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Kiss and Repeat
In Heather Truett's Kiss and Repeat, a teen uses the scientific method drilled into him by his scientist father to begin a kissing experiment. Only the experiment gets messy, and Stephen will have to come clean if he wants to win one girl's heart in this heartfelt and funny YA debut.
Stephen Luckie isn't so lucky in love. He's completely inexperienced when it comes to girls, and wonders if his tics - caused by Tourette's Syndrome – are the reason.
Then a game at a party reveals that his body goes still while kissing. Using the scientific method drilled into him by his scientist father, Steven begins the best experiment ever--one that involves kissing as many girls as possible. Who knew science could be so fun?
But when the experiment gets underway, Stephen begins to question how he treats girls - and if his tics have been standing in his way at all. With two girls interested in him, he has to figure out what really matters to him and what he'll risk - and gain - by being his true self.
Stephen Luckie isn't so lucky in love. He's completely inexperienced when it comes to girls, and wonders if his tics - caused by Tourette's Syndrome – are the reason.
Then a game at a party reveals that his body goes still while kissing. Using the scientific method drilled into him by his scientist father, Steven begins the best experiment ever--one that involves kissing as many girls as possible. Who knew science could be so fun?
But when the experiment gets underway, Stephen begins to question how he treats girls - and if his tics have been standing in his way at all. With two girls interested in him, he has to figure out what really matters to him and what he'll risk - and gain - by being his true self.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 25, 2021
10 people are currently reading
996 people want to read
About the author
Heather Truett
7 books112 followersHeather Truett is a PhD student at Florida State University and her debut novel, KISS AND REPEAT, released from Macmillan in 2021. Heather serves as managing editor for The Southeast Review . Find out more at www.heathertruett.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
February 18, 2021
After growing up in a Southern Baptist household, I developed some pretty cynical adult views on the church and religion, but this author somehow managed to be sincere without being preachy and irreverent without being offensive. I loved it. This book is a thoughtful take on falling in love for the first time through the complex lens of neurodivergence. Truett gives us a cast of well-rounded characters to complement her endearing narrator. Stephen Luckie has the witty self-awareness of a John Green protagonist, so it's easy to root for him, even when he's kissing all the wrong girls!
May 27, 2020
Such a fun premise and an absorbing story.
Can't wait to read more by this author!
Can't wait to read more by this author!
May 13, 2021
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
Stephen Luckie has Tourette Syndrome and believes that its the reason he can't seem to get girls to like him. He attends a party where they play Spin the Bottle and discovers that his tics seem to go away when he is kissing someone. He decides to begin a kissing experiment to see if his hypothesis is true. As the experiment continues and two girls become interested in him, he begins to think that his tics haven't been the problem after all.
I haven't seen Tourette's Syndrome represented in books often, so I was excited to check this out.
This was a pretty average read in my opinion, and I didn't think it was anything revolutionary. I was a bit disappointed with the plot, as the experiment that was a major point in the synopsis was abandoned pretty on in the book for Stephen to begin pursuing a real relationship instead. I wasn't the biggest fan of either love interests either, but if I had to choose between the two I'd definitely choose Jan over the other one. I think this would be a good book for younger YA readers, who are just diving into the genre.
Overall, it was super quick, I read it in one sitting and it flowed very nicely, but I don't think it was anything spectacular.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
Stephen Luckie has Tourette Syndrome and believes that its the reason he can't seem to get girls to like him. He attends a party where they play Spin the Bottle and discovers that his tics seem to go away when he is kissing someone. He decides to begin a kissing experiment to see if his hypothesis is true. As the experiment continues and two girls become interested in him, he begins to think that his tics haven't been the problem after all.
I haven't seen Tourette's Syndrome represented in books often, so I was excited to check this out.
This was a pretty average read in my opinion, and I didn't think it was anything revolutionary. I was a bit disappointed with the plot, as the experiment that was a major point in the synopsis was abandoned pretty on in the book for Stephen to begin pursuing a real relationship instead. I wasn't the biggest fan of either love interests either, but if I had to choose between the two I'd definitely choose Jan over the other one. I think this would be a good book for younger YA readers, who are just diving into the genre.
Overall, it was super quick, I read it in one sitting and it flowed very nicely, but I don't think it was anything spectacular.
May 15, 2021
Throughly enjoyed this fast pace ya romance. I appreciate the mental health aspect and while I don’t know a lot about Tourette’s I felt the author gave enough information about it with out making the whole book just about it. It was a light fun story of the constant challenges of dating in high school. I also was trying to figure out if Steven would end up with someone and who it could be.
