A Kiss is Just a Kiss

Summer Kisses #1

by Melinda Curtis

USA Today Bestseller Melinda Curtis brings you the first installment of The Kissing Test, an irresistibly funny romance series about billionaires who deserve their comeuppance.

A perfect day...

Beck O'Brien is a financial whiz with a passion for horse breeding and today he's getting married. Maggie is the perfect bride. She's steady when he's volatile, kind when he forgets to be, and forgiving of his long hours. She's everything Beck wants in a bride.

Until Kitty steps in…

Kitty Summer is certain that her sister Maggie is making the biggest mistake of her life. Beck O'Brien doesn't love Maggie, but Maggie refuses to listen to reason. If Kitty can't tell Maggie she's making a mistake, then maybe she can show her. There's only one way to prove that Beck is the right man for Maggie.

Can he pass The Kissing Test?

More about the series:

Five New York Heiresses

The Summer sisters have it all – brains, beauty, and Fortune Hunters aplenty. Is it any wonder they developed The Kissing Test – their way of knowing if a man’s interests are true?

Five Handsome Billionaires

Five rich, powerful men who don’t know what’s coming their way or that to achieve true love they’ll have to pass The Kissing Test.

Genres: Novella, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Rom Com, Ebooks

116 pages, Paperback

First published April 27, 2017

About the author

Prior to writing romance, award-winning, USA Today Bestseller Melinda Curtis was a junior manager for a Fortune 500 company, which meant when she flew on the private jet she was relegated to the jump seat—otherwise known as the potty. After grabbing her pen (and a parachute) she made the jump to full-time writer. Between writing sweet romance and sweet romantic comedy, Melinda finds time to bond with her husband over home remodeling projects. She recently came to grips with the fact that she’s an empty nester and a grandma, concepts easier to grasp than jet-setting on a potty.

Sign up for her newsletter on her website to receive two free reads.

Reviews

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

This was a fun southern charm read. I loved the Summer sisters and the way they all took care of each other...and let me just say they are pretty sneaky in how they 'vet' the men who come into their lives. Gotta test them and make sure they're truly invested in whatever Summer girl they're dating. The prologue was pretty fun and a great way to set up the story. I loved the introduction of all the sisters and their different personalities. I have several daughters, and loved watching the interaction of these sisters and thinking this is what my girls will be like when they all enter the dating scene and head into college. Oh heaven help me!

Maggie, Aubrey, Lily, Violet and most importantly Kitty. Can't say that I really liked their father much, but hey I think that's the point there. Dotty, the grandmother was awesome. Full of spunk and craziness. Some planned, some not so much! Beck, well let's just say I wasn't sure at first. The further I read into the story the more I liked him.

As much as I wasn't sure about Beck in the beginning of the book, I sure did have to feel sorry for him with how everything went down. In his defense, Kitty can be a little...or a lotta intense.

Overall, I enjoyed the story but the whole idea of kissing your soon to be brother in law at his wedding because you don't think he truly deserves your sister or that your sister doesn't love him and then proceeding to fall for him...yeah it bugged me a little. The author did a good job explaining it and so it wasn't awful but just not necessarily my favorite. Still a cute and humorous story with lots of southern charm.

Content: Clean. I was reading through several of these novellas in this collection before I wrote this review so I can't remember exact content info but it was clean.

I received a review copy of the Sweet Tea and Kisses boxset, of which this was one of the novellas, from one of the authors. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can think of plenty of ways to stop a wedding besides kissing the groom, but that's what Kitty does to try and prove that her younger sister's fiance, Beck, isn't really committed. Can you imagine?!

Kitty is a great character. As the oldest in my family too, I can understand her need to be there for her sisters, to protect them and help them. These sisters seem like a handful for sure, but I'm not sure that gives Kitty the excuse to do what she did--she took things a lot further than I would have!

