Just One Kiss

by Amelia Whitmore

Chapter One

My bedroom has always been somewhat of a sanctuary to me. It’s where I go to escape from the real world. Where I can swim in my own thoughts, listen to music, do my homework, read…anything really. It’s decorated perfectly for my tastes too. Which is good considering I started redecorating three years ago, when I turned fifteen. I began going to swap meets, antique shops, yard sales, Goodwill, and other second hand stores. My family is only middle-class. So, although we aren’t too tight for money, redecorating a room would be pushing it.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary Romance

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2016

Reviews

[Amelia Whitmore]

I found this email on my mailbox this morning



I will announce when the book goes on pre-order

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[Cassie Hess-dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, I absolutely loved this book. Brayden is such a truly sweet guy and has made it a point to support Anna with her feelings of poor self worth. He makes sure to tell her how beautiful she is and always stands up to someone that has negative things to say. He doesn't lie and tells it like he see's it. How could you not fall in love with a guy like that?
Anna is truly a sweetheart. She looks for the good in people and tries to be nice to everyone, overlooking their faults. But her senior year in high school, a boy she crushed on forever, pulled a nasty prank on her. He made her think he liked her. When he asked her out in front of everyone and she accepted, they attacked her verbally about her weight and being ugly. She struggled to get over how this affected her for a very long time.
Brayden, his family, Ro and the Starbucks crew all played a part in helping Anna realize her self worth. They helped to fix the negative view she had and showed her how they truly saw her. This book could certainly help others see it's possible to overcome poor self esteem issues and find their happily ever after.
ARC provided for honest review

[Digital Book Freak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review rating: 5 stars.



Personal Note about this novel from me:

Bullying at school is a very sore point for me. Not only did it happen to me when I started school but my kids are victims as well. For those who question the main character's (Anna) behavior in the book, just stop and think again how it was like, for you in school, at that age...BUT sometimes it doesn't stop there. Adults also get bullied, may it be by a co-worker, a spouse, friend and/or even by a parent...

This is my second novel by Amelia Whitmore and I am pleasantly surprised yet again by this author's abilities to write about situations and/or problems we face every day of our lives. May it be happy or sad, this story is put together beautifully. Thank you, Amelia, for giving me this opportunity to review Just One Kiss in exchange for a fair & honest review.

My bedroom has always been somewhat of a sanctuary to me. It's where I go to ESCAPE from the real world.
- Anna

Anna had a tough time growing up...
It's not that her family doesn't love her. But in between jokes of being overweight and that she'll never get a boyfriend, her self-esteem suffered a great deal.



Suffice to say, by the end of it, I was lonelier than I'd ever been before. That's when I met Ro. She completely turned my life upside down and, for the most part, I avoid what others think now.
- Anna

It's not that she didn't have friends, she did. But the kind who liked to have the upper hand at everything in school and when she is ridiculed in front of the whole school, it left her with a self-unworthiness, bordering on not trusting anyone, especially guys. Aurora (Ro), a girl at school, takes Anna under her wing and soon becomes her best friend.
Then she meets Brayden...

Brayden is the dream of every female in school, crushing on him from afar...
He is sexy, sweet and caring. His girlfriends' usually entails that "sexy cheerleader look-a-likes" with thin frames almost bordering on anorexia thin. He's never been in love before...then he meets Anna and is blown away by this shy, innocent girl with issues that will make any guy run for the hills.
He is patient with her, dries her tears, and the best of all, he stands up for her in every given situation where she feels she's taken a step back from becoming relaxed with the way she looks and the attention Brayden gives her.

Can't you people see how beautiful Anna is? Inside and out? I only met her a few weeks ago and she's already so important to me. I couldn't begin to imagine my life without her...She's the most perfect person I've ever met.
- Brayden

Soon he becomes her everything and that's when she starts questioning if what Brayden feels for her, is real?

This is a very sweet story. One that will make you laugh, cry and then laugh again.

