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It Started with a Kiss
Romily Parker is a woman on a mission. On the last Saturday before Christmas, (shortly after disastrously declaring her undying love for her best friend, Charlie) Romily has a sudden, brief encounter with a gorgeous stranger who might, just possibly, be the man of her dreams. It only takes two small words – ‘Hello, beautiful’ – and one, heart-stopping kiss to make up her mind – she has to find him again.
Giving herself a deadline of the following Christmas Eve, Romily commits to spending a year searching for the stranger – a decision that divides her family and friends.
Giving herself a deadline of the following Christmas Eve, Romily commits to spending a year searching for the stranger – a decision that divides her family and friends.
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First published November 3, 2011
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About the author
Miranda Dickinson
28 books662 followersMiranda Dickinson has always had a head full of stories. Coming from a creative family where stories and songs were always present, it was perhaps inevitable that she would end up adoring words. A songwriter for over 15 years, Miranda has successfully penned over thirty songs, delivering both live and recorded performances in a range of venues across the UK and Europe. Her first solo project album, About Time is due for release this year. To hear her music, visit www.mirandadickinson.com - and be sure to leave a message if you like it!
Miranda began writing in earnest four years ago with her first novel, Coffee at Kowalski's - a romantic comedy set in New York's Upper West Side. This was spotted on HarperCollins' site for unpublished authors, Authonomy.com at the end of 2008 and was released by Avon (part of HC) as Fairytale of New York on 12th November 2009. She has also written several short stories, scripts and novel excerpts, many of which are published on Helium.com. Miranda is also a regular contributor for www.myvillage.com writing a range of local interest articles for the Birmingham area and national film and festival reviews.
Miranda began writing in earnest four years ago with her first novel, Coffee at Kowalski's - a romantic comedy set in New York's Upper West Side. This was spotted on HarperCollins' site for unpublished authors, Authonomy.com at the end of 2008 and was released by Avon (part of HC) as Fairytale of New York on 12th November 2009. She has also written several short stories, scripts and novel excerpts, many of which are published on Helium.com. Miranda is also a regular contributor for www.myvillage.com writing a range of local interest articles for the Birmingham area and national film and festival reviews.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
June 19, 2022
4.5 ⭐
Ho appena finito di leggere questo splendido libro e ho ancora il cuore che mo batte fortissimo per le emozioni che mi ha procurato.
Un libro romantico, divertente e nel complesso bellissimo. Una storia d'amore che toglie e il fiato e una protagonista che non si dà per vinta alla ricerca di un ragazzo che l'ha baciata la vigilia di Natale.
L'autrice è riuscita nell'intento di scrivere una storia d'amore non banale, utilizzando un linguaggio molto semplice e divertente.
So che è molto improbabile, ma aspetto con ansia un adattamento cinematografico di questo libro.
Consiglio questo libro a chi ama le storie d'amore a lieto fine, la musica e a chi ha il coraggio di inseguire i propri sogni ascoltando il proprio cuore.
Ho appena finito di leggere questo splendido libro e ho ancora il cuore che mo batte fortissimo per le emozioni che mi ha procurato.
Un libro romantico, divertente e nel complesso bellissimo. Una storia d'amore che toglie e il fiato e una protagonista che non si dà per vinta alla ricerca di un ragazzo che l'ha baciata la vigilia di Natale.
L'autrice è riuscita nell'intento di scrivere una storia d'amore non banale, utilizzando un linguaggio molto semplice e divertente.
So che è molto improbabile, ma aspetto con ansia un adattamento cinematografico di questo libro.
Consiglio questo libro a chi ama le storie d'amore a lieto fine, la musica e a chi ha il coraggio di inseguire i propri sogni ascoltando il proprio cuore.
January 11, 2012
I picked this book up in the supermarket and was really looking forward to a light, fun read. The writing was generally easy and competent, and the premise was great. However I didn't feel like anything actually happened, besides the band members playing a ton of similar wedding gigs. The book goes through a whole year, and I've read several books recently that follow this plot device, and at times it really feels like a laundry list or a girl's diary. Mention of the weather, a quick run-through of everything that happened at work, etc. Not my cup of tea. The main problem I had with this book though is that the characterisation was virtually nil. Everyone tells Romily how she seems more herself, more confident and strong since she embarked on this quest to find the man who kissed her, but there is absolutely no evidence of her confidence or strength in the book. I can't really say whether she grows or changes, because I don't know what she was to begin with. As for the male characters, Tom, Jack, and Charlie, I kept getting them confused because they were all the same. It was hard to tell one from the other, even towards the end of the book.
August 15, 2021
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November 3, 2011
I adore Miranda Dickinson, not only is she one of the brightest new talents in Chick Lit, but she’s also a really, really lovely person. She has a video blog each week about her new novel – the one I’m reviewing, in fact – and she’s such a personable author, someone it’s easy to ask questions to and chat to, she’s awesome. I absolutely loved both of her previous two novels, Fairytale of New York and Welcome To My World so when I received a proof copy of It Started With A Kiss, it’s quite a surprise I didn’t explode with the excitement of it all. Obviously, because I’d loved her first two books I was a bit dubious – can she make it three out of three? Really? Well, the simple answer is yes. Yes, she can.