Understandably, she needs to work things out with her sister, Maggie, and ends up on a wild goose chase across Florida to find her--with a jilted groom and a crazy grandma as her sidekicks. And it's that situation right there that brings the humor, adventure, love, and tenderness to the story. I couldn't stop smiling and laughing at the antics that Grandma Dotty causes, which leave Beck and Kitty in the middle of the aftermath. Beck sure does handle the situation with more patience and gentleness than I ever could have imagined.

Even with all of the antics popping up all over the place, there is an solemn and sweet underlying thread that gently tugged on my heartstrings. I absolutely adored the ending, as well as the whole entire journey. This is one series that I don't want to miss.

Content: mild romance

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this novella. If I had overheard my soon-to-be-brother-in-law say something that made me question his worthiness for my sister or his reasons for marrying her, I think I'd confront him about it before the wedding started, not kiss him while we're up on the altar and the bride is making her big entrance, but then I'm not Katherine (Kitty) Summer. She's the oldest of the 5 Summer sisters and has been like a second mother to them since their mother fell ill.

Needless to say her family's not happy with her and she ends up stranded in Florida with nothing but her big, margarita-green bridesmaid dress--we're talking no cell phone, no money, no credit cards, no ID or ANYTHING. Just her and her grandmother Dorothy (Dotty) who's getting up in age and getting a little dotty if you know what I mean. Oh, and the ditched groom Beck O'Brien. Kitty has to figure out a way to get her grandmother to Atlanta and then catch up with the rest of her family at Tybee Island. Beck just wants to talk to Maggie, the woman he was supposed to marry and try to straighten the whole mess out.

I liked how the Summer sisters watched out for each other, although tempting each others boyfriends to kiss them as a way to see if they'll remain faithful is bit much for me, although I understood why they did it--their father was not an example of what a good husband or father should be. I don't think I would've survived the trip from Florida to Atlanta with Dotty--the run in (literally) with the shuttle bus, the car dealership, the airboat ride at the alligator farm--I probably would've tied her up just so we could get where we were going without any mishaps. I was happy Kitty, Maggie and Beck were able to work everything out, but I'm naturally a curious person and want to know what the rest of the family thought of how it ended.

It's a clean, cute story that can be read in an afternoon.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Kiss Test

When they were teenagers the Summer sisters came up with the kids test to see if a boyfriend would stay true, and not take the opportunity to kiss another girl. Now on Maggie's wedding day her older sister, Kitty hears something that makes her believe that he does not love her sister as he should. No one will take the time to listen to her. Her only option is the kiss test.

I loved that Melinda Curtis could take something so very taboo (kissing your sister's fiancé on her wedding day) and turn it all around. I loved Kitty and Beck, and dotty Grandma Dotty!

I am very excited that there will be a whole series wrapped around the Summer sisters because I can't wait to get to know them all better!

Content: clean (some kissing)

Part of the Magnolias and Moonshine series, of which all can be read independently.

[Mommaleena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Kiss Is Just A Kiss (The Summer Bridesmaids #1 ~ A Magnolias and Moonshine Novella) by Melinda Curtis
• Test
Sometimes protecting your family means putting yourself behind everyone else... That's just what Kitty has always done. That is until she finally focused on herself.... But at her sisters wedding she puts the groom through a test... What happens after its an adventure of a life time..... That some wouldn't want to repeat while others would rather do it again (& again). Is a kiss just a kiss? To find out what happens and whom gets the happily ever after you'll have to read A Kiss Is Just A Kiss. It was a definite way to start Sweet Tea and Kisses Boxed Set off. I can't wait to read more and see what else Melinda Curtis has out there.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Kiss is Just a Kiss is a short, quick fun romance, the first in the Kissing Test series. This series is about the five Summer sisters. They are rich, famous and powerful, so need to figure out a way to find out if men that show an interest in them, really wants them, not the family and its connections. They come up with the kissing test and it comes into play right at the beginning of this story.

