If We Kiss

If We Kiss #1

by Rachel Vail

As discreetly as possible I pressed my right fist against my mouth and stuck my gum to the back of it, just in case this was going to turn into a kissing-type thing. Even in my inexperience, I knew you are not supposed to have gum in your mouth while you kiss. Kevin led me quickly around the side of the building, then stopped. I managed not to crash into him. I tried to look calm, cool, unperturbed. I told myself not to laugh, especially not a snorting kind of laugh. "Wha ... what did ... " And then he kissed me. If We Kiss is the story of Charlotte (Charlie to her friends), who finds herself falling for a boy who is off-limits. Her best friend is in love with him, and her mother and his father are dating. Still, Charlie can't help but wonder, what would happen if we kiss?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Teen, High School, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

272 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

Birth
I was born on July 25, 1966, in NEW YORK CITY, and grew up in New Rochelle, NY, with my mother, my father, and my younger brother Jon. (And down the street from my future husband, though of course I didn't know that until much later.)

Interests
Some details, I do know-I was very into reading and theater, so I read every book I could get my hands on (especially realistic fiction, either contemporary or historical) and took acting workshops and auditioned for every play in school, camp, or the community. I played Peter Pan, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, and lots of extremely memorable chorus parts-for instance, I was "girl number two" in Fiddler on the Roof-the one who said "We heard about your sister, Chava". I didn't care -I just wanted to be on stage. Waiting backstage before curtain call, after giving my all in a performance, was the best feeling I knew. In seventh grade I started taking magic lessons, and by eighth grade I was making all my own spending money by performing at kids' birthday parties as a clown named Tallulah. I liked the freedom of wearing all that grease-paint-I could be as wacky and un-cool as I wanted. I tried dance but felt so clumsy. I faked a sprained ankle to get out of the recital. I took voice lessons which made me a little light-headed (and I was afraid of the voice teacher's growling, drooling Doberman) and both saxophone and piano, neither of which I ever practiced. I did well in school but started a lot of my work at the last minute, in a crazy mad dash, so that it was never late but there were usually careless errors or areas I had to fudge. I had this idea that to work hard at something was sort of a negative, an admission that I didn't have natural talent. If I wasn't going to be Mozart and have the music (or dance, or math, or social studies term paper, or whatever) channeled through me from God, then I was just embarrassing myself by all that workmanlike effort. I didn't get over that idea until after college, by the way.

Career Ambitions
I never really planned to be a writer. I planned to be a financial wizard after learning about option-spreading at age 10, then a poet after discovering Shakespeare at 11. After overhearing "the real power is held by the lobbyists" on a class trip to Albany, I planned to become a lobbyist. Secretly, of course I always imagined myself as an actress, but that didn't seem hard or important enough, and also I worried I wasn't naturally gifted enough.

Parents
My parents were always great. I liked to make them proud, and they trusted me and supported my efforts and interests, which was sometimes weirdly tough. There was so little for me to rebel against.

As a Kid
When people ask me what I was as a kid, I always feel like my answer is at best incomplete.What are you like, as a kid? I'm still trying to figure out what I'm like as an adult.

Socially
Well, things went in waves. Sometimes I felt very "in", very aware of and tied in to the whole scene, excited by who liked whom, all the gossip, some of it less than kind. Other times I felt so alone-like there was nobody like me, nobody who liked me, nobody to talk to. And much of the time it was somewhere in between. A best friend when I was lucky, and a few people in each crowd I liked and who liked me. I resisted being classified as a brain or a jock or alternative or popular-too limiting. I would have to shut down too many parts of myself to be just one type.

Adolescence
I went through a very intense stage in middle school (Junior High). I worried about being too ordinary. I also worried about being too weird. I also worried about changing states of matter, my inability to be morally certain, ignorance (my own and world-wide), and making a fool of myself.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/rachel...

