Six Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did)

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sharpe has an incredibly engaging writing style and explores sensitive themes with the care and nuance they deserve all while crafting loveable characters whose voices stick with you even after you've turned the final page. Ones that aren't mentioned: underage drinking, reference to cheating (past, happened to an MC but it wasn't too heavy - an ex cheats on her). The writing was engrossing, the story flowed beautifully, the story was poetic, it's the perfect coming of age story. It’s all about grief and resilience, about love that should be a given and love that seems unfathomable, about PTSD and character growth, about standing up for yourself and showing up.

Suddenly, the girls are forced closer together as they bear the brunt of the responsibility in their mothers’ preparation and recovery process.

It’s definitely one that, if you liked her previous works in whatever capacity, you’ll like this one too. Fortunately, Tate and Penny are blessed with two absolutely amazing and kind-hearted friends, Remi and Meghan, who step in to help without even being asked.

With a title like Six Times We Almost Kissed (And The One Time We Did) you’d expect a cutesy, slow burn romcom. But it was also the amazing portrayal of female familial relationships and the complexities within them. An utterly compelling will-they-won't-they slow-burn queer romance from the author of THE GIRLS I'VE BEEN. When a long-awaited surgery forces both families to live together, the girls can't ignore their reluctantly shared past… including all those times they've almost kissed.

Though they make a truce to be completely unproblematic, responsible daughters, they can’t ignore the blossoming romance between them as they grow closer while grappling with their shared history. The story will draw readers in with its irresistible slow-burn romantic fanfic-like premise, but it will also make them stick around to see the resolution of this convoluted family drama that includes love, loss, grief, dysfunction, and healing. So it’s not surprising that Penny’s mom would be willing to give part of her liver to Tate’s but the decision carries with it all sorts of contradictory feelings and life-changing arrangements for the two teenagers.

But when Tate's mother needs a liver transplant, Penny's mom is all too ready to step in as a living donor. I received an ARC from Little Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I went into this with certain expectations and this quickly blew right past them, in the best possible way.Sharpe alludes to it in her author's note, but structurally having the narrative hop around based on reliving the "6 Times" was at times difficult to follow and made the timeline feel a bit messy. It wasn't so much a miscommunication trope as an "any communication at all could have solved this" problem.

Manages to be surprisingly poignant and deep on certain topics while still being super engaging and fun to read - and also full of the tropiest tropes possible. In this, you have it twofold: a mother-daughter relationship ruined by grief after the death of a husband/father, and a mother-daughter relationship dealing with a recurrence of cancer and a necessary operation. I received an arc from Little, Brown Books for Young Reader via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I love slow burn as much as anyone, but it got to a point (especially after Yreka) where I was like, why aren't you together by now?

Times We Almost Kissed will resonate with all the kids dealt a raw deal in life, but will also inspire empathy and awareness for those unfamiliar with such circumstances. They would be the first person to tell you they’re not friends but they defend each other and are there for one another and I enjoyed them together and separately. This is one of the best written books--it's strong and gorgeous with tension and heartbreak searing across every page. The novel shines a much-needed light on the sacrifices and bravery of the kids who are forced to step up in their families when loss, addiction, depression, deteriorating health, or financial crisis strikes. The book is told in a back and forth format--the present day focuses on Anna and Lottie's operations and the aftermath.