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Colette International #1
I Want to Kiss You in Public
Louis thought he had it all figured out. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
If you ask Louis, he’s a rock star.
Just the right amount of sarcastic, cute, and only slightly delusional. He attends the best high school — in Paris no less — has the coolest best friend and the fiercest girlfriend, and he’s absolutely, a hundred per cent straight.
So no, Michael, the new British student, with his dark curls and sweet smiles, doesn’t interest him whatsoever. And when a teacher pairs the two to write an essay together and Louis gets all worked up about it, he can always tell himself he doesn’t have a choice.
Slowly and inevitably, the two of them become friends, and perhaps a little more. Soon, Michael's presence in Louis's life makes him question everything: his lifestyle, his friendships, and whether he actually ever liked girls.
I Want To Kiss You In Public is a story about friendship, self-love, truth and heartbreak, sprinkled with over-the-top comedy, suitable for fans of Skam, Sex Education and Boyfriend Material.
Please check out the content warnings before reading. The Colette International characters act like teens in many ways, including the unsavory ones; such as cussing, drinking, and making mistakes. Influenced by Japanese Boys' Love stories, the series are also unapologetically cartoonish at times.
Information: This novel was reedited and updated in Feb 2023. Readers who purchased a previous edition with important quality issues can now update their copy in their Amazon "Content and Devices" account settings. Alternatively, they can download this newer version for free from the author's website.
If you ask Louis, he’s a rock star.
Just the right amount of sarcastic, cute, and only slightly delusional. He attends the best high school — in Paris no less — has the coolest best friend and the fiercest girlfriend, and he’s absolutely, a hundred per cent straight.
So no, Michael, the new British student, with his dark curls and sweet smiles, doesn’t interest him whatsoever. And when a teacher pairs the two to write an essay together and Louis gets all worked up about it, he can always tell himself he doesn’t have a choice.
Slowly and inevitably, the two of them become friends, and perhaps a little more. Soon, Michael's presence in Louis's life makes him question everything: his lifestyle, his friendships, and whether he actually ever liked girls.
I Want To Kiss You In Public is a story about friendship, self-love, truth and heartbreak, sprinkled with over-the-top comedy, suitable for fans of Skam, Sex Education and Boyfriend Material.
Please check out the content warnings before reading. The Colette International characters act like teens in many ways, including the unsavory ones; such as cussing, drinking, and making mistakes. Influenced by Japanese Boys' Love stories, the series are also unapologetically cartoonish at times.
Information: This novel was reedited and updated in Feb 2023. Readers who purchased a previous edition with important quality issues can now update their copy in their Amazon "Content and Devices" account settings. Alternatively, they can download this newer version for free from the author's website.
318 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2020
348 people are currently reading
2580 people want to read
About the author
Zelda French
4 books109 followersI rate (5 stars) the books I have read and would recommend to their intended audiences.
This is also where I keep track of the books I have read or want to read.
This is also where I keep track of the books I have read or want to read.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
June 29, 2023
This was fantastic! And let me tell you, I certainly wasn't expecting it to be based on the first couple of chapters (personal issue, but I was a little annoyed that Lou felt the need to explain who Kurt Cobain was to me). Anyway, everything about this book is messy! The way the characters would lie with reckless abandon leading to endless miscommunications had my anxiety levels spiking way through the roof! Oh man, and some of the high school cringe depicted here... ugh! I honestly had to read some parts with covered eyes, only peeking through my fingers like I was watching a horror movie! Looking back, I really don’t hold this against the book, as I truly believe that it made this one of the most realistic YA books that I’ve ever read. Even though the problems these highschoolers are dealing with in this story seem so small looking in from the outside, this book grasps the enormity of how everything feels at that age. Sometimes cringe is important when telling a story, I’m afraid. There’s an early chapter where Lou hadn’t read the chapter for his school homework, and I was instantly like, “oh, I did that too.” It was as if I were transported back in time! Oh yeah, also the way Lou comes to terms with his sexuality was done really well, and the way he always kind of knew but refused to acknowledge out of fear of abandonment was incredibly sad to me. It’s an experience that I’m sure a lot of queer folk can relate to. I know I did. Though it was a little funny how Lou’s metric for gayness is originally based solely on how neat someone’s room is. Like, that’s literally a line out of a Macklemore song. All in all, this book feels like a lovely blend of a lot of my favorite things. Like if you put Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, The Edge of Seventeen (2016), a John Hughes movie, History is All You Left Me, and maybe a sprinkle of Finding Forrester (yes, I realize I’m the only person who remembers that movie) into a cauldron. Stir for a bit, and you’ll get I Want to Kiss You in Public! I believe that makes a pretty powerful potion with quite the kick. Oh, how I adored this simple, emotional, and honest book!
"Tell me, do rockstars kiss outside train stations?”
"I don’t know, and I don’t give a damn.”
I hook a hand behind his neck and bring our lips together.
"Tell me, do rockstars kiss outside train stations?”
"I don’t know, and I don’t give a damn.”
I hook a hand behind his neck and bring our lips together.
January 25, 2023
“You’re so nice. I wonder what you taste like.”
Really enjoyed this book despite some unnecessary (IMO) drama in the last quarter and took a while in the beginning to warm up to the characters and writing style. Happy with how it all ended though.
Really enjoyed this book despite some unnecessary (IMO) drama in the last quarter and took a while in the beginning to warm up to the characters and writing style. Happy with how it all ended though.
May 7, 2024
Reread 01/2023
I loved being in Louis' head again.
Such a unique and amazing story.
5 stars.
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10/2021
This is a fantastic book.
Why haven't more people read it?
I loved Louis.
