Butterfly Kisses

by Alexandria Mae

I am one extremely tired college student at her breaking point. Tired of dealing with my toxic family, tired of trying to stay on top of my marine biology course, tired from my craptastic barista job but mostly, tired from not sleeping.

I’m dead on my feet.

Out of the blue, I receive an accidental text - not meant for me - that ends up with an instant connection to Luke; certain blonde hair and blue-eyed sweetheart with a smile that makes me weak in the knees. We decide to strike up a friendship, and as external forces force me to confront my issues creating a domino effect that leads to lines blurring and walls crashing down.

Is our friendship for real or are feelings involved?

Genres: Romance

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 22, 2025

About the author

Alexandria Mae is a new romance author who loves all the steamy romances with the happily ever after they all deserve.

She promises that all her books will have HEAs, even after all the trauma she makes her characters deal with. After reading so many romances, she has finally decided to take the leap and write her own. When she is not writing, you can find her reading romance books or cuddling her pup.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Harrold · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to @lovenotes.pr for the ARC. Having read the synopsis for this one it sounded like a great premise for a book and I was grateful to have the opportunity to read the ARC. Usually grammatical mistakes and the occasional wrong or missed word doesn’t bother me or impact my reviews but there were just too many in this book unfortunately. It felt like there were issues in every chapter and it really impacted my enjoyment of this book. I also found it wasn’t really clear where the book was set, at times it seemed like it was set in the US but then some references would pop up that made it sound more like the UK so that was pretty jarring. I also felt like the way Luke and Aurie spoke to each other didn’t feel natural, especially for 2 20/21 year olds. I also feel like the nicknames were over used. I did, however, like how patient Luke was with Aurie and how they both helped each other heal from past and current trauma. I think this book would probably benefit a lot from another pass through an editor/proofreader.

[Samantha G · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Overall this book was a 1.5/5 ⭐ for me. I understand where the author was going with her story, it just fell a little flat for me. As I was reading the book it didn't really feel like there was a problem that the characters were going to have to face to drive the story forward. The FMC has some family trauma (girl, don't we all lol) and I feel that the author could have played more into it and made it seem like more of an impact to the FMC. Yes, she was upset when having interactions with her family, but once she left it didn't really go much farther from there. This book seemed to have two separate stories Aurie's life in college and Aurie's life when she goes home some nights for dinner. Some characters felt like they were just thrown into the book to add some substance, like Elsie or her coworker at the cafe. I wanted them to be more involved. I wasn't expecting this story to turn into a girl falling for a guy and ignoring everyone else around her. The MMC's trauma that lead him to be fearful of relationships was thrown in haphazardly and I feel that it could have made more of an impact if it was introduced and shown in a different way. The spicy scenes felt awkward at times and it made it difficult to read. Some scenes would start off good and then the FMC would make a "sassy comment" that made it feel very juvenile and very uncomfortable.

Overall I think the author did a good job for this being her first/one of her first published books. Don't stop creating!

[denice ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was given the opportunity to read this ARC - a big thank you to Love Note PR and Alexandria!! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to not only work with them for the first time but also finding A NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR! Alexandria’s writing reminded me a bit of Emily Henry and even a bit of BK Borison (which are both a few of my favorite authors). The writing style was so easy to read and the pacing was so good! It was so lovely curling up, reading on kindle, and easefully sink drop into Aurie’s world. It truly speaks to her writing style. This book was for the most part really light hearted and cutesy. I really liked the dynamic between Aurie and Luke - but that might just be because I have a sweet spot for golden retrievers. And oh is Luke one. Won’t say much more and spoil the fun, but I adored him calling her Princess and shifting her view on fairytales - see what I mean? Super cutesy. The “friend date” they went to helped me connect a bit more the name of the title and just how endearing Aurie is as our residential butterfly expert might I add! I love intentionally in a book. This book was a quick read - I finished it within a few hours (4-). Despite being a fast read, it didn’t feel as though the plot was scattered or as though the chapters didn’t flow smoothly - which is lovely!! Ultimately, this book was sweet, easy to read and had a steady pace, and both the plot and chapters flowed nicely. I must also add a little cherry on top. That cherry on top of course being spice.. and as a girlie that loves spicy, it was tasteful and very satisfying!