Narrator was pretty good. Kept me engaged enough to stay for the end.
Narrator was pretty good. Kept me engaged enough to stay for the end.
April 23, 2021
Kiss and Repeat was an incredibly enjoyable read. I tend to get super squirmy when it comes to books with miscommunications and that impending feeling of knowing something bad is going to happen (especially as major plot points), but this did not give me that feeling at all. This book was real and honest and such a joy to read. I fell in love with Stephen’s character and just wanted to hold his hand through the book because pretty much everything gets thrown at this boy. But it was in the way he picked himself up and made things right that made this book as special as it was.
In the deep south of Alabama, sixteen-year-old Stephen Luckie is at a party when he gets roped into a modern version of spin the bottle. When he and a beautiful classmate of his get matched, he internally freaks out because he has Tourette’s Syndrome, and he does not want his ticks to make him do something to embarrass him… Much to his surprise, he finds that while kissing this girl, he does not have a single tick or spasm, giving his best friend the wild idea that they need to further this experiment and get Stephen to kiss as many girls as he can to prove the theory that he is tick-free when he is kissing a girl.
Stephen is this very real, very relatable character who is just trying to maneuver through his high school career in one piece, but for a kid named Luckie, he definitely does not have the best luck. Through a series of experiments, one girl who wants all of his attention, one who used to have a major crush on him, and one that he has always been in love with, it is obstacle after obstacle for him. But what I loved most was that through all of this, Stephen was a good and kind, respectable kid with a huge heart.
In the deep south of Alabama, sixteen-year-old Stephen Luckie is at a party when he gets roped into a modern version of spin the bottle. When he and a beautiful classmate of his get matched, he internally freaks out because he has Tourette’s Syndrome, and he does not want his ticks to make him do something to embarrass him… Much to his surprise, he finds that while kissing this girl, he does not have a single tick or spasm, giving his best friend the wild idea that they need to further this experiment and get Stephen to kiss as many girls as he can to prove the theory that he is tick-free when he is kissing a girl.
Stephen is this very real, very relatable character who is just trying to maneuver through his high school career in one piece, but for a kid named Luckie, he definitely does not have the best luck. Through a series of experiments, one girl who wants all of his attention, one who used to have a major crush on him, and one that he has always been in love with, it is obstacle after obstacle for him. But what I loved most was that through all of this, Stephen was a good and kind, respectable kid with a huge heart.
May 14, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley for an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This was a cute book about a high school boy, Stephen, who has Tourette's. I don't think I've ever read a book about someone with Tourette's so it was great to see it in this book. You could really tell you much this effected Stephen and how self conscious it made him, even though he could do nothing about it. I think that part of it was very well written.
Since Stephen kisses his first girl due to a spin the bottle game, it's so obvious how much he wants kissing to stop his tics. I really liked Stephen. He was very timid and polite, but he also had a bad temper because of his Tourette's and his character felt very real. I disliked Joan at first, but we really got to know her story and I liked her by the end. I didn't like Stephen's best friend Ballard, he was just a very bad friend. I also thought I was going to like one of the girls Stephen met, Pilar, but she ended up being way too clingy.
This book started out as an experiment of getting Stephen to kiss as many girls as he could to see if it helped his tics and I thought that was going to be a large part of the book, but it really wasn't. It was more about Stephen learning that people can accept him despite his Tourette's and I really liked that.
Definitely give this book a try if you're looking for a cute contemporary!
This was a cute book about a high school boy, Stephen, who has Tourette's. I don't think I've ever read a book about someone with Tourette's so it was great to see it in this book. You could really tell you much this effected Stephen and how self conscious it made him, even though he could do nothing about it. I think that part of it was very well written.
Since Stephen kisses his first girl due to a spin the bottle game, it's so obvious how much he wants kissing to stop his tics. I really liked Stephen. He was very timid and polite, but he also had a bad temper because of his Tourette's and his character felt very real. I disliked Joan at first, but we really got to know her story and I liked her by the end. I didn't like Stephen's best friend Ballard, he was just a very bad friend. I also thought I was going to like one of the girls Stephen met, Pilar, but she ended up being way too clingy.
This book started out as an experiment of getting Stephen to kiss as many girls as he could to see if it helped his tics and I thought that was going to be a large part of the book, but it really wasn't. It was more about Stephen learning that people can accept him despite his Tourette's and I really liked that.
Definitely give this book a try if you're looking for a cute contemporary!
February 25, 2021
This is my second read of this book, and it was just as delightful as the first go.
