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I Kissed Her First
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?
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?
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2026
About the author
Betty Cayouette
3 books430 followersBetty 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
August 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
"I Kissed Her First" is a sapphic, contemporary romance. It features an alternating perspective and is written in first person. The protagonists are Riley, who recently graduated with her MBA but secretly aspires to a career as a chef, and Luna Leya, a popstar working toward a Grammy nomination. Riley, a longtime fan of Luna, is elated when she’s hired to work for Luna as her private chef throughout the European leg of her world tour. It is during this tour that feelings begin to stir, and they realize that their struggles may be more similar than either of them was prepared for. This story has themes of grief. It also contains brief discussions and depictions of substance abuse.
This is the first book I've ever encountered that paired a popstar with her private chef. It’s a dynamic that I previously never conceived of. That's partially why I was so drawn to the novel in the first place. I also loved that there was a new sapphic romance releasing this year because wlw books don’t always get the attention I feel they deserve.
Throughout the story, topic of grief was handled with care. I appreciate how Cayouette showed people in different stages of their grief, as well as different coping mechanisms. Some of the conversations Luna and Riley had were shockingly deep, considering the premise seemed like a very standard, cutesy romance novel (which it still is. I mean this positively.) Another thing I appreciated about "I Kissed Her First" are the descriptions of Riley's cooking and the elaborate meals she planned throughout. They sounded absolutely delicious. They weren't meals I've ever had before either. They really seemed fancy enough for a celebrity on tour.
I rated this three stars for several reasons. The first reason is the constant telling in the narration. I never got a chance to interpret anything or read between the lines or rely on subtext because every emotion, thought, motivation, action, etc. was told to me. As a result, some parts of the story got a little repetitive. Another reason is the confusion I felt over the obstacle in Riley's portion of the book. Why did her dads come to the conclusion they did? Why were they the foil for Riley's story, when it could have just been Riley herself, which might have been a more interesting and rewarding introspection for both the character and the readers? Unfortunately, Riley’s dads logic was so genuinely jarring to me that I had a hard time believing in her struggle. Finally, I felt like part of Luna's arc wasn't given the attention it deserved. She's a lonely and isolated character. That's something a lot of people can relate to, even if they aren't a celebrity. I wish that part of her character had been followed through with.
"I Kissed Her First" is a book I would recommend for casual romance readers looking for a new sapphic book to read. Especially if you like your romance books with a touch of heavier topics (like grief). It seems like something a lot of contemporary romance readers might enjoy!
"I Kissed Her First" is a sapphic, contemporary romance. It features an alternating perspective and is written in first person. The protagonists are Riley, who recently graduated with her MBA but secretly aspires to a career as a chef, and Luna Leya, a popstar working toward a Grammy nomination. Riley, a longtime fan of Luna, is elated when she’s hired to work for Luna as her private chef throughout the European leg of her world tour. It is during this tour that feelings begin to stir, and they realize that their struggles may be more similar than either of them was prepared for. This story has themes of grief. It also contains brief discussions and depictions of substance abuse.
This is the first book I've ever encountered that paired a popstar with her private chef. It’s a dynamic that I previously never conceived of. That's partially why I was so drawn to the novel in the first place. I also loved that there was a new sapphic romance releasing this year because wlw books don’t always get the attention I feel they deserve.
Throughout the story, topic of grief was handled with care. I appreciate how Cayouette showed people in different stages of their grief, as well as different coping mechanisms. Some of the conversations Luna and Riley had were shockingly deep, considering the premise seemed like a very standard, cutesy romance novel (which it still is. I mean this positively.) Another thing I appreciated about "I Kissed Her First" are the descriptions of Riley's cooking and the elaborate meals she planned throughout. They sounded absolutely delicious. They weren't meals I've ever had before either. They really seemed fancy enough for a celebrity on tour.
I rated this three stars for several reasons. The first reason is the constant telling in the narration. I never got a chance to interpret anything or read between the lines or rely on subtext because every emotion, thought, motivation, action, etc. was told to me. As a result, some parts of the story got a little repetitive. Another reason is the confusion I felt over the obstacle in Riley's portion of the book. Why did her dads come to the conclusion they did? Why were they the foil for Riley's story, when it could have just been Riley herself, which might have been a more interesting and rewarding introspection for both the character and the readers? Unfortunately, Riley’s dads logic was so genuinely jarring to me that I had a hard time believing in her struggle. Finally, I felt like part of Luna's arc wasn't given the attention it deserved. She's a lonely and isolated character. That's something a lot of people can relate to, even if they aren't a celebrity. I wish that part of her character had been followed through with.