Reviews

[Tia Jenkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

***THERE ARE SPOILERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!***



First off let me say that Charlie is a freaking dumb ass bimbo! Who in the hell would still want to kiss someone when all you could think of afterwards was GERMS?! Shouldn't you be thinking, oh I don't know, something along the lines of if you even like the guy?!?!?! Charlie always went on and on about how she hated Kevin but the second he kisses her she's all I LOVE YOU KEVIN!!! LOVE ME BACK!!! So f***king pathetic!! And even when her best friend. HER BEST FRIEND OF ALL PEOPLE!!! Starts to date him she still didn't care. Even after she saw him kissing Tess right after he kissed her, she still couldn't stop thinking about him and how much she wanted to kiss him again! Like I said before. A freaking dumb ass bimbo! She ends up losing her best friend all because she was too horny to keep her tongue in her mouth. Then even after she realizes that the guy she should be with has always been there for her and cared about her, what does she do? She can't stop herself from kissing Kevin again!!!! WHAT A F***KING IDIOT!!! And he becomes her stepbrother for god sake, but she still can't stop thinking about him. Then when I think all is said and done and she's going to choose George over Kevin, Thank god right? Wrong!! He comes to her room to say good night....They end up kissing AGAIN!! And that's the end of the book. WHAT A FREAKING JOKE!! I gave the book 1 star. If I could I would give it 0. It was a good laugh since the protagonist was such a freaking idiot but over all it was only worth 1 star. I will never recommend this book to anyone and if you do read it then have fun. Charlie is one heck of a dumb ass.

[Anastasia ｼ · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmm....
the word(s): kiss, kissing, kissed is mentioned like 1-10 times on each page.. smh
The first half of the book was so cringe... but it starts picking up around Christmas when they go to Vermont.
I kinda liked it though..

[Carol Tran · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the worst book I've probably EVER read! If We Kiss is about this girl named Charlie, who randomly gets kissed by this guy in her class, Kevin. Charlie used to hate Kevin 'cause she thought he was a manwhore. Now he's suddenly dating her best friend, Tess, right after he kissed Charlie. But Charlie can't stop herself from liking him, but keeps everything that happens between her and him a secret from Tess. More troubles erupt when Charlie's mom starts dating Kevin's dad. Both families go on a vacation during winter break together and Kevin yet again kisses Charlie. When they get back to school, Kevin acts like she doesn't exists and goes back to Tess. Charlie can't stand any more of this "madness" so she goes ahead and tells nearly her whole grade what happened between her and Kevin over winter break. So now, Charlie and Tess aren't friends anymore and Tess has broken up with Kevin. Charlie's mom and Kevin's dad get married and Charlie gets rid of her feelings and starts dating a guy who has liked her for a long time, George. At their new home, Kevin gives Charlie a global kiss [North (forehead), south (chin), west (left cheek), and east (right cheek):] and Charlie gives Kevin a kiss on the forehead. Now, Charlie and Kevin both realize that they can't "love" each other anymore than siblings, because it's what they are. THE END.


WASN'T THAT A SUCKY BOOK? It was, by far, THE WORST BOOK THAT I HAVE EVER READ!!!!!! Tess doesn't even forgive Charlie, and Charlie doesn't even try to patch up their friendship, all she does is say 'sorry' and stay away from Tess forever, and it's like Charlie doesn't even miss her. The ending was realistic......but what's the point of a realistic ending? Don't people read books to get lost in an adventure? To travel an UNREALISTIC world? Where love lasts? And people can live forever? And fights happen everyday? People read books for ENTERTAINMENT, not super stupid, soppy endings that make you want to hate life! I read books to get OUT of this THING that we call LIFE, and 'If We Kiss' didn't do that for me. 'If We Kiss' just made me realize how cruel this world really was.


The plot to this story didn't suck that bad, but the way that the author told the story majorly sucked. The characters seemed really shallow, and hollow. It was like they had no personality, Charlie especially. And plus, Charlie was the MAIN CHARACTER! Charlie seemed really dimwitted and robot-like to me. She didn't act like a regular 14 or 15 (I can't remember the age) year-old would act. But the thing is, her personality didn't stand out to me either, it was just like: 'My best friend is so much better than me, she has the guy that I like, she's super pretty and so much more smarter than me,' and 'OMG! My mother is a majorly evil person! How could she do this to me?' and 'Tess, you know what? Jevin loves me! Not you! We kissed twice! I hate you! ADIOS!' and 'Kevin, I want want you but I can't have you, good-bye,' and 'Congrats mom, I love you, GEORGE, I LOVE YOU!'. How can someone change like that? How????