Stephen is a high schooler with Tourette’s. As much as he doesn’t want it to, his condition controls much of his thoughts and anxieties. He is struggling with his identities. He struggles to be the perfect son and to be the best friend. He struggles with his identity as a Christian in a household where his mother is a Methodist minister and a father who is inattentive and gaslighting toward him. On top of all that, he has the tics which makes life much more complicated.
Stephen discovers that his tics stop when he kisses a girl for the first time, and he and his best friend Ballard go on a journey for a scientific experiment to figure out if his tics stop every time he kisses someone. Along the way things get complicated for Stephen. He finds that some girls do actually like him, and he has some important realizations about how his Tourette’s has effected his social/dating life.
This book is a lovely coming of age story with neurodiverse representation. It captures the anxiety of being a teenager who is dating. The story highlights the struggles with living in the Bible Belt and doubting your faith and spirituality. Stephen’s journey is messy, complicated, and perfect. I highly recommend reading this story!
Stephen is a high schooler with Tourette’s. As much as he doesn’t want it to, his condition controls much of his thoughts and anxieties. He is struggling with his identities. He struggles to be the perfect son and to be the best friend. He struggles with his identity as a Christian in a household where his mother is a Methodist minister and a father who is inattentive and gaslighting toward him. On top of all that, he has the tics which makes life much more complicated.
Stephen discovers that his tics stop when he kisses a girl for the first time, and he and his best friend Ballard go on a journey for a scientific experiment to figure out if his tics stop every time he kisses someone. Along the way things get complicated for Stephen. He finds that some girls do actually like him, and he has some important realizations about how his Tourette’s has effected his social/dating life.
This book is a lovely coming of age story with neurodiverse representation. It captures the anxiety of being a teenager who is dating. The story highlights the struggles with living in the Bible Belt and doubting your faith and spirituality. Stephen’s journey is messy, complicated, and perfect. I highly recommend reading this story!
June 17, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kiss and Repeat was a pretty easy book to devour. Mostly because it was a short one. In it, you will meet Stephen. Now he is completely inexperienced in all ways when it comes to the opposite sex. He doesn't know if it's mostly because of his tics from Tourette's.. or if it's something else. Either way, he sets off to do an unusual experiment.
In the beginning, I was very intrigued by Stephen. I don't think I've ever read a book where the main character had Tourette's before so I really wanted to know and understand his tics. Unfortunately, I didn't end up loving his character.. or really any other character within this book. I did, however, find some interesting and others pretty annoying.
Other than that, the plot and the 'romance' (if you can even call it romance because I was getting zero romantic vibes throughout the entire book) were a bit predictable. I think that's why it was just so easy to sit back and listen to the book. I wasn't completely engaged in everything but I did find some things pretty cute.
In the end, I'm glad I got to dive into this and learn something new but I feel like this book was missing certain things that would've captured my full attention.
Kiss and Repeat was a pretty easy book to devour. Mostly because it was a short one. In it, you will meet Stephen. Now he is completely inexperienced in all ways when it comes to the opposite sex. He doesn't know if it's mostly because of his tics from Tourette's.. or if it's something else. Either way, he sets off to do an unusual experiment.
In the beginning, I was very intrigued by Stephen. I don't think I've ever read a book where the main character had Tourette's before so I really wanted to know and understand his tics. Unfortunately, I didn't end up loving his character.. or really any other character within this book. I did, however, find some interesting and others pretty annoying.
Other than that, the plot and the 'romance' (if you can even call it romance because I was getting zero romantic vibes throughout the entire book) were a bit predictable. I think that's why it was just so easy to sit back and listen to the book. I wasn't completely engaged in everything but I did find some things pretty cute.
In the end, I'm glad I got to dive into this and learn something new but I feel like this book was missing certain things that would've captured my full attention.
March 7, 2021
3.5/5...I appreciated the neurodiverse character and thought the story was cute.
April 28, 2022
I didn’t love this book at all.
I almost DNFd it but it was so short that I chose to continue reading.
The main character Stephen was awful. The way he treated the girls around him was not okay.
Characters definitely make or break a book for me.
Thank you to the publisher for gifted eARC.
June 26, 2021
3/5 Good read/listen
DISCLAIMER: I read this audio arc on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had a decent storyline and got an extra star for touching on topics that I don't see much. The biggest thing that made me happy that this book discussed a bit is ableism. It doesn't go into it too much and people that don't know much about disabilities probably wouldn't always pick it up but I was happy to see some representation of what people with disabilities have to go through. There are more than a few times that I wis the character would've said something about it or got at least angry but understand a lot of people (especially when your disability is so prevalent) are just tired of having to deal with it and don't want to worsen a situation. As someone who is also neurodivergent, I found myself relating to this character a lot and even though I don't have the same condition I still felt understood. I think this portrays tics/Tourettes pretty well (especially for a book) but obviously, things could've been better here or there.
