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About That Kiss
What if the greatest role of your life is playing your true self?
Ida Burton used to be Hollywood’s sweetheart until the best roles started drying up in her forties.
When Ida lands one of the leads in a big-budget lesbian rom-com, it's not only a chance at reviving her dwindling career. Maybe this movie can be an opportunity to finally burst out of the closet she's forced herself into.
Faye Fleming has been at the top of her acting game and collecting awards for the past few years. When she's cast in a huge blockbuster opposite the legendary Ida Burton, she's over the moon.
Ida and Faye hit it off. The chemistry on set is through the roof… until their characters' first kiss.
Ida Burton used to be Hollywood’s sweetheart until the best roles started drying up in her forties.
When Ida lands one of the leads in a big-budget lesbian rom-com, it's not only a chance at reviving her dwindling career. Maybe this movie can be an opportunity to finally burst out of the closet she's forced herself into.
Faye Fleming has been at the top of her acting game and collecting awards for the past few years. When she's cast in a huge blockbuster opposite the legendary Ida Burton, she's over the moon.
Ida and Faye hit it off. The chemistry on set is through the roof… until their characters' first kiss.
274 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2021
257 people are currently reading
4283 people want to read
About the author
Harper Bliss
138 books2,359 followersHarper Bliss is a best-selling lesbian romance author. Among her most-loved books are the highly dramatic French Kissing and the often thought-provoking Pink Bean series. She is the co-founder of My LesFic, a weekly newsletter offering discount deals on lesbian fiction.
Harper lived in Hong Kong for 7 years, travelled the world for a bit, and has now settled in Brussels (Belgium) with her wife and photogenic cat, Dolly Purrton.
Together with her wife, she hosts a weekly podcast called Harper Bliss & Her Mrs.
Harper lived in Hong Kong for 7 years, travelled the world for a bit, and has now settled in Brussels (Belgium) with her wife and photogenic cat, Dolly Purrton.
Together with her wife, she hosts a weekly podcast called Harper Bliss & Her Mrs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 458 reviews
July 28, 2021
A simple kiss.
Some of you might already know that I can get quite passionate about the age-gap and forbidden love tropes and that is why I'm a fan of Harper Bliss' works. She's daring and she writes taboo relationships beautifully, but she doesn't write them all the time, and this is one of those times. So for those of you who are not fans of the forbidden, this one is for you.
Like others have said, this book is a light summer read. There's hardly any angst and I welcome it. I've grown to appreciate light reads recently because it takes the stress off work. I also appreciate that both characters are middle-aged, late 40s/early 50s. Books with two older characters don't come to me very often, but maybe they should, because there's something alluring about older women, which I've come to realise, is the maturity and the poise.
Bliss gave us a beautiful story about two Hollywood actresses enjoying a simple onscreen kiss a little too much that it unleashes titillating emotions. Yes, 'titillating' is the word because you can always count on Bliss to turn up the heat when it comes to seduction and sex. But because Ida is a closeted lesbian and Faye is a straight woman, what is titillating is also tantalizing and confusing for both of them. So more than sex, Bliss also delivered a meaningful read about women discovering and being true to themselves, finding themselves at a crossroads and having the courage to take a leap of faith. And because Bliss has a way with words, she captured the emotions so well and without angst.
If you're up for a light toaster-oven read, give this a shot. This one is good!
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Some of you might already know that I can get quite passionate about the age-gap and forbidden love tropes and that is why I'm a fan of Harper Bliss' works. She's daring and she writes taboo relationships beautifully, but she doesn't write them all the time, and this is one of those times. So for those of you who are not fans of the forbidden, this one is for you.
Like others have said, this book is a light summer read. There's hardly any angst and I welcome it. I've grown to appreciate light reads recently because it takes the stress off work. I also appreciate that both characters are middle-aged, late 40s/early 50s. Books with two older characters don't come to me very often, but maybe they should, because there's something alluring about older women, which I've come to realise, is the maturity and the poise.
Bliss gave us a beautiful story about two Hollywood actresses enjoying a simple onscreen kiss a little too much that it unleashes titillating emotions. Yes, 'titillating' is the word because you can always count on Bliss to turn up the heat when it comes to seduction and sex. But because Ida is a closeted lesbian and Faye is a straight woman, what is titillating is also tantalizing and confusing for both of them. So more than sex, Bliss also delivered a meaningful read about women discovering and being true to themselves, finding themselves at a crossroads and having the courage to take a leap of faith. And because Bliss has a way with words, she captured the emotions so well and without angst.
