I Kissed Her First

by Betty Cayouette

An aspiring chef and world-famous popstar cook up what starts to sound like a love song in this sapphic new adult debut from Betty Cayouette.

This is Riley’s last summer as a chef. At least, this is what she’s promised her dads, who run a Cape Cod lobster shack and don’t want their daughter to follow in their stress-ridden footsteps. So Riley decides to go big and audition as a private chef for a singer’s European tour. When she finds out she got the gig, she’s thrilled. But when she learns that the singer she’ll be cooking for is Luna Leya, she and her sister’s favorite popstar? She almost can’t believe it.

Soon enough, Riley and Luna strike up an unexpected friendship, much to Luna’s manager’s disapproval. Luna should be focused on getting her Grammy, which means pulling off this tour without a hitch and continuing to date the notorious singer/heart throb/beloved bad boy Hudson, who’s rocketed her to a new level of fame with their hit single. Luna should definitely not be sneaking off to the Eiffel Tower and private Andalucian dinners to spend time with Riley. As the two get closer, Riley thinks she might be losing her mind. Is it possible the Luna Leya is flirting with her? And is there a world where Riley could keep her dream of being a chef alive? Soon, things will reach a tipping point and both Riley and Luna will be left could their story be a love song after all?

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Queer, LGBT, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

320 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 25, 2026

About the author

Betty Cayouette is the author of three novels, and the creator of viral social media account Betty’s Book List. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brandeis University and double majored in Film, Television and Interactive Media and in Communications. Betty is the creator of Betty’s Book List (TikTok 250k, Instagram 110k, YouTube 20k).

Betty’s debut novel ONE LAST SHOT sold to Macmillan’s St. Martin’s Press in a three book major deal. It was released in May 2024, and was the Afterlight book box pick. Her sophomore novel TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL released May 2025. Her third novel I KISSED HER FIRST will be released by Macmillan’s Saturday Books in August 2026.

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this and am so grateful to the publisher for sending me an ebook copy from NetGalley to pre-read. I’ve never been the first to review a book on Goodreads before!!

I absolutely LOVED this!!! The Provincetown love is so good and so vivid and the world tour and ensuing relationship are the best.

Luna is like a mix between Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift in terms of world stardom, and Riley is an overachiever cooking influencer (with two dads! both amazing!) who becomes Luna's private chef. Their romance built in a really beautiful way that kept me turning the pages of my kindle, and their emotional journeys felt like they were well-matched.

Big trigger warnings for grief, for one in loss of a mom and for the other in loss of a sister, both happening before the book, but still a big part of the story. It was nice that they could show up for each other in these ways.

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I liked this novel. There were a lot of fun parts and details, I enjoyed the characters, it was a good time. There was a nice balance of the lighter and heavier elements that gave the novel a nice amount of depth.

The characters were somewhat immature, but they were literally 21 and 24 so it wasn't unrealistic and didn't bother me too much.

This Novel Has:
-Superstar drama and media scheming.
-A nice romance that was fun
-Adorable/entertaining rising action and developing attraction
-Heartfelt family vibes
-Lots of content for a foodie who wants to read in-depth descriptions of food
-A well done handling of grief and healing after a tragedy, and discussions about how to be happy again despite feeling guilty about moving forward with your life.
-A grand gesture that didn’t make me cringe (too much!)

On the downside it was a bit tropy, and characters made some dumb decisions that were somewhat annoying. That’s par for the course though sometimes.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I was SO excited for a sapphic romance between a chef and a pop star where they travel all over Europe on the pop star's tour. Riley, the chef, has a popular tik Tok and has dreamed of working as a professional chef, but her dads are opposed to her dream since her sister was also in the food industry and got into drugs and died. Riley receives the offer of a lifetime working for her favorite pop star, Luna, and convinces her dads that it's her last fun summer before looking for a real job. In the beginning, I really enjoyed Riley's character as she started working as Luna's personal chef and dealing with the emotions of living her dream without her sister and against her dads' wishes. The romance between Luna and Riley was really sweet, though a bit fast. I liked how they had to navigate a blooming relationship as Luna just got out of a very public one and had to try and be with Riley in secret so that people didn't know about their relationship. I do think the pacing was a bit clunky and I really wasn't a fan of the 3rd act breakup since it was just Luna not really thinking about Riley and her feelings and would have been handled by a simple conversation. But overall this is definitely an emotional and fun romance that would be perfect to pick up this summer!

[Teddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot I wanted to like about this book. Delving into the life of a private chef and a popstar? Sign me up! The characters were earnest, and seemed like they inspired each other. But otherwise, it didn’t work for me. The pacing was off, and the emotional calibration wasn’t all the way there- maybe because the characters were younger but their observations didn’t always line up with what I expected from them. The chef component and lyrics were both creative. In the end, though, I wasn’t rooting for them as much as I wanted to be.

