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If We Kiss #2
Kiss Me Again
Kiss Me Again, the sequel to Rachel Vail's beloved contemporary teen romance If We Kiss, follows Charlie (Charlotte) Collins as she struggles with her feelings for her longtime crush Kevin Lazarus after their parents marry and he becomes her stepbrother.
It was complicated enough when their parents were only dating and Kevin was going out with Charlie's best friend, Tess. Now, living under one roof, Charlie and Kevin are crossing paths and crossing lines, sneaking around at night and then sitting down to breakfast together as a family. It feels so crazy—exciting, confusing, impossible, and romantic. It can't last, not like this, but if anybody discovers their secret, everything could explode. . . .
Praised for her wit and realism, award-winning author Rachel Vail delivers a poignant tale of first love and powerful kisses, at long last answering the question of what happens when a crush so off-limits it has to be fantasy suddenly becomes very real.
It was complicated enough when their parents were only dating and Kevin was going out with Charlie's best friend, Tess. Now, living under one roof, Charlie and Kevin are crossing paths and crossing lines, sneaking around at night and then sitting down to breakfast together as a family. It feels so crazy—exciting, confusing, impossible, and romantic. It can't last, not like this, but if anybody discovers their secret, everything could explode. . . .
Praised for her wit and realism, award-winning author Rachel Vail delivers a poignant tale of first love and powerful kisses, at long last answering the question of what happens when a crush so off-limits it has to be fantasy suddenly becomes very real.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published December 5, 2012
43 people are currently reading
2416 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Vail
56 books457 followersBirth
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...
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...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
February 21, 2013
As I began reading Kiss Me Again, I was initially highly concerned. I really liked the direction that Charlie was heading in at the end of If We Kiss. She had finally managed to make a step away from her unhealthy crush on boy-slut Kevin Lazarus, which was really good timing, too, since her mom and his dad just got married. Then, I open the next book and there she is obsessing over kissing Kevin again. Vail does, though, quickly convince me that the story is actually going where it needs to go, and Kiss Me Again turns out to be a touching story more about family dynamics than romance.
Now that they're step-siblings, Charlie and Kevin have a serious conundrum, since they are teens who have kissed one another and would like to do that more. The romance, while perhaps the most obvious element of the story, does not dominate the other aspects by any means. Charlie and Kevin both grow a lot in their dealings with romantic relationships, Kevin learning to be more mindful and less of a flirt, while Charlie refuses to lead on a friend with a crush on her. Their surprisingly mature actions, especially in comparison with the events of If We Kiss really impressed me and made me much more sympathetic than I was previously.
Settling into a new family is difficult. The Lazarus family moves into the house Charlie and her mother have been in. Charlie has to share a bathroom for the first time in her life, and deal with the fact that the soap is now often wet from someone else (which is totally gross, I agree, girl). With her mom, Charlie didn't have many chores, but Joe Lazarus, her new step-father, believes in everyone doing their share. Joe is also much less lenient than her mother.
What's great, though, is that Vail highlights both the struggles and discomforts of these two families blending, and the wonderful parts. Most touching, I think is the affection shown by all towards Samantha, Kevin's younger sister. They all try to be there for her. Never is this better illustrated than when she loses one of her baby teeth. While she's sleeping, Charlie slips a dollar under her pillow. In the morning, Sam happily announces that the tooth fairy left her four dollars this time, and you realize that all four other family members left her a dollar for her tooth. Much as they may all have moments where they wish the marriage hadn't happened, ultimately, they are all making the best of it and taking good care of one another.
One of the trickiest things for Charlie to overcome in this change is that she has less time to spend with her mom. They're still trying to work out a nice balance of mother-daughter time when the book ends, but they are working on it. I mention this because Kiss Me Again has one of the best scenes (meaning incredibly awkward) where a parent tries to discuss sexuality with the child.
Charlie also grows as a person on two more fronts. She gets a job, all through her own motivation and earns her first ever money. In a whole other realm of life, she learns a bit about friendship. Though her backstabbing of Tess in If We Kiss cannot be forgiven, that does not necessarily make Tess a good friend either. In Kiss Me Again, Charlie's starting to realize how imbalanced and unhealthy her relationship with Tess is. I do think that this lets Charlie off the hook a little bit too easily, perhaps an attempt to make her more sympathetic, but it's a good lesson for teens about friendship, and how insidiously terrible for your self-esteem a supposed best friend can be.
Rachel Vail's follow-up to If We Kiss greatly improves on its predecessor. If you were on the fence about reading the second one, I would recommend it. Charlie's voice finds its stride here, and the focus on family makes this a rare, powerful young adult read.
Now that they're step-siblings, Charlie and Kevin have a serious conundrum, since they are teens who have kissed one another and would like to do that more. The romance, while perhaps the most obvious element of the story, does not dominate the other aspects by any means. Charlie and Kevin both grow a lot in their dealings with romantic relationships, Kevin learning to be more mindful and less of a flirt, while Charlie refuses to lead on a friend with a crush on her. Their surprisingly mature actions, especially in comparison with the events of If We Kiss really impressed me and made me much more sympathetic than I was previously.