I really dislike organized religion and especially Christianity/catholicism because of personal experiences but surprisingly liked some of what we saw in this book about it. I really liked how it describes that the church was ableist towards the main character, though it was a very small part I appreciated the author bringing attention to that because so many of us go through that. People can't pray away disabilities and saying your sorry is not an appropriate response to someone telling you they have a disability, so I was so happy to see the main character even lightly touch on this.
I disliked more than a few things in this book though. Though being accurate, I could've done without all the sexism and Christians being "pure" and how men will only want women if they're "pure" and "perfect". It just bothers me when people who are "perfect" act as though everyone else is a sin but thankfully the MC didn't view things like this (I think to an extent he had some of these views as he implies some girls are sluts). I also extremely hated his parents but that's probably just me.
Overall, I enjoyed this book enough to finish its and this is in part to being a short audiobook and having a good narrator. I think the average person would enjoy this if it sounds up their ally but if you are sensitive to some topics like religion and sexism I would skip out on this one.
DISCLAIMER: I read this audio arc on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had a decent storyline and got an extra star for touching on topics that I don't see much. The biggest thing that made me happy that this book discussed a bit is ableism. It doesn't go into it too much and people that don't know much about disabilities probably wouldn't always pick it up but I was happy to see some representation of what people with disabilities have to go through. There are more than a few times that I wis the character would've said something about it or got at least angry but understand a lot of people (especially when your disability is so prevalent) are just tired of having to deal with it and don't want to worsen a situation. As someone who is also neurodivergent, I found myself relating to this character a lot and even though I don't have the same condition I still felt understood. I think this portrays tics/Tourettes pretty well (especially for a book) but obviously, things could've been better here or there.
I really dislike organized religion and especially Christianity/catholicism because of personal experiences but surprisingly liked some of what we saw in this book about it. I really liked how it describes that the church was ableist towards the main character, though it was a very small part I appreciated the author bringing attention to that because so many of us go through that. People can't pray away disabilities and saying your sorry is not an appropriate response to someone telling you they have a disability, so I was so happy to see the main character even lightly touch on this.
I disliked more than a few things in this book though. Though being accurate, I could've done without all the sexism and Christians being "pure" and how men will only want women if they're "pure" and "perfect". It just bothers me when people who are "perfect" act as though everyone else is a sin but thankfully the MC didn't view things like this (I think to an extent he had some of these views as he implies some girls are sluts). I also extremely hated his parents but that's probably just me.
Overall, I enjoyed this book enough to finish its and this is in part to being a short audiobook and having a good narrator. I think the average person would enjoy this if it sounds up their ally but if you are sensitive to some topics like religion and sexism I would skip out on this one.
June 17, 2021
This may be the first book I've read that has a main character with Tourette's. I really liked how it was portrayed, seeing how Stephen's ticks change and increase or decrease depending on his stress levels and mood. I don't know how accurate it was, but it seemed genuine to me.
The plot was pretty straightforward and predictable. I didn't necessarily love any of the characters, they all had moments where they were mean, petty, or jealous. There were a couple cute moments, especially with Stephen and Pilar. I wish they were endgame instead, I thought they worked well as a couple. Joan was hot and cold and I didn't understand why she dated someone who bullied others and treated her so poorly.
The pacing is very fast and the narrator for the audiobook did a good job embodying Stephen. I would have liked more of Stephen and his parent's relationship, I think there was more to be explored.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the copy.
The plot was pretty straightforward and predictable. I didn't necessarily love any of the characters, they all had moments where they were mean, petty, or jealous. There were a couple cute moments, especially with Stephen and Pilar. I wish they were endgame instead, I thought they worked well as a couple. Joan was hot and cold and I didn't understand why she dated someone who bullied others and treated her so poorly.
The pacing is very fast and the narrator for the audiobook did a good job embodying Stephen. I would have liked more of Stephen and his parent's relationship, I think there was more to be explored.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the copy.
May 20, 2021
Kiss and Repeat by Heather Truett was such a good listen! This one was fast at only a little over five hours. Kiss and Repeat tells the story of Stephen Luckie, a high school boy living in Alabama with a preacher mom and Turrets. He and a friend come up with a plan to see if kissing can reduce his ticks and high school hi-jinx ensue!