BOTTOM LINE: Yeah, the story sucked. IT SUCKED!!!! NEVER READ THIS BOOK! EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I needed to read this book when I was younger because I did not relate to it at all. This book is about firsts - first kiss, first love, first heartbreak. Charlie is a high school freshman who, one day, is randomly kissed at school by a boy named Kevin. This confuses Charlie as she has never thought about Kevin that way and now she can't stop thinking about him that way. Problem is, that one kiss was the only interest he's shown and not much time later, he's kissing her best friend, Tess.

This again goes back to Charlie being a very young teenager at the age of 14. I was so frustrated with her. For keeping the first kiss from Tess to then lusting after Kevin while he and Tess are dating. To make matters worse, Kevin's dad and Charlie's mom start dating so Kevin and Charlie find themselves thrown together in some awkward moments which lead to more thoughts of kissing and even kissing itself. I get it Charlie, you like him, but you're also being a horrible person.

As for Kevin, I really didn't understand him. Why did he just grab Charlie and kiss her that day at school only to then ignore her? Does he actually like Tess? Does he like Charlie? Is he just a hormonal jackass? We don't get any of these answers and I think that makes it the most frustrating.

Overall, it could have been cute. I was expecting cute. But I just ended up annoyed and frustrated with the characters.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel Vail's If We Kiss is an adorable story that focuses on one teenage girl's angst and drama when it comes to boys, best friends and her mom's new love life. The writing is great, the characters are funny (not overly cheesy), and I enjoyed reading the book overall.

But here's where I'm torn: When I'm reading a book, I normally read it as "Maria: 28 yr. old woman who loves a good romance novel." But there are times, particularly when reading novels truly meant for young adults (12-15 year olds) when I turn into, "Maria: mom of a little girl who might one day read this book." And herein lies the problem.

The entire novel is about a young girl named Charlie who is completely obsessed with kissing a certain boy. Now, I can understand that at such a young age, I was probably a little obsessed with boys too - but I feel like books like these only perpetuate the myth to our young girls that it's okay for life to be all about boys and kissing.

Okay, I'm going to try and cut to the chase so that I don't confuse you anymore than I probably have, lol. Here's what I thought:

1) Rachel Vail is a promising author who definitely has the talent to write an entertaining, young adult book.

BUT

2) I could not stand the idea of our two female characters (Charlie & her best friend) spending 24 hours a day obsessing over a boy and one kiss.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars

Maria @ GoodChoiceReading.com

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was soo good i actually really like the end of this book and i usually dont like ends of books so its big that i like this one! lol

[Brad B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very invigorating choice for me, albeit has a very confusing plot. So the basis of the story is that the main character is in love with her best friends boyfriend, and the boyfriends dad is dating the protagonists mom. It's honestly really confusing and on all different levels of weird. The book's pacing was alright, but could've been better. I like the way it's formatted, and how it's easy to read for newcomers. (on a side note I forgot to point out, the girl is fourteen and never been kissed. So, yeah.) The protagonists name is Charlie, and her best friend is Tess, who is dating Kevin. Now this is already a weird love triangle, but then you add parents. So the basis is that Kevin kisses Charlie, who has ever been kissed before, and it sends everything spiraling out of control. I'll keep the rest of my review brief. Tess and Charlie get into a fight after Charlie reveals she kissed Kevin to the whole school, and Tess breaks up with Kevin. Then, there parents marry each other and it becomes a hot mess of emotions and a wild ride in general. All in all, it's a good romance book that I recommend you pick up if you're into this kind of stuff. The character development was good, it had twist and turns, and the pacing was excellent and kept you on the edge of your seat. But,sometimes it got a bit sloppy and hard to follow, so I'll have to give it a four out of five stars. I absolutely think you should check this book out.If We KissRachel Vail (why did I read and or write this)