Settling into a new family is difficult. The Lazarus family moves into the house Charlie and her mother have been in. Charlie has to share a bathroom for the first time in her life, and deal with the fact that the soap is now often wet from someone else (which is totally gross, I agree, girl). With her mom, Charlie didn't have many chores, but Joe Lazarus, her new step-father, believes in everyone doing their share. Joe is also much less lenient than her mother.
What's great, though, is that Vail highlights both the struggles and discomforts of these two families blending, and the wonderful parts. Most touching, I think is the affection shown by all towards Samantha, Kevin's younger sister. They all try to be there for her. Never is this better illustrated than when she loses one of her baby teeth. While she's sleeping, Charlie slips a dollar under her pillow. In the morning, Sam happily announces that the tooth fairy left her four dollars this time, and you realize that all four other family members left her a dollar for her tooth. Much as they may all have moments where they wish the marriage hadn't happened, ultimately, they are all making the best of it and taking good care of one another.
One of the trickiest things for Charlie to overcome in this change is that she has less time to spend with her mom. They're still trying to work out a nice balance of mother-daughter time when the book ends, but they are working on it. I mention this because Kiss Me Again has one of the best scenes (meaning incredibly awkward) where a parent tries to discuss sexuality with the child.
Charlie also grows as a person on two more fronts. She gets a job, all through her own motivation and earns her first ever money. In a whole other realm of life, she learns a bit about friendship. Though her backstabbing of Tess in If We Kiss cannot be forgiven, that does not necessarily make Tess a good friend either. In Kiss Me Again, Charlie's starting to realize how imbalanced and unhealthy her relationship with Tess is. I do think that this lets Charlie off the hook a little bit too easily, perhaps an attempt to make her more sympathetic, but it's a good lesson for teens about friendship, and how insidiously terrible for your self-esteem a supposed best friend can be.
Rachel Vail's follow-up to If We Kiss greatly improves on its predecessor. If you were on the fence about reading the second one, I would recommend it. Charlie's voice finds its stride here, and the focus on family makes this a rare, powerful young adult read.
September 6, 2020
Cute story overall but the ending left me wanting more than what I got
April 3, 2015
I have to say I was really surprised how much I liked ‘Kiss me Again’ by Rachel Vail. However, I have to admit I didn’t read the first one because I heard it wasn’t too good and I frankly didn’t have the time for it so my friend told me the whole story of the first book. Even though I hadn’t read the first one this book was easy to get into. It isn’t serious or amazing it is just a fun simple book to read. I read it extremely quickly and I found it a really good book for when you need to read something between two serious novels you need a little break and ‘kiss me again is just what you need’. I have to admit I liked the plot a lot and I think it could be relatable to many teen girls. It was interesting and weird to see a step brother and sister ‘crush’ on each other.
Charlie’s mom just got married to Kevin's dad who was her crush and the boy she kissed while her best friend was dating him. Now that the parents are married Charlie and Kevin sneak around the house stealing kisses. They go through a rough patch when Charlie thinks Kevin is flirting with other girls and when Charlie tells her friends about Kevin’s secrets. It is an awkward relationship because as newly step brother and sister they live in an awkward situation, knowing a little bit too much about each other. Finally they are brought back together by Kevin’s little sister who faints because of a major headache. Both teens must act responsibly and together to save their sister. At the end of the book they both forgive each other and are happy that Samantha the younger sibling of Kevin is alright.
The reason I only gave this book a 3.5/5 is because I wasn’t in love with the characters. I didn’t connect with them. My one concern with this book was the development of the characters. I found Kevin and Charlie so young. When I started reading the book I thought they were in grade 7 trying to act mature and ‘dating’. Throughout the whole novel they acted so young especially Charlie. Since the book is written from her point of view I could really tell hoe childish she sounded at times.
Charlie’s mom just got married to Kevin's dad who was her crush and the boy she kissed while her best friend was dating him. Now that the parents are married Charlie and Kevin sneak around the house stealing kisses. They go through a rough patch when Charlie thinks Kevin is flirting with other girls and when Charlie tells her friends about Kevin’s secrets. It is an awkward relationship because as newly step brother and sister they live in an awkward situation, knowing a little bit too much about each other. Finally they are brought back together by Kevin’s little sister who faints because of a major headache. Both teens must act responsibly and together to save their sister. At the end of the book they both forgive each other and are happy that Samantha the younger sibling of Kevin is alright.