Short summary: Riley dreams of being a chef, posting videos of her cooking and hoping someone will notice. She never expects that someone to be world famous Luna Leya- or that Luna would hire her to be her chef on tour- or that Luna would…flirt with her?!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

I really enjoyed this cute and cozy romance. Riley is an aspiring chef from Provincetown who was hired to be the private chef for pop star Luna Leya’s European tour. Luna has recently had her first hit song and is trying to keep up the momentum and accelerate her career.

I love a good celebrity trope. I also really liked all of the food descriptions, travel scenes, and the really cute dates. The only downside for me was the cringy song lyrics 👀

But overall, this was a fun read!

Thank you NetGalley for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Savannah Mattair · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up!
This was a lot more deep and emotional than the description depicted. Both of our main characters are struggling with the loss of someone special to them. I think this really solidified their chemistry and connection. Pls look at the trigger warnings before reading. There weren’t any on the arc but there will hopefully be something on the published version.

I really liked the build up these characters had. I fell for Luna & Riley fast! Instead of texting, they sent voice notes back and forth to each other. It brought a more personal feeling to their relationship. Since they were going through personal losses they got each other like others couldn’t. Like I said they had a really good connection until they didn’t…
The beginning of this gave me five star vibes but it fell short unfortunately.
I didn’t like how Luna went about most things the second half of the book and the third act really made me dislike her.
I loved Riley on the other hand. She did no wrong in my eyes! I’ve seen others complain that Riley forgives Luna too fast. Yes it was fast but you can’t expect it to drag out when there’s only 5% left in the book.
Overall I do recommend this book! It had some faults but it was still a good sapphic romance I don’t regret picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!

[Rhiannon]

Three chapters in and I can already tell this book is not for me.

Riley is 24 years old but apparently so beholden to her dads that she has to essentially beg for permission to spend the summer touring Europe as Luna’s private chef. While I understand wanting to fulfill your parents’ expectations, that scene was written in a way that immediately made Riley seem so unbearably immature to me. Not to mention that it was also driving me crazy that, in order to differentiate between her two dads, she refers to them by their first names.

In the one chapter I read from her POV, Luna also came across very immature for her age, and I just get the impression that the two of them together will be far more than I can tolerate.

The writing felt incredibly amateurish, and that’s such a pet peeve of mine that I can’t even push through not loving the characters for the sake experiencing the story in full (or even for one more chapter).

Thank you to NetGalley and Saturday Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and I thought it was great.
The first chapter was well written and instantly sparked my interest. The trope of a pop star and private chef is super unique and felt like a refreshing idea!
Riley and Luna’s characters felt natural and their chemistry didn’t feel forced the way it does in some romance novels. I also liked that each character was well developed it really makes you feel like you’re in the story with them.
I liked what the book had to say about the music industry and how it explored Lunas struggles with trying to be everything at once for everyone.
There’s not a ton a spice in this book but enough to make you blush a bit!
Overall a very cute story and one of the better sapphic romances I’ve read recently.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I find this story went extremely fast and there was definitely no character build up which I did not like. They jumped into something so strange right away.. there was no getting to know each-other, no vulnerability.. I just didn’t feel like this 2 connected at all. It was a let down.

[chi · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a really cute romance going on!

thank you so much to netgalley for the arc of this book!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute!! Very fun, easy read. :)

If you’re looking for a cute sapphic romance, I Kissed Her First by Betty Cayouette is worth picking up.

The story follows Luna, a pop star struggling with her public image, and Riley, her chef, who is torn between her passion for cooking and her family’s expectations. As they travel across Europe on tour, they become each other’s safe place and fall in love.

Both women are figuring out who they are and what they want from life, and their support for each other makes the relationship feel genuine. Their chemistry is sweet, the banter is fun, and they’re easy to root for.

I really enjoyed this one and flew through it pretty quickly! A perfect warm weather read.

[Tiffany Schulz · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review
Such an absolutely adorable story!
We meet two women, one a pop star, the other a personal chef, both of them trying to find their path in life, all while learning how to love and be loved. This story shows the chances you have to take to be happy and make your dreams come true, shows how believing in yourself can create the most magical times, and how honesty with yourself and those you love is the way to happiness and a balanced life. All good things come to those who try— and this book tries and succeeds with a great story, cute plot, easy reading and just enough spice to make you blush.
Loved every second!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

i absolutely adored this book! the writing and story gripped me from the first page and i devoured this book. the descriptions of luna’s tour and music making process, riley’s cooking, and all the locations in this book feel magical. the characters are so well written and they grow together, which is so beautiful. amazing day to be a lesbian.

[avery]

DNF @ 44%

The characters seemed like they wanted to be three dimensional but they came across flat. The relationship between the had no tension or chemistry, I couldn’t tell you when they decided to sorta get together since there was zero build up to it.