It is the day of Maggie Summer's wedding and her oldest sister Kitty is sure that Beck doesn't love her the way a man should love the woman he marries. She overhears a conversation that clinches it for her and she kisses Beck in front of everyone. The problem is, that he kisses her back. The wedding is off and Kitty, Beck and Grandma Dotty are left stranded and have to travel together to the family summer home. Did Kitty make a mistake? This is a fun rom-com with some pretty funny moments. Grandma Dotty is a hoot and is responsible for most if not all of the humour. She also has a reason for her actions, she wants to see her granddaughters happy and she is sure that Beck and Kitty will make a wonderful couple. If you enjoy a fun read, a romance that will make you laugh and some wonderful characters, then pick this one up. I can't wait to see what is in store for the rest of the Summer's sisters.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was scrolling through my Ipad the other day and trying to clear some of my older books and came across several in the Magnolia and Moonshine series which I had still to read, and it's been a while since I read one as well. In A Kiss is Just a Kiss, we meet Kitty who is the oldest of the Summer Sisters. After their mother left, as the eldest Kitty became the mothering type and the responsible one to her sisters and she always looked out for them. That was until she got older and her life and career took her away from her family. Now she is back as her sister Maggie's bridesmaid. Her sister is getting married to Beck - but Kitty knows deep down he isn't right for Maggie and so, she plans to show them just how wrong he is and ends up kissing him in front of everybody. The plan backfires, and Kitty and Beck along with Granny are left in Florida while everyone else has checked out of the hotel. Now the three of them must get to the island so that Beck can fix things with Maggie and Kitty can sort out her relationship with her sister. However, as their trip progresses, we start to realize that Beck wasn't right for Maggie, but he may be Kitty's, Mr. Right. Can Kitty get not only her HEA but also smooth things out with her family? Find out in Melinda Curtis's "A Kiss is Just A Kiss" until it isn't.

[Cherye Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gators! Fender benders. Shopping...

Well....I wouldn't say this is a laugh out loud romance per se, but a lesson about marrying for the right reason. Love. Now Grandmother Dotty. She, no, her antics and love of life to it's fullest made the book funny. Beck and Kitty were the logical ones until they weren't. Enjoyed reading this novella.

[Charity Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe this was my favorite from the boxed set. Kitty and Beck were both strong personalities and that made the sparks fly. That first kiss was more than they both bargained for! I loved everything about the story, from the angry words, the road trip where everything that could go wrong did, sassy grandma Dotty, and the heart wrenching moment when Kitty tells Maggie, "Just...don't hurt him." The best part was Kitty and Beck were both trying to do what was right at the expense of their own happiness. Thank goodness for Maggie!

I give this a 4.5, with a Clean rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.
 R--swearing (can be related to sex), feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot

[Njkinny (Njkinny's Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2017/05/b...

A Kiss is Just a Kiss by Melinda Curtis had me intrigued when I read the blurb which promised spicy drama and i-hate-you-but-then-fall-in-love romance but the fact that this is a Melinda Curtis book had me agreeing instantly to read and review.

I enjoy Melinda's comic timing and her vivid narration that takes me places every time I pick up her books. She has the gift of bringing the full entertainment experience to readers even when the story is just some eighty-ninety odd pages.

Same happened with me in this book too where I loved and enjoyed each second of the story. Kitty is fiercely protective of her younger sisters which prompts her to kiss her younger sister's groom on the wedding day when she overhears a damning speech from him. While she manages to stop the wedding, she also throws herself from the one disaster to another. Stranded with her granny, who is totally funny and the star of the story for me, she only has the jilted groom, Beck available for help.

I loved all the characters in this book. Kitty is a strong and loyal character who has always kept the wellbeing of her family above her own. Beck is another alpha character and it was magic when Kitty and he crashed into each other. I loved the romance between them which is clean and wholesome but very very entertaining.

Grandma Dotty is such a lovable and my favourite character. She looks gaga but is always aware of everything and subtly plays matchmaker. I loved her spunk and laugh out loud antics. I definitely want to know and read more of Grandma Dotty!