Louis is unsure of himself, anxious of losing his friends' love, melodramatic, lying to his friends and self loathing. I couldn't help but love him. I think I've never read a ya romance with such a direct view into the heroe's thoughts. I lived inside his head, felt frustrated and sad and lonely and horny and anxious and exasperated and helpless and overwhelmed with happiness along with him.
The author did an amazing job with Louis and his character development. His friends and classmates, Michael, Louis' dad and his wonderful neighbor made the story even better.
5 stars.
I loved being in Louis' head again.
Such a unique and amazing story.
5 stars.
-----
10/2021
This is a fantastic book.
Why haven't more people read it?
I loved Louis.
Louis is unsure of himself, anxious of losing his friends' love, melodramatic, lying to his friends and self loathing. I couldn't help but love him. I think I've never read a ya romance with such a direct view into the heroe's thoughts. I lived inside his head, felt frustrated and sad and lonely and horny and anxious and exasperated and helpless and overwhelmed with happiness along with him.
The author did an amazing job with Louis and his character development. His friends and classmates, Michael, Louis' dad and his wonderful neighbor made the story even better.
5 stars.
October 16, 2021
I stumbled across this book on my timeline and instantly liked the cover. The description, not so much. It sounded too much like “gay for you” *yawn* (Spoiler: It’s not the “gay for you” trope.) But after binge watching all of Squid Game my mind was reeling and I needed some distraction. So I decided to take at least a look into the book. And, well, it was not what I expected. But it was exactly what I needed.
This is a wholesome gay rom-com and amazingly well written too, although a little more editing wouldn’t have hurt. It’s sometimes even a little bit cringe, but I’m still not sure if it’s intended that way or not. The whole story is told first person by Louis – or Lou, as his friends call him – and he is kind of a mess and a “blockhead”. So the storytelling is also a little bit messy, just like him. He’s also a little bit of an unreliable narrator, who misses a lot and doesn’t remember things. He’s also anxious, very much, very very much. To the point where I suspected his memory gaps to be a result of his anxiety. (It’s not thematized in the book though, or rather there are other reasons given instead.)
This book is all you could wish for in a gay romance novel, including a kitschy HEA. Is it perfect? No. Are its little flaws important or take any of the fun? No.
If this book was a drama novel I’d rate it harder, but this is a romance novel. Its only purpose is to give you a good time. And it did. I had a very good time reading this book. So I go with the Goodreads rating “It was amazing”.
This is a wholesome gay rom-com and amazingly well written too, although a little more editing wouldn’t have hurt. It’s sometimes even a little bit cringe, but I’m still not sure if it’s intended that way or not. The whole story is told first person by Louis – or Lou, as his friends call him – and he is kind of a mess and a “blockhead”. So the storytelling is also a little bit messy, just like him. He’s also a little bit of an unreliable narrator, who misses a lot and doesn’t remember things. He’s also anxious, very much, very very much. To the point where I suspected his memory gaps to be a result of his anxiety. (It’s not thematized in the book though, or rather there are other reasons given instead.)
This book is all you could wish for in a gay romance novel, including a kitschy HEA. Is it perfect? No. Are its little flaws important or take any of the fun? No.
If this book was a drama novel I’d rate it harder, but this is a romance novel. Its only purpose is to give you a good time. And it did. I had a very good time reading this book. So I go with the Goodreads rating “It was amazing”.
September 22, 2020
Sweet. Melodramatic. OTT.
I liked this angsty, easy to read , fast paced , fluffy and cute coming of age story , my first by this author.
My rating is 3.5 stars but I rounded up . A story with this rating means to me, I was entertained by this well written and solid tale but I won't be reading it again.
I liked this angsty, easy to read , fast paced , fluffy and cute coming of age story , my first by this author.
My rating is 3.5 stars but I rounded up . A story with this rating means to me, I was entertained by this well written and solid tale but I won't be reading it again.
July 9, 2020
I keep giving YA/NA books chances, and it rarely pays off. I think the book suffered mostly from just WAY too much going on. Too many side characters, arguments, and drama for the sake of drama.
Michael was the shining light in this book, and it needed more of his open kindness to balance things. Being inside Lou’s anxious, paranoid, and self-obsessed mind became very exhausting. MANY situations could’ve been resolved with a simple conversation, but that’s the way of teenagers I guess.
I will say there was quite a bit of fun humor included; especially between Lou and his neighbor, that I enjoyed. Also, that young/first love gotta-have-you-now is my kryptonite. So there were things here that worked for me.
“It was just as I imagined. No. Better. He tasted like like summer on the beachside, like Malabars eaten outside authorised hours, like my first ride on a carousel. He might be an angel. No, a god.”
I forgive a lot in YA/NA books, but that ending was abrupt and vague; a huge pet peeve of mine. That combined with the cheating (with each other not on each other, but still) is resulting in a full star being deducted.
This could use a thorough round of proof-reading and editing as well.
Michael was the shining light in this book, and it needed more of his open kindness to balance things. Being inside Lou’s anxious, paranoid, and self-obsessed mind became very exhausting. MANY situations could’ve been resolved with a simple conversation, but that’s the way of teenagers I guess.
I will say there was quite a bit of fun humor included; especially between Lou and his neighbor, that I enjoyed. Also, that young/first love gotta-have-you-now is my kryptonite. So there were things here that worked for me.
“It was just as I imagined. No. Better. He tasted like like summer on the beachside, like Malabars eaten outside authorised hours, like my first ride on a carousel. He might be an angel. No, a god.”
I forgive a lot in YA/NA books, but that ending was abrupt and vague; a huge pet peeve of mine. That combined with the cheating (with each other not on each other, but still) is resulting in a full star being deducted.