If you're up for a light toaster-oven read, give this a shot. This one is good!
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2023
Update after third listen December 2023 - yep, still love it!
Update after second listen 5/4/22 - I loved it just as much! In fact, I caught myself smiling throughout the last several chapters. And I must say - the epilogue is fabulous! If you haven't experienced this one yet, please do. It's a lesbian romance lover's dream.
September 2021:
An enthusiastic 5 stars!
I loved, loved, loved this audiobook! It's a very fun, very sexy celeb romance - my favorite trope! The audiobook is nearly perfect. Really. At just six hours, it's just the right length between longer listens. Or just when you need something entirely entertaining to make you forget about the world for a while. What happens when two established and beloved A-list actresses agree to star in a lesbian-themed film - one straight, one closeted - and sparks fly? And folks - the kisses?? The sex?? *fan, fan, fanning self* Talk about fantasy material!
I seriously don't know how Harper keeps writing these high quality books and fresh, sizzling love scenes. And Abby Craden's narration is just delicious. This is one you'll want to listen to over and over again. I'm already wondering when I can again and I just finished it!
Update after second listen 5/4/22 - I loved it just as much! In fact, I caught myself smiling throughout the last several chapters. And I must say - the epilogue is fabulous! If you haven't experienced this one yet, please do. It's a lesbian romance lover's dream.
September 2021:
An enthusiastic 5 stars!
I loved, loved, loved this audiobook! It's a very fun, very sexy celeb romance - my favorite trope! The audiobook is nearly perfect. Really. At just six hours, it's just the right length between longer listens. Or just when you need something entirely entertaining to make you forget about the world for a while. What happens when two established and beloved A-list actresses agree to star in a lesbian-themed film - one straight, one closeted - and sparks fly? And folks - the kisses?? The sex?? *fan, fan, fanning self* Talk about fantasy material!
I seriously don't know how Harper keeps writing these high quality books and fresh, sizzling love scenes. And Abby Craden's narration is just delicious. This is one you'll want to listen to over and over again. I'm already wondering when I can again and I just finished it!
January 3, 2022
3.5 Stars.
I liked it well enough but wasn’t blown away by it. Part of the issue is that I had a lot of trouble remembering whose POV I was in. Ida and Faye had similar sounding voices and just weren’t all that distinct from one another. I did appreciate the longer than normal happy ending and the yearning was *chef’s kiss* perfect.
I liked it well enough but wasn’t blown away by it. Part of the issue is that I had a lot of trouble remembering whose POV I was in. Ida and Faye had similar sounding voices and just weren’t all that distinct from one another. I did appreciate the longer than normal happy ending and the yearning was *chef’s kiss* perfect.
August 17, 2021
This is another proof that Bliss can not only write about a taboo or uneasy subject, but she can deliver an entertaining story.
Despite some flaws mentioned in other reviews and which I mostly agree, I've enjoyed the book very much.
I consider the story as a second chance opportunity for each character with herself.
I personally liked the chemistry between them.
I usually like to read Hollywood romances, and this time, none of the MCs were divas and their stories resulted pretty much realistic to me.
The outcome was a nice and low angst read to decompress after a busy week.
4.3 *
Despite some flaws mentioned in other reviews and which I mostly agree, I've enjoyed the book very much.
I consider the story as a second chance opportunity for each character with herself.
I personally liked the chemistry between them.
I usually like to read Hollywood romances, and this time, none of the MCs were divas and their stories resulted pretty much realistic to me.
The outcome was a nice and low angst read to decompress after a busy week.
4.3 *
August 14, 2021
IDK what more I expected, but the plot really was just about that kiss and Ida coming out of the closet.
The first third of the book puts a lot of emphasis on Ida being closeted, and I do mean A LOT. As in I-get-it-already-so-please-tell-me-what's-next-now a lot. The same went for that kiss, which everyone, including the side characters, fussed so much about.
For some reason, I occasionally had trouble differentiating the two MCs from each other. I needed to backtrack a couple of times to check whose POV I was in 'cause Ida and Faye's personalities and voices weren't distinctive enough—at least not to me. Unfortunately, I ultimately felt nothing for them both 🙁
When there isn't much action happening, long internal monologues tend to bore me and there were many here. Good thing the story got better towards the end—precisely why I bumped this up to 3 stars.