I was refreshed to see a YA romcom come from a boy's point of view. This book seemed modern and I enjoyed seeing a different progression than nerd to prom queen. The book was addictive; I really wanted to know how this story would end and it kept me entertained while organizing my closet which is always a win! Add this to your TBR ASAP!
I was refreshed to see a YA romcom come from a boy's point of view. This book seemed modern and I enjoyed seeing a different progression than nerd to prom queen. The book was addictive; I really wanted to know how this story would end and it kept me entertained while organizing my closet which is always a win! Add this to your TBR ASAP!
June 15, 2021
thank you netgalley & dreamscape media for providing me with the ALC for kiss and repeat.
i haven't seen a main character with tourette's in books often, so i was very happy to read about it. though i don't know anyone with tourettes or know very much about it, i feel that the author provided just enough information for me to understand it.
the narration of this book was pretty good, i really enjoyed the narrator. he had a very nice voice and he was very easy to understand.
this book is about stephen who has tourette's and realizes after he kisses a girl, his tics aren't as intense / are quieted. so he and his friend come up with an "experiment" that kissing may "fix" his tourettes.
now, unfortunately, this plot lasts for 2-3 chapters and then falls apart into literally nothing. i wouldn't even call it a plot because it happened for like 15% of the book and then the rest of the book is about stephen not sure if he wants to be in a relationship with some girl he meets at a party or the girl at school.
i didn't like stephen. he slut shamed at least three girls in the book and it just got really annoying. you could almost see it coming every time the reader would meet a new female character. the book seemed to shame women who are more comfortable with sex/sexuality and praise the idea of innocent or inexperienced girls. it kinda drove me crazy.
the characters went through little to no character development and the relationship between the main character and the love interest was weird. they had little to no chemistry as well.
i really thought i'd enjoy this book but it fell short.
i haven't seen a main character with tourette's in books often, so i was very happy to read about it. though i don't know anyone with tourettes or know very much about it, i feel that the author provided just enough information for me to understand it.
the narration of this book was pretty good, i really enjoyed the narrator. he had a very nice voice and he was very easy to understand.
this book is about stephen who has tourette's and realizes after he kisses a girl, his tics aren't as intense / are quieted. so he and his friend come up with an "experiment" that kissing may "fix" his tourettes.
now, unfortunately, this plot lasts for 2-3 chapters and then falls apart into literally nothing. i wouldn't even call it a plot because it happened for like 15% of the book and then the rest of the book is about stephen not sure if he wants to be in a relationship with some girl he meets at a party or the girl at school.
i didn't like stephen. he slut shamed at least three girls in the book and it just got really annoying. you could almost see it coming every time the reader would meet a new female character. the book seemed to shame women who are more comfortable with sex/sexuality and praise the idea of innocent or inexperienced girls. it kinda drove me crazy.
the characters went through little to no character development and the relationship between the main character and the love interest was weird. they had little to no chemistry as well.
i really thought i'd enjoy this book but it fell short.
Read
October 16, 2023
Trigger & Content Warnings
Ableism
Bullying
Ableism
Bullying
June 14, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of this book.
Content Warnings at end of review
When Stephen has his first kiss at a party, he realizes that it makes his ticks from Tourette's Syndrome stop temporarily. He decides to use the scientific method to see if this will happen again, but things get complicated when he begins falling for someone.
I really liked the neurodiversity rep in this book, and thought it did a good job of talking about Tourette's in a way that was educational to people who might not have read about it before, and empathetic toward Stephen. I didn't really love the way this plot was structured. I thought it fell into the main points of the experiment too quickly and then also removed itself from that plot too quickly. Some of the relationships seemed a little flat to me, but others were realistic.
Overall, this was lighthearted and a fast teen romance!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Bullying, and Violence
Content Warnings at end of review
When Stephen has his first kiss at a party, he realizes that it makes his ticks from Tourette's Syndrome stop temporarily. He decides to use the scientific method to see if this will happen again, but things get complicated when he begins falling for someone.
I really liked the neurodiversity rep in this book, and thought it did a good job of talking about Tourette's in a way that was educational to people who might not have read about it before, and empathetic toward Stephen. I didn't really love the way this plot was structured. I thought it fell into the main points of the experiment too quickly and then also removed itself from that plot too quickly. Some of the relationships seemed a little flat to me, but others were realistic.
Overall, this was lighthearted and a fast teen romance!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Bullying, and Violence
June 16, 2021
Rating: 3.5 Stars
This was an interesting journey for Stephen, and I appreciated his growth.