[Minerva · Rating 2 out of 5]

When We Kiss is definitely an entertaining read by Rachel Vail that follows the story of Charlie's crush and first kiss with a ladies' man (or boy). Kevin is the boy all girl swoon over and Kevin also happens to be her best friend's boyfriend. Wow--the complication of 9th grade love! And of course, there is George, who is of the best friend, next door neighbor status. Kissing Kevin is a growing thing--even Charlie can't believe she likes doing something so disgusting and something that could ruin her friendship with Tess, not to mention something that could end up totally weird since Kevin's dad and Charlie's mother are dating. Overall, a fun book and a true to life voice. I remember having some the same feelings and probably saying a lot of the same things as Charlie. But, Charlie's voice is too much like someone from middle school and the book is probably a favorite more among the 12 and 13 year olds. It is possible, though, that Rachel Vail's narrative reads at a younger level because Charlie has never been kissed. In that sense, Charlie is more innocent and naive than the average high school freshman.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the beginning of the book but the ending was horrible(my opinion ).I wouldn't say I have a favorite character because there wasn't one character that I truly liked .My opinion on the worst character would have to be Tess I have to say.She was rude to Charlie too many times and she thought of herself too much.Especially the way she was humiliating Charlie at the end of the book(the party)however it was all Kevin's fault in the first place;because if he never got with Charlie and started flirting with Tess this problem never would have happened.He should have just stayed with one girl and stopped kissing the other at time.He was the reason for a friendship being broken.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 Full Review can be found on http://thegraduatedbookworm.blogspot.ca/

For me I found that the book was very fast paced, which I do really enjoy, instead of lolling it out. I know that Charlie and her friends are in grade 9 but I find that they are a little young, and she seems constantly confused when it comes to situations.

I really like the fact that Charlie's mom was having fun at the party, and even acting like a teenager herself.

I liked how Charlie would fight for what she thought was right; even though it never really worked out for her.
Overall I really liked the book, but I found that there was something missing, that could have made it better.

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, sweet with a bitter after taste.

The shortness of its length didn't leave much room to develop a liking to the characters. Then again, if a book is written well, the length wouldn't matter so much.

Relationships here were awkward and the pairings aren't really likeable.

I was just looking for a quick hit and this one caught my eye. I'm still interested to read the follow up, regardless of how I felt about this book.

[Erica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never actually finished this book, because I got a little ways into and found the storyline so dumb, I couldn't continue for fear of melting my brain.

[Judy]

Read the first few pages and could not bring myself to continue reading. Very immature voice. I don't mind young and cutesy, but not immature and ridiculous.

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

If We Kiss by Rachel Vail starts out with a bang about a less-than-stellar first kiss that leads to confused feelings, trouble with the principal, a phone call home and the unfortunate understanding that this will be a day etched in Charlie’s memory forever. But while the book starts off with a kiss, it quickly develops into so much more. This is a story of teenage crushes, of complicated secrets and friendships, of changing family dynamics, of the different versions of ourselves and so much more. And who would have thought that an important life lesson about enjoying the moments you have when you have them would be just the message all of us adults likely need, too? Lucky for me, there is a sequel to this book that I am not-so-patiently waiting to arrive.

[Alyssa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book I’ve ever read. Endlessly entertaining.

[Candace Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. Can’t wait to read the follow up

[Lucia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean…it would have been a 5 star when I was in middle school but now it just did not hold up!

[Felicia Deane · Rating 5 out of 5]

just describes me and my life

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Posted on Dark Faerie Tales.

Rachel Vail’s If We Kiss is about a young girl’s first kiss and the kisses thereafter. But Vail talks about more than just a kiss. In a young girl’s life, it will always be more about the moment than the actual act of kissing and Vail talks about that. If We Kiss is simple and beautiful, bringing me back to the moment of my very own. Of course, Vail’s version is a little more complex than mine, and it makes for a great read.