This could use a thorough round of proof-reading and editing as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2024
the amount of drama in this😌🤌.
only wish it was dual pov because at times i just REALLY wanted to know what Michael was thinking.
Right. He’s into dropping bombs, then. I should have known that much. He’s British, after all.this was literally the last place i ever expected to find dark jokes😭😌.
“Don’t worry about me, Miss Eugénie.” I pat her affectionally on the knee. “I think I was always miserable, and every time I was actually happy was just a bump on the road.”Louis, you big baby.
only wish it was dual pov because at times i just REALLY wanted to know what Michael was thinking.
December 2, 2022
‘Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive,’ Honestly, I did a LOT of 🤦♂️ and a great deal of 🙄 ... but finally got this clusterfuck of teens sorted! 😂 It was a challenge, to be sure!
February 22, 2024
Couple of great highlights from
This book.
“You must allow yourself to feel these things. They hurt you now, I know, and they will hurt you more. But you must remember that they will fade away. That’s what they are: feelings. Terrible feelings, but they will disappear eventually. Soon enough, you will smile again. But to heal faster, you must learn to forgive too.”
“They worry about the weather,” Eugénie says. “They worry about change. They worry people will leave them. They worry about death. Eventually, it rains, everything changes, everybody leaves, and everybody dies.”
I absolute loved this book I’m glad I stumbled across it and decided to read it. I loved Louis and Micheal’s growth as a couple and Louis growth as an individual. This book had it all drama, self reflection, love, great friendships and laughter I’ll definitely be reading the others in the Colette international series.
This book.
“You must allow yourself to feel these things. They hurt you now, I know, and they will hurt you more. But you must remember that they will fade away. That’s what they are: feelings. Terrible feelings, but they will disappear eventually. Soon enough, you will smile again. But to heal faster, you must learn to forgive too.”
“They worry about the weather,” Eugénie says. “They worry about change. They worry people will leave them. They worry about death. Eventually, it rains, everything changes, everybody leaves, and everybody dies.”
I absolute loved this book I’m glad I stumbled across it and decided to read it. I loved Louis and Micheal’s growth as a couple and Louis growth as an individual. This book had it all drama, self reflection, love, great friendships and laughter I’ll definitely be reading the others in the Colette international series.
November 27, 2021
⭐︎3.5 stars rounded up!⭐︎
Before I get into the review, just letting you guys know that the Cheating tag is for the MC, Louis, cheating on his girlfriend Lucie with the other MC, Michael. There is no cheating on each other that they do, just cheating on a SO with the other. But it is still cheating so I'm tagging it with that, even if it isn't on each other.
I waffled between rounding down or up, as there were quite a few things that frustrated me, but ultimately I did enjoy these two together a lot, so I'm giving the book credit for writing their relationship and chemistry so well and rounding up.
I do have to say, this author did a good job of writing teenagers. They are all 17/18, in their last year of high school, and they all felt like teenagers, they all talked like teenagers, Louis did stupid shit that teenagers do. I appreciated the realism in that regard.
Louis it the main character, and he is certainly flawed. He doesn't communicate well - and honestly to be fair neither does anyone else, including Michael who feels the most mature of the bunch - and he tries for so long to conform to what Tony, his best friend, seems to want him to be, losing his actual identity in the process.
I don't fully blame Tony for it, because I don't think he meant for Louis to change who he was for him, but he did it anyway, unintentionally or not set the expectations of who they should be and he really annoyed me from the beginning.
This really was a journey for Louis to go through. Make no mistake, this is also a romance and ends on a pretty solid HFN between our two MC's, but it still felt primarily like Louis' journey. We don't even get Michael's POV.
Which, I think this book suffered a bit for. And I don't know if the author was trying for this, but to me it seems like we didn't get his POV just so at the end when the drama happens, we'd question him along with Louis and be on the edge of our seat along with him and not knowing what to believe. For a bit I actually wondered if this was a romance book and would end with a HFN/HEA. Because Louis believed what he was told so easily and quickly and he seemed so done with Michael, that I was like...is that all we get? Is it gonna end unhappily??
Thankfully it didn't, but I do wish the drama hadn't been as contrived as it was. I get Louis being in his feelings about it, but we barely got to hear anything from Michael. That frustrated me a lot throughout this, when the characters didn't communicate any of what they were feeling, or would just start to say something and something would distract them, they'd get interrupted or whatever and it'd be dropped.
And I get that they were in high school, but that didn't make it any less frustrating. The ending drama results in a dramatic (although kinda funny with Louis' older neighbor friend and his father tagging along for some much needed humor) race to find Michael before he leaves (although to be fair, Michael says he was just leaving with his parents for the week and would have been back to take his finals lol)
Anyway, for drama I think we still could have gotten plenty without making it so contrived. Louis takes the word of a girl (Michael's ex-girlfriend) so easily without even wanting to listen to Michael's side, who he's been getting to know for months.
I just think there can be drama without making it contrived and OTT. It'll still be an interesting story if it isn't OTT and so melodramatic. Even for high schoolers.
But, even with this frustrations, I did enjoy these two together, and loved their chemistry. We got many kisses - no other steam, just off page with a hint that they did something more sexual, which is fine for a young adult novel - and I felt it when they kissed, felt that chemistry.
Of course Louis was cheating on his girlfriend, Lucie. Even thought they didn't really love each other, and Lucie had kissed Tony at the party in the beginning, we later learn and Louis realized he was gay later on, that still doesn't make it okay. He makes out with Michael many times (and maybe more. I'm still not sure what exactly they did. It makes it seem with one thought by Louis there might have been blowjobs, but I can't be sure. It doesn't even have them talk about it in explicit terms, which...I think it could have done.) and thinks about ending it with Lucie several times but is too cowardly to.