The reason I only gave this book a 3.5/5 is because I wasn’t in love with the characters. I didn’t connect with them. My one concern with this book was the development of the characters. I found Kevin and Charlie so young. When I started reading the book I thought they were in grade 7 trying to act mature and ‘dating’. Throughout the whole novel they acted so young especially Charlie. Since the book is written from her point of view I could really tell hoe childish she sounded at times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2013
I thought this book was really good and really cute all in one. It was written really well and the way the author wrote the book was amazing because you felt like you were part of the book and that you were experiencing everything the characters went through. It was a very addicting book that I couldn't put down. I was able to finish it in a couple of days because it was a very fast moving book that kept you on your toes and kept you wondering what will happen next. It was like reading somebodies diary or listening to somebodies gossip. I love hearing gossip so that's probably why I loved it so much.
The main character Charlie is a 15 year old freshman in high school. She has a best friend named Tess but Tess doesn't talk to her because Charlie ended up kissing Tess boyfriend named Kevin. Well Charlie ends up developing feelings for Kevin and he also develops feelings for Charlie also. Well things are about to change. Because Charlie and Kevin's parents end up dating and falling in love. Then they end up getting married to each other. So in the end that makes them stepbrother and stepsister. After he moves in and lives down the hall from each other they have to keep fighting their feelings for each other because they know it's wrong because they are family now. Charlie tries to find ways to not be home all the time because when she is home Kevin is also home and she knows how strong their feelings are for each other. So she tries to stay away from him. Charlie ends up dating this guy George because she probably wanted to make Kevin jealous. But Charlie really doesn't want to be with him but she thought if she dated him she wouldn't think about him. Charlie even ends up getting a job at a coffee place so she wasn't ever home. Charlie and Kevin have parents that are almost alike. They hate going to their mothers because she left them and the father had to raise them and Charlie doesn't like going to her dads because he cheated on her mom and he only cares about his other child and his new wife. He wouldn't invite her to Paris either because it cost to much but she is his daughter. Throughout the whole book every corner she goes around or every room that she goes into he is always there. So how can she get over him. Plus Charlie is trying to get use to her mother being married and having new rules in the house. Charlie and her mom always been the only ones in the house and now they have a whole house full. The things they say or the jokes that they do get on Charlies nerves. But all she can ever think about is her and Kevin kissing again. They find ways to kiss so nobody finds out but their friends know. So what does Charlie do about Kevin and does she finally give into her feelings. After reading this story it felt so real because it does happen everyday in families around the world. I never experienced it but have heard stories. I really hope she writes another book with these characters in it again because I would love to see where they are in their lives. I also want to see if they still have feelings for each other and if they gave into those feelings.
The main character Charlie is a 15 year old freshman in high school. She has a best friend named Tess but Tess doesn't talk to her because Charlie ended up kissing Tess boyfriend named Kevin. Well Charlie ends up developing feelings for Kevin and he also develops feelings for Charlie also. Well things are about to change. Because Charlie and Kevin's parents end up dating and falling in love. Then they end up getting married to each other. So in the end that makes them stepbrother and stepsister. After he moves in and lives down the hall from each other they have to keep fighting their feelings for each other because they know it's wrong because they are family now. Charlie tries to find ways to not be home all the time because when she is home Kevin is also home and she knows how strong their feelings are for each other. So she tries to stay away from him. Charlie ends up dating this guy George because she probably wanted to make Kevin jealous. But Charlie really doesn't want to be with him but she thought if she dated him she wouldn't think about him. Charlie even ends up getting a job at a coffee place so she wasn't ever home. Charlie and Kevin have parents that are almost alike. They hate going to their mothers because she left them and the father had to raise them and Charlie doesn't like going to her dads because he cheated on her mom and he only cares about his other child and his new wife. He wouldn't invite her to Paris either because it cost to much but she is his daughter. Throughout the whole book every corner she goes around or every room that she goes into he is always there. So how can she get over him. Plus Charlie is trying to get use to her mother being married and having new rules in the house. Charlie and her mom always been the only ones in the house and now they have a whole house full. The things they say or the jokes that they do get on Charlies nerves. But all she can ever think about is her and Kevin kissing again. They find ways to kiss so nobody finds out but their friends know. So what does Charlie do about Kevin and does she finally give into her feelings. After reading this story it felt so real because it does happen everyday in families around the world. I never experienced it but have heard stories. I really hope she writes another book with these characters in it again because I would love to see where they are in their lives. I also want to see if they still have feelings for each other and if they gave into those feelings.
March 21, 2016
Full Review can be found on http://thegraduatedbookworm.blogspot.ca/
I quickly found that Joe seemed very uptight and in control, only being part of the family for a short period of time.
I think that Charlie still has issues with her father, and the fact that he basically left her and her mother for a new family, just hits you in the heart.
I really like that as soon as they are all living together, Samantha and Charlie now have this bond that is unique and a little odd at times. I still think it's a little weird that Kevin and Charlie are sneaking around to go make-out, and are hiding the fact that they are in a relationship.
Overall I really did like the book, but found that there could have been more to keep me wanting to read more.