I would recommend this for all YA & romance readers.

Thank you for reading my review.

[Kerry Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was no premise for this book, it was just a section of the first chapter so I had no idea what the story was about until I began reading it. I don't like what happened to Anna at school and in no way condone bullying but she was not a very likeable character for me. Braydon, however, was a lovely guy/character and it is for him that I give this book 2☆. Anna was just so insecure, and to a degree I could understand why, but she was just too immature as a character and I felt that the two of them together didn't work. I seem to be in the minority after reading some reviews of this book, plenty of others rate it highly so it'll be up to the individual to decide whether they choose to read this book.

[☆Joycedale☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet book about a insecure girl finding the perfect guy for her.
Brayden was adorable. He was just was Anna needed in a man.
I loved how she finally stood up to Sam. That was a horrible thing he did and I can't believe he thought he could just say sorry a year later.
I have to say I wasn't a fan of her family. I figured out what was going on before Brayden did. Although her parents did redeem themselves towards the end.

[Maggie · Rating 1 out of 5]

yuck

[Angie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming must read!

Annie has been put down by the people in her life for as long as she can remember because of her size so it is a complete shock when she meets Brayden and he asks for he number. What Annie doesn't realize is that Brayden sees a beautiful smart honest caring woman whom he is determined to love and give her the much needed praise she deserves until she finally gets that he isn't going anywhere. Their relationship is challenged several times by Annie's self-esteem issues but Brayden is always there to pick her up, work things out and help her grow as a person. Real life is right here on the pages of this book and I absolutely loved it! I hope you do also.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice little guilty pleasure love story. The main character has low self-esteem issues and meets a larger than life guy, who loves her more than anything and tries hard to prove it, over and over again, by helping her fight her demons.
It was sweet but the book itself needed a few touchups. The pacing seemed rushed at times, the dialogue was a bit off or didn't mesh well with the characters or the situation they were in, and timeline jump at the end, had felt awkward.
Also, I find it amusing, that the picture on the book cover was nowhere close to where the characters actually live. Which is a small town in Minnesota. But, I never paid attention to the cover, it was the idea of a girl overcoming a bullying event, that had caught my eye.

[Lexee Toste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! It's really sweet. Anna and Brayden are great characters. I fell in love with the two of them early on. I loved the way that Brayden handled Anna and her insecurities and how patient he was with her. I loved the way that they built their relationship and how Brayden helped Anna grow by nudging her but not pushing her too far too fast. This story is really sweet as we get to see Anna and Brayden figure things out and get their happily ever after. This is the first story that I've read by Amelia Whitmore and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be checking out her future books!

[Esther Haddie's Haven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book, through KindleScout Nomination.

This book is to die for! Following Anna Holden, an massively insecure eighteen year old, due to the constant verbal persecution of not just the other people at school, but also her family. Yikes; no girl should ever need to be in that position. Enter Brayden Carter, the "stereo-typical, 'Oh, he is totally out of my league. He cannot possibly think I am worth his time.'" I know, sounds kind of cliche, but its not!

This book; the plot is super refreshing and it is amazing to be reading from a such a perspective. It is really an eye-opener. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. You should read it too. ♥

[Gina Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna has always felt like an outcast, the ugly duckling everywhere, including in her own family. When her mother volunteers her to work at an annual festival she meets Brayden. Brayden is a knockout a few years older than her and when he asks for her phone number she thinks it is a joke. She refuses to give her number so her best friend Aurora gives it to him. After getting to know Brayden and his family she finds the acceptance that she has never experienced. Unfortunately, her insecurities keep surfacing no matter how hard Brayden tries to help her. Can Anna work through her issues before she losses him? A sweet story.

[Lynn Hallbrooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to keep a box of tissues handy with this one. This is a Kindle Scout Winner and as I a nominator was able to get an Advanced Readers Copy.