As a whole, this book just wasn’t for me. The old “show don’t tell” rule was ignored here, everything felt spelled out and nothing was left up to the readers to figure out. I know this’ll find its audience, even if it’s not me.

[Katie BC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Kissed Her First is a super sweet celebrity sapphic romance between a chef, Riley, and her childhood crush-turned-employer, Luna Leya, a singer/songwriter on the rise in her career and currently on tour in Europe.

This had everything I wanted in a celebrity romance, especially one set in Europe, that was full of sapphic tension, secret relationship drama, songwriting under the Eiffel Tower, romantic getaways, and a sweet and spicy relationship between the MCs. I loved their characters so much, they had very clear descriptions, motivations, and struggles and I loved reading how they evolved as people as they navigated their relationship and careers. I also appreciated the attention to detail in Riley’s cooking and all the songs from Luna, they were beautiful and really added a lot of realism and artistry to the story.

My only critique would be that the writing had a bit more telling than showing in my opinion, almost like it was walking the reader through exactly what the characters are feeling and thinking and why. However, I was so invested in the story and characters that it really wasn’t that big of a deal, and I noticed it less as I went through the book.

Overall, it was a super fun and sweet romance that would be a lovely summer read for sapphic readers.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing for the ARC of this book, this is my voluntary review.

[H.R. Novelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley is a 24-year-old MBA student whose real interest is gourmet cooking. The story opens when she auditions for a job as Luna Leya's private chef and is immediately hired for cooking up a batch of tasty scallops. The job will be to serve as Luna's personal chef during her musical tour in Europe.

Luna Leya is a new singer who's managed to make a name for herself singing alongside her boyfriend, Hudson, tapping into his popularity to boost her career. Actually, they are each tapping into the energy of the other, and it's evident to both that their relationship is merely for PR with little or no actual content out of the public eye.

But Luna has been following the cooking vlogs of Riley's and finds the blond girl to be intelligent, good-looking, and, after tasting her scallops, a really very fine cook worthy of bringing along on her tour. They fly to Paris together, and immediately Riley, already a seasoned lesbian, senses an attraction which she hopes is mutual.

The story continues as Cayouette alternates perspectives from Riley to Luna over the next 39 chapters, using first-person points of view, lots of internalizations, and dialogue. Although Luna Leya is supposed to be the model of the girl next door, having built her fan base on that assumption, she finds herself falling into the grip of a genuine love affair with Riley, wading ever deeper into love and finally breaking her songwriting block that's been plaguing her.

The keen attraction each woman feels toward the other inspires both of them; and in this parallel story, each in her own way comes to us as something of a performer whose artistic inspiration is fueled greatly by her growing connection to the other. Of course, a story about the power that love has on the artist is not a new idea, but Cayouette brings it poignantly to us as an experience.

And that is, after all, the main purpose of writing a novel.

As the two women find each other, as it were, there comes the obvious conflict which any reader can well foresee; one of them is prepared for this love while the other is not. One has no inhibitions with regard to public opinion, while the other is nearly paralyzed by it. Is love worth putting all that Luna has worked to build and all that she can be at risk for? After all, how many chances do any of us get to be voted best new anything? And will Riley be able to tell her dads in Provincetown the truth about her ambitions to become a restaurant chef?

I wanted to give Cayouette five stars. She's a fine writer. She has woven together a compelling narrative with a host of complications, not to mention having created two characters of real depth. I love the story and would like to read more of her work. But Cayouette seems insensitive to the deep emotional conflicts that must and surely do arise as a young woman like Luna Leya, a popular artist, comes suddenly face to face with a fork in the road concerning the very nature of her sexual identity. There really are (and must be therefore discussed) the elements of culture, nature, chemistry, and those deeply seated desires that make up the fundamental purposes of being a sustainable human in an existential sense (and being a culturally sustainable woman while at the same time finding her soul bound up gloriously with another woman's heart). I'm sorry, you can't pluck out these vexes like so many feathers and pretend they don't exist. I would like to see Cayouette set aside this project for a short while and consider adding a few more chapters, and then I want her to get down into the dirty business of writing a story so honest it hurts her to tell it.
--HR Novelton

[james · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC!

I Kissed Her First is a sapphic romance novel between world-famous pop star Luna and Riley, a chef she hires for her European tour.

As they tour Europe, you're able to see various cities, such as Paris and Mykonos, which I believe makes this a fun read for the summer, letting you feel like you're on a vacation. Cayouette describes the atmosphere and surroundings in each city that they visit, and Riley makes food with local ingredients, which allows each destination to feel distinct.

Both women have their own personal struggles. I thought the story became interesting when it addressed the difficulty of being in the public eye, as well as grief (though personally, Riley's journey with grief felt stronger than Luna's as it felt more integrated into how she moved about the world).

Luna has a goal of winning a Grammy, influenced by her late mother, however, this did not feel like valid motivation for her actions in the third act. I'll refrain from speaking more on it due to spoilers.