I quickly found that Joe seemed very uptight and in control, only being part of the family for a short period of time.
I think that Charlie still has issues with her father, and the fact that he basically left her and her mother for a new family, just hits you in the heart.
I really like that as soon as they are all living together, Samantha and Charlie now have this bond that is unique and a little odd at times. I still think it's a little weird that Kevin and Charlie are sneaking around to go make-out, and are hiding the fact that they are in a relationship.
Overall I really did like the book, but found that there could have been more to keep me wanting to read more.
January 23, 2013
Forbidden crush Kevin Lazarus is now Charlotte (Charlie's) step brother, and life is very interesting, especially at breakfast when Kevin texts Charlie about the overly healthy breakfast his father prefers "ain't breakfast swell", and later after they fall asleep in Kevin's room, and wonder if they're going to be "busted". The set-up is awkward, the writing fun, and even if I have a quibble that Kevin remains a mystery, it all works, particularly when told in Charlie's hilarious voice. A winner, and I'm now going to read more Rachel Vail! Yeah!
May 15, 2018
I finished If We Kiss and Kiss Me Again in just under a week. They were both very quick reads and kept my attention all the way through.
I feel like the story line was a little odd though...
Charlie's mom and Kevin's dad really seemed to rush the relationship and were married super quickly. We don't know how long they were dating prior to going out to dinner in If We Kiss, but it doesn't seem long at all. There was no conversation about if Kevin and Charlie were friends, had any kind of prior chemistry, etc. Not that it should change the relationship between the parents but they could of been more vigilant about what was going on between Charlie and Kevin.
I really do not like Tess. She seems to be extremely annoying and dramatic. Whenever she has to tell Charlie something, she draws it out into a long, around the block, monologue.
I feel like the story line was a little odd though...
Charlie's mom and Kevin's dad really seemed to rush the relationship and were married super quickly. We don't know how long they were dating prior to going out to dinner in If We Kiss, but it doesn't seem long at all. There was no conversation about if Kevin and Charlie were friends, had any kind of prior chemistry, etc. Not that it should change the relationship between the parents but they could of been more vigilant about what was going on between Charlie and Kevin.
I really do not like Tess. She seems to be extremely annoying and dramatic. Whenever she has to tell Charlie something, she draws it out into a long, around the block, monologue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2018
I don't feel like there was any resolve in this story. Still just weird that they're going to keep each other a secret and I don't like how and when the story ended. Just an okay book "series."
January 14, 2025
This book was a cute little listen. I liked this book a lot. The two main characters had a fight and I didn’t like it. But the ending was so cute.
February 15, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: The aftermath of a first kiss has led to the tension leading to the next kiss.
Opening Sentence: I tried not to look at Kevin Lazarus’ lips, or remember how they tasted.
The Review:
Kiss Me Again is the sequel to Rachel Vail’s If We Kiss. There is a lot of charm in this book, mostly from the main character, but also from the scenarios that Vail writes about. Family, love, and relationships theme the pages of the book, and it was fun to read.
Awkwardness abound as Charlie and Kevin are now stepsiblings. After the marriage of her and Kevin’s parents, after the broken friendship between Tess and herself, and after the confusion of her relationship with Kevin, Charlie has to figure it all out. Her situation doesn’t get any easier as more complications come into play. The confusion isn’t one-sided, and Charlie has to figure out her feelings for Kevin. Charlie has to think about the consequences of hurting more people, trying to prevent what happened with her and Tess. And amidst it all, Charlie has to find out what she wants.
I think Charlie has grown a bit in Kiss Me Again. There have been a lot of changes in Charlie’s personal life, aside from the moments of kisses, and I think she dealt with them realistically. Vail wrote her in a way that held true to the character’s persona and for someone her age. Charlie is emotionally confused for most of the book, trying to balance her feelings and her beliefs. Kevin, George, her family, and her friends all add to the chaos of her emotions and her thoughts. It’s like Charlie muddles through life, trying to survive Kevin, school, and all of the changes going on. I felt more engaged with her and definitely more connected this time around.
Once again, I had a love and hate relationship with Kevin. But I think that was the purpose. I was confused at Kevin’s intentions, and definitely confused about his feelings. While some of his actions relayed interest, there is the sly boy persona that plays hard to get. Don’t get me wrong, it is also Charlie’s fault, but I felt that Kevin didn’t help with anything Charlie was trying to accomplish. There’s this fine line that I walked, feeling like the whole thing was going to be too much. But Vail did a good job with writing his character and making him Charlie’s biggest obstacle to overcome.
There is angst in Kiss Me Again, as much as the first book, but there was a lot of growth all around. From the characters to Charlie herself, I felt that the story came to a happy ending. I felt like the story moved past the original kiss to topics of love and relationships. From Charlie’s parents to her new found family, and even to the relationship with Tess, I felt like Vail spoke and defined different levels of love. This is high school, freshman year at that, and I still feel like Vail represented it in a true sense.