Despite being part of a series, this is a standalone story and you dont need to read the previous books to enjoy this one.

All in all, A Kiss is Just a Kiss by Melinda Curtis is a must read that I adored reading. 4.5 out of 5 stars to it and recommended to everyone. This one is a quick read that acts as a refreshment and leaves the reader grinning and wanting more. I am eager to read about the other sisters and meet Kitty, Beck and Grandma Dotty again.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did like Grandma Dotty, Kitty and Beck however I don't buy into any story where the lead character goes from one sibling to another. It's just too weird and completely unbelievable for me to get into.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not as LOL as I’d Like from a “Rom-Com”

As someone who really enjoys romantic comedy—outside of historical romance, it's my favorite—I almost always cringe when I see an author claim in this subtitle or book blurb that the book is “laugh out loud.” We all have very different standards of humor. Unfortunately for me, I did not find this book laugh-out-loud funny in the least. Parts of it were as cringe-worthy as I found that subtitle.

The oddness began with the book's prologue. It’s written in an almost omniscient narration style but as if told from Grandma Dotty's perspective. I'm not a fan in general of info dumps—which this is—but to do so in such a bizarre fashion didn't quite work for me and certainly did not begin the romantic comedy vibe. Frankly, and I hate to say this, I never did get a true romantic comedy vibe from this, and certainly nothing about it was laugh-out-loud funny, starting from the first chapter when the heroine causes her youngest sister's wedding to go haywire.

The Summer sisters have had a bad example of what an adult relationship should be. Their father has never been faithful to their mother, and the girls have seen what this has done to their mother. From a young age, they've determined not to get serious about a boy/man like their father. To this end, they have devised the kiss test. If a boy or man (depending on the sisters’ age at the time) will kiss one of the other sisters—not the one he is currently dating—he fails the test and is out of their lives. Just before the youngest sister's wedding is about to begin, the heroine hears something that makes her believe the groom is getting married to her sister for all the wrong reasons. She is determined to put a stop to it. She first attempts to appeal to her sister and the rest of the family before the ceremony begins, but they don't listen. In my opinion, though, she didn't try hard enough. She didn't actually disclose what she heard the groom say. That should have happened! Of course, if she did, the misunderstanding would have been cleared up quickly, and there wouldn't have been much of a book after that (or it would have had to go in a completely different direction). I detest when a plot point is simply there to be a plot point, not in any way based in reality in the way people would act in that circumstance. If a good friend or a sister heard or saw something untoward about a woman's fiance, we would tell the bride-to-be exactly what we saw or heard! We wouldn't pussyfoot around about it! The only reason for that to happen here is so that the rest of the book can happen, and that's not a good enough reason for me; an author can (and should) do better.

As you might be able to tell, I was disappointed with this book.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

[Happily Ever After Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Happily Ever After Romance

I had fun with A Kiss Is Just A Kiss, and really, that’s the entire point of any Romcom. Take one protective oldest sister, a childhood vow with a way to weed out bad boyfriends, and an overheard comment just before the trip down the aisle for her younger sister, and you have the makings of a funny, frustrating intervention that goes way off course by the story’s ending. Add to the mix a wonderful grandmother who is getting a bit up in age (and shenanigans) and all hilarious fun breaks out.

I liked Beck, although at first I really shouldn’t have. From the start, we know that he’s a groom who likes his bride, and expects to eventually love her, but she fits into his overall life plan. When everything falls to pieces around him Beck would have been perfectly justified to tell Kitty to find her own way to the family home on Tybee Island, including corraling her Grandma Dotty. But he didn’t. He fell into some outlandish plans in order to get to his bride to try to salvage this relationship. When it becomes obvious to him that he really was about to marry the wrong sister, well, a lot of underlying emotions finally fell into place… if only he can convince Kitty that what they have is real in spite of everything going on around them.