It Started With A Kiss was a brilliant read. I mean, seriously. Amazing. It’s like an amazing chick-flick wrapped up in a book, if that even makes sense. It’s the type of book you imagine Richard Curtis making into a film (it would be an awesome film and I’m not just being hyperbolic because I love Miranda). Who doesn’t dream of meeting the man of their dreams one day? Who doesn’t like the idea of being so sure of a man – despite just seeing him for all of a couple of minutes – that you’d spend the next year of your life determined to find him? It’s so magical and romantic and heart-warming and if anyone else can make a plot like that work (because it is a bit more ‘out there’ than your usual Chick Lit novels) then Miranda Dickinson can because she’s just a natural storyteller. Romily’s quest is one you can get behind; her unwavering belief that this year will be the year her life changes is unshakeable and easy to get on board with.
The novel isn’t just about Romily’s search for the mystery man who kissed her at a Christmas stall, it also focuses a lot on Romily’s hobbie as a singer in a wedding band. Miranda Dickinson is part of a band herself – a wedding band, if I’m not mistaken – so she’s rather aptly placed to write about a wedding singer/band and I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the novel. I loved hearing about the different weddings Romily and her band attended. From straight-forward weddings to weddings featuring bunny ears to weddings with medieval costumes… There are plenty of different weddings featured throughout the book and they’re all very different and all very enjoyable. It’s such a fun aspect to the book and Miranda has put her own experiences to brilliant use.
The characters in It Started With A Kiss are excellent. From Romily herself, to her bandmates, to her quirky Aunt and Uncle… it’s such a well-rounded, heart-warming cast of people. Romily was a wonderful lead character and I loved her immediately. Her vulnerability on those first few pages as she spills her soul to her best friend Charlie about loving him to kissing a random man a few pages later… It’s an exhilarating start to the book and Romily quickly and easily becomes a favourite character. Her band mates are all wonderful, too: Jack and Sophie, Tom, Charlie, and Wren. But my absolute two favourite characters were Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley. Lots of Chick Lit novels have wonderful and supportive family members, but Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley are the best. I mean… They’re so supportive, always being there for Romily no matter what, helping her on her quest to find the man who kissed her. I loved that Auntie Mags baked cakes and knew exactly which cakes suited the mood.
As It Started With A Kiss progressed, I truly believed I had the ending sorted, figured out. And just at that moment where I was doing a triumphant “I knew it” dance, Miranda pulled off quite a surprising twist. It was a totally tricky surprise, it was so unexpected but in the best possible way. I like when authors manage to pull a surprise on me and Miranda Dickinson did it perfectly. I absolutely loved the ending of the book. I loved every single page of the book. I adored Miranda’s previous two novels, but this is her best yet. The story is amazing, the characters are so warm and so witty and loveable and Miranda’s writing just flows so naturally. I’m always wary of synopses that proclaim the book to be the “perfect book to curl up with” but It Started With A Kiss is the perfect book to curl up with. Miranda Dickinson just gets better with every book and I can’t wait for book number four. She’s rocketed up my favourite authors list and I don’t see her moving from there any time soon. It Started With A Kiss was a triumph in every sense of the word.
It Started With A Kiss was a brilliant read. I mean, seriously. Amazing. It’s like an amazing chick-flick wrapped up in a book, if that even makes sense. It’s the type of book you imagine Richard Curtis making into a film (it would be an awesome film and I’m not just being hyperbolic because I love Miranda). Who doesn’t dream of meeting the man of their dreams one day? Who doesn’t like the idea of being so sure of a man – despite just seeing him for all of a couple of minutes – that you’d spend the next year of your life determined to find him? It’s so magical and romantic and heart-warming and if anyone else can make a plot like that work (because it is a bit more ‘out there’ than your usual Chick Lit novels) then Miranda Dickinson can because she’s just a natural storyteller. Romily’s quest is one you can get behind; her unwavering belief that this year will be the year her life changes is unshakeable and easy to get on board with.
The novel isn’t just about Romily’s search for the mystery man who kissed her at a Christmas stall, it also focuses a lot on Romily’s hobbie as a singer in a wedding band. Miranda Dickinson is part of a band herself – a wedding band, if I’m not mistaken – so she’s rather aptly placed to write about a wedding singer/band and I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the novel. I loved hearing about the different weddings Romily and her band attended. From straight-forward weddings to weddings featuring bunny ears to weddings with medieval costumes… There are plenty of different weddings featured throughout the book and they’re all very different and all very enjoyable. It’s such a fun aspect to the book and Miranda has put her own experiences to brilliant use.
The characters in It Started With A Kiss are excellent. From Romily herself, to her bandmates, to her quirky Aunt and Uncle… it’s such a well-rounded, heart-warming cast of people. Romily was a wonderful lead character and I loved her immediately. Her vulnerability on those first few pages as she spills her soul to her best friend Charlie about loving him to kissing a random man a few pages later… It’s an exhilarating start to the book and Romily quickly and easily becomes a favourite character. Her band mates are all wonderful, too: Jack and Sophie, Tom, Charlie, and Wren. But my absolute two favourite characters were Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley. Lots of Chick Lit novels have wonderful and supportive family members, but Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley are the best. I mean… They’re so supportive, always being there for Romily no matter what, helping her on her quest to find the man who kissed her. I loved that Auntie Mags baked cakes and knew exactly which cakes suited the mood.