It’s not always easy for me to read books where the main character is so young. It’s been a while since I’ve been that age and it’s sometimes a challenge for me to connect to the main character. But in Kiss Me Again, I think Vail was able to do that and bring me back to that age. I was able to feel the anxiety and the stress of Charlie’s problems, allowing myself to be transformed into a 15-year old girl. And because of that, I thought this was a great read.
Notable Scene:
He stood up, so I did, too. My hands were sticky with radioactive-looking melted mint chip ice cream.
“Hey, George … ,” I said, launching into the conclusion I’d written in the margin of my notebook earlier in the day. “I just, I hope you will know someday that this is a new leaf for me, my first step in trying to do the right thing and be a good friend.”
“It is what it is,” George said, and started to walk away. He turned around after about twenty steps and grinned his lopsided grin at me. “Is it bad that I’m feeling happy you paid for the ice cream?”
I smiled back. “No,” I answered. “Not at all.”
FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Kiss Me Again. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: The aftermath of a first kiss has led to the tension leading to the next kiss.
Opening Sentence: I tried not to look at Kevin Lazarus’ lips, or remember how they tasted.
The Review:
Kiss Me Again is the sequel to Rachel Vail’s If We Kiss. There is a lot of charm in this book, mostly from the main character, but also from the scenarios that Vail writes about. Family, love, and relationships theme the pages of the book, and it was fun to read.
Awkwardness abound as Charlie and Kevin are now stepsiblings. After the marriage of her and Kevin’s parents, after the broken friendship between Tess and herself, and after the confusion of her relationship with Kevin, Charlie has to figure it all out. Her situation doesn’t get any easier as more complications come into play. The confusion isn’t one-sided, and Charlie has to figure out her feelings for Kevin. Charlie has to think about the consequences of hurting more people, trying to prevent what happened with her and Tess. And amidst it all, Charlie has to find out what she wants.
I think Charlie has grown a bit in Kiss Me Again. There have been a lot of changes in Charlie’s personal life, aside from the moments of kisses, and I think she dealt with them realistically. Vail wrote her in a way that held true to the character’s persona and for someone her age. Charlie is emotionally confused for most of the book, trying to balance her feelings and her beliefs. Kevin, George, her family, and her friends all add to the chaos of her emotions and her thoughts. It’s like Charlie muddles through life, trying to survive Kevin, school, and all of the changes going on. I felt more engaged with her and definitely more connected this time around.
Once again, I had a love and hate relationship with Kevin. But I think that was the purpose. I was confused at Kevin’s intentions, and definitely confused about his feelings. While some of his actions relayed interest, there is the sly boy persona that plays hard to get. Don’t get me wrong, it is also Charlie’s fault, but I felt that Kevin didn’t help with anything Charlie was trying to accomplish. There’s this fine line that I walked, feeling like the whole thing was going to be too much. But Vail did a good job with writing his character and making him Charlie’s biggest obstacle to overcome.
There is angst in Kiss Me Again, as much as the first book, but there was a lot of growth all around. From the characters to Charlie herself, I felt that the story came to a happy ending. I felt like the story moved past the original kiss to topics of love and relationships. From Charlie’s parents to her new found family, and even to the relationship with Tess, I felt like Vail spoke and defined different levels of love. This is high school, freshman year at that, and I still feel like Vail represented it in a true sense.
It’s not always easy for me to read books where the main character is so young. It’s been a while since I’ve been that age and it’s sometimes a challenge for me to connect to the main character. But in Kiss Me Again, I think Vail was able to do that and bring me back to that age. I was able to feel the anxiety and the stress of Charlie’s problems, allowing myself to be transformed into a 15-year old girl. And because of that, I thought this was a great read.
Notable Scene:
He stood up, so I did, too. My hands were sticky with radioactive-looking melted mint chip ice cream.
“Hey, George … ,” I said, launching into the conclusion I’d written in the margin of my notebook earlier in the day. “I just, I hope you will know someday that this is a new leaf for me, my first step in trying to do the right thing and be a good friend.”
“It is what it is,” George said, and started to walk away. He turned around after about twenty steps and grinned his lopsided grin at me. “Is it bad that I’m feeling happy you paid for the ice cream?”
I smiled back. “No,” I answered. “Not at all.”
FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Kiss Me Again. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
April 3, 2013
Posted on Dark Faerie Tales.
Kiss Me Again is the sequel to Rachel Vail’s If We Kiss. There is a lot of charm in this book, mostly from the main character, but also from the scenarios that Vail writes about. Family, love, and relationships theme the pages of the book, and it was fun to read.
Awkwardness abound as Charlie and Kevin are now stepsiblings. After the marriage of her and Kevin’s parents, after the broken friendship between Tess and herself, and after the confusion of her relationship with Kevin, Charlie has to figure it all out. Her situation doesn’t get any easier as more complications come into play. The confusion isn’t one-sided, and Charlie has to figure out her feelings for Kevin. Charlie has to think about the consequences of hurting more people, trying to prevent what happened with her and Tess. And amidst it all, Charlie has to find out what she wants.