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This was an interesting journey for Stephen, and I appreciated his growth.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
May 24, 2021
This is a fun and informative debut novel told by a male teenager with Tourette's Syndrome. I appreciate the thoughtfulness the author put into this story for those like me who know very little about Tourette's. Watching Stephen struggle with not only his tics but normal angsty teen stuff like bullies and girls, is realistic and eye-opening.
Being the son of a Methodist minister, Stephen has to toe the line, but when the stress of school, his best friend's big mouth, and rumors going around about his kissing experiment to see if kissing several girls will still his tics, he comes to the conclusion that there is only one girl he wants to kiss. If only she wasn't involved with the biggest bully in school.
Stephen is a really good kid and my heart goes out to him as he slowly digs himself deeper into a hole of lies and deception. The whole kissing thing backfires as he gains a "girlfriend" he doesn't really want, pisses off a long-time friend in a drunken bender, and gains a questionable reputation that gets him grounded by his parents. When he finally gets the girl of his dreams, everything blows up in his face all at once. So he man's up and tells the truth while getting points for a grand gesture to get his girl back.
The supporting characters were very important to the story such as Stephen's best friend, Ballard, who is a bit of a douche, but was one of the first kids to accept Stephen as he is. Stephen's parents are also a big part of the story as they wrestle with Stephen's changing attitude and the fear of a mental break.
Though I felt the ending was a bit rushed, overall, I enjoyed this young adult story about being yourself and not letting a mental or physical disorder define you.
Thank you to Ms. Truett for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Being the son of a Methodist minister, Stephen has to toe the line, but when the stress of school, his best friend's big mouth, and rumors going around about his kissing experiment to see if kissing several girls will still his tics, he comes to the conclusion that there is only one girl he wants to kiss. If only she wasn't involved with the biggest bully in school.
Stephen is a really good kid and my heart goes out to him as he slowly digs himself deeper into a hole of lies and deception. The whole kissing thing backfires as he gains a "girlfriend" he doesn't really want, pisses off a long-time friend in a drunken bender, and gains a questionable reputation that gets him grounded by his parents. When he finally gets the girl of his dreams, everything blows up in his face all at once. So he man's up and tells the truth while getting points for a grand gesture to get his girl back.
The supporting characters were very important to the story such as Stephen's best friend, Ballard, who is a bit of a douche, but was one of the first kids to accept Stephen as he is. Stephen's parents are also a big part of the story as they wrestle with Stephen's changing attitude and the fear of a mental break.
Though I felt the ending was a bit rushed, overall, I enjoyed this young adult story about being yourself and not letting a mental or physical disorder define you.
Thank you to Ms. Truett for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
July 1, 2021
I thought this book was adorable and different! Romance stories that I have read at least are usually from a female's perspective, while this story is told by a teenage boy with Tourette’s. I liked the insight into his worries and thoughts about having Tourette’s and dealing with relationships and girls. A cute and quick read! (3 stars just because parts of the book felt a bit juvenile to me, but I would definitely recommend to someone looking for a lighter romance book or for teenagers looking for a love story!)
June 10, 2021
⭐️.💫/5 Stars
Thanks to Netgalley for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!!
Rating: 1.5/5 Stars
Steam: none (YA romance with kissing)
It was a relatively short audio book around 4 hours.
Narration: so look the narration of this audiobook is okay! The narrator has a good voice and kept me mostly interested. The only thing I would have liked was if the narrator was more distinct with voicing when different characters are talking, I often found it not easy to know who was saying what.
Pros
I like that this Romance had a Main Character with Neuodivergence (Tourette’s syndrome) as well as anxiety. The MC at a party realizes that his “ticks and flexes” disappear once he kisses someone. He’s never had them disappear completely before, even with his medications. So he sets out to test his theory that kissing might help with his Tourette’s. I also like that they discuss consent in this book, often this concept isn’t overtly talked about in YA romcoms so I liked that. It should be in every romance.
Cons
There wasn’t really a plot. Things just kinda happened. I didn’t really get to know the characters all too well either. No character was developed and that made me not care about this story at all. The main point?about testing the kissing hypothesis only lasts 1/3 of the book kinda in a way as it’s not really even a plot at that point. and then it’s about him finding a relationship? Still not totally sure as again none of the story is well developed. Some romantic elements at times.
This book had potential! It had great neurodivergent representation! I just wish it also had a plot, character development and a better romance.
Thanks to Netgalley
Dreamscape Media
for providing me with this audio book in exchange for my honest opinions and review.
Thanks to Netgalley for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!!
Rating: 1.5/5 Stars
Steam: none (YA romance with kissing)
It was a relatively short audio book around 4 hours.