[Briana Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review ✨
First I would like to say a big thank you to Alexandria for letting me be apart of this ARC Team!
Rate: 4/5⭐️
Spice: 2/5🌶️

What to expect when reading Butterfly Kisses;
-College Romance
-Golden Retriever x Black Cat
-No 3rd Act
-Slow burn
-Healing Romance


Aurie & Luke are the definition of golden retriever and black cat vibes and I’m here for every second of it! Snappy banter with chefs kiss. Auries personality reminds me so much of my sister and I loved it. This story made me laugh, made me mad at the villains, but also had me giddy with the way these two were with each other. I love the set up of the book. I wasn’t sure what to expect when it came to the healing romance aspect of it, but having people in your corner and showing all aspects of trauma was really well done. This being Alexandria’s debut, this was wonderfully done and I can’t wait to read more from her.


Make sure you get your copy of the book when it releases April 22nd💚
#bookstagram #romance #review

[Amanda Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the premise of this book is fun and interesting, I definitely feel like this is a new adult/almost YA book (minus the spice). The characters are young, and that comes across fairly early on in the way they talk to one another, as well as when they interact with their peers. There were times when the book was confusing, and some topics, were heavily discussed early on but then not really touched on later in the book, almost as if they were forgotten. Considering this is Alexandria's debut book, I think she did a great job developing the characters and showing Aurie's growth throughout the book, as well as creating a kind and supportive MMC to help Aurie through some of her trauma. I do think dual POV would have helped build a deeper connection between Luke and the reader, but overall, the story was heartwarming, at times sad, but also very sweet.

[Cassie Hammer · Rating 1 out of 5]

A special thank you to Love Notes PR and author Alexandria Mae for selecting me to receive an ARC of Butterfly Kisses which was released on April 22. This is my honest and voluntary review:

Unfortunately, I decided to DNF this book at 14%. I felt that it was a little to YA for me and I had that feeling right at the beginning. While I knew this was a college romance it felt more like high school with the characters and their personalities as well as how they acted and spoke. I found Aurie's interactions with her family to be uncomfortable and the way they spoke to each other was horrible. I actually DNF'd it during her dinner back home because I just couldn't get passed the way they treated each other.

[Ali DaSilva · Rating 2 out of 5]

(thank you love notes for the arc)

i really really wanted to like this book and i feel so bad that i didn’t 😭 like it was a cute premise and moments of it were good like Luke’s helping Aurie live for herself and put herself first but then some of the dialogue and character’s actions just felt extremely juvenile and unnatural. The nicknames were really annoying; Princess got old really really fast, i already don’t like the nickname in general but when it’s said 306 times in a book that’s only 382 pages it’s nothing short of overkill. there was a handful of spelling mistakes and just formatting errors that i think could’ve used one last edit through. this has the potential to be a good book and maybe it is for other people just not so much for me

[Jessica Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Butterfly Kisses was such a great book, especially as a debut novel! My heart was there for Aurie through the whole story wanting to hold her and protect her from all things evil. And the things I could easily say to her family….then enters the meet cute with Luke who lord is the absolute definition of golden retriever and PATIENT beyond belief with Aurie. My standards in men have immediately gotten higher thanks to Luke. Both of them had their own past struggles and current trauma that being there for both of them really was their best way of healing. This is a book that just makes you love love.

[Babe · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review~
First, I just want to say thank you to Alexandria Mae and lovenotes.pr for giving me the chance to read this ARC! Also, I can’t wait for Elsie’s and Levi’s story!!
.
“Nothing would stop me from getting you anything on this damned planet.”

“You, Aurie, are my one in a lifetime.”
I love how this story went by quickly, I read this in one sitting! I absolutely love Luke, he is literally one of the best golden retriever boyfriend ever! Luke was so sweet and romantic and patient🫶🏻. And Aurie, I just wanted to protect her from her “family” but I’m so glad that she was able to stand up them! I just really enjoyed this story!

[Jasmine Garcia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Alexandria Mae and LoveNotes PR for my copy of Butterfly Kisses to read and review!

Butterfly Kisses follows the story of Aurie, an extremely tired college student who feels like she’s at her breaking point. Between school, work, and a toxic family, she can’t catch a break or find happiness. That is, until she receives an accidental text from a stranger named Luke, a blonde haired, blue eyed sweetheart with a smile that makes her weak in the knees. They decide to strike up a friendship and he helps her confront her trauma and slowly crashes down the walls she’s put up around herself.

Firstly, I would like to take a moment to appreciate the cover art. I absolutely love everything about it. I think the colors are so aesthetically pleasing and truly invites the reader in.