I think Charlie has grown a bit in Kiss Me Again. There have been a lot of changes in Charlie’s personal life, aside from the moments of kisses, and I think she dealt with them realistically. Vail wrote her in a way that held true to the character’s persona and for someone her age. Charlie is emotionally confused for most of the book, trying to balance her feelings and her beliefs. Kevin, George, her family, and her friends all add to the chaos of her emotions and her thoughts. It’s like Charlie muddles through life, trying to survive Kevin, school, and all of the changes going on. I felt more engaged with her and definitely more connected this time around.
Once again, I had a love and hate relationship with Kevin. But I think that was the purpose. I was confused at Kevin’s intentions, and definitely confused about his feelings. While some of his actions relayed interest, there is the sly boy persona that plays hard to get. Don’t get me wrong, it is also Charlie’s fault, but I felt that Kevin didn’t help with anything Charlie was trying to accomplish. There’s this fine line that I walked, feeling like the whole thing was going to be too much. But Vail did a good job with writing his character and making him Charlie’s biggest obstacle to overcome.
There is angst in Kiss Me Again, as much as the first book, but there was a lot of growth all around. From the characters to Charlie herself, I felt that the story came to a happy ending. I felt like the story moved past the original kiss to topics of love and relationships. From Charlie’s parents to her new found family, and even to the relationship with Tess, I felt like Vail spoke and defined different levels of love. This is high school, freshman year at that, and I still feel like Vail represented it in a true sense.
It’s not always easy for me to read books where the main character is so young. It’s been a while since I’ve been that age and it’s sometimes a challenge for me to connect to the main character. But in Kiss Me Again, I think Vail was able to do that and bring me back to that age. I was able to feel the anxiety and the stress of Charlie’s problems, allowing myself to be transformed into a 15-year old girl. And because of that, I thought this was a great read.
Kiss Me Again is the sequel to Rachel Vail’s If We Kiss. There is a lot of charm in this book, mostly from the main character, but also from the scenarios that Vail writes about. Family, love, and relationships theme the pages of the book, and it was fun to read.
Awkwardness abound as Charlie and Kevin are now stepsiblings. After the marriage of her and Kevin’s parents, after the broken friendship between Tess and herself, and after the confusion of her relationship with Kevin, Charlie has to figure it all out. Her situation doesn’t get any easier as more complications come into play. The confusion isn’t one-sided, and Charlie has to figure out her feelings for Kevin. Charlie has to think about the consequences of hurting more people, trying to prevent what happened with her and Tess. And amidst it all, Charlie has to find out what she wants.
I think Charlie has grown a bit in Kiss Me Again. There have been a lot of changes in Charlie’s personal life, aside from the moments of kisses, and I think she dealt with them realistically. Vail wrote her in a way that held true to the character’s persona and for someone her age. Charlie is emotionally confused for most of the book, trying to balance her feelings and her beliefs. Kevin, George, her family, and her friends all add to the chaos of her emotions and her thoughts. It’s like Charlie muddles through life, trying to survive Kevin, school, and all of the changes going on. I felt more engaged with her and definitely more connected this time around.
Once again, I had a love and hate relationship with Kevin. But I think that was the purpose. I was confused at Kevin’s intentions, and definitely confused about his feelings. While some of his actions relayed interest, there is the sly boy persona that plays hard to get. Don’t get me wrong, it is also Charlie’s fault, but I felt that Kevin didn’t help with anything Charlie was trying to accomplish. There’s this fine line that I walked, feeling like the whole thing was going to be too much. But Vail did a good job with writing his character and making him Charlie’s biggest obstacle to overcome.
There is angst in Kiss Me Again, as much as the first book, but there was a lot of growth all around. From the characters to Charlie herself, I felt that the story came to a happy ending. I felt like the story moved past the original kiss to topics of love and relationships. From Charlie’s parents to her new found family, and even to the relationship with Tess, I felt like Vail spoke and defined different levels of love. This is high school, freshman year at that, and I still feel like Vail represented it in a true sense.
It’s not always easy for me to read books where the main character is so young. It’s been a while since I’ve been that age and it’s sometimes a challenge for me to connect to the main character. But in Kiss Me Again, I think Vail was able to do that and bring me back to that age. I was able to feel the anxiety and the stress of Charlie’s problems, allowing myself to be transformed into a 15-year old girl. And because of that, I thought this was a great read.
July 5, 2013
3.75
This is the kind of book I am embarrassed to enjoy--especially since I'm the kind of person who enjoys "meaningful" books--so I really shouldn't be liking a book all about one girl's annoying interest in somebody she shouldn't be loving, along with other kinks in the writing such as annoying friend issues, uncanny similarities in several characters, and problems that seem way worse than they really are or should be. But the amount of awkwardness from the sexual tension in this novel made me laugh more than I have in a while.