Narration: so look the narration of this audiobook is okay! The narrator has a good voice and kept me mostly interested. The only thing I would have liked was if the narrator was more distinct with voicing when different characters are talking, I often found it not easy to know who was saying what.
Pros
I like that this Romance had a Main Character with Neuodivergence (Tourette’s syndrome) as well as anxiety. The MC at a party realizes that his “ticks and flexes” disappear once he kisses someone. He’s never had them disappear completely before, even with his medications. So he sets out to test his theory that kissing might help with his Tourette’s. I also like that they discuss consent in this book, often this concept isn’t overtly talked about in YA romcoms so I liked that. It should be in every romance.
Cons
There wasn’t really a plot. Things just kinda happened. I didn’t really get to know the characters all too well either. No character was developed and that made me not care about this story at all. The main point?about testing the kissing hypothesis only lasts 1/3 of the book kinda in a way as it’s not really even a plot at that point. and then it’s about him finding a relationship? Still not totally sure as again none of the story is well developed. Some romantic elements at times.
This book had potential! It had great neurodivergent representation! I just wish it also had a plot, character development and a better romance.
Thanks to Netgalley
Dreamscape Media
for providing me with this audio book in exchange for my honest opinions and review.
May 20, 2021
I loved listening to this audio book!
The narrator fit perfectly with Steven and the story!!
I thought it was very easy to relate to Steven. He is a young boy struggling with anxiety and I could relate to him. He was funny and he made mistakes. He learned from his mistakes which shows us that anyone can learn from their mistakes. Steven is a boy you would want to be friends with.
This story was beautiful, funny, and even a little heart breaking at times.
I truly enjoyed this book and I think everyone should read or listen to it!!
The narrator fit perfectly with Steven and the story!!
I thought it was very easy to relate to Steven. He is a young boy struggling with anxiety and I could relate to him. He was funny and he made mistakes. He learned from his mistakes which shows us that anyone can learn from their mistakes. Steven is a boy you would want to be friends with.
This story was beautiful, funny, and even a little heart breaking at times.
I truly enjoyed this book and I think everyone should read or listen to it!!
June 3, 2021
This was such a cute book! I love the diversity in the book. The character growth and relationship was so sweet. Stephen has so many struggles because of his Tourette and is learning a lot about life and girls. He gets caught up between two girl he doesn’t go about it the right way but that’s okay it all gets figured out in the end! It was a very good YA! I loved it! I got the pleasure of listening to the Audio through NetGalley and the narrator was so spot on and did a amazing job telling the story!
May 21, 2021
✍️ One Sentence Synopsis: Hypothesis— kissing cures tics; Experiment— kiss as many girls as possible.
💭 Overall Thoughts:
SPOILER:
I was glad the above plot kind of gets abandoned about a third of the way in because I found it a bit cringeworthy— a romanticized or stereotypical representation of Tourette’s. However, with that abandoned I appreciated the neurodivergent representation and some of the struggles associated with feeling inadequate, fitting in, and trouble with meds.
I also appreciated the fact that this is a YA romance told from a male perspective as there aren’t many there. It included themes of realizing when you are treating someone poorly by your actions knocking down a bit of toxic masculinity.
The book is about a pastor’s son but is still accessible and enjoyable by someone who is not religious from that aspect.
Overall it is mostly a light, witty, YA coming of age story with a few issues. I liked the enemies to lovers romance piece of it, and the internal struggle of first love.
What I Liked:
👍 Neurodivergent and male perspective representation as mentioned above.
👍 Overall light and witty
👍Puppy love enemies to lovers and love triangle
What I Didn’t Like:
👎 There’s some slut shaming here that is somewhat questioned (?) but dropped in without much exploration or opposition.
👎 Romanticism of Tourette’s as described above.
👎 Most of the characters seemed a bit flat.
⚠️ Content Warnings: Slut shaming, religious discussion, ableism.
🎧 Enjoyed this narrator— he was captivating and his voice was enjoyable to listen to.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for allowing me to listen with request for honest review.
💭 Overall Thoughts:
SPOILER:
I was glad the above plot kind of gets abandoned about a third of the way in because I found it a bit cringeworthy— a romanticized or stereotypical representation of Tourette’s. However, with that abandoned I appreciated the neurodivergent representation and some of the struggles associated with feeling inadequate, fitting in, and trouble with meds.
I also appreciated the fact that this is a YA romance told from a male perspective as there aren’t many there. It included themes of realizing when you are treating someone poorly by your actions knocking down a bit of toxic masculinity.
The book is about a pastor’s son but is still accessible and enjoyable by someone who is not religious from that aspect.