As It Started With A Kiss progressed, I truly believed I had the ending sorted, figured out. And just at that moment where I was doing a triumphant “I knew it” dance, Miranda pulled off quite a surprising twist. It was a totally tricky surprise, it was so unexpected but in the best possible way. I like when authors manage to pull a surprise on me and Miranda Dickinson did it perfectly. I absolutely loved the ending of the book. I loved every single page of the book. I adored Miranda’s previous two novels, but this is her best yet. The story is amazing, the characters are so warm and so witty and loveable and Miranda’s writing just flows so naturally. I’m always wary of synopses that proclaim the book to be the “perfect book to curl up with” but It Started With A Kiss is the perfect book to curl up with. Miranda Dickinson just gets better with every book and I can’t wait for book number four. She’s rocketed up my favourite authors list and I don’t see her moving from there any time soon. It Started With A Kiss was a triumph in every sense of the word.
November 14, 2022
Romilly shares a kiss with a complete stranger on Christmas Eve then spends a year trying to find him. Its light, romantic fiction, a little predictable in places, but I enjoyed it and I didn't guess the ending!
December 21, 2020
I was thinking the book would all be set in London with the beautiful cover however to my surprise and not in a bad way much is set in Birmingham.
Rom sings in a wedding band and lives in Birmingham. For much of the book she is torn between two men. I love the blog she sets up about the man she meets at the Christmas Market. One who she kissed at the Christmas Market named Will. and her best friend Charlie.
In the end one man nothing happens when she kisses them while the other is a slight misunderstanding about a wife or sister.
4.5 Stars
Rom sings in a wedding band and lives in Birmingham. For much of the book she is torn between two men. I love the blog she sets up about the man she meets at the Christmas Market. One who she kissed at the Christmas Market named Will. and her best friend Charlie.
In the end one man nothing happens when she kisses them while the other is a slight misunderstanding about a wife or sister.
4.5 Stars
November 1, 2012
Oh my, somewhere between 1 and 2 stars.
I have read so many good reviews that I have thought I will give this book a go.
And so I did.
Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. At all. I was reading, reading and reading and turning the pages I had a feeling of deja vu: it was always the same words, the same situations, rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal, shoe factory, wedding, wedding, wedding... And then I have found myself to skip, first passages and then the whole pages and didn't feel that I miss on something.
I have expected so much. The idea itself was really interesting and I hoped the quest will be soooo exciting. Unfortunately, what I go is just cliche, ideas that I could think about with my "little brain" and not a lot of imagination. I have hoped for fireworks and unexpected situations but unfortunately didn't get anything. Was it really searching? Looking for this guy? I guess it book could have half of the pages that it has.
It would be 1 star but the end was teeny tiny better as the whole book itself.
I am really sorry that this book didn't work for me. Really.
I have read so many good reviews that I have thought I will give this book a go.
And so I did.
Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. At all. I was reading, reading and reading and turning the pages I had a feeling of deja vu: it was always the same words, the same situations, rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal, shoe factory, wedding, wedding, wedding... And then I have found myself to skip, first passages and then the whole pages and didn't feel that I miss on something.
I have expected so much. The idea itself was really interesting and I hoped the quest will be soooo exciting. Unfortunately, what I go is just cliche, ideas that I could think about with my "little brain" and not a lot of imagination. I have hoped for fireworks and unexpected situations but unfortunately didn't get anything. Was it really searching? Looking for this guy? I guess it book could have half of the pages that it has.
It would be 1 star but the end was teeny tiny better as the whole book itself.
I am really sorry that this book didn't work for me. Really.
April 5, 2013
In The days before my beloved kindle, I would happily root through books at my local supermarket and my husband would roll his eyes at another paperback 'appearing' in our bedroom.
This novel was one of 'those' books, a treasure found amongst all the other best selling books.
One word to sum up the book would be ~ SWEET. The kind of story that you find yourself lost in. Great characters, brilliant original storyline and FULL of heartwarming, 'how it should be' romance.
Check out the blurb this could be your next 'escape with a book' winner.
4 solid romance, sunshine and lollipop stars.
This novel was one of 'those' books, a treasure found amongst all the other best selling books.
One word to sum up the book would be ~ SWEET. The kind of story that you find yourself lost in. Great characters, brilliant original storyline and FULL of heartwarming, 'how it should be' romance.
Check out the blurb this could be your next 'escape with a book' winner.
4 solid romance, sunshine and lollipop stars.
July 4, 2014
She wastes a whole year looking for a guy who kissed her once.... Does that sound like an interesting book?
July 19, 2017
So I got this book from Goodwill. When I read what it was about I thought it would be super interesting. I hadn't heard of a storyline like this one before, so I was excited. And then I opened the book. The first couple of pages were super slow. It was super hard to get into the book, but I wasn't giving up on it. As I continued to read, it felt like I was just turning the pages and nothing good was happening. I didn't enjoy the read because
December 27, 2011
Firstly, I have to thank Miranda Dickinson herself and Chloe's Chick Lit Reviews for the signed book I won!! It came the day before Christmas Eve and was the perfect Christmas gift. If you're somehow reading this, it totally made my day, thank you!
This was exactly the book I needed. I started reading it on Christmas Eve, so I wanted a nice, light-hearted read to snuggle in bed with and make me feel all warm inside. This was like one of Auntie Mags' cakes and the perfect prescription.