Near the end he, Lucie and Tony talk it out and actually make up, even with his cheating, and actually get back to being tentative friends, so the fallout isn't too bad, but yeah....don't cheat, even if your relationship is tenuous at best. Still doesn't make it right. I mean, if he and Lucie were practically over from the beginning, why even stay together? Louis had his reasons, but they were based in fear.
I do like that he owned up to his actions, at least, and didn't try to make excuses for it to Lucie. That was a plus. It all worked out in the end anyway with Lucie realizing she loved Tony, who loved her back.
The ending also could have been done better. It was a little abrupt, and I don't think it wrapped up their story as neatly as it could have. It would have been nice to have an epilogue showing them settling into being together as boyfriends and all we got was them making up after the OTT drama and then a super small chapter with just a description of everyone having fun at Louis' birthday party. It was a weaker ending than it could have been. Plus, the book ends at 84% and the rest is 4 chapters of the next book. I'm not a fan of when books do that. A chapter or excerpt, sure, that's fine, but 4 whole chapters? And ending the book way before even 90%? No thanks, don't like that.
So overall, I liked this, and I enjoyed Louis and Michael together, and Louis was certainly a complex, interesting main character, and their chemistry was so so good. But there were quite a few things this could have improved upon.
I don't know if I'll read the next in this series. I might. I'll keep it in mind, at least. But as for this one, it was alright, I liked it, but it could have been a lot better.
Before I get into the review, just letting you guys know that the Cheating tag is for the MC, Louis, cheating on his girlfriend Lucie with the other MC, Michael. There is no cheating on each other that they do, just cheating on a SO with the other. But it is still cheating so I'm tagging it with that, even if it isn't on each other.
I waffled between rounding down or up, as there were quite a few things that frustrated me, but ultimately I did enjoy these two together a lot, so I'm giving the book credit for writing their relationship and chemistry so well and rounding up.
I do have to say, this author did a good job of writing teenagers. They are all 17/18, in their last year of high school, and they all felt like teenagers, they all talked like teenagers, Louis did stupid shit that teenagers do. I appreciated the realism in that regard.
Louis it the main character, and he is certainly flawed. He doesn't communicate well - and honestly to be fair neither does anyone else, including Michael who feels the most mature of the bunch - and he tries for so long to conform to what Tony, his best friend, seems to want him to be, losing his actual identity in the process.
I don't fully blame Tony for it, because I don't think he meant for Louis to change who he was for him, but he did it anyway, unintentionally or not set the expectations of who they should be and he really annoyed me from the beginning.
This really was a journey for Louis to go through. Make no mistake, this is also a romance and ends on a pretty solid HFN between our two MC's, but it still felt primarily like Louis' journey. We don't even get Michael's POV.
Which, I think this book suffered a bit for. And I don't know if the author was trying for this, but to me it seems like we didn't get his POV just so at the end when the drama happens, we'd question him along with Louis and be on the edge of our seat along with him and not knowing what to believe. For a bit I actually wondered if this was a romance book and would end with a HFN/HEA. Because Louis believed what he was told so easily and quickly and he seemed so done with Michael, that I was like...is that all we get? Is it gonna end unhappily??
Thankfully it didn't, but I do wish the drama hadn't been as contrived as it was. I get Louis being in his feelings about it, but we barely got to hear anything from Michael. That frustrated me a lot throughout this, when the characters didn't communicate any of what they were feeling, or would just start to say something and something would distract them, they'd get interrupted or whatever and it'd be dropped.
And I get that they were in high school, but that didn't make it any less frustrating. The ending drama results in a dramatic (although kinda funny with Louis' older neighbor friend and his father tagging along for some much needed humor) race to find Michael before he leaves (although to be fair, Michael says he was just leaving with his parents for the week and would have been back to take his finals lol)
Anyway, for drama I think we still could have gotten plenty without making it so contrived. Louis takes the word of a girl (Michael's ex-girlfriend) so easily without even wanting to listen to Michael's side, who he's been getting to know for months.
I just think there can be drama without making it contrived and OTT. It'll still be an interesting story if it isn't OTT and so melodramatic. Even for high schoolers.
But, even with this frustrations, I did enjoy these two together, and loved their chemistry. We got many kisses - no other steam, just off page with a hint that they did something more sexual, which is fine for a young adult novel - and I felt it when they kissed, felt that chemistry.
Of course Louis was cheating on his girlfriend, Lucie. Even thought they didn't really love each other, and Lucie had kissed Tony at the party in the beginning, we later learn and Louis realized he was gay later on, that still doesn't make it okay. He makes out with Michael many times (and maybe more. I'm still not sure what exactly they did. It makes it seem with one thought by Louis there might have been blowjobs, but I can't be sure. It doesn't even have them talk about it in explicit terms, which...I think it could have done.) and thinks about ending it with Lucie several times but is too cowardly to.
Near the end he, Lucie and Tony talk it out and actually make up, even with his cheating, and actually get back to being tentative friends, so the fallout isn't too bad, but yeah....don't cheat, even if your relationship is tenuous at best. Still doesn't make it right. I mean, if he and Lucie were practically over from the beginning, why even stay together? Louis had his reasons, but they were based in fear.
I do like that he owned up to his actions, at least, and didn't try to make excuses for it to Lucie. That was a plus. It all worked out in the end anyway with Lucie realizing she loved Tony, who loved her back.
The ending also could have been done better. It was a little abrupt, and I don't think it wrapped up their story as neatly as it could have. It would have been nice to have an epilogue showing them settling into being together as boyfriends and all we got was them making up after the OTT drama and then a super small chapter with just a description of everyone having fun at Louis' birthday party. It was a weaker ending than it could have been. Plus, the book ends at 84% and the rest is 4 chapters of the next book. I'm not a fan of when books do that. A chapter or excerpt, sure, that's fine, but 4 whole chapters? And ending the book way before even 90%? No thanks, don't like that.