"I Kissed Her First" is a book I would recommend for casual romance readers looking for a new sapphic book to read. Especially if you like your romance books with a touch of heavier topics (like grief). It seems like something a lot of contemporary romance readers might enjoy!
April 10, 2026
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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!
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!
July 14, 2026
3.75
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy in change for an honest review. This book was super cute and an easy fun read. Both the main characters Luna and Riley were both super likeable characters and their relationship was super sweet. The story was pretty surface level but it kept me entertained throughout the whole thing. I also enjoyed that Lunas manager wasn’t some crazy evil supervillain because that trope in celebrity rom coms can definitely be overused. I also liked that there wasn’t a villain in this story at all per se and the conflict all made sense and was easily solved. Overall I really enjoyed this and definitely recommend it when it comes out.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy in change for an honest review. This book was super cute and an easy fun read. Both the main characters Luna and Riley were both super likeable characters and their relationship was super sweet. The story was pretty surface level but it kept me entertained throughout the whole thing. I also enjoyed that Lunas manager wasn’t some crazy evil supervillain because that trope in celebrity rom coms can definitely be overused. I also liked that there wasn’t a villain in this story at all per se and the conflict all made sense and was easily solved. Overall I really enjoyed this and definitely recommend it when it comes out.
June 17, 2026
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.
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.
June 4, 2026
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.
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.
June 13, 2026
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Did Not Finish
August 12, 2026Three 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 got 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.
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 got 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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Book Source: gifted arc from St. Martin’s Press
Cry Rating: Level 1 (misty)
Read If You Like:
- pop star x chef
- sapphic romance
- friends-to-lovers
- grief
My Thoughts:
This was absolutely adorable, and I ate it right up! Still grappling with the loss of her older sister two years ago, college graduate Riley is ready to figure out her next steps. She promised her dads she would never work in a kitchen, but she just landed a dream gig as a private chef for her favorite pop star.
After convincing her dads to let her take this summer job before settling into a career, Riley sets off to Europe to cook for THE Luna Leya. As the two girls connect, Luna starts to experience feelings she has never felt before. What follows is a beautiful queer awakening, plenty of yearning, and some steamy moments, all set against a stunning European backdrop!
Riley and Luna help each other navigate their shared grief, learning how to heal and grow together. Ultimately, they figure out what truly matters in life—happiness—and follow their dreams straight into a beautiful happily ever after!
Cry Rating: Level 1 (misty)
Read If You Like:
- pop star x chef
- sapphic romance
- friends-to-lovers
- grief
My Thoughts:
This was absolutely adorable, and I ate it right up! Still grappling with the loss of her older sister two years ago, college graduate Riley is ready to figure out her next steps. She promised her dads she would never work in a kitchen, but she just landed a dream gig as a private chef for her favorite pop star.
After convincing her dads to let her take this summer job before settling into a career, Riley sets off to Europe to cook for THE Luna Leya. As the two girls connect, Luna starts to experience feelings she has never felt before. What follows is a beautiful queer awakening, plenty of yearning, and some steamy moments, all set against a stunning European backdrop!
Riley and Luna help each other navigate their shared grief, learning how to heal and grow together. Ultimately, they figure out what truly matters in life—happiness—and follow their dreams straight into a beautiful happily ever after!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
August 26, 2026
Fun and enjoyable adult sapphic romance debut! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
We have Riley, a recent graduate who aspires to be a chef and Luna, a pop star working on a Grammy nomination. Riley is thrilled when she’s hired as Luna’s private personal chef during the European leg of her world tour.
This celebrity romance also tackles some heavier topics, such as grief, with care and consideration. The conversations and emotional journeys felt genuine, had depth and healing.
I loved how expressive the story was with how the food was prepared and depicted. Riley, and the author, made it a bit mouthwatering to read ;).
Recommend.
We have Riley, a recent graduate who aspires to be a chef and Luna, a pop star working on a Grammy nomination. Riley is thrilled when she’s hired as Luna’s private personal chef during the European leg of her world tour.
This celebrity romance also tackles some heavier topics, such as grief, with care and consideration. The conversations and emotional journeys felt genuine, had depth and healing.
I loved how expressive the story was with how the food was prepared and depicted. Riley, and the author, made it a bit mouthwatering to read ;).
Recommend.
Read
August 23, 2026Like the best kind of late ’90s rom-com, only make it sapphic. I Kissed Her First is sweet, charming, and wonderfully comforting, with a whirlwind romance that had me rooting for Riley and Luna from the start. Sweet, fun, and full of heart, this was such an easy story to get swept up in.