Secondly, I want to touch on the tropes and how they fit into the book. Although this is labeled as a college romance, it didn’t really read like one to me. Based on both the story and Aurie’s internal dialogue, I feel like this could’ve been a young adult novel if the spice was removed. This one is a slow burn, friends-to-lovers, with elements of the black cat FMC and golden retriever MMC.

Based on the cover art and blurb, I was super excited to read this one. Unfortunately though, this was a hard one for me to get into and I had to DNF it. There’s a couple of reasons for this:
- As previously mentioned, this book does not read as a college romance for me. My main issue was that Aurie’s internal dialogue does not sound like someone who is almost done with college. To me, these were the kind of thoughts I was having (to some degree) in my teenage years.
- The word “princess” is written 306 times throughout this book. This is a nickname that Luke gives to Aurie very early on in the book. Then he proceeds to refer to her as “princess” between 15-20 times in each of their interactions. It became redundant, cringy, and annoying before even the halfway mark of the book. When I lost my mind was 32% in.
- Something that I struggled with heavily was how badly Aurie was treated by her family. I know that I was ready to put the book down and never read it again after the first family dinner, but I really wanted to see Aurie get her happy ending. As someone who experienced this same kind of emotional abuse from my father, I related a little too much and had to skim those portions of the book.
- There are a lot of spelling/grammatical/editing mistakes in this book. I’m normally not nitpicky about these mistakes, but it felt like every chapter, and it really took away from the reading experience. I’m not a fan of text messages in books, and those were the mistakes that bothered me the most. This was an advanced copy, so I’m hoping these mistakes were corrected prior to release.

I think the theme of the story was good. At the root of it, this is a story about a MMC that helps a FMC heal from the trauma that her family has caused her. It was really nice to see Aurie allowing Luke to tear down the walls that she’s built. I was really looking forward to her getting her happy ending, but I just couldn’t keep reading something where I couldn’t follow the story.

[Sofi Mascaró · Rating 1 out of 5]

thank you to Love Notes PR for the early copy! all opinions are my own!

no, just... no.
i have WAY too many issues with this book. normally i go into books with low expectations just so i can enjoy them more (after all, i requested the ARC because it sounded interesting), but this one is SO BADLY WRITTEN i couldn't handle it.
the only positives were that Luke wasn't a complete jerk and was super nice and patient to the MC, and that i hadn't read a single book that dealt with the heavy topic that is domestic violence. it was hard to read but i get that it can happen like that in real life.
and that's all i liked. because with the OVER EXAGERATION of the nickname Princess and Luke's description as a puppy, the constant repeating of things and feelings we already knew, the grammar mistakes (that i could've ignored if they were a few, not so many), the missing actions (because yes, i had no idea what was happening most of the time), the late development for Luke (really? i could've known his issues in the beggining, not so late in the book) and so many more things, it was almost unbereable at some point.

*mild spoilers, please be warned*
i considered DNFing first around the 70% mark but i was like "i can't leave it when i'm so close to the end." but maybe i should have because i got to the spicy scene and i was just SO uncomfortable that i started. skipping. entire. pages!!!!!!!!! something i've never done in any book. i only read the dialogues for the last 15% because i just didn't care. i didn't want to read, once again, how Aurie described Luke as a puppy, HOW THE GUY WANTED TO PLAY DOMINANT WHEN THE GIRL CLEARLY HAS NO EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT, how they are so freaking cheesy and just talk nonsense even tho they are in college AND READING PRINCESS ONCE AGAIN EVERY 5 PARAGRAPHS 😭😭😭
so many other things bothered me: the way Aurie jumps so quickly to judge Luke's ex, that i get she was a shitty person but to call her a bitch so many times?? girl calm tf down. AND THE FACT THAT SHE HAS INSOMNIA, HASN'T SEEN A DOCTOR FOR IT AND SOMEHOW SHE CAN SLEEP NORMALLY WHEN LUKE HUGS HER????? AND THEY DON'T MENTION GOING TO THERAPY TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS, SHE JUST TRAUMA-DUMPS ALL HER PAST ON HIM AND HE IS JUST... THERE... TAKING IT ALL IN AND PLAYING PSICOLOGIST????

people, please go to therapy when you have childhood trauma, don't think your life gets better just because you get a new friend. i respect the author's idea but it just wasn't executed well, like at all.
i can't believe this is the second year in a row that i get a one star book, this isn't me (and i will be putting a ZERO star rating on storygraph because i'm like that).
i'm so sorry, i truly tried 💔

[Love At First Trope . · Rating 2 out of 5]

Firstly, I am incredibly thankful to the author and Love Notes PR for this advanced copy of Butterfly Kisses.