As for the MCs' chemistry, I'd liken it to coffee. They had a fine one, but it’s not exactly my favorite blend ☕️
If you're looking for a light, no-angst read, you can't go wrong with this book.
The first third of the book puts a lot of emphasis on Ida being closeted, and I do mean A LOT. As in I-get-it-already-so-please-tell-me-what's-next-now a lot. The same went for that kiss, which everyone, including the side characters, fussed so much about.
For some reason, I occasionally had trouble differentiating the two MCs from each other. I needed to backtrack a couple of times to check whose POV I was in 'cause Ida and Faye's personalities and voices weren't distinctive enough—at least not to me. Unfortunately, I ultimately felt nothing for them both 🙁
When there isn't much action happening, long internal monologues tend to bore me and there were many here. Good thing the story got better towards the end—precisely why I bumped this up to 3 stars.
As for the MCs' chemistry, I'd liken it to coffee. They had a fine one, but it’s not exactly my favorite blend ☕️
If you're looking for a light, no-angst read, you can't go wrong with this book.
July 25, 2021
Harper Bliss’s A Breathless Place was one of the most emotional and beautiful books I’ve read in a while, and all the books she has released since just don’t measure up. But this one in the very least was fun. On her own social media pages she wrote that she was having fun writing this story, I think it shows.
For a book about a closeted Hollywood star and a A-lister at that it is very low on angst in my opinion. I just don’t get that angsty vibe from it, even though I think maybe you should? All I get is fun, and maybe a some behaviour that you could give the angst label but I just give it the stress label. Ida has made her mind up and she is tearing down that closet the best way she knows how. It does help that Faye might be the most easy going other person in this story. For some very high powered A-list actors there is 0 diva behaviour and maybe I would have almost preferred them to have another profession. Although the story wouldn’t work if that were the case.
Anyway, everything is just so easy and light. It’s fun to read, the women are fun together. They do show some traits that I wouldn’t expect for women closing in on 50, but what do I know, I’m not there yet.
This is a fun and easy summer read. I especially loved this one scene near the end that I could just see happening in any rom-com movie, actually I’d love to see that :) I’m keeping it vague so you can enjoy it for yourself. One thing that I really had issues with was the alternating first person POV, each chapter is one of the mains, took me a couple of chapters to get into it. Usually when someone writes a book that way the chapter at least stated which character’s POV we are in.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
For a book about a closeted Hollywood star and a A-lister at that it is very low on angst in my opinion. I just don’t get that angsty vibe from it, even though I think maybe you should? All I get is fun, and maybe a some behaviour that you could give the angst label but I just give it the stress label. Ida has made her mind up and she is tearing down that closet the best way she knows how. It does help that Faye might be the most easy going other person in this story. For some very high powered A-list actors there is 0 diva behaviour and maybe I would have almost preferred them to have another profession. Although the story wouldn’t work if that were the case.
Anyway, everything is just so easy and light. It’s fun to read, the women are fun together. They do show some traits that I wouldn’t expect for women closing in on 50, but what do I know, I’m not there yet.
This is a fun and easy summer read. I especially loved this one scene near the end that I could just see happening in any rom-com movie, actually I’d love to see that :) I’m keeping it vague so you can enjoy it for yourself. One thing that I really had issues with was the alternating first person POV, each chapter is one of the mains, took me a couple of chapters to get into it. Usually when someone writes a book that way the chapter at least stated which character’s POV we are in.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
January 1, 2024
Another terrific audiobook with Abby Craden.
Bliss is so good creating celebrity romances with down to earth characters who are well developed and likable.
This has the best coming out scene that I’ve read. It was perfection in my book. And in regards to finding your true love- “you know when you know”!
Bliss is so good creating celebrity romances with down to earth characters who are well developed and likable.
This has the best coming out scene that I’ve read. It was perfection in my book. And in regards to finding your true love- “you know when you know”!
February 23, 2023
Celebrity romance… one of whom is closeted and the other ain’t that straight after all.
Entertaining and I simply loved it 🥰
Entertaining and I simply loved it 🥰
September 13, 2021
Review of About that kiss by Harper Bliss, Audiobook narrated by Abby Craden
Harper Bliss is an established lesfic author who has an impressive back-catalog over ten years of career. Her novels tend to be on the short side but the level of heat is always high. For her audiobooks, Ms. Bliss normally chooses great narrators like Angela Dawe or Abby Craden. About that Kiss is narrated by the latter so I didn’t want to pass the chance to listen to it.