![Profile Image for ⭑𓂃 mia [semi-hiatus].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1779723259i/171595914._UY200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Want to Read
July 14, 2026THE COVER HELLO?! and one of them is a chef and the other is a popstar? this sounds straight out of a barbie movie I AM SO SAT
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
this was a really cute romance going on!
thank you so much to netgalley for the arc of this book!
thank you so much to netgalley for the arc of this book!
Read
July 5, 2026🎤💖 I Kissed Her First 💖🎤
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Sapphic Romance
• Celebrity Romance
• Private Chef FMC
• Friends to Lovers
• Pop Star Romance
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: August 25, 2026
Thank you to Saturday Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Sapphic Romance
• Celebrity Romance
• Private Chef FMC
• Friends to Lovers
• Pop Star Romance
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: August 25, 2026
Thank you to Saturday Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
August 24, 2026
3.75/5 (Rounded up)
The perfect beach read to round out the end of summer! A very sweet, sapphic love story between two girls from very different worlds. Luna is a world famous pop star and Riley is an upcoming chef trying to make a name for herself. When Luna discovers Riley's cooking videos through social media, she contracts her as a personal chef through the summer leg of her world tour. They hit things off immediately upon meeting and find out just how much they have in common, despite the different lives they lead.
The descriptions of the meals and various cuisines in this book were a clear standout to me and set this story apart from other romances. A lot of thought and care was put into the descriptions of the various local delicacies depicted in this book and it certainly left me hungry! The author's dedication includes a shoutout to Provincetown and through their writing it's no secret that they hold a lot of love for this special place.
The dynamic between the two leads felt easy breezy and very true to queer first loves seen in real life. I loved the pop star x start up chef pairing and felt immediately hooked by the premise. There are a few open door spicy scenes in this book and they were enjoyable as well! The central conflict and antagonistic characters did seem to be resolved/redeemed quickly, but I think it's a hallmark of the genre and to be expected. I am not a romance reader first and foremost, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Riley and Luna and would read another queer romance by Betty Cayouette.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Saturday Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The perfect beach read to round out the end of summer! A very sweet, sapphic love story between two girls from very different worlds. Luna is a world famous pop star and Riley is an upcoming chef trying to make a name for herself. When Luna discovers Riley's cooking videos through social media, she contracts her as a personal chef through the summer leg of her world tour. They hit things off immediately upon meeting and find out just how much they have in common, despite the different lives they lead.
The descriptions of the meals and various cuisines in this book were a clear standout to me and set this story apart from other romances. A lot of thought and care was put into the descriptions of the various local delicacies depicted in this book and it certainly left me hungry! The author's dedication includes a shoutout to Provincetown and through their writing it's no secret that they hold a lot of love for this special place.
The dynamic between the two leads felt easy breezy and very true to queer first loves seen in real life. I loved the pop star x start up chef pairing and felt immediately hooked by the premise. There are a few open door spicy scenes in this book and they were enjoyable as well! The central conflict and antagonistic characters did seem to be resolved/redeemed quickly, but I think it's a hallmark of the genre and to be expected. I am not a romance reader first and foremost, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Riley and Luna and would read another queer romance by Betty Cayouette.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Saturday Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 27, 2026
Well then! I Kissed Her First by Betty Cayouette was a delicious, delectable, noteworthy five-star romance!
Because this morning, instead of sitting at the kitchen island reading, I was instantly transported to Paris (said the French way)! The hustle and bustle, the lights, the sounds, the food... oh, the food! Immediately atmospheric, with the juxtaposition, contrast, and similarities between these two main characters bursting from the pages!
Riley - the chef - passionate, though haunted by the passing of her sister... meaning she strives to be what her dads need, or what she thinks they need.
Luna - the singer - people-pleaser, yearning to make her late mother proud... meaning she strives to be what she thinks her team and fans need, putting herself last.
I love when there is a common thread of understanding between two main characters, and I particularly love it when that shared thread is grief. Cayouette handled this beautifully and with delicate grace.
This book is emotionally charged with mature characters who are just dealing with their stuff... making it a true delight to read!
(And indeed, the audiobook is, in fact, perfect!)
This book is fun, approachable, relatable, and surprisingly sexy! It's also going to make you want to open up a bottle and nosh on a lobster roll! Chef's kiss!
Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Saturday Books, for the complimentary copies to read and review.
Because this morning, instead of sitting at the kitchen island reading, I was instantly transported to Paris (said the French way)! The hustle and bustle, the lights, the sounds, the food... oh, the food! Immediately atmospheric, with the juxtaposition, contrast, and similarities between these two main characters bursting from the pages!
