Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun was released on November 1, 2022. It is a sweet, sapphic holiday rom-com that captures and emits the magic of winter and the snow. Reading it felt like coming home to heat emanating from the fireplace and hot chocolate after spending hours out in the cold making snow angels and having snowball fights.
I am incredibly grateful that I was able to read an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book on Netgalley. It was truly everything I hoped for and more. It is the perfect book to read during the winter and upcoming holiday season!
Jack finds Ellie crying and expressing her misfortune to a stool in the middle of a bookstore on Christmas Eve. They spend the whole day together––the snowstorm providing them a means of exploring the city and each other. The world feels new, safe, and right––until that safety is shattered by a feeling of betrayal the next morning.
One year later:
Andrew, the landlord at the coffee shop Ellie works at, proposes a marriage of convenience that will allow him to access his inheritance, and help Ellie’s financial situation. They plan to spend the holidays together at his family’s cabin. It is only once they arrive at the cabin that Ellie realizes Andrew’s sister, Jacqueline, is her Jack from last winter.
If you love the whole Emily Dickinson writing love letters to her brother’s wife thing, read this book! The dynamic is reminiscent of that, and, although handwritten letters aren’t involved, Ellie does create webcomics that serve to illustrate stories and explore relationships, similar to letters.
If you are a Swiftie, read this book! Taylor Swift’s albums Evermore and Lover are explicitly mentioned and associated with the two main characters.
The love in this novel felt like something tangible––a warm blanket that I could wrap around myself. There were numerous moments where I couldn’t help but smile, blush, or laugh out loud. The scenes between Ellie and Jack felt so tender and personal, and they create a safe, comforting space for the reader. The dialogue between Ellie and Jack is so sweet, and I found the interactions between Andrew and Ellie to be simultaneously hilarious and precious.
The book reflects on themes of family, love, and mental illness. I appreciated the way that anxiety was portrayed. There are, of course, variations in the way that anxiety is experienced, but I found myself able to relate to many of Ellie’s experiences with anxiety, and the way it manifested in her daily life. I think a lot of other people can find comfort in having that representation too.
Kiss Her Once for Me will provide you with so much love and comfort this winter and holiday season!