Ida Burton is a legendary Hollywood actress whose leading roles started to dry up as she hit her forties. When she is offered a leading role in a lesbian rom-com opposite current Hollywood superstar Faye Fleming, she has the opportunity to come back to big leads and come out as a lesbian. It doesn’t hurt that both characters have great chemistry on-screen and off-screen too…
This is a celebrity and coming out romance between two main mature characters. As a matter of fact, this could be considered a coming-out study from two very different perspectives. On one hand Ida, a lesbian who stayed in the closet for her whole career, and on the other one Faye, a straight Hollywood superstar who has never been with a woman before. Ms. Bliss’s take on Ida’s coming out process is compelling as she describes the dire consequences of being closeted not only in her love life but also in her relationships and life enjoyment in general. Ms. Bliss puts it really well when she says “closets are vertical coffins”. Anyone who has been in the closet can relate to that. I thought that Faye’s coming-out process was a bit rushed but I guess the story was more about Ida’s struggle.
As usual with this author, the level of chemistry is explosive from their very first kiss. As you can imagine from the title, kissing on and off camera has a starring role in this story. Ms. Bliss delivers on the anticipation, the hidden sensations, and the characters’ angst in face of their budding feelings. Some of the scenes reminded me of Playing the Role of Herself by KE Lane or Breaking Character by Lee Winter, in the way the authors play with not-so-pretend kissing on a movie set. Great foreplay to the sizzling intimate scenes that follow in this book.
I love that both characters are in their late forties, we need more of these characters in our genre, even if they are hot superstars. Ms. Bliss writes a lot of age gap romances but I’m glad she didn’t in this case. This story needed to be told from the perspective of two mature women who could reflect on their experiences and enjoy a rebirth to a new life.
The audiobook version was narrated by Abby Craden who does a great job as usual. Her sultry mature voice is perfect for the tone of this book and so is her overall performance. Ms. Craden has become a celebrity for lesbian audiobook fans and once again, she shows why.
If you are already a fan of Harper Bliss, you won’t be disappointed with this one. If not, this could be a good one to start. 4.5 stars.
Length 5 hours, 52 minutes
Available in Scribd
Harper Bliss is an established lesfic author who has an impressive back-catalog over ten years of career. Her novels tend to be on the short side but the level of heat is always high. For her audiobooks, Ms. Bliss normally chooses great narrators like Angela Dawe or Abby Craden. About that Kiss is narrated by the latter so I didn’t want to pass the chance to listen to it.
Ida Burton is a legendary Hollywood actress whose leading roles started to dry up as she hit her forties. When she is offered a leading role in a lesbian rom-com opposite current Hollywood superstar Faye Fleming, she has the opportunity to come back to big leads and come out as a lesbian. It doesn’t hurt that both characters have great chemistry on-screen and off-screen too…
This is a celebrity and coming out romance between two main mature characters. As a matter of fact, this could be considered a coming-out study from two very different perspectives. On one hand Ida, a lesbian who stayed in the closet for her whole career, and on the other one Faye, a straight Hollywood superstar who has never been with a woman before. Ms. Bliss’s take on Ida’s coming out process is compelling as she describes the dire consequences of being closeted not only in her love life but also in her relationships and life enjoyment in general. Ms. Bliss puts it really well when she says “closets are vertical coffins”. Anyone who has been in the closet can relate to that. I thought that Faye’s coming-out process was a bit rushed but I guess the story was more about Ida’s struggle.
As usual with this author, the level of chemistry is explosive from their very first kiss. As you can imagine from the title, kissing on and off camera has a starring role in this story. Ms. Bliss delivers on the anticipation, the hidden sensations, and the characters’ angst in face of their budding feelings. Some of the scenes reminded me of Playing the Role of Herself by KE Lane or Breaking Character by Lee Winter, in the way the authors play with not-so-pretend kissing on a movie set. Great foreplay to the sizzling intimate scenes that follow in this book.
I love that both characters are in their late forties, we need more of these characters in our genre, even if they are hot superstars. Ms. Bliss writes a lot of age gap romances but I’m glad she didn’t in this case. This story needed to be told from the perspective of two mature women who could reflect on their experiences and enjoy a rebirth to a new life.
The audiobook version was narrated by Abby Craden who does a great job as usual. Her sultry mature voice is perfect for the tone of this book and so is her overall performance. Ms. Craden has become a celebrity for lesbian audiobook fans and once again, she shows why.