Riley - the chef - passionate, though haunted by the passing of her sister... meaning she strives to be what her dads need, or what she thinks they need.
Luna - the singer - people-pleaser, yearning to make her late mother proud... meaning she strives to be what she thinks her team and fans need, putting herself last.
I love when there is a common thread of understanding between two main characters, and I particularly love it when that shared thread is grief. Cayouette handled this beautifully and with delicate grace.
This book is emotionally charged with mature characters who are just dealing with their stuff... making it a true delight to read!
(And indeed, the audiobook is, in fact, perfect!)
This book is fun, approachable, relatable, and surprisingly sexy! It's also going to make you want to open up a bottle and nosh on a lobster roll! Chef's kiss!
Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Saturday Books, for the complimentary copies to read and review.
August 17, 2026
Guys, I'm REALLY tired of poorly disguised Taylor Swift fan fiction, especially Gaylor ones (aka the weird unhinged internet theory that she's actually lesbian/sapphic but hides that fact from the public). I Kissed Her First was mostly enjoyable thanks to Riley's characterization. Her obvious joy when it came to cooking and her inner conflict with grief and guilt regarding her late sister were really well done and made her incredibly likable. The author did a great job building and developing Riley's character and I had a great time reading her chapters and following her journey as the story progressed. Sadly, I didn't love Luna, only because she felt very two dimensional at times and obviously was formed through direct inspiration from a real life celebrity in a weird, parasocial way - thankfully her grief surrounding her mother's passing and how that influenced her goals did save my opinion of her. I've enjoyed Betty's previous works, but outside of Riley, there wasn't anything to really bring this romance to the next level. If you're a Taylor Swift mega fan and aren't tired of repackaged fanfic, give this sapphic romance a try.
Thank you to Saturday Books, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy.
Thank you to Saturday Books, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy.
June 4, 2026
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.
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.
April 17, 2026
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!
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!
July 25, 2026
Thank you St. Martins Press for the advanced copy via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
This was a fun read! I love a good pop star romance. I loved how the setting shifted as the tour continued on, but I also liked how the story ended in Riley’s hometown, which was a nice way to elevate her role in the relationship and story. I thought the incorporation of lyrics and songs was a good way to immerse the reader in the world of the story. Overall, a good read!
This was a fun read! I love a good pop star romance. I loved how the setting shifted as the tour continued on, but I also liked how the story ended in Riley’s hometown, which was a nice way to elevate her role in the relationship and story. I thought the incorporation of lyrics and songs was a good way to immerse the reader in the world of the story. Overall, a good read!
Did Not Finish
July 6, 2026DNF @ 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.
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.
August 29, 2026
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
May 22, 2026
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.
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.
July 30, 2026
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.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.75 ⭐
I've always been a sucker for books that make food sound delicious, so give me a chef main character and I'm hooked. Add a famous singer and a trope-heavy romance, and I was eager to see what this book had in store. Unfortunately, the actual reading experience didn't quite match the hype.
First things first, this is a New Adult romance with the main characters being 21 and 24. YA and NA stories can already be a bit hit-or-miss for me, and sadly, this one landed on the wrong side of that spectrum. One thing I noticed was that Luna and Riley often felt a bit younger than their stated ages. Being fairly close in age to them myself, I just found that their maturity levels didn't quite line up with what I expected from twenty-somethings.
The strongest part of the story for me was definitely the portrayal of grief. Both women are dealing with the loss of someone close to them, and I appreciated how the book explored the ways grief can affect not only the person experiencing it but also the people around them. Luna carries her mother with her in so many little ways, especially whenever she's faced with an important decision. She constantly wonders what her mom would think, and I found those moments both incredibly sweet and heartbreaking. Her music also becomes another way for her to keep that connection alive, which I thought was beautifully done.
Riley's experience is a little different because the loss of her sister affects her entire family. I really appreciated seeing her talk openly with her dads about what she was feeling, especially the guilt she carried surrounding her sister's death. I actually felt like Riley's grief was explored a little more deeply than Luna's, and I thought Betty handled the subject with a lot of care. If there's one thing this book absolutely got right for me, it was this.
Much to my regret, that same nuance didn't carry over into the character growth. Riley's journey toward becoming a chef had so much potential because it touches on something I love seeing in this genre: learning to stop living according to everyone else's expectations and figuring out what YOU actually want. I had high hopes for where that storyline could go, but it ended up feeling underdeveloped for most of the book and then suddenly got resolved near the end. I did, however, really enjoy the cooking scenes. You could tell how much passion Riley put into her food, and those moments were some of my favorites involving her character.