This is a New Adult Romance

Anna, a relationship-shy 18 year-old College Freshman, meets Brayden through his nephew at an elementary school fall festival. Will Anna's wariness of people keep them apart or will events occur to push them together?

I loved the story because I could relate to Anna and her emotions on so many levels. I think even those who are way past the teenage stage will be able to relate to the anxiety of meeting someone new.

Warning: There is Adult language and sexual situations in this book.

[Debbie Chittenden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very typical first love romance with a virgin 18 yo. Full of teenage angst, BBW with the sincere jock with feelings. Cute story for what it was, I just had some issues with transitions from one scene to the next. I think they could have gone smoother with just a hint of different wording. Overall, great tale of young love and romance with a "happily ever after" ending!

[Jackie O'Donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect love story

This story was beautifully written. Brayden and Annie come from two different worlds. When they meet fireworks ignite. A love story worth reading with a HEA ending. I highly recommend this book. You wont be disappointed , but instead feel happy that this story was brought into your life. Thank you Amelia! I cant wait to read more of your books.

[Sherrie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Great story.

This book was well worth the time to read it. There are a lot of twists and turns, definitely not boring. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters. The story was very believable and I could identify with the main character. I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great personal growth story. Low self-esteem of this heroine leads the patience of this hero on a merry chase to built her confidence and win her heart. I was given an ARC for an honest review.

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Brooke’s Nook Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good. Brayden is definitely up on my list of book boyfriends. ❤️ he was so patient with Annie and was willing to be friends with her because at the time that is what she needed. Annie was very self conscious and didn’t believe that she was beautiful or anything. She thought she was fat because that’s the way her family talked about her. When Brayden first came over they were like why is he with her? How did she get him? It was not very nice so Brayden got to see first hand how her family was. Also her senior year in high school this guy played a prank on her and embarrassed her in front of the whole school. She has a great best friend who is supportive and tells her how she deserves good things and that she is beautiful. Brayden met her at a carnival and asked for her number there and Landon Brayden’s brother was laughing so Annie thought he was playing a joke on her and got upset. Her friend Ro was the one who gave him the number and Annie felt betrayed. He called her and told her she was beautiful and she hung up on him and wouldn’t return his calls or respond to his texts. One day he comes into Starbucks and sees her and pretty much asks her why she hung up on him and didn’t respond. They talk and eventually become friends they tell their parents they are dating. Annie loves Brayden’s family and they tell her how amazing she is. They encourage her. Annie got hurt really bad. Then they be one “friends with feelings” Brayden becomes so much a part of her life she can’t imagine him not being in hers. They eventually become in a relationship and spend the holidays with each others family. Brayden tells her he loves her and she can’t say it back right away and tells him she cares about him so much. They run into an ex of Brayden’s and she thin and says to Brandon why are you with her and he defends Annie. Annie has been hurt so many times and so she breaks up with Brayden. Brayden loves her so much and fights for her. He gives her time and then one day he is staying at their house to win her back. She ends up telling him he loves her and doesn’t want to live without him. And she promised she would never break up with him again. This was such a beautiful story. If anyone has gone through insecurities or have had people tell you you’re fat this is a book to read. Brayden fights for Annie because he loves her and he also wants her to come to love herself. She was happy until they met the ex then she went back to old Annie. Brayden is such a great character. He is persistent and he isn’t going to back down without a fight. He tells her he can live without her but he doesn’t want to after they break up. She comes to terms that she doesn’t want to live without him either. Annie had never been kissed, went to a dance or anything. Brayden was her first everything. This book was funny, had some intense moments where you would ask why is she acting like this (if you have been there you understand but you also see how much Brayden loves and cares for her too) and a great love story. I can’t get enough of this book. I can keep going on and on about this book but I will let y’all read it and fall in love with it yourself. This is a closed door romance but you feel what the characters are feeling as well.