Kitty is sort of the mother hen of all the sisters. She’s been the one to step up during their mother’s illness and made sure that everyone was cared for, safe, and loved. Her father? Well, he’s pretty much a waste of space. When she overheard Beck make a comment that completely (to her mind) showed his true colors she couldn’t help but step in with the sisters’ loyalty test… and kissed him right there at the altar. A mistake on so many levels, but mostly because of that spark she wasn’t expecting which thrilled and annoyed her almost equally.

I loved Grandma Dotty. She is the true star of this story (and eventually, this series). Her antics kept me in giggles and laugh-out-loud moments throughout this story. True love doesn’t always run smoothly, but sisters come first. Beck and Kitty have to weave through some serious emotions and possible outcomes before they can find their happy-ever-after ending. But, it was so worth it. Looking for a sweet, funny, antic-filled Romcom to fill a sunny afternoon? Then have I got a book for you!

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or author’s team via Booksprout. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent.*

[Ann Lorz · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty has always been a mother/father to her sisters always watching out for them, stepping in and giving them direction, stopping them from making a big mistake. For sister Maggie this is not the first time she has stepped in to show her dearly loved sister she had picked the wrong man. When Kitty over hears something she doesn’t like that she thinks can hurt her sister she steps up to the plate and deals with the issue like she had in the past. Which turns a wedding upside down leaving her wondering if she oversteps the bounds? When the fallout comes it leaves everyone on the run, the groom chasing the bride, Kitty and Grandma chasing the family trying to get their personal things that seemed to have been taken when the family took off on the run. What they end up with is one hilarious trip that will keep you in stitches.

I thought I would die laughing at her grandmother, in fact I was eating when I read one part and spit my food out. I had to wonder if granny was really off a little in the head or if she was playing them all having a blast and laugh at them. Poor Kitty has her hands full with both Granny and Beck if one isn’t pulling her chain the other is. Which leads to one interesting trip the long away around. Beck is truly broken hearted but is it that his wedding day was over without a bride or was it for another reason? He does get a little revenge throughout the trip but Granny Dottie gets the most she sure pulls some whoppers.

I loved these characters they were fun and so full of their selves. I am not sure I would have done as Kitty did but it sure made for some fun reading. The plot was very well thought out, the characters were very interesting keeping the story moving at a fast pace. I thought it was well written and so worth the price. I had no trouble picturing each scene and laughing my head off. It is truly an outstanding book that I can’t wait to read again and again.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and then I crave a book that is a simple escape, that makes me smile, and that leaves me sighing in reader satisfaction. A Kiss is Just a Kiss by Melinda Curtis is exactly the sweet, clean romance I needed this Valentine season. Coming in at just under 100 pages, this novella is the perfect blend of hijinks, humor, character revelations, and super cute romance. The characters — Kitty, Beck, and Grandma Dotty (who, herself, is a tad dotty) — are wonderful and endearing. I’ve read several reviews online from readers who were not a fan of Kitty’s kiss test, but I didn’t have an issue with this aspect of the plot. Is it realistic? No. Should we all start doing the kiss test in our everyday lives? Absolutely not. But for a fictional setting, I found it pretty hilarious. My most favorite moment in this sweet story is when Beck realizes that the right woman for him would be the one who picks up his phone call even when she is mad at him. What an excellent thought. It made me think about my husband. And you know what? Beck is correct. An excellent clue that signifies one is part of a real, hearts-on-the-line relationship is when one picks up the phone even when he or she is mad at the other. Overall, I give A Kiss is Just a Kiss two hearty thumbs-up, and I cannot wait to read the second book in this series, And Then He Kissed Me.

I purchased a copy of this novella in eBook form from Amazon on January 17, 2020. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Plans Go in a Different Direction -
Kitty decided to test her sister’s groom after overhearing a conversation with his friends, but it didn’t go as she planned, as her sister runaway from the wedding when she witnessed Kitty’s action. Beck didn’t understand why his soon to be sister in law was interfering in his nuptials, but he quickly realised he had to act when his bride to be took off for the airport and he was unable to catch up with her. Even though Beck was upset with the situation, he soon found his attraction for Kitty growing the more time he spent with her.