So overall, I liked this, and I enjoyed Louis and Michael together, and Louis was certainly a complex, interesting main character, and their chemistry was so so good. But there were quite a few things this could have improved upon.
I don't know if I'll read the next in this series. I might. I'll keep it in mind, at least. But as for this one, it was alright, I liked it, but it could have been a lot better.
October 17, 2021
Sometimes this novel is well written and has amazing turn of phrase. At others I wished the translation from French to English had been done better. And if it was written in English then shame on them.
The story about the coming of age of French boy Louis and British Michael in a Parisian school is engrossing and stocked with fleshed out characters. It lacks Parisian charm, missing so much of that in the telling. Louis is our storyteller and he is over anything tourist though. He is anxious and absorbed with fitting in.
He falls for Michael as does everyone. But Michael has secrets. Louis has secrets. These cause great strife. Don’t worry. It is not too artsy to not have a HEA.
I really cared for them even while screaming that a simple conversation would end this madness. But alas they are well drawn teenagers.
It’s a fun read.
The story about the coming of age of French boy Louis and British Michael in a Parisian school is engrossing and stocked with fleshed out characters. It lacks Parisian charm, missing so much of that in the telling. Louis is our storyteller and he is over anything tourist though. He is anxious and absorbed with fitting in.
He falls for Michael as does everyone. But Michael has secrets. Louis has secrets. These cause great strife. Don’t worry. It is not too artsy to not have a HEA.
I really cared for them even while screaming that a simple conversation would end this madness. But alas they are well drawn teenagers.
It’s a fun read.
January 16, 2022
A fun and charming book. Full of angst and misunderstanding, which is so typical when your begining to gasp your identity and sexuality. It was a perfect book to bear the current heat wave in Argentina 🥵❤️☺️.
September 15, 2020
Not yet eighteen but at the top of my world, obsessed with my own madness, sandwiched between the two people I love the most in the world. I don’t want it to end. I think I’ve got it all figured out.
first up I acknowledge that there are a fair amount of typos here which i tried my best to ignore because other than that? this was a really good story!
Louis is about to turn 18 and has faked his way through high school. He tries to be cool and chilled but doesn't really know who he is, he just wants to get by without people looking too closely at him.
Also, he is very much a dumb teenager and needed a good shake or two as he messed up badly - enter the elderly and fucking fabulous Ms Eugenie. Louis making friends with his worldly elderly neighbour was unspeakably endearing.
“That Michael. What’s his deal? Is he gay or what?”
Wouldn’t I like to know! Take a ticket and wait in line, bro. “What?”
Louis is completely oblivious and a total mess. I got major Know not why vibes which is a book i love.
The other characters were interesting and added a whole lot to the story. I of course thought Lucie deserved better, which luckily she got.
Overall, would recommend this sweet, funny coming of age story.
You have to know that I lose track of about half of everything you say every time I look at your face.
first up I acknowledge that there are a fair amount of typos here which i tried my best to ignore because other than that? this was a really good story!
Louis is about to turn 18 and has faked his way through high school. He tries to be cool and chilled but doesn't really know who he is, he just wants to get by without people looking too closely at him.
Also, he is very much a dumb teenager and needed a good shake or two as he messed up badly - enter the elderly and fucking fabulous Ms Eugenie. Louis making friends with his worldly elderly neighbour was unspeakably endearing.
“That Michael. What’s his deal? Is he gay or what?”
Wouldn’t I like to know! Take a ticket and wait in line, bro. “What?”
Louis is completely oblivious and a total mess. I got major Know not why vibes which is a book i love.
The other characters were interesting and added a whole lot to the story. I of course thought Lucie deserved better, which luckily she got.
Overall, would recommend this sweet, funny coming of age story.
You have to know that I lose track of about half of everything you say every time I look at your face.
September 19, 2021
Ok review time. This is hard as I didn't dislike the book just aspects of it.
What I liked
The overall storyline was sweet
The relationship with his neighbour
Louis (in the end)
Michael (from the start)
What I disliked
The constant comments about not being gay
The references to straight being normal
Tony and most of the school kids
The grammar and spelling errors
Whilst it's mostly fairly well written the grammar and spelling was off in places and needed editing a proof reading.
The author is clearly not a gay man and I feel struggled to convey to the reader what it's like to come out as a gay man. Too many references to "normal" and failed attempts to acknowledge his queerness.
In the end I didn't mind it, the story was sweet if not a bit immature.
What I liked
The overall storyline was sweet
The relationship with his neighbour
Louis (in the end)
Michael (from the start)
What I disliked
The constant comments about not being gay
The references to straight being normal
Tony and most of the school kids
The grammar and spelling errors
Whilst it's mostly fairly well written the grammar and spelling was off in places and needed editing a proof reading.
The author is clearly not a gay man and I feel struggled to convey to the reader what it's like to come out as a gay man. Too many references to "normal" and failed attempts to acknowledge his queerness.
In the end I didn't mind it, the story was sweet if not a bit immature.
August 26, 2023
3.75 stars
RTF...
RTF...
October 29, 2021
I Want to Kiss You in Public. I want to kiss this book in public. What a wonderful story. What crazy characters. What and insane amount of tension that has left me with frayed nerves that I don’t think will ever heel!
Louis is a character, honestly. Constantly anxious, a liar, a cheater, quite possibly mental, closeted and a bunch of other things that come together to make a wreck of a human who i found utterly hilarious and ridiculous and could not help routing for! He is so paranoid and neurotic and I flipping love him. Overly dramatic and honestly crazy. A wonderful character.