Despite my gratitude, I unfortunately can't give this book a positive review. It took me two separate attempts to read, and I had anticipated DNF-ing it, but I chose to complete it to review the eARC.
While I really enjoyed Luke's character for the majority of the writing, I think the book really leaned into the idea of him being a 'golden retriever boyfriend,' which eventually enveloped his whole personality. So much so that I couldn't connect to the previous dating trauma he later discussed as his character just didn't seem developed enough to have those sort of emotions.

In complete contrast, Audrie's only personality traits were being tired, sad, and treated awfully by her family. I would like to preface this by saying that there were clearly traumatic family relationships here, and the character should be largely dominated by these feelings, given the persistence of her family's actions. However, her familial interactions completely took over from Audrie as a character and bled into her relationship with Luke to the point where the relationship felt like some sort of trauma bonding. Additionally, I was confused by her repeatedly going back to her family, as some of the instances were written to seem like they were the 'final straw.'

All this being said, there are definitely some good 'bones' to this book that could have been transformed into a really heartfelt and loving story. However, the writing is its ultimate downfall. Particularly in the beginning, the book continued to repeat mundane and unnecessary details (e.g., she doesn't like studying or how horrible her job was). There were also completely unnecessary details when describing the characters' actions - at one point, the steps of plaiting one's hair are pretty much spelled out for the reader. This took me out of the book as I no longer felt like I was 'drawn in' (or really had any investment in the story), and led me to be incredibly frustrated at other times.

While I am sorry that I could not provide a positive review, I do want to provide an honest one.

Again, thank you very much for the eARC of this book.
Please note that all opinions expressed here are my own.

[Emily Walter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sent this ARC read from love note and I’m so glad I was, I loved the premise of this book and the main characters but this book fell flat for me. I pushed through because I wanted to see how the book ended. Now there’s wrong. This book has a lot of potential with it. And I think if certain things would’ve been taken out and there would’ve been more detail for the trauma and disconnect with her family if her friends that were mentioned in this had a little bit more backstory I think that everything needed a little bit more of a backstory. She had a lot of trauma with everything that went on with her family. We only get the dinners. You see her friends and they’re telling her certain things but that’s all you see of them. You get nothing else. And then everything happens with aurie and Luke kind of fast there’s not a whole bunch of detail, but when there is detail, it’s on things that I don’t really think needed that much focus. Also, I love a slow burn just as much as the next person, but the last three chapters were literally all sex and the plot didn’t go anywhere. I don’t really know what the premise of the plot was, but she didn’t graduate and there was a moment with her parents where her mom was supposed to come to her graduation and that was falling through… That was supposed to be in a month and the book just ended on them saying that they love each other. Also the main thing that I didn’t understand… The book is called butterfly kisses. The main girl is studying to become a marine biologist, but is in love with butterflies… I don’t know why the main characters job wouldn’t be lepidoterology (study of butterflies)

Once again this book had potential it was just all over the place. The first chapter we don’t even get the main character’s name until she talks to Luke. They’re talking about a career that she’s not really even into and honestly, I don’t think has anything to do with the book. I think it would’ve possibly been better if it was dual POV. One from Luke’s perspective, one from Aurie. Her family dynamic needed to have more background her friends needed to have more background. Everything just needed to be a little bit more descriptive and thought out, and some of the background noise needed to be taken out.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to @lovenotes.pr for the ARC.

I really wanted to love this book especially after reading this is based in true trauma. But it was just impossible.