I loved the concept of the book. I've certainly had those moments where you see a cute guy on a train or whatever and you keep looking over and when they leave you wish you'd been brave enough to say something. So the fact Romily sets off on a quest (as she calls it which I love, it's adorable) to find the man who kissed her and then disappeared really excited me and it kept me constantly gripped by the story. I got almost as excited as Rom whenever Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley found some new information for the quest. There were also lots of mishaps and fun with the wedding band that Rom is a part of. I loved reading about all the different weddings they performed at and there was never a dull moment. Even if they were just hanging out, it had me smiling or perhaps frowning at some drama going down.
I adored basically every character in this book. I'll start with our leading lady, Romily. Firstly, what a brilliant name!! As someone with a slightly unique name myself, I love off the beat names and I've actually never heard the name Romily before! Romily was great and someone I'd definitely love to be friends with. She was sweet, fun, passionate and I liked that she always followed her heart and wasn't afraid to shy away from her true feelings. I'd like to take a note out of her book and live like her more next year. Then there's Wren who's also amazing. Basically a snarky but loving best friend done well, unlike a certain book I read recentlycough wrapped up in you cough. The rest of the wedding band were all great too. The love between them just seeped out the pages whenever they were together and I always had a sappy grin on my face when they were goofing around together. But they weren't perfect and there were ups and downs in their friendships which was realistic. I have to talk a little about Charlie of course. I can totally see why Rom declares her love for him at the beginning of the book. Except for some moments where , he's a really nice, funny and I have to say gorgeous guy and I perked up whenever I saw his name on a page.
And finally we have..drumroll please...
Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley!! Get ready for some gushing. I. LOVED. THEM. I can see why Romily adored them. They are two of the sweetest, funniest and sincerely kind people I've had the pleasure of reading about. They should get a spin off book or something, there wasn't enough of them! Every time they appeared I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
The writing was good. Everything was always described well so I felt like I was really there, and I enjoyed reading Romily's thoughts. There wasn't any particularly beautiful writing that I'd have highlighted if I was reading an ebook version, but there were lots of funny quotes I definitely would. This was certainly more of a fun, sweet read than an especially poignant one, but I don't see that as a problem. It was just what I wanted.
I haven't written any dislikes yet so why 4/5 and not a full 5? I think with this kind of book, even though it did everything it set out to do well, it would need something really special or memorable to give it a full 5. It's a book I'll most likely read again and would happily recommend for those looking for a fun, romantic read, but there's nothing there (except for maybe Mags and Dudley hurhur) to make me love the book rather than really like it.
Regardless, if you're craving some sweet, heart warming relief, this is perfect for you.
This was exactly the book I needed. I started reading it on Christmas Eve, so I wanted a nice, light-hearted read to snuggle in bed with and make me feel all warm inside. This was like one of Auntie Mags' cakes and the perfect prescription.
I loved the concept of the book. I've certainly had those moments where you see a cute guy on a train or whatever and you keep looking over and when they leave you wish you'd been brave enough to say something. So the fact Romily sets off on a quest (as she calls it which I love, it's adorable) to find the man who kissed her and then disappeared really excited me and it kept me constantly gripped by the story. I got almost as excited as Rom whenever Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley found some new information for the quest. There were also lots of mishaps and fun with the wedding band that Rom is a part of. I loved reading about all the different weddings they performed at and there was never a dull moment. Even if they were just hanging out, it had me smiling or perhaps frowning at some drama going down.
I adored basically every character in this book. I'll start with our leading lady, Romily. Firstly, what a brilliant name!! As someone with a slightly unique name myself, I love off the beat names and I've actually never heard the name Romily before! Romily was great and someone I'd definitely love to be friends with. She was sweet, fun, passionate and I liked that she always followed her heart and wasn't afraid to shy away from her true feelings. I'd like to take a note out of her book and live like her more next year. Then there's Wren who's also amazing. Basically a snarky but loving best friend done well, unlike a certain book I read recently
And finally we have..drumroll please...
Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley!! Get ready for some gushing. I. LOVED. THEM. I can see why Romily adored them. They are two of the sweetest, funniest and sincerely kind people I've had the pleasure of reading about. They should get a spin off book or something, there wasn't enough of them! Every time they appeared I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
The writing was good. Everything was always described well so I felt like I was really there, and I enjoyed reading Romily's thoughts. There wasn't any particularly beautiful writing that I'd have highlighted if I was reading an ebook version, but there were lots of funny quotes I definitely would. This was certainly more of a fun, sweet read than an especially poignant one, but I don't see that as a problem. It was just what I wanted.
I haven't written any dislikes yet so why 4/5 and not a full 5? I think with this kind of book, even though it did everything it set out to do well, it would need something really special or memorable to give it a full 5. It's a book I'll most likely read again and would happily recommend for those looking for a fun, romantic read, but there's nothing there (except for maybe Mags and Dudley hurhur) to make me love the book rather than really like it.
Regardless, if you're craving some sweet, heart warming relief, this is perfect for you.
December 2, 2011
After searching for a good, fun romance similar to Sophie Kinsella and Gemma Burgess; I stumbled onto this in the Kindle Store and had high hopes given all the positive reviews. Sadly, this book has disappointed me more than any other I've read this entire year!
I'm a sucker for a modern day fairytale, but also essential to any good romance IMO are strong female characters. While Romily, did grow as a character I found her too 'flighty' for my taste. She just told her best friend she's been in love with him for the last three years then runs off and gets kissed by someone else (a handsome someone else at least) and then decides that guess what? She's in love with him and can't live without him so therefore must find him again!