Micheal is a sweetheart. So adorable and cute, smart, sweet, sincere and let’s be honest, fit. Laid-back, positive, hopeful and just the complete opposite of Louis.
These two. My goodness. The steamy looks, the confusion, the toilet cubicle, this miscommunications, the lies, the essays. I could fully understand how Louis felt reading this book, I was anxious the whole time! I wanted so badly for everything to work out between Louis and Michael but as previous mention, Louis is a crazy person hi makes crazy decisions with his crazy brain! I’m still anxious, and I’ve finished the book! It’s so worth it though; this was adorable and difficult and heart-breaking and butterfly-inducing and all the wonderful things in between.
Louis is a character, honestly. Constantly anxious, a liar, a cheater, quite possibly mental, closeted and a bunch of other things that come together to make a wreck of a human who i found utterly hilarious and ridiculous and could not help routing for! He is so paranoid and neurotic and I flipping love him. Overly dramatic and honestly crazy. A wonderful character.
Micheal is a sweetheart. So adorable and cute, smart, sweet, sincere and let’s be honest, fit. Laid-back, positive, hopeful and just the complete opposite of Louis.
These two. My goodness. The steamy looks, the confusion, the toilet cubicle, this miscommunications, the lies, the essays. I could fully understand how Louis felt reading this book, I was anxious the whole time! I wanted so badly for everything to work out between Louis and Michael but as previous mention, Louis is a crazy person hi makes crazy decisions with his crazy brain! I’m still anxious, and I’ve finished the book! It’s so worth it though; this was adorable and difficult and heart-breaking and butterfly-inducing and all the wonderful things in between.
June 21, 2020
at first i was like meh maybe bcs i was hellbent not to like this book (i'm moody alright) but i keep going and i'm REALLY glad i did bcs this story is everything.
i like how louis narrates things he's funny in his head. cute cute cute this deserves fame like any other YA books from big publishers like simon and what if it's us.
i truly enjoyed it. i was like meh to all smiles throughout the story 💖💝💖💝💖💝
i like how louis narrates things he's funny in his head. cute cute cute this deserves fame like any other YA books from big publishers like simon and what if it's us.
i truly enjoyed it. i was like meh to all smiles throughout the story 💖💝💖💝💖💝
November 19, 2021
A pretty enjoyable read although Lou was exhausting . I would have liked to know Michel better..I would have liked for Lou to get to know Michael better. By the end I couldn’t stand Lou at all but I loved Michael so I added an extra star just for him.
June 20, 2021
It was long and angsty, with a little tiny need of editing, but overall very very good writing.
July 31, 2023
cute, angsty high school romance
Great pacing and convincing depiction of the mc. A fun book. It really absorbed me. Rounding up from 4. something.
Great pacing and convincing depiction of the mc. A fun book. It really absorbed me. Rounding up from 4. something.
February 12, 2024
4.5 stars
July 25, 2020
I Want to Kiss You in Public is a hilarious, fun, coming of age gay romance that I found hard to put down. Right from the start, I was drawn to Louis and his way of thinking. His constant, deep anxiety that he hides under a phony rockstar facade and an "I don't give a shit" attitude was all too real and relatable. The way he wanted people to like him even when he didn't necessarily like them himself was something I also found too relatable lol
And Michael... I loved Michael, he was so sweet and genuine and cute. I love nerdy characters like him, who are unabashedly nerds, who somehow manage to get people falling over themselves to get them to like them when they're secretly a wreck themselves. Much like Louis, I quickly fell for him. His backstory broke my heart, as well.
I loved how their relationship started, with Louis' social anxiety making him freak out when Michael tries to talk to him in the bathroom, with Louis putting his foot in his mouth later that day, then Louis being like "oh no, he must think I'm bad and stupid, I gotta fix this... for some reason" then becoming utterly in love with this guy... it was such a fun journey being inside Louis' mind for it all.
One thing that I enjoyed that I don't see as often in books, or at least not as often as one would expect, is that Louis actually deals with struggling to understand if he's truly attracted to girls vs he's only ever been Lucie because it's what's "expected" of him. I think it could have gone more in depth with the whole thing, but it's nice because I haven't seen many books with gay guys have to deal with that.
My biggest bit of criticism about the book though is And there were a few typos and grammar errors I noticed here and there, particularly towards the end, but as a self published novel, I found it remarkably good in terms of overall spelling and grammar.
I did like the side characters too. I LOVED Eugenie, I love a sassy old lady character and all of her interactions with Louis were both hilarious and heartfelt. I liked the golden fork and almost wish we got to see more of them. Francois was great in particular. I wish we could have gotten to know Yasmine a bit more as well.
Overall, I absolutely loved the book. It was one of those that I found compelling right from the very start, and I rarely ever wanted to put it down, even to go to sleep. Louis was so real and relatable, and I was drawn to him and Michael from the very start. The writing was fun, funny, but not without strong emotional scenes as well. I read it for free through kindle unlimited, but once I finished, I went ahead and bought it because it was so good and I wanted to support the author. I loved the writing style and am eagerly looking forward to more of her work.
And Michael... I loved Michael, he was so sweet and genuine and cute. I love nerdy characters like him, who are unabashedly nerds, who somehow manage to get people falling over themselves to get them to like them when they're secretly a wreck themselves. Much like Louis, I quickly fell for him. His backstory broke my heart, as well.
I loved how their relationship started, with Louis' social anxiety making him freak out when Michael tries to talk to him in the bathroom, with Louis putting his foot in his mouth later that day, then Louis being like "oh no, he must think I'm bad and stupid, I gotta fix this... for some reason" then becoming utterly in love with this guy... it was such a fun journey being inside Louis' mind for it all.