First the things I liked:
Kinda liked how sweet and understanding luke was, how they interacted most of the time. also some of the trauma stuff was really well written

What I didn't like:
It felt like a first draft, not like a ready book, like there was no proof reading/beta reading. There were so many errors/mistakes not only in grammar and spelling but also in continity, like the author fogot what she just written a few sentences or pages ago, and this really bothert me
there was way to much repetition not only in words but also whole sentences or scenes. there was to much and in some sentences and it sometimes felt like it was written by ki
The nickname princess was just used so inflationary, like in nearly every sentence he worded to her, that I started to hate it and never wanna hear it as a nickname again
also nearly every scene was between those two and they always adressed each other by name or nickname, like there were a shitton of persons and it had to be made sure who was adressed. I know a lot of couples and am in a relationship since years and believe me we don't adress each other by name, especially not when nobody is around
thats another point: there was no interaction between each others friends and them, or maybe introduction to his family or sth
the whole trauma was heavy but it was ended so aprubtly and easy? I dunno
I also don't like the "love/the right person cures everything", it's trauma, there should be more talking and therapy! (I know this I also had to deal with emotinal/verbal abuse by my mother so yeah)
I would have loved Lukes POV
It also was kinda sad that this was another piece of art portrying a male female friendship as impossible

in the end I just wanted it to be over because I was so frustrated and borred and still there are so many unanswered questions

[Lindsey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Alexandria Mae’s debut novel Butterfly Kisses was an enjoyable read. I was immediately captivated by the storyline and the MC’s backstories. Both of them are dealing with their own struggles and inner battles, yet still find a way to strike up a friendship. I also loved the meet cute and how they met. An accidental text message is what brought these two together and what a serendipitous mistake it was. From that one text a friendship began that grew into what both of them needed.

Aurie's toxic family environment is a silent battle she has been fighting for so long. I can relate to this feeling, so it was easy to connect to Aurie. When you are made to feel like you aren’t good enough by people who should be lifting you up, it messes with you. Aurie doesn’t open up to people easily, so when she receives a text from a number she doesn’t know, she is surprised to find it easy to talk to this person.

Luke is the epitome of a golden retriever. Although he is also fighting his own battles, on the outside he is always smiling and offering a friendly face. His mistaken text brings him a friendship he wasn’t looking for but is exactly what he needs. As they grow closer and their friendship deepens, it is hard to tell if their friendship isn’t becoming more. He helps Aurie see herself in a new light.

As a debut novel, this is a great read. College romances are always fun to read and the emotions remind me of falling in love for the first time. When you can really understand what loving someone really means. I look forward to watching Alexandria developing her writing style and future books. Both MCs find someone to be in their corner and open up limitless possibilities for their future. Just as Alexandria has done with her first novel!

As always, review any author notes before reading.

What to Expect:
🖤College Romance
💥Slow Burn
🖤Golden Retriever MMC
💥Black Cat FMC
🖤Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine
💥Healing from Trauma
🖤Friends to Lovers

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Content Warnings: Mentions of bulimia, Sibling preferential treatment, domestic abuse references, cheating references (mentioned, relating to an ex), harsh language, slight depression, insomnia, and explicit sexual content

Spice Rating: 2/5 spice level

Thank you to the author and LoveNotesPR for a copy of this ARC. All opinions in this review are mine and are freely given.

Aurie felt so comfortable with Luke that she started trauma-dumping him on the first day they met. If that doesn’t say they were meant for each other, I don’t know what will. Her relationship started out slowly as friends with Luke, which I think both of them needed. They both needed to heal and feel happy as friends first before they each tested their trust issues. I thought Luke was so cute! He was definitely a golden retriever boyfriend as Aurie’s friend, Elsie, calls him. THEIR SLOWBURN OMG… I was begging for them to kiss as I read this lol. Let’s just say the first kiss happens past 50%!

I thought that Aurie was really strong considering how much her family was hurting her and she persevered! I wish we could’ve gotten more of Luke’s backstory tbh, but the book barely touched on his story.

This book is super easy to read and it almost reads like a YA novel, except for the fact that there is spice. The characters in it are very early in their college journey and still have lots of growth to do off the page.

There are some U.S. references and slang, and there are also UK references and slang. It’s a little confusing, but I was still able to enjoy it.

Read this if you want an easy-to-read spicy slow burn college romance that focuses on healing from trauma and finding your happily ever after.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars

okay, to preface, I think this book had a lot of potential! I really loved Luke, and he is probably one of my favorite golden retriever MMC. I think the way he cared and loved Aurie was so cute to read, and you can just tell how down bad he was for the girl. And, with Aurie, I'm glad she was able to pull through and finally find someone who gave her what she needed despite her home life and the struggles she faced.

However, as I continued reading the story, I wish there was just a bit more we got from Luke and a bit less from Aurie. To me, it felt like we just found out Luke liked Aurie but didn't really know much about his backstory or how his feelings even came about. And, while this book is all in Aurie's perspective and narration, she definitely irked me throughout parts of the story. Maybe it wasn't the author's intention, but some moments it felt like Aurie was self sabotaging rather than trying to rant about her feelings. And, if there was a good moment between her and Luke, I feel like it was overshadowed by her doubts rather than embraced as a cute love story.