Overall it is mostly a light, witty, YA coming of age story with a few issues. I liked the enemies to lovers romance piece of it, and the internal struggle of first love.
What I Liked:
👍 Neurodivergent and male perspective representation as mentioned above.
👍 Overall light and witty
👍Puppy love enemies to lovers and love triangle
What I Didn’t Like:
👎 There’s some slut shaming here that is somewhat questioned (?) but dropped in without much exploration or opposition.
👎 Romanticism of Tourette’s as described above.
👎 Most of the characters seemed a bit flat.
⚠️ Content Warnings: Slut shaming, religious discussion, ableism.
🎧 Enjoyed this narrator— he was captivating and his voice was enjoyable to listen to.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for allowing me to listen with request for honest review.
May 31, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for providing an audiobook arc of this book.
This was such a fun, cute, and quick read. I was also pleasantly surprised with the audiobook narrator, usually I have to speed up my audiobooks so I don’t have to fall asleep. And I didn’t have to this time around which is always nice. There were times though that I wish the narrator put a little more feeling into the main character.
The plot was definitely fast pace, but parts of it felt dropped only to be randomly picked back up later with no explanation. My main issue was defiantly with the weird love triangle of this book. The author focusing on two different girls throughout the book, made it hard to connect with the main characters final decision.
The main character was by far my favorite part of this book. Seeing high school, love, and family felt realistic and awkward, which is what being in high tends to be like. Nothing about the characters emotions or struggles were sugar coated or down played.
This was such a fun, cute, and quick read. I was also pleasantly surprised with the audiobook narrator, usually I have to speed up my audiobooks so I don’t have to fall asleep. And I didn’t have to this time around which is always nice. There were times though that I wish the narrator put a little more feeling into the main character.
The plot was definitely fast pace, but parts of it felt dropped only to be randomly picked back up later with no explanation. My main issue was defiantly with the weird love triangle of this book. The author focusing on two different girls throughout the book, made it hard to connect with the main characters final decision.
The main character was by far my favorite part of this book. Seeing high school, love, and family felt realistic and awkward, which is what being in high tends to be like. Nothing about the characters emotions or struggles were sugar coated or down played.
June 12, 2021
This is another case of it's me and not the book - I enjoyed Kiss and Repeat ok, and it was a bit of a novel experience getting this sort of book from a male perspective, but YA contemporary is just not for me (I think). I appreciate the representation of someone with Tourette's Syndrome, as well as the southern setting, but I just had a hard time connecting to Stephen and his friend group. However, I do think that this might be a really enjoyable read for someone closer to the demographic of the characters in the book. So once again, it wasn't the book's fault - I just need to refine what I choose to consume. 3 out of 5 wine glasses.
May 30, 2021
I love YA and I do a lot of reading. This book seemed just mediocre for me. I enjoyed that it was a new topic to diversify into with Tourette’s. I think that probably many of us need a read into neurodiversity to see the brain function in a different way. However, I think this books synopsis didn’t really match my expectations of the book. The “experiment” felt so brief. I felt many of the characters weren’t developed like I would usually like. It was just a short book and I was hoping for a bigger punch.
June 7, 2021
This book was an interesting and enlightening read. I enjoy reading books from unique perspectives or points of view that I am not as familiar with. I’ve enjoyed watching television shows like Atypical or Sex Education with include neurodivergent characters. So, it was a treat to read the story from the perspective of Stephen who has Tourette syndrome. Being a teenage boy, in my own experience, is already pretty rough but having one’s natural awkwardness magnified is difficult terrain to manage. The story unfolds within the framework of a YA with boy meeting girls and the attendant life lessons. The characters are solid and relatable. I’d recommend it for anyone wanting to explore a voice they haven’t heard before.
June 21, 2021
This book was really cute, but I was not drawn to it in the slightest. To the point where I started two other books in the middle of this one because I forgot I was reading it...
It wasn't super relatable to me in any aspect, but I did enjoy reading about a character with Tourette Syndrome and watch as he grew to learn how to calm his tics.
It wasn't super relatable to me in any aspect, but I did enjoy reading about a character with Tourette Syndrome and watch as he grew to learn how to calm his tics.
March 28, 2022
This was such a great listen. I enjoy the audio book and the emotions the reader had. A very nice story for young adult. And a good way to use the hypothesis theory, though the way the character went for it seem more far fetch . However, the character did had a purpose in doing what he did to find out if he was capable of loving.
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May 17, 2021This book didn't really work for me personally.. The pacing felt off and this made it hard for me to connect with the characters. I think high schoolers who are looking for a light weekend read would enjoy it. <3
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