Unfortunately, the writing felt a bit weak and hollow. There were also scenes where the drama felt contrived, or there were jumps in character emotions that felt unnatural. For example, Riley's dads not wanting to let her become a chef. I think that this subplot could've been done, but her dads don't really feel like real characters, but rather just an obstacle in this sense.

I also didn't feel like Luna's character was particularly complex or dynamic. While she reacted the events happening around her, I never felt a strong sense of identity. As I say this though, she does struggle with her artist image, and how it's becoming further distanced from who she wants to be. I think this will be compelling to some people.
I noticed other reviewers pointing out her similarities to Taylor Swift, and while I'm not super familiar with her, given that comparison, I thought it was hilarious that Luna really wanted to take commercial flights > private jets.

There is slight concern of the power imbalance between them that is discussed by Luna's manager but it doesn't seem too potent because we don't really much engagement with Luna's wealth or power outside of these discussions.

I did enjoy Riley's character more. She had goals and a strong family connection, with an interesting backstory of working at a Lobster restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She also has time to spend with other characters like some of the dancers on Luna's tour.

If you like food, there are lots of descriptions of Riley's creations as she tries to make dishes relevant to the cities that they're in. I think this will be a treat for some people (and maybe even encourage them to cook something up themselves).

Overall, this is a sweet sapphic romance that's perfect for reading in the summer. I'd recommend it to people who love modern popstars like Taylor Swift, are foodies, and want a cute romance.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything I dreamed it would be and more, I can not BELIEVE how beautiful this book is. No character is perfect, every character is human, every character makes mistakes, all the characters have growth arcs and learn from their mistakes, everything is just perfect.
Riley is the main character of this story, she is a chef working at her parents shack You’re My Lobster- a super popular place to eat in their hometown of Provincetown. The family is super loving and caring, the only rule is Riley does not end up in the catering / chef business. There is a huge reason for this, and it is reasonable, but being a chef is Rileys dream, which is why she finds herself secretly auditioning to be Luna Leyas private chef for a leg of her tour.
Luna and Riley instantly hit it off, and Luna finds herself feeling happiness and freedom she hasn’t felt since her mother died, and Riley feels the same way. The two end up messaging all the time, going on mini trips and just naturally gravitating towards each other.
this feels like it means something to both of them.
Riley is such a beautiful character, she truly does love cooking and is obviously incredibly good at it, I love that she shares her cooking with the world through her videos, sharing your passion with others like that is such a cool thing to be able to do, and everyone loves Riley’s cooking and her videos. Her families story is heartbreaking, the strength of Riley and her dads is ridiculous, her dads hesitations are so incredibly valid. I love how all that is written too, it could come across in a way that makes them look harsh or mean, but it’s wrote in a way where it’s clear they are speaking from a place of care and love and just want their daughter to be safe and happy.
Luna is also such a well written character, she’s just a bubble of sweetness and love inside, but then outside all the focuses on his her career, the charts, the fans and the media. It’s understandable because singing is her dream, and she has it, so she doesn’t want to lose it, but the repercussions of that start to hit her once Riley enters her life. I also love how strong she is, in a different way from Riley but Luna is also strong, once she realizes her mistakes she jumps to try and fix them, and she does not take no for an answer, I loved when she took that leap to stand up for herself and her wants. Her strength is also shown when she is on stage, her persona of Luna Leya never faulters on stage, no matter what’s going on behind the scenes.
I AM RUNNING OUT OF ROOM BUT THE SPICE WAS INCREDIBLE AND AMAZING AND SO HOT, LIKE SO HOT, INCREDIBLY HOT!! ALSO Love how Lunas sexuality awakening wasn’t a huge deal, I also like how much all those scenes were written so clearly. I would have liked her to come out as a Lesbian specifically since that’s clearly what she is, but that’s okay, baby steps.

[Kristen M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

I absolutely tore through this. I thought the concept was clever, a rock star and a chef- a combo I wouldn’t have thought of on my own but totally works in this world. As a sidenote, I am apparently a sucker for rock star/normie romances since I keep finding them and devouring them, so this really checked that box. I also appreciated the fun Eras tour references and nods to other pop music girls (Sabrina Carpenter’s “Nonsense” in particular had me swooning…!) as well as including lyrics in the story. Whenever I read these books and there are songs written, I love when we get to see the lyrics.

As far as characters go, I loved Riley- her development was really well done. I loved her upbringing with her dads, her hometown of Provincetown and the restaurant her family owned. Her struggles with grief felt genuine, and I was really rooting for her to get everything she ever wanted. I also loved the deep dive into the food scene of the places they toured, it made me crave all the things!