Know I get that when you find something that's worth holding onto, you should fight for it no matter what and that life waits for nobody etc etc but REALLY?? couldn't the author give her a few days to recover from the best friend incident? The fact that she didn't even consider what this whole search would do to her so called best friend, was another disappointing aspect. He passed on the opportunity to get with her, so romantically he had no hold on her but friendship is equally, if not more important and I didn't like that Romily cared so little about his feelings.
The characters that annoyed me the most and made me want to stop reading numerous times were her aunt and uncle. I know they were supposed to be lovable, supportive inspirations to the story but I felt that they became highly unnecessary and the whole story turned into this weird family drama. Why were they centre for the search? I would think that the main character should have actively done more if she was so interested in finding the guy! I also didn't think the author did a good job of taking Birmingham and conveying it to us readers who are not familiar with the city. I certainly wanted a bit more of this and less of the overdone local lingo. Possibly the only descriptions I enjoyed were the ones about the various weddings Romily and her wedding band played at.
The end was much like the rest of the book, drawn out unnecessarily and then rushed through the important bits with more 'flighty' decisions from the main character. I didn't even get to enjoy the conclusion to her search and what became of the mysterious guy. Highly disappointing! If only the author would give the characters more time between their decisions/main plot points then I wouldn't feel as confused and as the main character seemed to have been!
I'm a sucker for a modern day fairytale, but also essential to any good romance IMO are strong female characters. While Romily, did grow as a character I found her too 'flighty' for my taste. She just told her best friend she's been in love with him for the last three years then runs off and gets kissed by someone else (a handsome someone else at least) and then decides that guess what? She's in love with him and can't live without him so therefore must find him again!
Know I get that when you find something that's worth holding onto, you should fight for it no matter what and that life waits for nobody etc etc but REALLY?? couldn't the author give her a few days to recover from the best friend incident? The fact that she didn't even consider what this whole search would do to her so called best friend, was another disappointing aspect. He passed on the opportunity to get with her, so romantically he had no hold on her but friendship is equally, if not more important and I didn't like that Romily cared so little about his feelings.
The characters that annoyed me the most and made me want to stop reading numerous times were her aunt and uncle. I know they were supposed to be lovable, supportive inspirations to the story but I felt that they became highly unnecessary and the whole story turned into this weird family drama. Why were they centre for the search? I would think that the main character should have actively done more if she was so interested in finding the guy! I also didn't think the author did a good job of taking Birmingham and conveying it to us readers who are not familiar with the city. I certainly wanted a bit more of this and less of the overdone local lingo. Possibly the only descriptions I enjoyed were the ones about the various weddings Romily and her wedding band played at.
The end was much like the rest of the book, drawn out unnecessarily and then rushed through the important bits with more 'flighty' decisions from the main character. I didn't even get to enjoy the conclusion to her search and what became of the mysterious guy. Highly disappointing! If only the author would give the characters more time between their decisions/main plot points then I wouldn't feel as confused and as the main character seemed to have been!
January 11, 2019
It started with a kiss. Or rather with a great book - in terms of how this year started for me.
This is a really good story with an almost optimal storyline. Even though the ending is kind of obvious (obviously) - the HOW and WHEN etc weren't too predictable and left enough opportunity for speculations and possibilities. And in the end, the end happened in a very satisfying way.
This is a really good story with an almost optimal storyline. Even though the ending is kind of obvious (obviously) - the HOW and WHEN etc weren't too predictable and left enough opportunity for speculations and possibilities. And in the end, the end happened in a very satisfying way.
December 12, 2024
I thought this would be fun and silly.
Instead, it was quite slow and repetitive.
I didn't hate the book overall, but it really could have been about 150-200 pages shorter. It takes place over the course of one year and has a lot of same-same stuff happening. The male characters were pretty bland. And I agree with many other two star reviewers that the MC is quoted by all of her friends to have changed a lot over the course of the year, but there's no real evidence.
The petty stuff:
I wasn't a fan of the MCs name being Romily. Ngl, I hated reading/saying it. Also didn't like that her aunt and uncle constantly referred to her as "our bab". Often times it grammatically sounded really odd? (Like it was never just "hey bab" it was "hey, our bab". Idk but I don't like it).
She had a bad relationship with her parents, there's no real backstory on this, but her standing up to her mom is portrayed as a big moment for her. It happens really quickly and falls flat.
I disliked the mystery man being referred to as the Phantom Kisser/PK. It felt bizarre. Just say mystery man. Dream guy. Anything else. He's not swooshing around in a cloak and mask and kissing all the girls at the market is he? He sounds like a menace and someone should send batman after him.
The author used the word "resplendid" so often it started to drive me nuts.
The MC also referred to characters who wore their emotions on their face with a "you should never be an actor" joke. This happened twice, both times fairly close to each other. While cutesy the first time, was just eyerolls the second.
And Tom (I think it was Tom? Maybe it was her coworker/boss dude at the radio station. The men were all very samey) was said to be hilarious and he could have been a comedian, but nothing he said was funny? Even when he was trying to be.
Also spoiler, though you see it from a mile away: her best friend Wren is literally body shamed and rudely spoken at by their band manager. So they argue obviously, but then suddenly they're together? Idk but sounds toxic to me.
A lot of these things are me blowing smaller stuff out of proportion and I recognize that, but it still irritated me and thus you must also know about it.
