always be a go-to author for me.

I highly recommend you reading 21 Stolen Kisses. It will warm your heart and make you smile.

A huge 5 stars!!

[Shera Layn ~ Book Lovers Obsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

21 Stolen Kisses stole my heart in exactly 21 single Seconds!!! This book was amazing. I fell head over heels in love with Kennedy and Noah immediately. This story was smart, witty, so very sweet and beautiful. I absolutely loved it!

Girl meets Boy. Boy is mom’s agent. Moms agent = off limits. 8 years older = definitely off limits. But, what exactly defines off limits? What defines who you can and who you can’t have a connection with? Age really has no numbers and eight years, pffffft that is nothing.

Kennedy is a 17 year old girl who has really never known what true love should be. Well, she knows… However the life she’s lived with her mother distorts it. Keeping secrets, telling covers is all Kennedy has ever known. She loves her mother, but her mother has an addiction. An addiction that has broken many people caused Kennedy to lose a very dear friend and ultimately lose herself landing her in therapy.

Noah Hayes is an agent, a very well put together, smart, sexy, talented agent. He has many clients, but Kennedy’s mother is one of his best. She’s not only a client but a close friend. She gave him his start, helped build his career and has spent a lot of time with him. Spending time with her means, seeing Kennedy often and the more he sees her, the more Noah spends time with her and finds out who exactly she is the more he falls.

But what happens when the timing isn’t right? Do you settle for less then what you know you deserve? Less than what your heart wants? Does it all fall apart or does it wait patiently in the wings for the right moment?

You will have to read to find out! I promise you will love this story. You will laugh, you will feel your heart skip a beat, and if you’re like me you’ll shed a few tears. I even adored the secondary characters, mainly Kennedy’s friend Lane. He was so sweet, so supportive and they were seriously two peas in a pod. I went into this not knowing what to expect. My First Lauren Blakely book…. Will NOT be my last that I can guarantee. This book is a show stopper, the words flowed, the feelings built and the love you will feel will run over. Smooth as wine, sweet like candy, deliciously divine. I loved every single second of 21 Stolen Kisses. It will steal your heart. 5 Sweet Stars!!

Copy provided for honest review- Shera , Book Lovers Obsession