As a romance, this is pretty good- the characters have chemistry, although I would have preferred more of a slow burn. I’m okay with instant connection but their first meeting should have been drawn out further so we could see more of their banter. Still, I liked them at first. And the spice is written well. However— I stopped really rooting for them toward the end. I liked Luna until she kept making the same selfish bad choices. She starts off sweet and troubled, but then she proceeds to dominate the relationship, always putting her needs above Riley’s. After a while, her POV drove me a bit crazy. Obviously the two eventually get to a stable place, but it falls flat for me because I didn’t see enough evidence that Luna had changed or valued Riley as much as she should. The book ends and I felt kind of meh about them as a couple, which brought down the vibe.

Also, I got emotional at the very end, but it wasn’t because of anything in the relationship. It was another plot point entirely, focused on Luna. I think that’s a tribute to good writing, where I could feel emotional without even really liking her, but I would have wanted to be swooning more over their romance. Hence my 3 star rating vs a 4 or 5.

Overall though, this is a solid book, and a good summer read. I will read more of Betty’s writing because I think she’s very talented. If you’re looking to enjoy a book on the beach (preferably with a lobster roll and a glass of wine) then this might be it.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Kissed Her First is a cute contemporary romance focusing on Luna Leya: an artist who is breaking mainstream, and Riley: an aspiring chef and newly hired personal chef for Luna. The book was a very easy read, switching POVs, and in first person.

I enjoyed how the author took the time to develop Luna and Riley’s insecurities and indecisiveness. Both characters have very clear flaws that follow them throughout the book, and intensify in the second half. Both characters are likable and you are happy to egg them into a relationship. This is a bit of a slower burn than some other books, but their connection is immediate.

The plot is pretty straightforward: Luna Leya is on tour and needs a chef. And they hit it off. Featuring some trials and tribulations on the way, as well as experiencing the harsh reality of fame. I do think the plot and characterization weakened in the last 25% of the book, however.

The flaws in the characters drive conflict, naturally, which results in a third act break up. The speed at which these characters “learn their lessons,” for lack of a better phrase, is near instant. The processing of the flaws that got them to where they are is immediate, with little real internal conflict and nothing to grapple with, beyond guilt (which is immediately fixed, of course, after an apology and an act or do). The characters we had really started getting a feel for, their distinct flaws and characterizations, felt pushed a bit to the side in order for a quick wrap up (at about 9% of the book left). This was true for one of the side characters as well, Ashley, who spent the entire story pushing and acting perhaps as a light antagonist, to immediately switch her opinions and actions when confronted. Although, to be fair, the side characters were not heavily developed in this.

There were a couple of other personal things that I didn’t quite vibe with in this, some of which are not reflective of the story itself but contribute to my rating, which include:
- the way the memories were included in the story
- first person POV
- every other chapter character POV switch
- long song lyric inclusions

It was a fun read, but I probably wouldn’t read it again.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing the e-ARC for honest review!

[jayden abel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Possible Spoilers*

I Kissed Her First is like a decent but dramatized Hallmark movie. The title does the book a disservice; it makes the book sound mediocre right off the bat. Also, as a song title, I Kissed Her First is a flop. I never particularly gained interest or sympathy for Luna and Riley. They didn't feel human, they felt like romcom caricatures.

The two are what I call perfectly imperfect. Everything about them, from their traits to their weaknesses are sculpted just right. Luna is an unsatisfied popstar who dreams of dressing boho and singing folk songs. She is set on winning a Grammy to honor her late mother. During the whirlwind of fame, she starts helicopter-piloting her relationship with Riley. In the end she comes to the conclusion that facing homophobia is better than losing her girlfriend.

Riley doesn't want a traditional 9-5 job, but she also cannot stomach letting her dads down. She’s a devoted daughter, working at her family’s seafood shack. As one last hurrah, she becomes her favorite singer’s private chef. She ends the book running an artfully crafted weekly fine dining experience back home. What I did like was the relationship with her dead sister. Liv was a recovering addict and Riley’s best friend. Riley has a plethora of memories with her, some positive and some negative, but all full of love.

I don’t like the superfan x superstar trope, but at least Luna was a fan of Riley’s Tiktok videos first. I was impressed that their big fight actually had merit. Without prior consent, Luna writes, records, and releases a song detailing Riley’s experience with an addicted sister. Riley is rightfully mad. It isn’t a glamorized misunderstanding, Luna makes a big, fame-induced oopsie. Personally, I wouldn’t publicly apologize to my girlfriend for dishing out her family drama, but whatever.

While I didn’t particularly feel a connection to the main couple, the side characters were nice. Luna’s ex-boyfriend, while a mediocre partner, does pull through as a friend. Riley befriends a fellow tourmate who becomes her hypewoman. If you’re into fluffy gossip magazine relationships, this book is exactly that.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I will be posting this on Goodreads and/or Tiktok and Instagram in late April.