In If We Kiss, Charlie is living life as a freshman girl. Surrounded by a loving mom, a distant dad and extended family, and a small collection of quirky close girlfriends, Charlie is one of the only girls in her circle that hasn’t had a first kiss. But one morning, Kevin brought her aside and gave Charlie her first kiss. The emotional ramifications of that first kiss has sent Charlie down a spiraling path. Every action has a reaction, and for Charlie, that single kiss has created a mountain of questions and insecurities.

Charlie was written really well. Vail captured the mind and essence of a freshman girl on the cusp of young love. While her first kiss wasn’t exactly what she hoped for, Charlie has torn the scenario apart and overanalyzed it to death. She is realistic and her thoughts are personal. Vail gave her a great voice, fitting for a young freshman girl in high school. And it’s not just about the kiss, she also has the typical problems of a girl her age, involving family life, school life, and just life in general. I loved reading her, despite if I thought she was too angsty for me. It was realistic and true to the character.

Kevin is an interesting character. I want to say he is a freshman’s version of a bad boy. He has a reputation, or gossip has run wild about who he hangs out with. He is the other side of high school life, but portrayed in a positive light. Kevin has a lot of layers to his character, and I was surprised and pleased at how much I enjoyed reading about him. There’s a persona that Vail wants you to perceive, but then she reveals a different side of him that is nice also.

It’s not always easy to write about teenage angst or even first kisses. There’s something personal and intimate about it, and sometimes it doesn’t carry out properly. Vail manages to marry the two together nicely in If We Kiss. There’s an emotional involvement, but also a point of self discovery of who the characters are. There’s a message of relationship and friendship, but also of respect. The characters grow individually and together, and it was nice to see that progression of growth.

I was connected to the story, for the most part. I didn’t always agree with the amount of angst, but that’s a personal preference. I enjoyed Charlie’s thought process, her emotions, and her actions throughout the book. I was happy that Vail paced the story the way she did. Great story about a girl and her first kiss.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book titled, “If We Kiss” written by Rachel Veil is a story about the typical high school drama that goes on everywhere. I enjoyed reading this book because the events that happened in the book made me think about some of the things that go on in my own school. The main plot is about one girl named Charlie, who kisses a boy named Kevin, who happens to end up dating her best friend Tess. Not only did Charlie have to struggle with her confusion over the kiss, and the fact that she had to lie to her best friend about the kiss, but she also had to deal with the fact that her mother started dating Kevin’s father. Charlie talked about how hard that was for her to deal with throughout the book as can be seen when she said, “I put on a fake smile and said to my mother, ‘And where will you be sleeping, Mom?’” (116). The tone of the book was perfect because I could see myself acting the same way as Charlie if I were in her shoes. The story seemed very relatable to me, which is probably why it was able to keep my attention throughout the whole book.
This book is a perfect example of how literature can help us to better understand ourselves. So many of the topics that came up in the story were things similar to what I have experienced already or what I could totally see myself experiencing. It is nice to read a book that has this type of stuff in it because it makes me realize that some of the things I go through are probably pretty normal if there is a whole book about it. I think that a lot of the things that I am going through are pretty typical but I do not know if I would have felt that way had I not read this book. I think there is a lot of literature that can help people to learn a lot and feel better about themselves.

I would recommend this book most highly to teenage girls because the drama is definitely similar to what most teenage girls would go through. I would also recommend this to any young person who wants to read about things that typically go on in a high school. The normal drama of high school is pretty much what this entire book is about so it would be entertaining to anyone who is familiar with that.

[Holly (Novel Bliss)]

Review originally posted on the blog. :)

I REALLY wanted to love this book. I mean, you like (and kiss) a boy whose dad is dating your mom? Yes please! Unfortunately, I’m really sad to say that this is my first DNF of the year, which is why there is no rating. Normally, I don’t DNF books, but sadly this one I had too.

I had a lot of issues with this book, the first one starting on page one. I just don’t get why Kevin randomly kisses Charlie out of nowhere. It makes no sense. I feel like the story should’ve started differently. It should of had more of a beginning, leading up to the first scene. There was no reason explained as to why Kevin kisses Charlie randomly.

Then, Charlie and Kevin get called into the principles office and get in trouble for kissing on the brick wall on the outside of the school. Charlie and Kevin are supposed to be in ninth grade but honestly,this just doesn’t seem realistic to me. I feel like they’re in seventh grade.