The truth is, I was satisfied with the ending of If We Kiss (which I read back when my judgement wasn't so good.) I liked the fact that Charlie, the main character, had gotten over Kevin, her major crush/former best friend's ex/new step brother, as this is the mature thing to do and was one of the only actions Charlie had that involved using her brain. When I heard there was a sequel, I wasn't sure what to expect, but it definitely paid off--the book surprised me and moved fast so I never got bored.
There is something about Rachel Vail's books that I can't get enough of. They grab me and pull me in along with main characters whose personalities I usually hate, and twist up my thoughts and emotions and I'm always left feeling somewhat dizzy. (Truth be told, I guess I didn't like Charlie that much because when she started to express interest in a new character named Toby, I believed him to be too good for her. But the point is, I was somehow able to completely overlook her personality until that thought.)
I'm a fan, I guess. Hoping for even better stuff next time.
This is the kind of book I am embarrassed to enjoy--especially since I'm the kind of person who enjoys "meaningful" books--so I really shouldn't be liking a book all about one girl's annoying interest in somebody she shouldn't be loving, along with other kinks in the writing such as annoying friend issues, uncanny similarities in several characters, and problems that seem way worse than they really are or should be. But the amount of awkwardness from the sexual tension in this novel made me laugh more than I have in a while.
The truth is, I was satisfied with the ending of If We Kiss (which I read back when my judgement wasn't so good.) I liked the fact that Charlie, the main character, had gotten over Kevin, her major crush/former best friend's ex/new step brother, as this is the mature thing to do and was one of the only actions Charlie had that involved using her brain. When I heard there was a sequel, I wasn't sure what to expect, but it definitely paid off--the book surprised me and moved fast so I never got bored.
There is something about Rachel Vail's books that I can't get enough of. They grab me and pull me in along with main characters whose personalities I usually hate, and twist up my thoughts and emotions and I'm always left feeling somewhat dizzy. (Truth be told, I guess I didn't like Charlie that much because when she started to express interest in a new character named Toby, I believed him to be too good for her. But the point is, I was somehow able to completely overlook her personality until that thought.)
I'm a fan, I guess. Hoping for even better stuff next time.
April 5, 2013
I wasn't sure if this book was entirely necessary--there's been such a time difference between this book and the last one..and it shows, even in the technology used. Charlie is pretty much in the same place she was at the end of the last novel. Realistically, it doesn't seem like that kind of situation would be so easily resolved, considering they're teenagers who just recently got forced into being siblings suddenly. Especially since they like each other.
October 21, 2015
This book is about a girl who crushes on a boy for a long time but at the end she has no chance to like him anymore but that doesn't stop Kevin or Charlie from liking each other or doing anything any further. Even though the author didn't really tell or give a background story about either Charlie or Kevin, she still give a lot of information about one another. I would recommend this book to those who like to read about romance.
October 7, 2013
weird. again. it's not happy ending nor sad ending. if the story was about how awkward it is to have a crush with your step brother before he was even your step brother and the crushing still continued, even in the second book. weird for me. like somehow there's no story better to be told. but I admire Samantha a lot, for a nine-year-old she's very mature.
Read
November 13, 2021lol young me FLEW to buy this sequel the second i heard about it years after the release of the first book. can't remember too much years later, but i think this was even worse than the first book? i still ate up every word though lol
August 2, 2022
creo que es una segunda parte pero aun así le entendí y me gusto estuvo bonito
March 4, 2017
**I would give this book a rating closer to 2.5 stars**
I enjoyed the book while I was reading it. The story was cute and there wasn't a need to focus on the story to understand what was going on. But when I finished the book and reelected on what had happened in the book, I realized that there wasn't much a plot.
- Tess and Charlie were supposedly BEST friends until Charlie kissed Kevin. Fine, okay. My issue with this friendship was Charlie seemed very dependent on Tess's opinion of her to function. Charlie was constantly texting her private information and then not realizing that she had even texted in the first place. I couldn't figure out if Tess was actually Charlie's friend or if she was pretending to get close to Kevin. Even at the end, this wasn't resolved for me.
- Charlie's relationship with her father felt unfinished and pretty much an afterthought. I got the feeling the father was used to add more misery to Charlie's current situation, rather than something to actually resolve and grow from.
- I HATED the ending. Aside from that issue, the ending felt unresolved and set up for another installment.
- There were a number of times throughout the book that the girls all call Kevin a "boy-slut" and aside from the fact that Kevin never slept around to begin with, I didn't appreciate the use of that phrase throughout a book that is marketed towards a younger audience. The characters in the book are only 14-15 years old.
Final Notes
- Told in first person, Charlie's POV
- Quick read
- Nothing happens...