[E. Variation · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, fluffy little romance. This book reads a lot like fanfiction. If you’ve ever fantasized about a pop star being secretly wlw and finding her first female lover, you’ll love this. Lots of cliche tropes, but in a fun way. A PR relationship, gay awakening, secret lovers, paparazzi, tabloids. It’s a generic fanfic style of story. There’s not much to it, but I don’t think there’s supposed to be. It’s just a nice time. Very cheesy, pretty far-fetched, but feel good and light.

I appreciated the background stories of the main characters, the little details about their personalities, that they have more going on than just their relationship. They both have their own future goals they’re working to achieve and their own psychological baggage to work through. I liked that their love grew in a realistic progression and felt natural. No insta-love, they bonded and connected and love grew from there. Their relationship is nontoxic and supportive which I love to see in wlw.

The writing itself feels a bit immature/amateur, but I think the feelings of being a wlw are well represented (from personal experience), as was someone realizing they were participating in some comp-het unknowingly and breaking free of it. There’s definitely a ‘breaking free’ theme to this novel.

I’m a music industry professional and while a lot of what is depicted about the music industry in this book is not accurate and very unrealistic (cheesy and far fetched remember), I was able to look past it. Much like with fanfiction, it seemed like the author didn’t have much experience in the actual music industry and didn’t do in-depth hands on research. Most of the music industry stuff felt very juvenile and idealistic, which is a way a lot of outsiders prefer to view it I think, so I understand why that depiction works for this. I just relied heavily on belief suspension and was able to enjoy the book that way. Sort of ‘this is a fantasy version of the music industry’ and then my brain accepted it. Again, like fanfic.

Because it feels like a fantasy version of our reality, it made me have more cozy vibes than I usually get with contemporary romance. The drama felt less serious and the stakes low. Stress-free. I had that fluffy feeling of knowing it’s all going to work out just fine.

This was satisfying and cozy. Not something I’ll pick up again, but it was a nice read.

[Den · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew, just had to wipe a few tears before writing this review (happy tears!)
4.5 stars rounded up. However, I recommend reading reviews first to check if this book is for you!

Romance books for me hinge completely on if I like the characters or not, and if I felt the chemistry between them. This book checks both boxes for me. 10% in and I already felt for Luna and even early on I could see how they could be attracted to each other and complement each other. Luna is lonely and craves genuine companionship. Riley is open, easygoing, and emotionally available. Also, I absolutely relate to Luna's competency fetish. I feel you girl. I too love watching competent women do things they're good at.

At this point in the book, if you do not like both characters. You will not like the book.

Personally, I like them both and found the flirting really cute. They date around Europe as they move along on Luna's world tour, sometimes secretly and sometimes not-so-secretly. They pass each other notes and voice messages. Conflicts arise that pits personal life against professional life (for both of them), and we do get a third act breakup, but it gets resolved pretty pretty quickly.

...maybe too quickly. Because while I do like how the conflicts were set out and how our characters navigate through it, the resolution to almost all of it happens really quickly at the final 15% of the book. So fast that you wonder if the writer had a page limit. I think this book would benefit from having at least 50 more pages or so. Seriously, I'd gladly spend more time with these characters!

Even so, the ending was really cute and I even teared up.

I've seen reviews comparing Luna to Taylor Swift/other pop stars, but since I'm not a pop person, those comparisons meant nothing to me, and I didn't pick up any references to them. I think it worked in the book's favor, because that meant famous pop girlies were the furthest thing from my mind while I was reading this book. Luna was just her own person to me.

Overall, this was just a really cute and warm romance. It does require you to suspend some disbelief and I do wish the ending had more room to breathe, but when a book leaves me smiling through tears by the final page, it’s hard for me not to love it.

Recommended for saps like me.

[Kimberlyyyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Saturday Books for the E-arc!

I just love sapphic romances so much. I Kissed Her First features a rising pop star named Luna and her recently hired private chef for her world tour, Riley.

Together, they bond over discovering new places and the loss of dear loved ones, the more time they spend together, the less friendly their relationship feels, building romantic tension between them.

Luna is on tour, rising to fame, she has a boyfriend, and she's performing in stadiums. Yet, she feels nothing towards these things. That is, until she spends time with Riley and experiences what true love has always meant to feel, liberating.

Riley was hired to be a chef, this is everything she's wanted for herself. Despite her dad's wishes, this is an opportunity she's been waiting years for. Traveling around the world and getting to cook amazing meals is amazing but what's truly the best thing about touring is the time spent with Luna.

Luna and Riley are both such incredible main leads; Riley's assurance in her identity is something I aspire to have in my own future. Literally all the meals she cooked sounded absolutely delicious, and I wish I could cook but I fear I am just an average cook. Luna's character is easy to fall in love with; you can't help but root for her growth despite her inherently flawed ways of growing.

I see sapphics, and I fully support sapphics. They can literally do no wrong in my eyes. I really enjoyed the angst within this book, the romantic chemistry is instantly there and felt.