If you are already a fan of Harper Bliss, you won’t be disappointed with this one. If not, this could be a good one to start. 4.5 stars.
Length 5 hours, 52 minutes
Available in Scribd
November 25, 2022
Ah! I loved this! Bravo.
August 4, 2022
Wonderful audiobook. Abby Craden at her best and a very entertaining celebrity romance.
October 16, 2021
I recently read my first Harper Bliss book and I was so overjoyed that there was a massive amount of books available as ebooks on my book app. The best feeling for sure. Only my second but I loved it. Loved the "older" couple, rare in romance. It's lesbian ,(yay) and about actors (double yay). So eager to read !ore by this author as I've enjoyed the two romances so far and I'm eager to see what more she has to offer
August 23, 2025
Fabulous! Get this book an Oscar! Absolutely fabulous, and so bummed this book is over!! This book is so sexy! So sensual too! ❤️🔥 It was so incredibly good!! I want more!! I will definitely re-read this story- I had a smile plastered on my face most of the book, and I cried too. I fell madly in love with the Oscar winning movie stars Faye & Ida!! One of the best gay romance novels I’ve read. Actually it is the best gay romance novel I’ve read to date!! 🎥🎬 Excellent! 🌈
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🔥
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🔥
October 10, 2021
Very nice and well written as always with Bliss. Recommend
July 28, 2021
Lovely story
March 7, 2022
This was a sweet and mostly lighthearted romance. I enjoyed it but it didn’t quite have that extra thing for me. I enjoyed both main characters, their dynamic was lovely, and I always enjoy the acting/Hollywood trope. What I didn’t love was how often ida kept saying not coming out for so much of her life meant she didn’t have enough self respect——that’s some bullshit. Your sexuality is no one’s business but your own, and that doesn’t at all mean you don’t respect yourself if you never choose share that with anyone. I dunno I don’t think that was the overall message trying to be pushed or anything, but some variation of that came up a few times and it really rubbed me the wrong way. All in all, this was a fun lighthearted romance with impeccable narration.
December 26, 2022
This one was somewhere between 4 and 4.5 for me. I really enjoyed it, loved both characters and it's always a nice change of pace to read about characters finding each other and their sexuality later in life. Very solid, enjoyable, and steamy story.
And again, Abby Craden killed it - no surprise there.
And again, Abby Craden killed it - no surprise there.
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July 31, 2023
So, I wanted to like this more than I did.
That adorable cover drew me in, along with a really enticing blurb of two ultra-famous actresses (who win Oscars like Bruce Banner collects PhDs) who star together in a first-of-its kind big budget lesbian romance. Except one is straight and one is deep in the closet, and both have realizations and hot as fuck chemistry.
I loved that this featured two nearly fifty-year-old women falling in love and getting their own love story. Two women with solid careers, who were super duper famous and not letting Hollywood to tell them to go home.
I loved their chemistry, although them never having worked together before felt weird I guess? Since both were so famous.
Anywho.
What I didn't love was how one-dimensional everything was. Aside from the fairly hot sex scenes (although there was so. much. nipple. action) and moments where Ida and Faye were together, it was all pretty bland. The secondary characters were all bland.
And I really didn't like the bi-erasure. Faye never mentions bisexuality as an option. For her (and apparently everyone else), it is either gay, lesbian or straight. Or, as she later determines, gay for you, which is a trope that I very much do not enjoy as a bisexual woman with a coming out kinda like Faye's (minus being famous or an actor or upper middle-aged). I loved that she falls for Ida, that she realizes that she can fall for Ida and love her, but I didn't like that bisexuality is never mentioned. There is no hazy muddiness in the sexual orientation waters—you are either one way, or a switch is flipped and suddenly you are the other.
Also, despite this being written in 2021 and being set in 2021 (or the 2020s), it felt very dated. And the author constantly wrote LGBTQI+, which...look, I'm just gonna say it. If you include the I you'd better include the A, too, because otherwise that is ace and aro erasure. Or just write LGBTQ+, with the + including all the other beautiful labels that fall under the queer community.
And finally, I really, really did not like that (I'm going to put this in spoiler since it's technically a spoiler)
I'm probably reading more into this than I should.
It was cute. It was fluffy. I liked the idea of it. I wasn't so much a fan of the execution, but that was mostly because I wanted bisexual representation instead of gay-for-you.
