The Kiss That Counted [Paperback]

I loved this book. Perhaps it just suited my mood when I read it, but I don't know how I can help that, and for me it was the perfect mix of angst and comfort, with insights into and comments on the human condition, mixed with drama and romance. In many ways a classic story of seeking redemption, and of ultimately saving yourself, but with a lot of help from your friends. In many ways it had the depth of Maybe Next Time, but with a lot less self-destructiveness and heartbreak.

The jacket description helped me very little in regards to this book, and in fact kind of confused me. I bought the book on the strength of the author's previous works. Her characters are generally interesting, sympathetic, and distinct individuals, generally involved in something interesting, and Karin really infuses each book with careful details of the specific lives her chraracters are living. Each of these strengths was fulfilled with this book.

CJ is on a self-imposed mission to redeem wrongs she committed in her youth along with her family. All the while she keeps looking over her shoulder, fearful of being drawn back into that destructive life, and suspicious of her own motivations at every turn. This self-recrimination, and the importance of her goals, keeps her wary of forming attachments that may derail her, or end up inflicting her problems on or harm others.

Karita lives a fulfilling life. She struggles to reconcile emotional damage stemming from judgments on her priorities she received from a previous failed relationship with the way she has chosen to live her life in the present: she is satisfied with her job, and derives real joy in volunteering her time, specifically at shelters helping women, children and animals.

To pay for a lapse in judgment CJ is forced into community service that brings her consistently into Karita's sphere, which she'd only previously brushed. Their irresistible connection is strong enough to override their insecurities initially, leading to the titular kiss, but events afterwards conspire to keep them from actually forming a romantic attachment. Except that the kiss remains in the backs of both their minds as they each try to navigate life's various obstacles, while being inexorably drawn back towards one another.

I like how both of these characters seem like good people that you can really pull for. You can see little ways they could support one another if they'd ever finally get together. They also don't engage in self-destructiveness on purpose. They aren't perfect, but they're doing the best they can, sometimes against the odds. Tightly paced, with meticulous and consistent characterizations and motivations supported by interesting and often mysterious back stories. I was riveted. One of Karin's stongest outings lately, in my opinion.

CJ Roshe is an extremely successful real estate agent and more successful at getting whatever woman she wants. She leads a life with no connections and no real roots since it helps her to hide a past and a secret that could destroy everything, but she can't help wonder what it would be like to live with friends and know that she wouldn't have to always be ready to run at the first sign of danger. Nothing would have changed if CJ hadn't had an extra glass of wine one day and run a stop sign in front of a police officer, then been assigned to community service as part of her sentence. When she arrives at a women's shelter to do her time, CJ meets Karita Hanssen who is going to change everything. Karita lives each day as it comes also, but in a very different way. Between her job, hours at the shelter, more volunteer hours at an animal shelter and her friends, Karita has a full life, almost full enough not to miss having anyone special to share it. She's always felt she was touched by magic and she knows that magic will bring someone to her someday. As CJ and Karita build a friendship, they begin to see what each is looking for in the other, but happily ever after only occurs in fairy tales. Reality intrudes threatening the future both women would like to have.

Kallmaker has returned to the style of some of her earlier novels and has written a very strong book. The characters are well developed and the plot unfolds at a perfect pace. Kallmaker shows her experience as a writer in not rushing incidents, but allowing them to play themselves out. The reader is given time to digest the action in the book and absorb its impact on the characters, yet the timeline doesn't drag either. The characters discover things about each other gradually instead of forcing their information onto the pages. Characters are multidimensional and interact with other characters in the book on different levels, showing both strengths and weaknesses as real people would. There are also strong secondary characters who contribute to the story at key plot points. There is a romance here, but there is also a bit of a mystery as the reader begins to wonder what CJ's secret is and how she will resolve the problem once it is revealed. In the end, The Kiss That Counted is also a testimony to friendship and the changes it can cause in person's life. Kallmaker shows with the skill in this book why she deserves such a large fan following.

Here's what I look for in a romance: A good backstory with enough information about the characters' lives so that I can have a sense of who they are. Characters with real personalities. No "strong, silent, brooding "type" in lieu of character development. Characters I can have sympathy or empathy for. A sense of place so that I can picture the characters going through their lives; and, very importantly, a set up that makes sense. I can't abide by a "she loves her but can't tell her because of no good reason. I also want to root for the couple to be together and get a real sense of pleasure when they do eventually get there. I like good chemistry and well written love scenes, but I can take a fade-to-black if the author doesn't want to be explicit.

Here's why this is a very good book. I have a very clear picture of each character in my head. I know where they live and why they live there. I have some sense of Denver, where they live. I learned a decent amount about their careers and why they're good at them. I learned a lot about each woman's past and why that past led them to where they are. Their backstories weren't just told to me in a rush, either. I learned little things at various points rather than an information dump. It made sense that each woman was hesitant to take a leap. They were both adults, too, not 30-something children <s>.

When one of the women kissed the other for the first time I got a zing of pleasure. That's really nice! And when they eventually had sex it was very compelling. Not explicit in terms of bodies, but very explicit in terms of emotion. That's hard to do, and Karin definitely got it right.

I can't imagine what more I'd want in this story. That's a big compliment, since I usually have a laundry list of things I'd change about most books. I don't normally read a book twice, but I think I'll make an exception for "The Kiss That Counted."

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