The third-act breakup felt a bit off just because I genuinely believe that Luna would've communicated with Riley over such a big decision. It felt a bit out of character for her to do, especially with the growth she had made.

I also liked the discussions around grief; they were really vulnerable and honest. Losing a loved one is never easy, especially when you have a complex relationship with them. I really liked how both Luna and Riley felt comfortable talking to each other about this.

If you love emotionally vulnerable sapphic romances with bits of angst and romantic tension, this is definitely a book you do not want to miss out. This is def a favorite of mine and I can see myself rereading in the future!

[Kendal G · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review:
This is a very sweet story. This story follows Riley, a chef in her parent’s small town restaurant who has a popular cooking account on social media, and Luna, who is a Popstar learning to deal with this newfound level of fame. Starting a new chapter in both of their lives, they both take a leap of faith, Riley auditioning to be a traveling chef for an unknown artist despite not having any formal chef training, and Luna for hiring a chef that is young and inexperienced.

Throughout the book it reminded me of the feeling I had when I my first crush on a girl. The confusion, pondering, questioning, the slow realization that this may be more than an interest in friendship. Realizing that I have the same feelings I had for boys but for a girl.

There are some darker themes throughout this story that provide a new level of understanding who these women are as people. Though these topics are discussed throughout, they could be fleshed out a bit more and expanded on during their younger more formative years and how that has impacted them throughout their character development. I think some of the time that was used describing the steps in cooking and food prepared in great detail could be cut shorter and used to develop these characters and relationships with others more. It sometimes felt like the other characters didn’t really exist outside of being a topic of conversation, especially Riley’s fathers.

Sometimes the actions and conversations felt a little childish and cliche, especially Luna’s songs and lyrics, but that can be fun and sweet for some, so I have nothing against this.

This story read as a slow burn type, and got a little slow at points. The inner monologues while deciding if they liked each other and wanted to date were not very conflicted, or against the idea other than “this is a bad idea I’m an employee,” and I would have appreciated some more back and forth with the idea.

I love queer love and overall enjoyed reading this. I really liked the idea of a chef and Popstar getting together, it’s a unique idea that could be executed a little better. With expanding character development and cutting back on some of the more unnecessary, descriptive details.

[Jeremy Reppy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that both Riley and Luna faced significant past trauma that impacted how they pursued their goals, lived their lives, and what they felt they were “allowed” to do or be. Not that I wanted either of them to experience trauma/significant losses. However, I find that in stories where a character has to get past some trauma or obstacle, it is often one main character with the traumatic past, and the love interest is generally involved in helping the person move past the trauma, which often involves doing something that temporarily makes things worse and threatens to ruin the relationship.

This story felt more balanced because Riley’s pursuit of a culinary career, at which she would likely excel, is hindered by her sister’s death and the circumstances around it and how her and her dads have coped with it, while Luna is seeing the musical success and may win the Best New Artist Grammy that she and her mother dreamed of but she is in a relationship she doesn’t want to be in (but cannot leave for publicity reasons) and struggling to write new songs that resonate and fit the persona that has been crafted for her instead of the songs that really speak to her.

I enjoyed the friendship and then relationship between Luna and Riley, including, when the opportunity arose, Riley introducing Luna to the joys of sapphic love. But also how affirming they were of each other and how they allowed each other to open up and be themselves — Luna geeking out over passenger airplane features, Riley’s love for creating beautiful and tasty meals highlighting local cuisine; her use of food as her love language; Luna using her celebrity to enable Riley to meet with and learn from the chefs at the various restaurants they visited; Luna’s ability to express such emotion in her songs; Riley letting Luna know that she, like many others, was a longtime fan and that Luna’s popularity was deeper than her hit duet with Hudson and the publicity relationship with him. Riley’s dads, Ashley, and Luna’s backup dancers, especially Rhia, made for a great supporting cast.

[Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short Summary

Luna is a famous pop star, looking to get to the next level of fame, and willing to put her career before anything or anyone else.
Riley has dreamed of being a chef, but her dads want her to do anything but that. When an invite comes for her to audition to be a private chef for a European concert tour Riley can’t pass it up. She knows she doesn’t have the creds to be hired, until she is.
Luna and Riley quickly connect as they tour through Europe but what does that mean for their dreams?

My Review

A pop star and the private chef hired to cook for her on tour is the backdrop to a fun, flirty, forced proximity, first time sapphic romance.

As I was reading, I thought a lot about dreams and if those dreams are fully our own or ones lived for other people. Both the main characters have lost someone close to them and it has changed the way they live and work in both negative and positive ways.

I liked the behind the popstar aspects of the story, getting a glimpse of how they felt they needed to act and look in order to be more successful than they already were. It spoke to insecurity and vulnerability and the ever-shifting demands of popularity. Of losing yourself along the way, and not feeling like you can be who you want to be.