One thing that I enjoyed that I don't see as often in books, or at least not as often as one would expect, is that Louis actually deals with struggling to understand if he's truly attracted to girls vs he's only ever been Lucie because it's what's "expected" of him. I think it could have gone more in depth with the whole thing, but it's nice because I haven't seen many books with gay guys have to deal with that.
My biggest bit of criticism about the book though is And there were a few typos and grammar errors I noticed here and there, particularly towards the end, but as a self published novel, I found it remarkably good in terms of overall spelling and grammar.
I did like the side characters too. I LOVED Eugenie, I love a sassy old lady character and all of her interactions with Louis were both hilarious and heartfelt. I liked the golden fork and almost wish we got to see more of them. Francois was great in particular. I wish we could have gotten to know Yasmine a bit more as well.
Overall, I absolutely loved the book. It was one of those that I found compelling right from the very start, and I rarely ever wanted to put it down, even to go to sleep. Louis was so real and relatable, and I was drawn to him and Michael from the very start. The writing was fun, funny, but not without strong emotional scenes as well. I read it for free through kindle unlimited, but once I finished, I went ahead and bought it because it was so good and I wanted to support the author. I loved the writing style and am eagerly looking forward to more of her work.
July 30, 2023
I loved the character arc for Louis! I have to admit, after the first couple of chapters I was finding it pretty hard to like him. He was rude, obnoxious and treated other people badly.
But as he gets to know Michael, and more important as he gets to understand himself, his arc is beautiful taking him from someone so desperate to be different (as a way of hiding who he really is) to someone more open, honest and lovable.
The final few chapters I adored because I’m a sucker for a happy ending and a big, cheesy declaration of love 💕
I wish we could have explore their journey more, perhaps in London? 🇬🇧
But as he gets to know Michael, and more important as he gets to understand himself, his arc is beautiful taking him from someone so desperate to be different (as a way of hiding who he really is) to someone more open, honest and lovable.
The final few chapters I adored because I’m a sucker for a happy ending and a big, cheesy declaration of love 💕
I wish we could have explore their journey more, perhaps in London? 🇬🇧
April 27, 2023
This was utterly chaotic, but addictive. The biggest hot mess of a protagonist ever.
August 16, 2021
I did not get very far before I started skimming and then just gave up entirely. The main character seemed fairly dumb, tbh. I also didn't like the writing.
September 24, 2022
Good ending but ZOMG the teenaged angst it took to get to that point! Thr first 60%+ draaaaaaged on for so long, almost wasn't sure if I had the stamina to finish.
January 7, 2023
I Want To Kiss You In Public - Coming of Age Book 1- Colette Intel)
I think ‘ Coming of Age’ and YA Romances are more heart wrenching that romances of more mature age groups. ‘I Want To Kiss You In Public’ ripped my heart in two and made me cry.
Set in Colette International School In Paris, it tells the story of relationships between a bunch of mostly 18 year old students in their final year.
Louis lives with his Dad, his mother having left them for another man when Louis was twelve years old. He misses her dreadfully, but she hardly ever contacts him. He has a girlfriend Lucie and his best friend is Tony. Louis is highly influenced by Tony and tries to live up to his ideals and expectations of him. Louis tells them he plans to go to London when he finishes at Colette in Summer. Lucie wants more from Louis than he is ready to give and Louis doesn’t know why he feels like that. Lucie is a beautiful girl and nice person.
At half term a new student arrives in Louis class, Michael, from London. He is a nerdy type according to Louis who sees himself as a kind of James Dean/Rockstar type. When the Tutor assigns Michael as Louis partner on a project Louis is not happy.
Louis is having problems in English Lit class and if he doesn’t improve his father won’t fund his London aspirations. So he eventually buckles down To the task with much help from Michael and of course his assignment gets him his highest score ever. Gradually their relationship improves and they have social outings, movies, museum visits. Louis feels drawn more and more to Michael.
His girlfriend and Tony are getting annoyed because he is not as available to them and things start to get really confusing for the three of them. There are also other side characters who have interests in Louis, Michael and Lucie. So it’s not long before something gives at a house party with lots of alcohol and weed, etc.
So, between, denial, lies, Insecurities, distrust, everything explodes.
What left of long time friendships, possible new relationships, who is telling the truth?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So glad I wasn’t wearing mascara while reading this, 😭😭😭😭😭. Growing up can be so painful, especially when learning about friendships, romantic relationships, learning to trust, and more importantly learning who you are and trusting yourself.
I really got attached to Louis and Michael and eventually Francois. Loved that Louis had such a great friend in his neighbour, the 70 year old Eugenie.
This is my first time reading Zelda French and she has done an excellent job in developing the main characters and some of their friends, plus building such a good storyline. This is Book 1 of Colette International Series and I’ll read some more as soon as I find them on KU hopefully.
I think ‘ Coming of Age’ and YA Romances are more heart wrenching that romances of more mature age groups. ‘I Want To Kiss You In Public’ ripped my heart in two and made me cry.
Set in Colette International School In Paris, it tells the story of relationships between a bunch of mostly 18 year old students in their final year.
Louis lives with his Dad, his mother having left them for another man when Louis was twelve years old. He misses her dreadfully, but she hardly ever contacts him. He has a girlfriend Lucie and his best friend is Tony. Louis is highly influenced by Tony and tries to live up to his ideals and expectations of him. Louis tells them he plans to go to London when he finishes at Colette in Summer. Lucie wants more from Louis than he is ready to give and Louis doesn’t know why he feels like that. Lucie is a beautiful girl and nice person.
At half term a new student arrives in Louis class, Michael, from London. He is a nerdy type according to Louis who sees himself as a kind of James Dean/Rockstar type. When the Tutor assigns Michael as Louis partner on a project Louis is not happy.