Luna's coming-out journey also had a lot of promise, but because it was so closely tied to her public image, I wanted more emotional depth from it. Sometimes it felt like her sexuality was being used primarily as another source of romantic conflict rather than allowing her to fully explore that part of herself.
Now let's get into the part I had the most feelings about: the romance.
I have to admit I struggled with Luna quite a bit. She could be unbelievably self-absorbed, constantly worrying about how a relationship with Riley might affect her career and reputation while simultaneously putting off breaking up with her "boyfriend". I kept wishing she would stop thinking solely about herself and start considering Riley's feelings too. Since she doesn't really change that mindset until the final stretch, the relationship never felt entirely equal.
Then comes the inevitable grand gesture to win Riley back, which ultimately fell flat for me because I saw it coming from approximately a thousand miles away, and instead of making me swoon, it felt a little too corny. The third-act breakup also relies entirely on miscommunication. While I know this trope can work, when it's used merely to create tension, it tends to have the opposite effect on me because it feels predictable rather than emotionally devastating.
I also wish we'd gotten more time with the pining because they get together pretty quickly. I could understand why their shared experiences with grief brought them closer, and there were moments when I could see their emotional connection developing, but the romantic progression still felt too fast. Another thing that bothered me was the lack of discussion surrounding their power imbalance. Luna's manager repeatedly points out that it's a serious matter, yet the story never really explores what that means for their relationship. Considering how important that concern seemed to be, leaving it mostly untouched felt like another missed opportunity.
Overall, I think this book had the ingredients for an unforgettable love story, but the execution didn't quite get me there. To be fair there are plenty of sweet moments, and I think readers who gravitate toward low-angst romances with themes of identity, healing, and self-discovery may connect with it much more than I did.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I've always been a sucker for books that make food sound delicious, so give me a chef main character and I'm hooked. Add a famous singer and a trope-heavy romance, and I was eager to see what this book had in store. Unfortunately, the actual reading experience didn't quite match the hype.
First things first, this is a New Adult romance with the main characters being 21 and 24. YA and NA stories can already be a bit hit-or-miss for me, and sadly, this one landed on the wrong side of that spectrum. One thing I noticed was that Luna and Riley often felt a bit younger than their stated ages. Being fairly close in age to them myself, I just found that their maturity levels didn't quite line up with what I expected from twenty-somethings.
The strongest part of the story for me was definitely the portrayal of grief. Both women are dealing with the loss of someone close to them, and I appreciated how the book explored the ways grief can affect not only the person experiencing it but also the people around them. Luna carries her mother with her in so many little ways, especially whenever she's faced with an important decision. She constantly wonders what her mom would think, and I found those moments both incredibly sweet and heartbreaking. Her music also becomes another way for her to keep that connection alive, which I thought was beautifully done.
Riley's experience is a little different because the loss of her sister affects her entire family. I really appreciated seeing her talk openly with her dads about what she was feeling, especially the guilt she carried surrounding her sister's death. I actually felt like Riley's grief was explored a little more deeply than Luna's, and I thought Betty handled the subject with a lot of care. If there's one thing this book absolutely got right for me, it was this.
Much to my regret, that same nuance didn't carry over into the character growth. Riley's journey toward becoming a chef had so much potential because it touches on something I love seeing in this genre: learning to stop living according to everyone else's expectations and figuring out what YOU actually want. I had high hopes for where that storyline could go, but it ended up feeling underdeveloped for most of the book and then suddenly got resolved near the end. I did, however, really enjoy the cooking scenes. You could tell how much passion Riley put into her food, and those moments were some of my favorites involving her character.
Luna's coming-out journey also had a lot of promise, but because it was so closely tied to her public image, I wanted more emotional depth from it. Sometimes it felt like her sexuality was being used primarily as another source of romantic conflict rather than allowing her to fully explore that part of herself.
Now let's get into the part I had the most feelings about: the romance.
I have to admit I struggled with Luna quite a bit. She could be unbelievably self-absorbed, constantly worrying about how a relationship with Riley might affect her career and reputation while simultaneously putting off breaking up with her "boyfriend". I kept wishing she would stop thinking solely about herself and start considering Riley's feelings too. Since she doesn't really change that mindset until the final stretch, the relationship never felt entirely equal.
Then comes the inevitable grand gesture to win Riley back, which ultimately fell flat for me because I saw it coming from approximately a thousand miles away, and instead of making me swoon, it felt a little too corny. The third-act breakup also relies entirely on miscommunication. While I know this trope can work, when it's used merely to create tension, it tends to have the opposite effect on me because it feels predictable rather than emotionally devastating.