[Denise Trevino · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saint Brayden

I really wanted to like this book. I love reading books that contain a curvy leading lady. I also love bully romance. Combine the two? I'm all in. But, I had a problem with our leading lady, Anna. She was not strong at all. She was just too insecure, whining, and crying throughout the entire book. It was extremely annoying. I understand how being self conscious can make you insecure. So insecure you question everyone's motives. But, it was overdone.
And when she finally gets a backbone, it's for the dumbest, most ridiculous, unreasonable reasons. Instead of lashing out to the people who have, or are bullying her, she lets it out on the person who loves her. Defending her. Trying to fight her battles with her. Ugh! Brayden is a saint.
The writing was ok. It seemed somewhat immature. But this is a book about an eighteen year old girl. Put into consideration the target reader the author is trying to reach, understandable. I wanted to like this book, but, it was a miss for me. Sorry

[Linda Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pleasure to read for lots of reasons. First, for me, is that while the main character's do make love, there is no unnecessary descriptions of what they were doing. Second the story involves a young women who is very insecure about her abilities and especially about her body image. Her whole family has made fun of her for years and during her last year in high school, her so called friends played a really mean joke on her.
With a new friend, who has purple hair, she is discovering what she is really like. A job adds to the discovery and finally a young man who sees her for what and who she is and while their relationship has many ups and downs it all ends up just the way it is supposed to. That all started with "just one kiss". An easy and satisfying book to read.

[Paula Bothwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just One Kiss - PG13/R
Violence: none
Language: <55 swears including deity and FBombs
Sex: descriptive kissing, shirts off, then fade-to-black sex
Loads of angsty teen/young adult loving and breaking up. I didn't like how sexually casual everyone was; it was like a teen show where the kids run their own lives and the parents and real adults are marginalized.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. The characters and situations felt real. I could understand a lot of Anna's feelings of insecurity with herself since I felt that way when I was her age. The pace is a little slow in places, but even though this is a romance, it's more about character building than plot. I think the YA crowd will enjoy it.

[Leigh Ann Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Painful

It's just hard for me to read about women with body image issues. This book captures the deep trauma so well. Hard to imagine many 21-year old males who would stick like this one. The other really strong element was the contrast between two families. One may have saved our girl. Good read about modern survival.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book as a lighthearted read. I thought that the characters were very complex and that it had lots of conflict that kept the book interesting. I did feel like some parts of this book were very predictable, but I overall thought that it was a pretty good read. I found the main character, Annie, to be very relatable. I would recommend this book overall for people to read.

[Breanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

all up in my feels rn

I appreciated the authenticity of the two main characters. Obviously both are flawed and perfectly human and it was a breath of fresh air. I’ve never read a romance book and gotten irritated with the female lead but it only made this read much more realistic. People are flawed and we love them anyways.

[Sydney Anderson2001 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a rollercoaster for the main couple. One of them is a curvy girl and the other is a skinny man. The girl doesn’t know why he would want to be with someone like her but throughout the book he proves her wrong. Overtime, she starts to feel more confident. Overall, I liked the plot, the couple, and the theme.

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Holden is bullied by her family and schoolmates teasing her because of her weight. Annie has been alone for all her life due to her insecurities. Annie meets Brayden Clark in college and they become friends. Brayden is smart and athletic and is determined to bring the shy Annie out of her shell to see herself as she truly is. I really enjoyed this heartwarming contemporary romance novel.

[Nishrin Haider Kothari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book

I like the plot of this book very much as I very much resemble to the female protagonist of this book... Also now I feel proud of myself as this book is the best example telling me everyone is unique and it is alright to have insecurities..

[Abbas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice and cuddly love story

The book is good but depends solidly on good times. Love is just not about thinking one is perfect always. Its like a fairy tale. Much like icing on the cake. Little is good but too much can irritate.

[Christine Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything

Beautiful,Amazing ,Emotional.This book capture each & every emotions.I love how they lived ,fought and made up but most of all I love how they NEVER gave up .IT WAS EVERYTHING