I also didn’t like Charlie’s character. She was obsessed with Kevin and talked about nothing but him and if they’ll kiss again. It was rather annoying to be honest and I just could not get passed it. The book just seemed too unrealistic for my liking.

The writing was really good, but the story line just fell short for me. I lost intrest early on. I found myself skimming, searching for it to pick up somewhere. Hoping that the story would become more realistic and relatable. However, it didn’t. It makes me really sad that I didn’t enjoy this book and that I didn’t finish it, but I just could not read it anymore.

I did see potential for the story, though. I felt like the storyline could be a great story full of juicy drama and heart-felt moments, but I just didn’t like the way that it was written. Now, maybe further into the story it gets better. I read about 120 pages (my usual length before I give up on a book) and I could just no longer read it.

As I said above, this was a DNF and so I did not finish the book.

[Devinc · Rating 3 out of 5]

If We Kiss is about a girl named Charlie who finally had her first kiss with Kevin Lazarus. She was a freshman in high school, and after he kissed her in the hallway in school, she had the biggest crush on him. Once Kevin’s dad and Charlie’s mom started dating, and Kevin and Charlie saw each other more, she slowly started to fall in love with him. One problem: Charlie’s best friend Tess is dating Kevin. Soon after Charlie got her first kiss, Kevin and Tess started dating. This may not have happened if Charlie had told Tess about her kiss with Kevin, but she decided to keep it a secret. Throughout the book, Charlie is continuously asking herself the question: ‘what would happen if we kiss?’

I’m a big fan of the teenage love stories, but this one I didn’t find to interesting. In my opinion, Charlie made a mistake in falling for Kevin. She should have forgotten about him when he kissed her and then asked out her best friend. I think that Rachel Vail is a good author, but this book didn’t really keep me interested. I had to force myself to read through it, and I don’t enjoy books like that. I’ve never read another one of Vail’s books before, but I’m sure they wouldn’t be too bad.

On a scale from 1 to 5, 1 being the worst, I would rate this book a 3.5. I liked the idea of the book, because it was a teenage love story with all of the bumps in the road to a high school crush. I’m sure that a lot of girls who liked their friends boyfriend could relate to this book, and some girls might find it more interesting than I did. I found it hard to sit down and read through just a single chapter. There were some good parts, while others would get boring. I love books that keep me hooked and when I start reading them I don’t want to put it down, and I don’t feel like this book was one of those.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am presently reading a 259 page work of juvenile fiction called If We Kiss. The writer, Rachel Vail, was born on July 25, 1966 in New York. I think it is pretty amazing how well someone of Vail’s age can depict such young characters. She is known not only for juvenile fiction, but also children’s picture books.

If We Kiss opens up telling about a ninth grade girl named Charlie experiencing her first kiss, this scene is written very well, from the awkwardness of the brick jamming into her back, to the odd thought of what she was supposed to do with her gum. Just when she thought she had gotten away unseen, she and Kevin, the other pair of lips, get called into the principal’s office for kissing on school campus. The icing on the cake was when Mr. Herman told Charlie that he would have to call her mother…..

Sometimes when I feel like I need a break from challenging storylines I pick up a small paperback and just have fun. If We Kiss is definitely a fun read, one you can just sit down all alone and dive into and not be afraid to laugh out loud. Although I am not very far into this book I am already hooked and cannot wait to see what will happen to poor Charlie next. The back of the book says that Charlie’s crush on Kevin is unattainable however, because somewhere in the story Kevin’s dad and Charlie’s mom begin a relationship. So you can see that things are going to get a lot more interesting.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good “Chick Flick” kind of book, someone with a good sense of humor, or anyone with a little extra time.

[Kait · Rating 3 out of 5]

If We Kiss is a book with no real substance. I guess there could have been a message to it but it didn't come across to me. It all just seemed a little too pointless.

If We Kiss is about Charlie's first kiss and what happens afterward. The whole kissing part wasn't even that big. The story was more about what happens if she kisses him again later even though she didn't enjoy it the first time. Oh and things have really changed since the first time she kissed him seeing as now her mom is dating his dad and her best friend is dating him.