I also wish we'd gotten more time with the pining because they get together pretty quickly. I could understand why their shared experiences with grief brought them closer, and there were moments when I could see their emotional connection developing, but the romantic progression still felt too fast. Another thing that bothered me was the lack of discussion surrounding their power imbalance. Luna's manager repeatedly points out that it's a serious matter, yet the story never really explores what that means for their relationship. Considering how important that concern seemed to be, leaving it mostly untouched felt like another missed opportunity.
Overall, I think this book had the ingredients for an unforgettable love story, but the execution didn't quite get me there. To be fair there are plenty of sweet moments, and I think readers who gravitate toward low-angst romances with themes of identity, healing, and self-discovery may connect with it much more than I did.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Originally reviewed on StoryGraph: 3.25 ⭐️ rounded down
Thank you to Goodreads for hosting a giveaway for this book and the author for sending me a free advanced reader copy. Nothing was promised in exchange for this book.
I thought that this book sounded cute and I’m always on the lookout for sapphic romances. I don’t tend to steer towards famous x regular person romances, but I also don’t avoid them. I think that this book had some potential with the characters and setup, but the romance and some of the actions taken by the characters took me out of it.
If the author spent as much time building the relationship between the characters as she did talking about food, this would have been an excellent book. I’m not the type of person that loves overly descriptive paragraphs of food because it usually feels out of place and makes the story drag. I didn’t hate it in this book because to a certain extent it made sense with Riley’s character and her goals, but it did feel like a little too much after a while.
I knew from the first time it was mentioned that Riley’s dads not supportimg her dream of being a chef and actually threatening her to give it up was going to annoy me. Even though we don’t know what the reasoning is in the beginning and it takes forever to finally get an explanation, I figured it was going to be a dumb reason and I was right. I guess their reasoning wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it was still annoying and felt more like it was thrown in to cause tension than because it made sense.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but most of the romances that I’ve been reading recently have characters with no chemistry and this book was no different. I like a slow burn romance, but there actually has to be a burn. You can’t just have the characters spend most of their time apart, only have them spend a couple of hours together before they get together and call it a slow burn just because they don’t get into a relationship for over half of the book.
And then the first kiss the characters have is when they’re naked and immediately have sex in the same scene. It felt like the author just wanted this to be a spicy book and wanted to get to the sex scenes as soon as possible instead of building the sexual tension and having them kiss and grow the relationship to have sex when it made more sense for the characters. This is Luna’s first sexual experience with a woman and has a lot at stake entering into a queer relationship. It didn’t fit with her character to have sex with someone that quickly.
The characters were only together for 20 something pages before they have the major conflict, which was so stupid anyway. I won’t give any spoilers, but you could see it coming from a mile away and it was just unrealistic with how everything played out. They still stay together, but you can just tell that they were going to break up eventually.
The conflict in this book wasn’t handled well in my opinion. I understood where Luna was coming from trying to maintain optics and do damage control with the relationship being outed. And I could see how Riley didn’t want their relationship to be all for the public and felt like she wasn’t being heard. Ashley asks how she’s handling things and Luna never did, which sucked, but it was an opportunity for growth.
The scene where they get back together was very cringe and gave me secondhand embarrassment. To me, it showed that Luna STILL wasn’t considering what Riley wanted because it was in public and for her fans. I would’ve much preferred a grand gesture in private to prove that Luna was capable of learning and changing how she perceived relationships. To me, this is a case where I definitely think that the characters broke up after the book ended.
I think there was potential with this story with the dynamic between the characters. It’s a boss/employee relationship with forced proximity and a secret relationship with high stakes. Unfortunately, these tropes weren’t executed that well and the story wasn’t good enough to overlook it. It felt like all of the stakes were just talked about, but actually had zero bearing on the story other than a couple of social media comments.
I did like the concept of this book and some parts and characters, but the story as a whole didn’t totally work for me. I probably wouldn’t recommend this book unless you really love a sapphic famous x normal person romance. I’m not opposed to reading another book by this author because I think that the idea was definitely there, but I’m not seeking any out and her characters would have to be older because I think that part of my issue is that they were so young.
Thank you to Goodreads for hosting a giveaway for this book and the author for sending me a free advanced reader copy. Nothing was promised in exchange for this book.
I thought that this book sounded cute and I’m always on the lookout for sapphic romances. I don’t tend to steer towards famous x regular person romances, but I also don’t avoid them. I think that this book had some potential with the characters and setup, but the romance and some of the actions taken by the characters took me out of it.