That adorable cover drew me in, along with a really enticing blurb of two ultra-famous actresses (who win Oscars like Bruce Banner collects PhDs) who star together in a first-of-its kind big budget lesbian romance. Except one is straight and one is deep in the closet, and both have realizations and hot as fuck chemistry.
I loved that this featured two nearly fifty-year-old women falling in love and getting their own love story. Two women with solid careers, who were super duper famous and not letting Hollywood to tell them to go home.
I loved their chemistry, although them never having worked together before felt weird I guess? Since both were so famous.
Anywho.
What I didn't love was how one-dimensional everything was. Aside from the fairly hot sex scenes (although there was so. much. nipple. action) and moments where Ida and Faye were together, it was all pretty bland. The secondary characters were all bland.
And I really didn't like the bi-erasure. Faye never mentions bisexuality as an option. For her (and apparently everyone else), it is either gay, lesbian or straight. Or, as she later determines, gay for you, which is a trope that I very much do not enjoy as a bisexual woman with a coming out kinda like Faye's (minus being famous or an actor or upper middle-aged). I loved that she falls for Ida, that she realizes that she can fall for Ida and love her, but I didn't like that bisexuality is never mentioned. There is no hazy muddiness in the sexual orientation waters—you are either one way, or a switch is flipped and suddenly you are the other.
Also, despite this being written in 2021 and being set in 2021 (or the 2020s), it felt very dated. And the author constantly wrote LGBTQI+, which...look, I'm just gonna say it. If you include the I you'd better include the A, too, because otherwise that is ace and aro erasure. Or just write LGBTQ+, with the + including all the other beautiful labels that fall under the queer community.
And finally, I really, really did not like that (I'm going to put this in spoiler since it's technically a spoiler)
I'm probably reading more into this than I should.
It was cute. It was fluffy. I liked the idea of it. I wasn't so much a fan of the execution, but that was mostly because I wanted bisexual representation instead of gay-for-you.
May 29, 2022
This was a quick and easy read that I finished in a day. I found it pretty superficial, and while both characters were likable, their voices were pretty similar with little to no personal quirks or anything like that to really differentiate them.
I did enjoy Ida's coming out journey (I also LOVE the name Ida). Faye's whole figuring out she liked women (or just Ida? I'm not sure tbh. The word bisexual is never used in the entire book) was really abrupt, with zero internal conflict. I found it quite unrealistic, but I know that happens with some people, my wife included.
But yeah. A pretty average read.
I did enjoy Ida's coming out journey (I also LOVE the name Ida). Faye's whole figuring out she liked women (or just Ida? I'm not sure tbh. The word bisexual is never used in the entire book) was really abrupt, with zero internal conflict. I found it quite unrealistic, but I know that happens with some people, my wife included.
But yeah. A pretty average read.
June 7, 2025
4⭐️ This was hot. And lovely. And page-turny. And sweet. And hot (did I say that already?!) A lighthearted, enjoyable, and very devourable, read.
Audiobook: Impeccable, as always, narration by Craden.
Audiobook: Impeccable, as always, narration by Craden.
August 10, 2023
Lesbians that area actors love to see it!! Easy and fun, really liked it! Fun to see the characters discover their sexuality later in life
August 29, 2023
I'm always thrilled when Harper Bliss publishes a new book and this one did not disappoint!
Ida and Faye were both Oscar-winning actresses approaching 50. They were cast to play opposite of one another in a groundbreaking rom-com (co-written by a character from another book) where the two female leads fall in love. The chemistry between Faye and Ida was undeniable from the moment they did their first table read. Through several rehearsals and dinners, these two ladies became friends. Ida closeted her whole life, wavered between coming out and staying locked up tight. Faye, straight as an arrow, or so she thought, was drawn to Ida the more she got to know her. I really loved both our leading ladies and I was rooting for them.
The dialogue and character development were on point in this one. And while it's not a super heavy read, the struggle with coming out was handled with a lot of care. There is (fortunately) not a lot of unnecessary drama and angst but plenty of steaminess! It's another winner in my book for Harper Bliss!
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ida and Faye were both Oscar-winning actresses approaching 50. They were cast to play opposite of one another in a groundbreaking rom-com (co-written by a character from another book) where the two female leads fall in love. The chemistry between Faye and Ida was undeniable from the moment they did their first table read. Through several rehearsals and dinners, these two ladies became friends. Ida closeted her whole life, wavered between coming out and staying locked up tight. Faye, straight as an arrow, or so she thought, was drawn to Ida the more she got to know her. I really loved both our leading ladies and I was rooting for them.