As Beck and Kitty embarked on their adventurous journey home, he realised his feelings were truly genuine compared to what he felt for his bride to be, which forced him to finally acknowledge it. Even though Kitty realised she had feelings for Beck after spending time with him, she decided to put her sister’s happiness first and reject Beck’s advances towards her. However, Beck’s bride to be realised after their time apart, that they weren’t right for each other, so she gave him her blessing to go get his happiness.

Luckily, Beck was able to convince Kitty to give them a chance at exploring a life together, which she finally agreed to. I really enjoyed this sweet romance story, with lovable characters and a wonderful storyline, that had me glued to each page and didn’t want to take a break until I reached the end. If you are looking for a sweet, clean romcom to read, then I recommend you grab a copy of this book.

I received a copy of this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shash · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the summary, I couldn’t wait to read this book! Kissing your sister’s groom publically has got to cause all kinds of problems. I had to know how things would work out!

After ruining her sister’s wedding, Kitty Summer is abandoned in Florida by her family. She has no clothes and no money and the only person she can ask for help is Beck O’Brien, the jilted groom. As you can imagine, saying the situation is awkward is an understatement. Thankfully, Grandma Dotty is also with them. She is hilarious and quite the handful! Her mind is not always one hundred percent there, but she sees and understands the important things.

I really liked both Kitty and Beck. Kitty is fiercely protective of her sisters. She loves them and would do anything for them. Beck is such a good person. He is hard working and kind. Both had circumstances in their lives that affected their views on love. I enjoyed watching them learn about themselves, each other and love as they traveled to Atlanta.

The book turned out to be everything that I’d hoped. I loved the story, the characters, the writing, the humor, the romance, and I loved the way it ended. I’m looking forward to reading about the other Summer sisters.

I was given a copy of the book, which I voluntarily reviewed. I have given my honest opinion.

[Reader_for_LifeTLG · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful trip - Kitty is the fierce protector of her four sisters, determined they will never fall for a slimeball like their adulterous dad. The kiss test has weeded out more than one unsuitable suitor. When Maggie plans a traditional wedding wearing their mom's gown (she's been a Goth since birth) and the groom makes an off-color comment, Kitty steps in to stop everything. She plants one on Beck at the altar and he kisses her back. Her sister's wedding is ruined but her sister is saved from a philanderer, at least in her head.

Beck is gobsmacked when his fiancee's sister kisses him. More so when he doesn't push her away immediately. She's a cute little spitfire but Maggie is his chosen bride. She doesn't incite an inferno of passion, but she's nice and he genuinely likes her. Why he is willing to settle for less is sad. When he, Kitty and Grandma Dotty get left behind, his honor requires that he sees them safely on their way.

A road trip they'll never forget is their lot, as Grandma Dotty sets them up for adventures they never would have had. Tacky tourist wear, gator sightings and a capsized boat are in their future. A fun listen with great characters who will make you laugh, smile and root for their HEA. Grandma Dotty is getting up there but she's not as dotty as everyone thinks she's is. She's a wily old bird.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is a sweet romance with a deeper message.

The prologue of this novella introduces us to Dotty, the grandmother of the Summer sisters. She tells us about the girls and how they interact.

As the oldest of five daughters, Kitty Summer has always looked out for her sisters. Her youngest sister, Maggie, is about to get married and she overhears the groom, Beck, make a comment to his groomsmen that makes her question his reason for marrying Maggie. What is Kitty to do? Are Maggie and Beck truly in love?

The story that ensues deals with a potentially ruined wedding, hurt feelings, a meddling grandmother, an accident with an airport shuttle bus, and a swamp tour mishap. The story also touches on being a caregiver for a patient with dementia and always being true to yourself.