I couldn't like Charlie. She was whiny, selfish, rude, and just plain mean at times. Her mom was actually happy dating Kevin's dad but she had to be a complete bitch because that is not what she wanted. Her best friend was dating Kevin but whenever she thought about Kevin, she didn't seem to mind that. There were times when she even wished he would dump her. What kind of friend does that?

Also, there just didn't seem to be anything to the story until the end when Charlie finally grew up a little. She was 14-years-old but she acted more like she was 11 or 12. The setting of the high school didn't seem like any high school today. It's almost like the characters could have been in middle school. That was probably closer to their attitudes.

Overall, I didn't like If We Kiss and I would only recommend it if you are desperate. I couldn't get into it and now I am just glad that I am done with it.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

If We Kiss
Rachel Vail
259 pgs.
HarperCollinsPublishers
ISBN 0-06-056914-X

Charlotte (Charlie) fell in love with someone who she "shouldn't" be in love with. No one knows who this person is, not even her bestest friend Tess. With this secret kept all to herself, Tess slowly fell in love with him and they became a couple. Having to see them always together, Charlie doesn't know how to be herself. Besides this love relationship, her mother is also going out with his father. How is she going to continue to face all this when she is still thinking about what would happen if they kiss?

Rachel Vail's writing style seems descriptive to me, especially when she's describing the kissing parts and how Charlie feels. When she does this, I can feel as if I, myself, am Charlie. I can feel the sadness within her, and maybe even some jealousy. If something like this ever happened to me, I wouldn't know what I would do. I wouldn't know if I should or shouldn't tell my best friend about how I feel and what I've done.

I would recommend this book to ones who love to read about relationships; no matter if it is love relationships or friendship. This book can teach readers about true relationships and maybe even how one should resolve their own problems. It can teach readers what is the correct thing to do and because they've done the right thing, they would not regret.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It felt weird and distant yet familiar" (Vail253) That was how Charlie explained the feeling of dancing with Kevin at the end of the book, but I must say those words captured how I felt reading this book the whole time. Often times in stories of teens written by adults the teens are misplaced in the voice of the adult's memory of what it means to be a teenager. However, Rachel Vail captures the essence of teenage romance and naivety so well. There is a hidden truth in the characters that most adults can't pinpoint easily. She also does a good job of showing, without telling how people grow from their experiences and that not all teens are the same. I was very impressed with the sense of familiarity I felt from her writing from beginning to end. The mistakes we make in our youth and the things we have to later forgive ourselves for as we go into adulthood are captured perfectly in this book. I was mesmerized beginning to end. Well done!

[Makayla Terhune · Rating 5 out of 5]

September Book Report
If We Kiss
Rachel Vail
I rate this book a 5/5 Stars cause it was a very good book, I think you all should read it! If your into romantic and humorous books then this is the right book got you. This book is about a girl named Charlotte(called Charlie by her friends.) She has a crush on her best friends boyfriend. Will her best friend get mad at her. Her mom is still dating her dad but she thinks she might be dating something else. Charlotte gets shoving to a wall and started to make out will her boyfriend. They get caught making out and the principle threatens her to call Charlotte. Her best friends name is Tess.

I think the main theme for this book is to never give up your dreams because she never gave up her dreams to stop loving Kevin. Once again i consider this book to every one we likes romantic and humorous books.

[Olive · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book frustrated me in a lot of parts 1:the fact that they kiss in the first 6 pages 2:that if charlie had told tess that he had kissed her than kevin wouldn't have been kissing tess at the party. 3:it seems that kevin is not a good "boyfriend" (since he kissed her friend) so WHY does charlie like him?? if my friend had a crush on a boy than he kissed me i would tell her so she could tell him off!

[Mikey Cupcakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this book was really good because it had a lot of situations that I could relate to. I think the ending was really good too because it ended with a really big statement. I understand liking two guys and not knowing who to live with the feeling. READ THIS BOOK!

[Allison]

ITS JUST LIKE ME AND AARON!<3