I think my main qualm was that over the course of the year, aside from her blog and the occasional update, she barely spends any time putting her own effort in to searching for the guy. So you're stuck reading about her different band gigs and daily life for the majority of the book.
I found that there was so much description for everything overall, including minute things, and I found it pretty irritating by the midway point when I realized not much was happening with the progression of the plot.
A definite 2 stars. Not upset I read it, but would definitely not recommend and will probably forget about it quickly.
Instead, it was quite slow and repetitive.
I didn't hate the book overall, but it really could have been about 150-200 pages shorter. It takes place over the course of one year and has a lot of same-same stuff happening. The male characters were pretty bland. And I agree with many other two star reviewers that the MC is quoted by all of her friends to have changed a lot over the course of the year, but there's no real evidence.
The petty stuff:
I wasn't a fan of the MCs name being Romily. Ngl, I hated reading/saying it. Also didn't like that her aunt and uncle constantly referred to her as "our bab". Often times it grammatically sounded really odd? (Like it was never just "hey bab" it was "hey, our bab". Idk but I don't like it).
She had a bad relationship with her parents, there's no real backstory on this, but her standing up to her mom is portrayed as a big moment for her. It happens really quickly and falls flat.
I disliked the mystery man being referred to as the Phantom Kisser/PK. It felt bizarre. Just say mystery man. Dream guy. Anything else. He's not swooshing around in a cloak and mask and kissing all the girls at the market is he? He sounds like a menace and someone should send batman after him.
The author used the word "resplendid" so often it started to drive me nuts.
The MC also referred to characters who wore their emotions on their face with a "you should never be an actor" joke. This happened twice, both times fairly close to each other. While cutesy the first time, was just eyerolls the second.
And Tom (I think it was Tom? Maybe it was her coworker/boss dude at the radio station. The men were all very samey) was said to be hilarious and he could have been a comedian, but nothing he said was funny? Even when he was trying to be.
Also spoiler, though you see it from a mile away: her best friend Wren is literally body shamed and rudely spoken at by their band manager. So they argue obviously, but then suddenly they're together? Idk but sounds toxic to me.
A lot of these things are me blowing smaller stuff out of proportion and I recognize that, but it still irritated me and thus you must also know about it.
I think my main qualm was that over the course of the year, aside from her blog and the occasional update, she barely spends any time putting her own effort in to searching for the guy. So you're stuck reading about her different band gigs and daily life for the majority of the book.
I found that there was so much description for everything overall, including minute things, and I found it pretty irritating by the midway point when I realized not much was happening with the progression of the plot.
A definite 2 stars. Not upset I read it, but would definitely not recommend and will probably forget about it quickly.
January 11, 2013
I was a bit surprised by some of the negative reviews but different people have different tastes I guess. :) For me, I LOVE it. I think it has done well in several aspects. Heart-warming? Checked. Element(s) of surprise? Checked. Good detailing? Checked checked! I particularly enjoyed how the author described Romily and her bandmates as they performed in various wedding (or not) gigs.
Also, the author acknowledged through Romily that searching for that elusive man who gave her a smooch after helping Rom pick up the toys might be seen as a lil desperate. But Dickinson has managed to balance it nicely without making the main character appear too desperate because the theme - chasing after that man, is constantly being addressed. She argued it on the basis of doing something for herself, & I like that because I am also embarking on the search for.. myself. :)
The conclusion has it's fair share of twists; it wraps up nicely instead of a harried one. After all, if you are watching a movie, you would want a good wrap-up instead of a crappy & rushed one right?
I'm going to get a copy of this book for myself after returning the current one to the library. I look forward to reading more novels by Dickinson! :)
Also, the author acknowledged through Romily that searching for that elusive man who gave her a smooch after helping Rom pick up the toys might be seen as a lil desperate. But Dickinson has managed to balance it nicely without making the main character appear too desperate because the theme - chasing after that man, is constantly being addressed. She argued it on the basis of doing something for herself, & I like that because I am also embarking on the search for.. myself. :)
The conclusion has it's fair share of twists; it wraps up nicely instead of a harried one. After all, if you are watching a movie, you would want a good wrap-up instead of a crappy & rushed one right?
I'm going to get a copy of this book for myself after returning the current one to the library. I look forward to reading more novels by Dickinson! :)
January 1, 2016
Ok so as you can probably gather by the title the book basically starts with a kiss from a mystery guy and it's love at first sight and all that lol Rom is our lead character who having declared her undying love to her best friend Charlie and been rejected automatically runs into the potential love of her life and decides to spend the year searching for as she calls him her phantom kisser. ROM is in a wedding band with her friends one of them Charlie and the book is basically centered on her finding Mr pk. Now for what I thought about it ..... well it was ok definitely didn't blow Me away and for me personally I found it really quite repeatitive nothing major ever seemed to happen and tbh I really wanted her to get with Charlie the ending was rushed and too convenient for me obviously this is just my opinion over all its not a bad book it's just not one I'll be in a hurry to read again unfortunately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2011
The first thing which stands out for me in this book is the descriptive writing that Miranda Dickinson uses to set the scene straight from the start of the book. I felt as though I was there in the Christmas market with Romily which helps the storyline feel more real.
The book starts off at such a fast pace and throws us straight into a gripping storyline. By the end of the first chapter I loved the character of Romily she is so easy to connect to and you find your heart going out to her.