I really enjoyed this story. The prologue from Dotty's POV is awesome. The switching POVs throughout the novella kept me interested. The characters are well developed for a novella. While the plot is not super believable, it had enough going on that I didn't want to put it down. I want to know what happens with the rest of the sisters now...

[Texas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Kiss Is Just A Kiss - This was a lot of fun to read. For once a guy takes care of a woman, and her dotty grandmother, without terrible, disrespectful treatment from the woman. A misunderstanding stops a wedding and saves three people. 5*

Dandelion Wishes - A sweet romance mixed with plenty of drama along with good characters, interesting story lines and a gamut of emotions. Love. Friendship. Forgiveness. The ability to accept and make changes. A bit on the intense side with the healing, the recognitions and the drama but a good story. 4*

Christmas, Actually: Three short stories by three authors set in the same town and at the same time frame. 4*

The Christmas Gift, Anna Adams - A sweet, but quick romance between two people who understood each other from the beginning. 4*

The Christmas Wish, Anna J. Stewart - I could not get into this story and stopped reading after a few chapters.

The Christmas Date, Melinda Curtis - My second favorite of the three short stories. At least, this romance was in the years making, not a quickie. Good ending. 4*

[Ilona Nurmela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evanovich meets Jenny Crusie - loved this romcom

I haven’t read a good contemporary romcom in a while, so this author was a great find!

With a sickly mother and non-interfering father Kitty as the eldest of 4 has always looked out for her sisters, down to kiss-testing their beaus who she felt were unreliable. Until Kitty decides to go with her gut and adminster the Kiss Test at her youngest sister’s wedding…to the groom.

I loved Kitty’s sneaky sass, but Grandma Dotty absolutely steals the show - she reminded me a lot about Grandma Mazur from Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books. Kitty’s and Beck’s interactions reminded me of Min & Cal from Crusie’s Bet Me - from hate to hearts. Absolutely enjoyable, fast-paced, great dialogue but easy on the story romantic comedy.

Recommended for lovers of Jenny Crusie and Evanovich’s books, of opinionated headstrong heroines with a heart of gold and reluctant mmcs and interfering loopy grandmas as cupids with their own dose of love advice in a situational romantic comedy.

[Rosemary K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty is in Boca Rotan for her sister's wedding. She's one of the bridesmaids. She doesn't believe Maggie should marry Beck so she kisses him at the altar. No wedding, no problem. Right? What happens next is a sweet, romantic romp. Kitty is torn between love for her sister and desire for Beck. He, also, feels the heat. Their chemistry is amazing. When their together, sparks fly. After the wedding disaster, Beck still helped Kitty and her grandmother. What a good guy! Their road trip was hilarious. Grandma Dotty was wise and wacky. I admired her sense of adventure. I enjoyed A Kiss Is Just A Kiss. It was humorous and romantic. This story showcases Melinda Curtis's writing at its best. This story made me believe in true love and forever happiness. I'm looking forward to reading more Summer Bridesmaids romances.

[Darlene Fredette · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. A Kiss is Just a Kiss is book one of the Summer Bridesmaids series and when I heard the author is releasing book two later this year, I wanted to read this series from the ground floor. This story is so much fun on so many levels. The book starts with a prologue in Dorothy Summer’s POV talking about her five granddaughters. You are then taken to the present day with Dotty’s eldest granddaughter, Kitty. The plot starts out with a surprise kiss and continues with plenty mishap of events from that point forward. The main characters were fun to get to know, but my favourite was Dotty. Every scene she was in made me laugh or want to shed a tear. This is a sweet story that is perfect for a weekend read. I can’t wait to read more mishaps within the Summer family of sisters. Reviewed for Still Moments Magazine.