Louis is having problems in English Lit class and if he doesn’t improve his father won’t fund his London aspirations. So he eventually buckles down To the task with much help from Michael and of course his assignment gets him his highest score ever. Gradually their relationship improves and they have social outings, movies, museum visits. Louis feels drawn more and more to Michael.
His girlfriend and Tony are getting annoyed because he is not as available to them and things start to get really confusing for the three of them. There are also other side characters who have interests in Louis, Michael and Lucie. So it’s not long before something gives at a house party with lots of alcohol and weed, etc.
So, between, denial, lies, Insecurities, distrust, everything explodes.
What left of long time friendships, possible new relationships, who is telling the truth?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So glad I wasn’t wearing mascara while reading this, 😭😭😭😭😭. Growing up can be so painful, especially when learning about friendships, romantic relationships, learning to trust, and more importantly learning who you are and trusting yourself.
I really got attached to Louis and Michael and eventually Francois. Loved that Louis had such a great friend in his neighbour, the 70 year old Eugenie.
This is my first time reading Zelda French and she has done an excellent job in developing the main characters and some of their friends, plus building such a good storyline. This is Book 1 of Colette International Series and I’ll read some more as soon as I find them on KU hopefully.
August 13, 2024
From page one I detested the main character. This book should have been told from the perspective of the likeable, vaguely intelligent, seemingly selfless character who put up with all the bs of the idiotic, selfish actual MC... This book was full of cheating, gaslighting, hiding, lying and then acting as if everyone else was to blame. Even when he realised he was being an idiot or when he realised he should be acting differently he would either put off decent actions out of a selfish desire for normalcy or make his apology all about himself, woe is me etc etc. There is only so much that can be blamed on him being a French teenager. He was one of the least redeemable characters I have ever had the displeasure of reading the POV of. Michael deserves better.
Honestly, this was one long story about a guy with barely any personality beyond what his friend tells him to be, a drug problem and no life goals, figuring out he is gay all while managing to get away with never becoming a decent person. Until the end he is an arsehole. Everyone around him laughs and thinks it's endearing that he is rude and selfish, even if they yell at him for that behaviour they forgive him and then allow him to resume it. He learns nothing. He doesn't even face up to breaking up with his girlfriend, even after realising he is gay, she's the one that ends up having to leave him. Then it's all oh boohoo I'm alone. As if it's not his own bloody fault for failing to be honest with anyone around him.
His old woman neighbour is the best character. Yet he only goes to her to whine and never asks about her life. When he finds out she lost someone recently it's all '9h why didn't she tell me?' maybe because you're an arsehole who never thinks about anyone but yourself? Same with Michael, he doesn't care about his interests or his family life, when Michael comes to tell him his parents made up, MC is all 'why is he telling me?'. Yet he still gets the guy in the end?
I hope Michael left this miserable, selfish, cheating arsehole soon after this book ended. You can't fix that type of person. The MC ruined this book. The writing was good, the plot fine, the romance even sweet at times, but how can you enjoy a book where the MC is the worst of society?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Honestly, this was one long story about a guy with barely any personality beyond what his friend tells him to be, a drug problem and no life goals, figuring out he is gay all while managing to get away with never becoming a decent person. Until the end he is an arsehole. Everyone around him laughs and thinks it's endearing that he is rude and selfish, even if they yell at him for that behaviour they forgive him and then allow him to resume it. He learns nothing. He doesn't even face up to breaking up with his girlfriend, even after realising he is gay, she's the one that ends up having to leave him. Then it's all oh boohoo I'm alone. As if it's not his own bloody fault for failing to be honest with anyone around him.
His old woman neighbour is the best character. Yet he only goes to her to whine and never asks about her life. When he finds out she lost someone recently it's all '9h why didn't she tell me?' maybe because you're an arsehole who never thinks about anyone but yourself? Same with Michael, he doesn't care about his interests or his family life, when Michael comes to tell him his parents made up, MC is all 'why is he telling me?'. Yet he still gets the guy in the end?
I hope Michael left this miserable, selfish, cheating arsehole soon after this book ended. You can't fix that type of person. The MC ruined this book. The writing was good, the plot fine, the romance even sweet at times, but how can you enjoy a book where the MC is the worst of society?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 29, 2025
What a crazy book!
Full of tension, passion, and chaotic decisions that kept me on edge the whole time.
Louis is a hilarious mess—anxious, deceitful, neurotic, and completely unhinged—but absolutely impossible not to love. Michael, on the other hand, is sweet, calm, and understanding, his total opposite.
And their chemistry? Explosive!
Even with the first-person narration, all the characters feel well-developed and layered.
The balance between cute, heartbreaking, and downright absurd moments is spot on. It was fun, it was stressful, it was absolutely captivating.
Highly recommend!
Full of tension, passion, and chaotic decisions that kept me on edge the whole time.
Louis is a hilarious mess—anxious, deceitful, neurotic, and completely unhinged—but absolutely impossible not to love. Michael, on the other hand, is sweet, calm, and understanding, his total opposite.
And their chemistry? Explosive!
Even with the first-person narration, all the characters feel well-developed and layered.
The balance between cute, heartbreaking, and downright absurd moments is spot on. It was fun, it was stressful, it was absolutely captivating.
Highly recommend!
March 31, 2022
SO CUTEEEE, But fucking communicate bitches, Michaels heart legit stopped when Louis told him what Abiscus or whatever her name is said. And Louis is a really dumb kid man, like why would you in your right mind believe your boyfriends ex's bullshit? AND HOW DID U NOT REALIZE FRANCOIS LIKED U BITCH? I fucking love Tony tho man I STAN.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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