This book has a real mixture of content including Christmas, romance, music and suspense which means there is something for everyone in this book. I really couldn’t predict what I thought the ending was going to be in this book and this is what made it such a page turner.
This book is a must for those Christmas stockings!
The book starts off at such a fast pace and throws us straight into a gripping storyline. By the end of the first chapter I loved the character of Romily she is so easy to connect to and you find your heart going out to her.
This book has a real mixture of content including Christmas, romance, music and suspense which means there is something for everyone in this book. I really couldn’t predict what I thought the ending was going to be in this book and this is what made it such a page turner.
This book is a must for those Christmas stockings!
January 7, 2012
I was so excited to get this book, as I have loved Miranda's previous books, and she is one of my favourite authors :)
It's such a lovely book, really took me in, and I adored the characters. I absolutely loved Uncle Dudley and Auntie Mags, they are so lovely! Really felt like I was in the room with them whenever they were in a scene :)
I loved how Miranda kept you guessing, even when I thought what the ending would be, Miranda manages to produce a twist that I didn't see coming!
Definitely get this book, you won't be disappointed! And if you haven't read her other books, then get those too!
Fab book to curl up under a blanket with :)
It's such a lovely book, really took me in, and I adored the characters. I absolutely loved Uncle Dudley and Auntie Mags, they are so lovely! Really felt like I was in the room with them whenever they were in a scene :)
I loved how Miranda kept you guessing, even when I thought what the ending would be, Miranda manages to produce a twist that I didn't see coming!
Definitely get this book, you won't be disappointed! And if you haven't read her other books, then get those too!
Fab book to curl up under a blanket with :)
June 10, 2012
I really enjoyed this one. Romily sings in a group that does a lot of weddings. At the start of the book she professes her love for another member of the group and is horrified that he doesn't take it well. She meets a mysterious stranger in the Christmas market - and sets up a blog to try and find him.
It was set in and around Birmingham and I really enjoyed the mentions of local places.
It was set in and around Birmingham and I really enjoyed the mentions of local places.
October 23, 2011
Great story, very unique but what bothered me the most were the elements that distracted me from the main story... lots of unnecessary pages:( I would've enjoy much more if the book was 300 pages and without the stories that weren't important. Loved how it started with the confession and i had very HIGH expectations...
August 28, 2014
The book started on a high note but let me down with its repetitiveness. All in all this book is a waste of time.
June 7, 2016
loved this - another cracker from Miranda
January 9, 2021
4.5 stars
This was exactly what I needed, right when I needed it. I can't remember the last time I was so caught up in a book I wasn't compelled to skim through to get to the end.
That said, it brings me to one of the reasons this wasn't a 5 star book for me - because I did skim through a few scenes due to the fact that they were a bit wordy for my taste. Not necessarily always a bad thing, mind. But when you're getting to the 'big' moment you've been gagging for and the scene leading into it has a load of unnecessary and unrelated detail, it's exasperating.
Aside from that, I do enjoy the prose from this author. She has a gift for bringing you into the world she's created and beautifully so.
The other reason I couldn't give this a 5 was the abrupt ending. I needed more time with the new couple after all that went into Rom's quest. Even so, I was still a happy, slightly emotional reader at the end and again, that hasn't happened for me with anything I've read in a year - longer, if I'm honest.
I'm well pleased with this. It had nothing I hate and so much of what I love.
This was exactly what I needed, right when I needed it. I can't remember the last time I was so caught up in a book I wasn't compelled to skim through to get to the end.
That said, it brings me to one of the reasons this wasn't a 5 star book for me - because I did skim through a few scenes due to the fact that they were a bit wordy for my taste. Not necessarily always a bad thing, mind. But when you're getting to the 'big' moment you've been gagging for and the scene leading into it has a load of unnecessary and unrelated detail, it's exasperating.
Aside from that, I do enjoy the prose from this author. She has a gift for bringing you into the world she's created and beautifully so.
The other reason I couldn't give this a 5 was the abrupt ending. I needed more time with the new couple after all that went into Rom's quest. Even so, I was still a happy, slightly emotional reader at the end and again, that hasn't happened for me with anything I've read in a year - longer, if I'm honest.
I'm well pleased with this. It had nothing I hate and so much of what I love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2022
Mi sono ricordata solo ora di aver letto questo libro a 14 anni. Stavo pensando che una volta prestai un libro ad una mia amica e non mi tornò mai indietro. Poi ho ricordato che fosse questo. L’ho adorato, ancora oggi dopo quasi 10 anni ogni tanto ci ripenso, e se lo avessi ancora lo rileggerei volentieri..
December 20, 2017
3.5*
It was good, a lovely Christmas read.
It was good, a lovely Christmas read.
December 2, 2019
A perfectly fluffy holiday weekend read. It didn't pretend to be anything except what it is, and it was just what I needed. Plus, a plot surprise!
February 9, 2022
I couldn't put this down. I really enjoyed the characters, the relationships and friendships and the ups and downs of the story! A great easy read. Feel good factor 10!
December 27, 2015
I read this book because I wanted to read something with a Christmas theme for the holidays. In this story, Romily Parker has just revealed her feelings to her best friend Charlie and is horrified to find out that he doesn't feel the same way. After fleeing the embarrassing scene, Romily runs into a mystery man and within minutes he a.) tells her she's beautiful, b.) kisses her, and c.) runs off himself! Romily decides to dedicate the year to finding her "phantom kisser" to prove to herself that such a man exists and to perhaps find her own HEA.