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful, clean romance that will grasp your attention from the first page to the last.
Kitty Summer is the oldest in her family. The one that has been mother and father to her sisters.
Beck O’Brien is a horse breeder and a financier. About to marry Kitty’s sister Maggie. That is , until Kitty hears a comment Beck makes, and takes it upon herself to stop the wedding.
From that moment on it was one disaster after another. With a grandmother with some dementia who is funny, sweet and at times a little over the edge, and two individuals who start not liking each other but find themselves developing feelings they don’t want, it was a book I couldn’t put down.
Will Kitty and Beck find their HEA, or will duty, and the belief of what is right keep them apart?
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wedding, A Road Trip and a Scatty Grandmother.
I loved this story dealing with sisterly love, an elderly grandmother (who was laugh out loud crazy) and two people whose childhood has made them distrust romantic love.
Kitty is the de facto mother in the Summer household, the oldest of five sisters she has always looked out for them. However her OB/GYN residency has led to her taking her eyes off the ball and when only minutes before the wedding of her youngest sister is to take place she realises that neither of them are going into the marriage for the right reason, she takes drastic measures to stop the wedding. Then she has to deal with the aftermath and a road trip with the jilted bridegroom and her crazy grandmother, Dotty.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book gifted by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jean Hall]

Interesting story which starts out at the church where Kitty's sister Maggie is supposed to marry Beck. Kitty is a loving and overprotective sister who had overheard Beck say he doesn't truly love Maggie. This leads to Kitty deciding to stop the wedding by any means possible, which crazily enough involves her kissing Beck near the altar. Of course, this led to her sister running from the church while Beck tries to stop her. Kitty's whole family ends up leaving which has Kitty stranded at the church, then she sees that her grandmother Dotty is still there as well. Dotty has dementia and during her lucid moments, is quite outrageous. They end up getting a ride with Beck which leads to some crazy shenanigans on the way to make amends with Maggie. There were some crazy moments and some that were quite funny.

[Lela · Rating 5 out of 5]

sisterly bond or love?

The Summer sisters were all faithful to one another and had invented a kissing test to see if boyfriends were right for them once they started getting serious. You know the type … one sister kisses the boyfriend of the sister currently seeing him and you are supposed to be able to tell if it’s a true thing. This worked just fine until Maggie was going to marry Beck and Kitty had doubts so she performed the kissing test at the front of the church on the day of the wedding. What happened after that is some craziness with Grandma Dotty and kitty who travel with Beck trying to straighten everything out. Life with Grandma Dotty is fun but not always easy and this leaves Beck and Kitty to try to figure out hope to apologize to Maggie.

This book is enjoyable, humorous, and romantic. Take a chance, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty Summer is at the church where her sister Maggie is getting ready to marry Beck O’Brien. Kitty overhears him telling the groomsmen that he will make a lot of money off Mags. She thinks he means Maggie and locks the men in. She has to stop the wedding. She doesn’t walk down the aisle. She stomps and confronts Beck. She tells him to stop the wedding. He stands there so she kisses him and he kisses her back. Everyone is in shock. The wedding is off and everyone leaves. Kitty sits outside the church. Beck comes up as does Grandmother Dotty. Beck takes them to the hotel but everyone is gone.

They take off on a mad chase to find Maggie and the rest of the family. Kitty and Beck talk with input from Dotty. He realizes he doesn’t really love Maggie but he’s grown to love Kitty. He has to find Maggie and make it right. What can he do to convince Kitty that she is the one for him?

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie Summer is just about to walk down the aisle to meet the man of her dreams at their wedding when her sister Kitty interferes by using the “kissing test” and upends her plans for a happily ever after. The characters are lovable and humorous, especially Grandma Dotty who is a little senile and a lot of fun to have around. I loved her insistence on visiting the alligator park in Florida and the resulting chaos afterwards. The plot is pure romance with a few twists that earmark it as an entertaining read from Melinda Curtis. I enjoyed the adventurous road trip, the developing romance and the banter between the characters. This is a fast and fun read that had me laughing aloud and giving the characters advice, too.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book via BookFunnel. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.