If the author spent as much time building the relationship between the characters as she did talking about food, this would have been an excellent book. I’m not the type of person that loves overly descriptive paragraphs of food because it usually feels out of place and makes the story drag. I didn’t hate it in this book because to a certain extent it made sense with Riley’s character and her goals, but it did feel like a little too much after a while.
I knew from the first time it was mentioned that Riley’s dads not supportimg her dream of being a chef and actually threatening her to give it up was going to annoy me. Even though we don’t know what the reasoning is in the beginning and it takes forever to finally get an explanation, I figured it was going to be a dumb reason and I was right. I guess their reasoning wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it was still annoying and felt more like it was thrown in to cause tension than because it made sense.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but most of the romances that I’ve been reading recently have characters with no chemistry and this book was no different. I like a slow burn romance, but there actually has to be a burn. You can’t just have the characters spend most of their time apart, only have them spend a couple of hours together before they get together and call it a slow burn just because they don’t get into a relationship for over half of the book.
And then the first kiss the characters have is when they’re naked and immediately have sex in the same scene. It felt like the author just wanted this to be a spicy book and wanted to get to the sex scenes as soon as possible instead of building the sexual tension and having them kiss and grow the relationship to have sex when it made more sense for the characters. This is Luna’s first sexual experience with a woman and has a lot at stake entering into a queer relationship. It didn’t fit with her character to have sex with someone that quickly.
The characters were only together for 20 something pages before they have the major conflict, which was so stupid anyway. I won’t give any spoilers, but you could see it coming from a mile away and it was just unrealistic with how everything played out. They still stay together, but you can just tell that they were going to break up eventually.
The conflict in this book wasn’t handled well in my opinion. I understood where Luna was coming from trying to maintain optics and do damage control with the relationship being outed. And I could see how Riley didn’t want their relationship to be all for the public and felt like she wasn’t being heard. Ashley asks how she’s handling things and Luna never did, which sucked, but it was an opportunity for growth.
The scene where they get back together was very cringe and gave me secondhand embarrassment. To me, it showed that Luna STILL wasn’t considering what Riley wanted because it was in public and for her fans. I would’ve much preferred a grand gesture in private to prove that Luna was capable of learning and changing how she perceived relationships. To me, this is a case where I definitely think that the characters broke up after the book ended.
I think there was potential with this story with the dynamic between the characters. It’s a boss/employee relationship with forced proximity and a secret relationship with high stakes. Unfortunately, these tropes weren’t executed that well and the story wasn’t good enough to overlook it. It felt like all of the stakes were just talked about, but actually had zero bearing on the story other than a couple of social media comments.
I did like the concept of this book and some parts and characters, but the story as a whole didn’t totally work for me. I probably wouldn’t recommend this book unless you really love a sapphic famous x normal person romance. I’m not opposed to reading another book by this author because I think that the idea was definitely there, but I’m not seeking any out and her characters would have to be older because I think that part of my issue is that they were so young.
August 25, 2026
3 1/2⭐ | I have some mixed feelings about this one. There was a lot about I Kissed Her First that I wanted to love: a famous pop star, a private chef, a European tour, sapphic romance, delicious food, and plenty of complicated feelings are all things I'm usually obsessed with. And while this was a genuinely enjoyable read with some lovely moments, it ultimately landed in that frustrating space where I could see how good it could have been more clearly than I felt it actually was.
Riley was easily my favorite part/character of the book. I loved how passionate she was about cooking and how much food represented her dreams, her identity, and the life she was trying to build for herself. Her relationship with her dads and the grief surrounding her sister gave her emotional depth that made me want to root for her. I especially appreciated that her grief wasn't something she simply "got over"; it shaped how she viewed her future and whether she felt allowed to pursue happiness for herself.
The European tour was also a lot of fun. I loved getting to travel alongside Riley and Luna, and the food descriptions were definitely a highlight for me. Riley creating dishes inspired by each destination gave the story a warm, summery quality, and there were plenty of scenes that made me want to immediately book a vacation and find something delicious to eat.
The romance, unfortunately, was more hit or miss. I liked Riley and Luna together in the beginning, and I could understand why they were drawn to each other. Their shared experiences with loss gave them a connection that went deeper than the initial celebrity/private chef setup, and some of their quieter conversations were genuinely sweet. I also liked the voice notes they exchanged; those little pieces of their relationship felt more intimate than some of their bigger romantic moments. But I wanted more buildup. For a romance that leans into slow-burn territory, I didn't always feel enough of that gradual tension. I wanted more banter, more stolen moments, more uncertainty, more of that are they or aren't they? feeling before everything tipped into romance.