The dialogue and character development were on point in this one. And while it's not a super heavy read, the struggle with coming out was handled with a lot of care. There is (fortunately) not a lot of unnecessary drama and angst but plenty of steaminess! It's another winner in my book for Harper Bliss!
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 23, 2021
"About that kiss" is a lovely story about two famous actresses in Hollywood.
This is my first book by Harper Bliss and I love it! I love her writing style and that the book is written in the first person of both main characters.
Faye and Ida are both very lovely. They are down to earth, sweet, kind and mature. The side characters are also likable.
The story is a nice read with low angst.
I also like all the little details about filmmaking.
The book I've read before this one was pretty heavy, so it felt really good to read a happier story again.
This is my first book by Harper Bliss and I love it! I love her writing style and that the book is written in the first person of both main characters.
Faye and Ida are both very lovely. They are down to earth, sweet, kind and mature. The side characters are also likable.
The story is a nice read with low angst.
I also like all the little details about filmmaking.
The book I've read before this one was pretty heavy, so it felt really good to read a happier story again.
September 16, 2021
4 Stars - Solid celebrity romance with a delightfully long happy ending
October 27, 2024
"The picture of Ida and me kissing on the red carpet will travel all around the world at record speed, spreading various messages depending on who’s looking at it.
To the teenage girl wondering about her sexual preference, it will say that it’s okay to be gay and it’s okay to doubt. To the woman deeply in the closet, it will say that she can take all the time she needs—because look at Ida. To most, it will just be a passing image of two people kissing. Some might not even bat an eyelid that it’s two women.
In the end, all Ida and I want to say with this profusely photographed kiss is that it’s perfectly normal. It’s perfectly okay. There’s not one little thing wrong with it."
تا اینجا این کتاب دنیای هارپر بلیس رو یکم کمتر از بقیه دوست داشتم. اسم آیدا و فی توی کتاب and then she kissed me اومده بود و به این اشاره شده بود که اون دو نفر از اولین کسایی بودن که توی دنیای هالیوود (دنیای هالیوود این کتاب) کام اوت کرده بودن و راه رو برای بقیه هم هموارتر کرده بود.
از این نظر دوستش داشتم که آیدا و فی توی دوتا موقعیت کاملا متفاوت ولی به نوعی خیلی مشابه بودن.
آیدا میدونست لزبینه و داشت با این قضیه کنار میومد که دلش میخواد با دنیای اطرافش هم به اشتراک بذارتش و دلش نمیخواد بیشتر از این قایمش کنه. فی اما تازه برای اولین بار توی رابطه با یه زن بود و باید با خودش کنار میومد و درک میکرد این واقعا چیزیه که میخواد یا نه و نظر بقیهی دنیا براش اهمیتی نداشت.
یه ذره این چالشها برام لذت بخش نبود چون معمولا از خوندن کتابایی که با مشکل شرم درونی و نگرانی ریکشن بقیه به گرایش آدم دست و پنجه نرم میکنن لذت میبرم ولی کتابای هارپر بلیس معمولا تمرکزشون روی اینه که آدما ازش لذت میبرن و بهش افتخار میکنن و به عنوان یه چیزی نیست که بخوان حلش کنن، ترجیح میدادم اینشکلی باشه.
به هرحال خوشحالم که خوندمش. احساس خوبی داشت و عاشق این دنیا و شخصیتهای به هم مرتبطشم. عاشق اینم که کمکم دارم کل شخصیتهای هالیوود رو میشناسم و نمیتونم صبر کنم داستان بقیه رو بشنوم. مخصوصا چارلی و ایوا، ایزابل ادلر و لیلا (که بارها و بارها توی همهی کتابا اسمشون و آهنگاشون بوده).
To the teenage girl wondering about her sexual preference, it will say that it’s okay to be gay and it’s okay to doubt. To the woman deeply in the closet, it will say that she can take all the time she needs—because look at Ida. To most, it will just be a passing image of two people kissing. Some might not even bat an eyelid that it’s two women.
In the end, all Ida and I want to say with this profusely photographed kiss is that it’s perfectly normal. It’s perfectly okay. There’s not one little thing wrong with it."
تا اینجا این کتاب دنیای هارپر بلیس رو یکم کمتر از بقیه دوست داشتم. اسم آیدا و فی توی کتاب and then she kissed me اومده بود و به این اشاره شده بود که اون دو نفر از اولین کسایی بودن که توی دنیای هالیوود (دنیای هالیوود این کتاب) کام اوت کرده بودن و راه رو برای بقیه هم هموارتر کرده بود.
