Review: "The Kiss Contract" by Angela Taylor

The Kiss Contract by Angela Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jessa Lockwood has no real interest in dating, but her roommate/best friend, Emery, convinced her to set up a profile on a dating app while her defenses were down after a mutual friend's bachelorette party. She matched with a guy named Bruce, they went on one terrible date, and now he's having a hard time accepting that she's not interested in a second. When his behavior escalates nearly to stalking, Jessa decides to make up a boyfriend to try and get Bruce to back off. Unfortunately, he doesn't believe her, so when he shows up again outside the restaurant where she's meeting her mother for lunch, she impulsively grabs the first guy she sees and kisses him. That guy happens to be Emery's older brother, Chase Maysen - and Jessa's mother, who also witnesses the kiss, couldn't be more thrilled about her daughter's new "boyfriend." She invites Chase to attend Jessa's grandmother's upcoming birthday weekend with her, and against Jessa's wishes, he says yes.

Chase has secretly had a crush on his sister's roommate ever since they met, which he's covered by teasing her unmercifully. He hopes that spending the weekend with Jessa at her grandmother's party will help her see him in a different light. Surprisingly, Emery is excited to learn of their fake relationship and decides to help them negotiate a contract establishing boundaries for their time together. It doesn't take long for them to start breaking the rules, however. Can Chase convince Jessa that he sees her as more than just another little sister, and that true love is worth taking a risk?

I really enjoyed the chemistry and banter between Jessa and Chase, and they made a cute couple. That said, despite the fact that they'd known each other for several years, their relationship felt a little too much like insta-love for me. It was like they just flipped a switch when they went away for the weekend to her grandmother's party and were suddenly "in love." It was a bit jarring after they'd gone out of their way to keep each other at arm's length for so long. I was also slightly bothered by the fact that Jessa never apologized to Chase for the way she pushed him away in the end. Even if he understood why she did it and forgave her, the fact is that she hurt him, and he deserved an apology.

Despite those minor frustrations, "The Kiss Contract" was a fun and entertaining story, and I'd recommend it for all contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans. I look forward to finding out where the series goes from here.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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