But with that aside, I think the book definitely did have its moments. I hope as the author continues we can see glimpses of Luke and Aurie happy in the author's next book!

Thank you LoveNotes PR and the author for the eARC! I love sharing my opinion with authors, and if you read this, I hope to read your thoughts as well!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

What makes this book a good read is the emotional growth of the MMCs. The story as a whole is relatable to any college student figuring out where they fit in this world and how to balance everything on their plate, from the ungodly amount of studying to having a soul sucking minimum wage job. Yes, they bond over their shared trauma, but how they challenge themselves to continue their healing journey together filled me with joy.
Luke is 100% golden retriever book boyfriend energy and a precious bean that needs to be protected. I’m ready to murder alongside Aurie for our boy. This is a slow burn with most of the spice at the end, because, well, trauma, but it is well worth the wait. Aurie’s transformation is the most noticeable, and if you’re an empath like me get ready to drown in all the feels.
If there weren’t as many grammatical errors that hindered a smooth read, I would have given this book an extra star. I love it when the author intertwines the romance book genre into the plot or key characteristics of the MMCs. The author does both of these in her writing and I can’t help but giggle. This is probably one of my favorite relationship dynamics in a contemporary romance that is nothing but emotionally fulfilling. And the hilarious banter helps balance the dark themes throughout. Gotta love Aurie’s sass, especially when aimed at Luke.

[BSB by Juliana Lago · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌟📚 Butterfly Kisses follows the journey of a college student, Aurie, at her breaking point. Exhausted from dealing with her toxic family, struggling to keep up with her marine biology course, and worn out from her barista job, she finds herself unable to sleep 😴. An accidental text from Luke, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed sweetheart, sparks an instant connection 💬. As they strike up a friendship, external forces compel her to confront her issues, creating a domino effect that blurs lines and breaks down walls. Is their friendship genuine, or are deeper feelings involved? 💖
💖I found Butterfly Kisses to be a heartfelt and relatable story. The characters are well-developed, and their struggles resonate deeply. The slow burn romance and healing journey make this book a compelling read 📖. Alexandria Mae's writing captures the essence of college life and the challenges that come with it 🎓. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a touching and emotional romance 💕.
🌟 Here are some tropes
• College Romance 🎓
• Spicy Romance 🌶️
• Golden Retriever x Black Cat 🐶🐱
• No Third Act Break Up 🚫💔
• Healing Romance 💖
• Slow Burn 🔥
⭐ I would give Butterfly Kisses a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. The emotional depth and character development are truly impressive, making it a must-read for romance enthusiasts 📚

[•Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb for this story piqued my interest. Finding out it was a debut had me looking forward to it even more! I picked it up and got right into this story. I so enjoyed it!

Aurie's journey captured my attention quickly! Aurie is in college and dealing with a lot in her life. When she receives a random text it brings Luke into her world. Could Aurie and Luke be more?

I really liked the different way that Aurie and Luke were brought into each other's lives. I adored their friendship. I couldn't wait to see how Aurie would deal with college, family, work, personal stuff, and her feelings for Luke.

I felt for Aurie and everything she was going through. She was relatable to me. The chemistry between her and Luke was so good and sweet! Luke made me happy with how he was with Aurie. I so enjoyed getting to see things bloom between these two and the feels they brought.

With Butterfly Kisses, Ms.Mae has created a good debut that brought realness, spice, heart, and feels! I loved that this story touched on subjects I don't see often in books. I'm looking forward to more from this author. 🦋

Be sure to check out the author's trigger warnings.



*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Love Notes PR / the author*

[Jasmine Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/5 ⭐️- I was excited to get this arc as it is a MMC golden retriever and a FMC black cat college romance. What really got me excited was the story line with the unknown text blossoming into friendship then a relationship, but at around 15% I’m left wanting to DNF it as it is such a slow start throughout and chapter 7 didn’t help at all.. talking about how she is braiding her hair and the details of her braiding her hair.. I don’t care about how she divides in 3 and braids I want to meet the MMC already. I’m really hoping it will pick up pace.

I personally don’t like the nickname “princess” especially when he used in the first time he ever met her in person.. it’s just very cringy to me and “naughty princess” gives me the ick but maybe it’s just me lol.