I think the career versus love is a trope we don’t often talk about, but is so prevalent in books and life. Which is more important? What can you live without? What are you willing to compromise? And can you have both? All of these themes are explored through the points of view of both Riley and Luna.

I'd recommend this book because you could read it for the wonderful story of truly being seen and appreciated for who you are as you fall in love with another woman. At the surface it is a wonderful story of love found on tour. But on a deeper level there are so many themes of expectations, grief, and deciding who you live your life for yourself or others.

Thank you to St Martin's Press, Saturday Books for an advanced digital copy via NetGalley for me to read and provide an honest review.

[Allix · Rating 3 out of 5]

I KISSED HER FIRST is a sweet, simple sapphic romance between a rising pop star and her tour private chef. The premise was very cute, and I thought some of the descriptions, particularly of the food, the performances, and the specific locations the tour team traveled to were well done and fun to read. Main characters Luna and Riley were fun to read about and I liked how passionate they both were about their chosen careers, and that they shared that passion with each other. I wasn’t really sold on Luna and Riley’s relationship, though - they didn’t seem to have a lot in common other than grief and circumstance, and that kept their relationship from feeling real or interesting. I felt as though we were sort of going somewhere with exploring Luna’s big bad case of career-induced comphet when her romantic relationship with Riley started to develop, and I was left disappointed with how it ended up being handled.

I would have liked to see more in-depth characterization for both of them, and I would have also liked to see more from the relationships between the main characters and side characters - the conflict between Riley and her dads, for example, was kind of busted; the issue was that they weren’t communicating, and when miscommunication or under-communication is the entire source of a conflict, it’s frustrating to read. I also thought the conversations around addiction could have used some work - I appreciate that the author didn’t make the character who experiences addiction the “bad guy,” but apart from that, I don’t think that particular aspect of the story was handled super well.

Overall, I KISSED HER FIRST is a cute and mostly-enjoyable read. As a lesbian, I always want more sapphic romance novels, and while I think this particular one fell sort of flat for me, I’ll definitely be checking out this author again in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Saturday Books for the ARC!

[Kelsie Bowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am going to start with the fact that I read the title as "I kissed her before you did" and not "I kissed her before she kissed me" and I was confused for the first 2/3rds of the book about how my interpretation was going to com into play. Then it clicked and I laughed about my error out loud.

I Kissed Her First follows Riley, an aspiring chef who is still grieving her sister's death, as she stands the summer as a personal chef for the European tour of rising pop star Luna's tour. Luna is, to the public, dating fellow musician Hudson as the optics have been great given their hit duet. There aren't any romantic feelings left between the two though. This leaves room in Luna's heart for her tour chef, and who can resist falling in love with the Eiffel Tower in the background??

I loved Riley and Luna as a couple. Overall they are great for each other. Some immaturity was the biggest flaw in their relationship, and that can be overcome.

I don't need strict realism in my romance novels, that would take the fun both of them. There was some stretching that ventured into the too unrealistic realm for me. I support people living their dreams without having done through the traditional avenues, but it got distracting to try and figure out how Riley know so much about cooking a variety of cuisines from her experience working her dads' lobster roll shack and from her time as an MBA student. Luna's trajectory to success was also a bit too good to believe. I felt like she went from busking at parks to headlining a world stadium tour.

The grand gesture at the end was the right amount of grand with our venturing into super cringey. The exploration of both Riley and Luna's individual grief at the loss of a loved one was at the heart of this novel and I feel like it was handled very well.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Meagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! This comes out on September 8th.

Riley wants nothing more than to be a professional chef but her dads know firsthand the stress of working in a restaurant, and witnessed Riley’s deceased sister’s struggle with the job, and thus are very much against the idea. On a whim, Riley interviews to be a private chef for famous pop star Luna Leya on her upcoming tour. Riley never expected to actually get the job, much less to become friends with Luna, and maybe more, along the way.

This is a sweet and simple sapphic romance. Riley and Luna are both fun characters to follow, with interesting careers and engaging backstories.

I would have liked to see their friendship and crush develop more before they got together - they don’t actually spend that much time together beforehand. I especially would have liked to have seen this from Luna’s POV since this is her first time dating a woman.
The secondary characters all felt interchangeable. I couldn’t tell you anything about them outside of their jobs. I especially wish that Riley’s dads were more developed as they play such a vital role in Riley’s life.

I wish the book had let Luna’s ex-boyfriend Hudson be a bad guy, or at least a more complicated character. In the end he’s made out to be this great guy even though he didn’t treat Luna all that well when they were dating and somehow accidentally called Luna a cheater (I didn’t understand how his conversation with his sponsor got out or what the context was. It was a strange, ultimately unnecessary plot point).

Overall, I enjoyed my time reading this but likely won’t remember it all that long. It’s very cute but not groundbreaking and I would have liked a little bit more meat to the story.