از این نظر دوستش داشتم که آیدا و فی توی دوتا موقعیت کاملا متفاوت ولی به نوعی خیلی مشابه بودن.
آیدا میدونست لزبینه و داشت با این قضیه کنار میومد که دلش میخواد با دنیای اطرافش هم به اشتراک بذارتش و دلش نمیخواد بیشتر از این قایمش کنه. فی اما تازه برای اولین بار توی رابطه با یه زن بود و باید با خودش کنار میومد و درک میکرد این واقعا چیزیه که میخواد یا نه و نظر بقیهی دنیا براش اهمیتی نداشت.
یه ذره این چالشها برام لذت بخش نبود چون معمولا از خوندن کتابایی که با مشکل شرم درونی و نگرانی ریکشن بقیه به گرایش آدم دست و پنجه نرم میکنن لذت میبرم ولی کتابای هارپر بلیس معمولا تمرکزشون روی اینه که آدما ازش لذت میبرن و بهش افتخار میکنن و به عنوان یه چیزی نیست که بخوان حلش کنن، ترجیح میدادم اینشکلی باشه.
به هرحال خوشحالم که خوندمش. احساس خوبی داشت و عاشق این دنیا و شخصیتهای به هم مرتبطشم. عاشق اینم که کمکم دارم کل شخصیتهای هالیوود رو میشناسم و نمیتونم صبر کنم داستان بقیه رو بشنوم. مخصوصا چارلی و ایوا، ایزابل ادلر و لیلا (که بارها و بارها توی همهی کتابا اسمشون و آهنگاشون بوده).
October 28, 2022
Nothing is better than French language to depict an existential crisis and finding the love of your life. If this is done during the shooting of a movie, with two famous actresses, then life imitates art, and art imitates life.
Celebrities having to hide in the closet in the fear of their career taking a fall is still a plague, and it shouldn't be.
Ida's struggle is real, it's tangible throughout all the pages.
Faye is a fatalist and her way of taking life as it is, after some doubts is refreshing.
Why hetero actors and actresses thrive and receive even oscars when taking queer roles? Why cannot be the same for their queer colleagues?
This book is a plea for change. It's an optimistic take on Hollywood and I sure hope the future will be like this.
Art has no gender.
Ida and Faye are a true example of that.
I have read the French version of About that Kiss and I couldn't be happier. It didn't seem a translation and that can tell you that it's well translated.
I recommend this book for sure!
And I apologize for not writing in French... but it's too early for my brain to do it.
Merci.
Celebrities having to hide in the closet in the fear of their career taking a fall is still a plague, and it shouldn't be.
Ida's struggle is real, it's tangible throughout all the pages.
Faye is a fatalist and her way of taking life as it is, after some doubts is refreshing.
Why hetero actors and actresses thrive and receive even oscars when taking queer roles? Why cannot be the same for their queer colleagues?
This book is a plea for change. It's an optimistic take on Hollywood and I sure hope the future will be like this.
Art has no gender.
Ida and Faye are a true example of that.
I have read the French version of About that Kiss and I couldn't be happier. It didn't seem a translation and that can tell you that it's well translated.
I recommend this book for sure!
And I apologize for not writing in French... but it's too early for my brain to do it.
Merci.
August 28, 2023
I wanted a book that would pull me in and keep me in. Harper Bliss delivered as she does! I find, and it is my issue, that when each chapter is from alternate points of views of the mains, I get confused with each back story. Trying to keep clear in my head what each ones hang-ups are. Even that didn't really detract from my enjoyment. It was easy just to get carried along with the story. Well paced and enjoyable throughout. As an aside, something I wouldn't normally comment on, but l loved the way the blurb was done. A cliffhanger, unusual but effective.
June 17, 2022
this was cute but ultimately not for me. the dialogue felt off in too many chapters that it took the importance of one’s coming out journey out of what the book was trying to say. not to mention that ida and faye’s voices were similar to the point where i never knew whose point of view i was reading from. disappointed.
August 22, 2023
This was my second time reading (my first time reading was last year) and it is absolutely amazing. The fact that the characters are older is really nice, it is about older generation to come out and find love. I really like this book and will recommend who likes some sweet romance!
P.s. characters are in their fifties, i said older generation because they are twice my age.
P.s. characters are in their fifties, i said older generation because they are twice my age.
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