As grammar doesn’t bother me to much, this felt like there was something every chapter that wasn’t grammatically correct and the way the characters spoke felt so unnatural to me for the ages they are. I’m a sarcastic/sassy person but the FMC’s sassy comments were a little too much for me.
I had a very hard time finishing this book as I was literally falling asleep… I started this book on 4/14 and finished on 4/26.

Thank you Lovenotespr.com for the arc!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is Aurie’s journey. She’s the main character. She and her mind and healing journey.
This book is not a light one. The pain that Aurie sufferers imparted by the ones who should be loving and taking care of her is well described and tangible and sometimes hard to read.
In my opinion, Luke is not a main character, he’s the buffer to her healing path.
He is pure love and care that wakes Aurie up to start living what she deserves.
I think the TW that you can find in the first page are important to not skip.
This is a healing book but, before you can heal, you must be broken and this part was hard to read. A very well done work from the writer.

Tropes you can find in this book:
- parental neglect
- domestic abuse survivor
- mental health representation
- soul mates main characters
- college romance
- black cat/ golden retriever
- healing journey
- found family

This book has some open-door scenes but they are mild and not so much detailed. In sync with the rest of the book.

My ratings:
3,5/5⭐️ 1/5🌶️

I’ve received this book as an ARC and I’d like to thank Alexandria Mae and her team at Love Notes team for letting me read this book in advance and allow me to give my honest opinion.

[Caro ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The female protagonist, Aurie, loves butterflies, studies marine biology, and works part-time at a café. Her trauma lies deep within, the cause of which is her family, which consists of narcissists who make her life miserable. But she unexpectedly meets Luke, and an unexpected friendship develops. He tries to show her the beautiful side of life. Could their initial friendship perhaps even develop into something more?

The male protagonist meets Aurie by chance but is immediately attracted to her personality. He notices that something sad lurks within Aurie and tries to brighten her life with his funny and open manner.

Unfortunately, I have to say that I wasn't entirely captured by the story. Many conversations seem completely involuntary and lack a natural feel. It all seems a bit rushed, too; in-depth discussions about Aurie's personality already occurred during her first meeting with Luke, which was perhaps slightly too early. The nickname "Princess" is used at least once on every page, and even in almost every sentence on some pages, which is just too much and quickly loses its special touch . The developing relationship between Aurie and Luke was quite sweet but overshadowed by the things mentioned above.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review: Butterfly Kisses by Alexandria Mae

Butterfly Kisses is the epitome of the perfect golden retriever contemporary romance. Aurie, a marine biology major, is on a journey of self-discovery in a world that constantly makes her feel like she’s not enough—until one mistaken text flips everything upside down.

That single moment becomes the catalyst for change—not just in how Aurie sees herself, but in how she views the world around her. And then there’s Luke… sweet, grounded, and not without his own past to reckon with. He’s the unexpected yet perfect saving grace Aurie didn’t know she needed. Their chemistry is tender, healing, and oh-so-heartwarming.

A beautiful, emotional read that’s full of heart, growth, and the sweetest butterfly kisses. Don’t miss this charming four-star read when it drops on April 22nd!

#ARCReview #ButterflyKisses #AlexandriaMae #RomanceReaders #GoldenRetrieverBoyfriend #BookishLove #ContemporaryRomance #BookReview #RomanceRecs #AprilReleases #SweetAndSteamy #RomanceBookstagram #BookLoversUnite #MarineBiologyRomance #BookishFeels #FourStarRead

[Sakura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very emotional story that shows healing and trusting again, knowing how it feels to be loved, worshiped, and taken care of. The plot is intended to be very deep, but also has a very sweet and delicate veil.

The main characters are good for each other, both learn new perspectives of the world, expand their mindsets and personalities to better, and start something beautiful together. The tropes were very well delivered.

My rating is between a 3 and 3.5 because, even though the story was pretty good, I missed a dual POV to know the MMC better, it felt like he was lacking depth of his own. The final it felt a little bit... empty, rushed. Her nickname was abused, I got tired of it pretty quick.

It is a young love story, sometimes it is a bit thoughtless, not mature enough, but it is good as they are discovering themselves and what it means to have a real relation. However, I think it is a decent debut, and I am curious to see how the author develops herself.

Thank you to the author and lovenotes for giving me the chance of being an ARC.