And then there was Luna. I really wanted to connect with her, especially because her grief and the pressure of being a globally famous artist gave her plenty of potential. There were moments where I understood her fears about her career, her image, and what coming out could mean for everything she'd built. But as the story progressed, some of her decisions became increasingly frustrating. Too often, it felt like Riley was expected to absorb the consequences of Luna's choices while Luna remained focused on protecting herself and her career. That made it difficult for me to stay invested in them as a couple. The third-act conflict also felt more predictable than emotionally devastating. I could see where things were headed, and by that point I was more frustrated with the situation than heartbroken by it. I also wish the book had spent more time addressing the power imbalance between Luna and Riley. It's acknowledged, but I didn't feel like the story fully explored what that imbalance actually meant for them beyond being an obstacle to their relationship. That said, this wasn't a bad romance by any means. There are plenty of cute moments, the setting is fantastic, the food is practically a character of its own, and Riley is incredibly easy to root for. I also appreciated the exploration of grief and the question of how you allow yourself to move forward without feeling like you're leaving someone behind.
There were also a few plot points that felt like they existed primarily because the romance needed another complication. Riley's conflict with her dads, in particular, had so much potential but ultimately felt a little underdeveloped. I wanted that storyline to connect more organically to her larger journey of figuring out what she actually wants rather than feeling like another source of tension.
Overall, I Kissed Her First was a sweet, summery sapphic romance with a fun premise and a protagonist I really enjoyed. I just needed the romance to have more depth and Luna's character arc to feel more convincing. I finished it feeling more attached to Riley's journey than to the love story itself, which ultimately kept me from rating this any higher.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saturday Books for this ARC!
Riley was easily my favorite part/character of the book. I loved how passionate she was about cooking and how much food represented her dreams, her identity, and the life she was trying to build for herself. Her relationship with her dads and the grief surrounding her sister gave her emotional depth that made me want to root for her. I especially appreciated that her grief wasn't something she simply "got over"; it shaped how she viewed her future and whether she felt allowed to pursue happiness for herself.
The European tour was also a lot of fun. I loved getting to travel alongside Riley and Luna, and the food descriptions were definitely a highlight for me. Riley creating dishes inspired by each destination gave the story a warm, summery quality, and there were plenty of scenes that made me want to immediately book a vacation and find something delicious to eat.
The romance, unfortunately, was more hit or miss. I liked Riley and Luna together in the beginning, and I could understand why they were drawn to each other. Their shared experiences with loss gave them a connection that went deeper than the initial celebrity/private chef setup, and some of their quieter conversations were genuinely sweet. I also liked the voice notes they exchanged; those little pieces of their relationship felt more intimate than some of their bigger romantic moments. But I wanted more buildup. For a romance that leans into slow-burn territory, I didn't always feel enough of that gradual tension. I wanted more banter, more stolen moments, more uncertainty, more of that are they or aren't they? feeling before everything tipped into romance.
And then there was Luna. I really wanted to connect with her, especially because her grief and the pressure of being a globally famous artist gave her plenty of potential. There were moments where I understood her fears about her career, her image, and what coming out could mean for everything she'd built. But as the story progressed, some of her decisions became increasingly frustrating. Too often, it felt like Riley was expected to absorb the consequences of Luna's choices while Luna remained focused on protecting herself and her career. That made it difficult for me to stay invested in them as a couple. The third-act conflict also felt more predictable than emotionally devastating. I could see where things were headed, and by that point I was more frustrated with the situation than heartbroken by it. I also wish the book had spent more time addressing the power imbalance between Luna and Riley. It's acknowledged, but I didn't feel like the story fully explored what that imbalance actually meant for them beyond being an obstacle to their relationship. That said, this wasn't a bad romance by any means. There are plenty of cute moments, the setting is fantastic, the food is practically a character of its own, and Riley is incredibly easy to root for. I also appreciated the exploration of grief and the question of how you allow yourself to move forward without feeling like you're leaving someone behind.
There were also a few plot points that felt like they existed primarily because the romance needed another complication. Riley's conflict with her dads, in particular, had so much potential but ultimately felt a little underdeveloped. I wanted that storyline to connect more organically to her larger journey of figuring out what she actually wants rather than feeling like another source of tension.
Overall, I Kissed Her First was a sweet, summery sapphic romance with a fun premise and a protagonist I really enjoyed. I just needed the romance to have more depth and Luna's character arc to feel more convincing. I finished it feeling more attached to Riley's journey than to the love story itself, which ultimately kept me from rating this any higher.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saturday Books for this ARC!
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