This book was sweet....so sweet is made my teeth hurt. I've never read a Miranda Dickson book before so maybe all her books are like that... but it was a Christmas book so I forgave it for its overtly sugary feel. And Miranda Dickson POURS it on!
The characters were enjoyable since its hard to hate on them when they're so happy 98% of the time! There were small conflicts, but all is (and was) easily forgiven. That's not usually my cup of tea but again.... it's ~*~Christmas~*~ so whatever.
If there's a gif to sum up with book it was be this one:
3 stars! It was light hearted Christmasy fun...which is what I wanted. Though to be honest, I was rooting for and Romily to get together. Oh well.
April 9, 2014
It started with a kiss… This just sounds so out of a movie.
Being in love with the best friend, that’s never easy. Romily decided to tell Charlie about her feelings. If only she hadn’t. Charlie doesn’t share the same feelings and their relationship as best friends really suffers, because of that. To be honest, I really hated how Charlie treated her after that. I wanted to like him, but…
Then the mysterious stranger came along and they kissed. I instantly knew, that there had been something special between the two of them.
Romily is a great character. I share her passion for music and I think it’s great that she is in a band with her best friends. I want that too.
Her friends are all so lovable and their relationship is just amazing: true friendship…
I love the idea of creating a blog for the quest. I think it was also a way for Romily to express her feelings about this whole situation. I must say as a reader I really felt for her the whole time, with her ups and downs and I just wanted PK (Phantom Kisser) to turn up. But he didn’t, and he didn’t…
About Charlie again. Well I really got to like him, when he started treating her differently and because PK didn’t turn up, I suddenly wanted Romily to have a happy ending with Charlie, but I knew I wanted PK too, what a bad situation ;) The atmosphere and tension between Charlie and Romily seemed to grow page after page.
Of course PK had to appear once and logically only near the end of the story.
I won’t tell you whether Romily ended up with PK or with Charlie. Just one thing: There will be at least one surprise and some misunderstandings. However, the most important thing is that Romily ends up with the love of her life.
I loved reading about the band and their gigs. As I am a musician too, it’s always great to read about music.
One little thing that bugged me about the book, that it just didn’t seem realistic to me and some turns just didn’t make sense to me.
The writing is absolutely fabulous though and you really miss something if you don’t read this book.
Miranda posted a name of a song for every chapter, which I think is great and makes the book even more lively.
If you love romance, this book is a must. Such a sweet book ♥
Rating: 4.5
Being in love with the best friend, that’s never easy. Romily decided to tell Charlie about her feelings. If only she hadn’t. Charlie doesn’t share the same feelings and their relationship as best friends really suffers, because of that. To be honest, I really hated how Charlie treated her after that. I wanted to like him, but…
Then the mysterious stranger came along and they kissed. I instantly knew, that there had been something special between the two of them.
Romily is a great character. I share her passion for music and I think it’s great that she is in a band with her best friends. I want that too.
Her friends are all so lovable and their relationship is just amazing: true friendship…
I love the idea of creating a blog for the quest. I think it was also a way for Romily to express her feelings about this whole situation. I must say as a reader I really felt for her the whole time, with her ups and downs and I just wanted PK (Phantom Kisser) to turn up. But he didn’t, and he didn’t…
About Charlie again. Well I really got to like him, when he started treating her differently and because PK didn’t turn up, I suddenly wanted Romily to have a happy ending with Charlie, but I knew I wanted PK too, what a bad situation ;) The atmosphere and tension between Charlie and Romily seemed to grow page after page.
Of course PK had to appear once and logically only near the end of the story.
I won’t tell you whether Romily ended up with PK or with Charlie. Just one thing: There will be at least one surprise and some misunderstandings. However, the most important thing is that Romily ends up with the love of her life.
I loved reading about the band and their gigs. As I am a musician too, it’s always great to read about music.
One little thing that bugged me about the book, that it just didn’t seem realistic to me and some turns just didn’t make sense to me.
The writing is absolutely fabulous though and you really miss something if you don’t read this book.
Miranda posted a name of a song for every chapter, which I think is great and makes the book even more lively.
If you love romance, this book is a must. Such a sweet book ♥
Rating: 4.5
December 11, 2011
Disclaimer: This is not my type of book at all so take what I have to say with a grain of salt.
This was The Wedding Singer meets a Sunday afternoon Lifetime channel movie..you know, the ones that suck you in forcing you to watch till the end all the while seeing previews for the next that you just have to watch. The next thing you know it's 8pm and time for The Amazing Race.
I think I would have liked the book more if it didn't have all the band stuff in it...pretty unnecessary. There were a lot of unnecessary characters as well. If the book was strictly about the semi-love triangle Romily has going on, then it might have gotten another star from me...maybe. It it wasn't for the book club I'm a member of, I never would have picked up this book.
This was The Wedding Singer meets a Sunday afternoon Lifetime channel movie..you know, the ones that suck you in forcing you to watch till the end all the while seeing previews for the next that you just have to watch. The next thing you know it's 8pm and time for The Amazing Race.
I think I would have liked the book more if it didn't have all the band stuff in it...pretty unnecessary. There were a lot of unnecessary characters as well. If the book was strictly about the semi-love triangle Romily has going on, then it might have gotten another star from me...maybe. It it wasn't for the book club I'm a member of, I never would have picked up this book.
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