I enjoyed the book while I was reading it. The story was cute and there wasn't a need to focus on the story to understand what was going on. But when I finished the book and reelected on what had happened in the book, I realized that there wasn't much a plot.
- Tess and Charlie were supposedly BEST friends until Charlie kissed Kevin. Fine, okay. My issue with this friendship was Charlie seemed very dependent on Tess's opinion of her to function. Charlie was constantly texting her private information and then not realizing that she had even texted in the first place. I couldn't figure out if Tess was actually Charlie's friend or if she was pretending to get close to Kevin. Even at the end, this wasn't resolved for me.
- Charlie's relationship with her father felt unfinished and pretty much an afterthought. I got the feeling the father was used to add more misery to Charlie's current situation, rather than something to actually resolve and grow from.
- I HATED the ending. Aside from that issue, the ending felt unresolved and set up for another installment.
- There were a number of times throughout the book that the girls all call Kevin a "boy-slut" and aside from the fact that Kevin never slept around to begin with, I didn't appreciate the use of that phrase throughout a book that is marketed towards a younger audience. The characters in the book are only 14-15 years old.
Final Notes
- Told in first person, Charlie's POV
- Quick read
- Nothing happens...
May 25, 2022
This book is so good it is a book about a girl who moves in with her mom's new husband. She goes to a new school and finds a boy she really likes. She falls in love with this boy but she has her step brother to deal with. Her best friend is dating the boy that she likes. Her and her crush eventually cross paths and end up becoming super close friends. They start eating lunch and breakfast together. He ends up having her come over and he asks to kiss her and she says what if your sister sleep walks into the room? That was the least of his worry. Her best friends trust is broken and she can’t trust anyone now.
Read
June 11, 2025Kiss Me Again is a deeply relatable, emotionally honest YA novel that perfectly captures the awkwardness of teen relationships and family drama. Told through Charlie's sharp and funny perspective, Rachel Vail dives into love, identity, and the messiness of blended families with heart and humor. A character-driven read that lingers long after the last page. Highly recommended for fans of authentic coming-of-age stories.
Blog post with my full review here --> https://lifewiththewallisfam.blogspot...
Blog post with my full review here --> https://lifewiththewallisfam.blogspot...
January 8, 2018
I liked this book more than the first book. I feel like Charlie was more grown up in this book and she didn't spend the whole book complaining and pining for Kevin. I wish there was more romance, but I was satisfied by the what romance was in this book. I'm glad I decided to just finish the series right away instead of letting the 2nd book sit on my shelf due to my lack of excitement over the first book.
November 15, 2019
I read Kiss Me Again by Rachel Vail. This book starts with how the first book ended. Which is Charlie and her stepbrother kissing a lot. They sneak around continuing to kiss each other. They try to stop but then they start falling in love with each other. Though they don't wanna mess up their family. Though they get jealous of seeing each other with other people, like a real couple. Do they ignore these feelings or accept them? Read Kiss Me Again to find out.
August 7, 2017
Bought this book back in 2013 or 2014 -ish without realising that this was the 2nd book in a series; so I was quite lost for a moment, but then noticed that I didn't miss much and could rather know what was going on. Maybe it is because I have out grown and somehow lost interest about the plot that I didn't really enjoyed this book. And the ending... REALLY?!
October 7, 2021
Read this by itself because I didn’t know it was the second one, but soon realized you don’t need the first book. This book was a huge waste of time because from beginning to end, literally nothing changes. There’s still conflict between the characters but in like 2 pages they all of a sudden agree to stop liking each other. Like boi what the hell .
March 8, 2023
This book was alright. There wasn’t an obvious plot while I was reading and after reading it there still wasn’t much plot. It was nice to get some resolution from the first book but I probably wouldn’t read it again. It wasn’t too exciting but it was easy to read and simple with a bit of romance. It would definitely be better to read as a high schooler.
December 2, 2017
I really liked the first book, and this one didn't disappoint at all. We seen Charlie evolve into her new family and learn that Tess isn't the center of everything. I hate Tess I always did. I just wish that Charlie wouldn't of cared about her and move on
January 26, 2018
Kobo library. This was so cute I would have to categorize this a younger version than your typical YA, I mean 9th graders and all. But I must say the writing was flawless witty funny, I loved the storyline. It was a real cute and entertaining read.
August 30, 2018
This was more frustrating than the first book. The two main characters were all over the place in terms of motivations. Maybe intentionally meant to reflect the confusion of being a 15-year-old, but it was too much whiplash for me.
November 17, 2019
Interesting. That is my reaction to the actual story. That said excellent writing, flushed and realistic characters the situation is... unique, to say the least but really well written. I would definitely read more from this author.
February 12, 2023
I had so much excitement for reading this book and as I started reading more I noticed the author is very dull with their words and descriptions. They don’t put you in the setting rather it seems when they try to it’s forced and doesn’t go smoothly. I really wanted more from this book.
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