[Jade. · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐊𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬
𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐞
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟑𝐭𝐡

- - -
Read this book if you like:
�� slow-burn romance
□ golden retriever mmc x black cat fmc
□ college romance
□ healing from trauma

Thank you, Love Notes PR and Alexandria Mae, for the ARC.

I could not put this book down. It's such a whirlwind of emotions. I was so happy when I received the ARC in my mail. I love slow-burn romance and a golden retriever MMC.

A college romance, adorable, right?! I love how an accidental text turns into a beautiful friendship and how it leads into a swoonworthy romance.

Now, Luke is the perfect boyfriend. He is so caring and always is there for Aerie. Plus, he is extremely attractive! Oh, and Aerie... she deserves so much better than that unsupportive family. I wish I could jump in the book and give her a hug. She is strong and has a good heart.

Always read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book! There's also explicit sexual content.

Overall, this was a great romance book. I am looking forward to the next story!

[Naila C Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

🦋 Her POV
🩵 College vibes
🦋 Text messages
🩵 Wrong Number Right Person
🦋 Friends to Lovers
🩵 Neighbors
🦋 Slow Burn
🩵 Golden retriever MMC
🦋 Dirty Talker MMC
🩵 "Good Girl"
🦋 Hand Necklaces
🩵 Broken Souls
🦋 Past Trauma

3.7 stars 🌟

How Aurie and Luke met was definitely the wrong number, but the right person. They built a friendship when they needed one. The beginning took some time to read through. However, I liked the progress of Luke and Aurie's friendship to relationship.

My favorite character was Luke being a gentleman and true friend to Aurie when she needed it. He was patient with Aurie when they became friends to something more. Another character that I really liked was Aurie's best friend, Elsie, who reads romance books like us readers do. I loved reading about referring the butterflies in the story. It's so sweet and adorable!

It sucked the past traumas that Aurie and Luke suffered through. Somehow, they found each other when they lost hope of rebuilding love and trust again. They are perfect for each other.

I can't wait to read about Elsie's love story with someone we met in Butterfly Kisses.

[Princy Thapa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dived into this book without expecting anything but as I went through every chapter I fell in love with it.Aurie is the kind of fmc we all can relate with she’s strong,smart and funny but the only thing holding her back is her toxic family who never leaves a chance to make her feel incompetent & unwanted. I really hated her entire family & I could also relate with how Aurie couldn’t just abandon them because they are her family & somehow a small part of her still had some hope. Luke was such a ray of sunshine in her life he’s everything a girl wants in her bf, a charming guy with golden retriever energy who’s head over heels for Aurie. Their chemistry is just so cute I couldn’t help but smile.The way Luke comforted her and his presence alone made Aurie so happy and like a totally different person given her grumpy personality she likes to portray to the world. This book came as a surprise for me bcoz I didn’t expected to like it so much. If you like college romance with a hint of spice and cute moments then this one’s perfect for you.

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now, I wanted to like it. But some things just made it hard for me.

Luke was great. He was patient, caring, and super sweet with Aurie, but I felt like I didn’t really know him. I wanted more insight into him, his thoughts, and, honestly, his POV just once or twice, if the author only wanted to write the story from Aurie’s, in my opinion, a little more depth into Luke’s backstory would have been perfect.

The growing and evolving of Aurie with Luke’s help was super nice. She learnt about healthy relationships, how to be stronger, and in the end, learnt more about herself.

But the ending left me feeling some type of way, and that, coupled with the editing errors (which I can understand a couple in an ARC, but here there were considerably more than a couple), hindered my reading experience and in the end took away from me absolutely loving the book.

Thank you to the author and to Love Notes PR for this e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Jennifer Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much as I dislike slow burns, I loved it from start to finish. The banter is what won me over fully. I also, enjoyed how relatable how it is to have a toxic family. Aurie’s character and Luke truly won me over with how different their family backgrounds were, and how patient Luke was with knowing and understanding why Aurie was acting the way she was. Luke honestly, is the picture perfect man, and Aurie was the perfect person to grow and make changes due to her family trauma.

I was a bit worried about the warnings/triggers however it wasn’t anything to be worried about. Yes, a character needed help for her eating disorder but the book wasn’t at all focused on it which was nice. Now, the toxic family does take a key role in the book along with breaking generational curses.

There is some spice, however, not a lot and it was near the end of the book. For me the spicy scenes were a little cringy but the banter made it worth pushing through. I do highly recommend this book.