If We Kiss by Rachel Vail

From the Publisher

Kevin led me quickly around the side of the building, then stopped. I managed not to crash into him. I tried to look calm, cool, unperturbed. I told myself not to laugh, especially not a snorting kind of laugh. "Wha . . . what did . . ."

And then he kissed me.

If We Kiss is the story of Charlotte (Charlie to her friends), who finds herself falling for a boy who is off-limits. Her best friend is in love with him, and her mother and his father are dating. Still, Charlie can't help but wonder, what would happen if we kiss?

Publishers Weekly

According to PW, "Vail proves that first love is anything but simple and sweet in this lively contemporary novel narrated by a high-school freshman." Ages 12-up. (May) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Carolyn Mott Ford - Children's Literature

Her first kiss. Charlie dreams of the perfect romantic moment. Her girl friend Tess has been kissed three times by three different boys and claims the experience is indescribable. Everyone thinks George will be Charlie's first boyfriend, but one day Kevin unexpectedly kisses her in the schoolyard. Unfortunately, the kiss makes them both late for class and, even worse, is witnessed by the head ninth-grade teacher. Even more unfortunately, before Charlie has a chance to tell her best friend Tess, Kevin kisses Tess and she once again falls in love. Charlie and Tess usually tell each other everything, but since they both seemed to have fallen for the same guy, Charlie faces a dilemma. The situation is further complicated when Charlie's mom and Kevin's dad begin dating. Charlie takes a job on the school paper only to be near Kevin, but when she finds it necessary to stand up for a principle in her reporting, she realizes how important it is to be with someone who understands. A quick-reading, enjoyable book for the very young girl who can obsess over the thought of a first kiss. 2005, HarperCollins, and Ages 8 to 12.

Stephanie Squicciarini - KLIATT

Charlotte, known as Charlie, has never been kissed. Her best friend Tess wants her to get the first kiss out of the way so they can talk about it. But Charlie does not tell Tess when she does get that first kiss, with someone she least expects. And Charlie is not sure what she should do about this first kiss since it leads to being called into the principal's office, reprimanded by her mother, and ignored by Kevin, the boy she kissed. To make matters more complicated, Tess is in love with Kevin, Charlie starts dating George and joins the school newspaper (both with semi-disastrous results), and Kevin's dad and Charlie's mom begin dating. Feeling increasingly like the worst best friend ever, Charlie has not only to cope with her desire to kiss Kevin more, but also with being somewhat of a disappointment to her father and with her unexpected jealousy over her mother dating. With characters who are realistically flawed while still likeable and pacing that will keep readers turning the pages, Vail has created a story that will resonate with teen girls everywhere. Give this book to readers looking for something deeper than chick-lit, but with a chick-lit feel to it. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, HarperTrophy, 259p., Ages 12 to 18.

School Library Journal

Gr 7-9-High school freshman Charlie is ready for her first kiss. The big day arrives when Kevin Lazarus chooses her, taking her by the hand and leading her outside. Charlie, who before the kiss doesn't particularly like him, finds herself both intrigued and grossed out by the germs to which she's been exposed. She is not sure if it really happened and she tells no one, not even her best friend, Tess. Her confusion is further compounded when Tess sets her eyes on Kevin and wins his affections, her mother becomes romantically involved with Kevin's father, and Charlie becomes increasingly more obsessed with the teen. Over Christmas break, she and her mother go on a skiing vacation with the Lazarus family, and Mr. Lazarus and Charlie's mom become engaged. Charlie is once again kissed by Kevin; from here on the plot focuses on Charlie obsessing over kissing Kevin again and her feelings of guilt about her lack of honesty toward her best friend. Unfortunately, other conflicts in the story aren't as fully developed. However, Charlie tells her story in a fresh voice and begins to realize that there is a difference between being obsessed and truly caring about someone. While Charlie and Tess are typical teenagers navigating their way through high school angst, Kevin remains one-dimensional and readers learn little about him besides his habit of kissing girls. A light read for fans of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's "Alice" series (S & S).-Angela M. Boccuzzi-Reichert, Merton Williams' Middle School, Hilton, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Kisses take on a whole new dimension in this touching and tangled teen drama. High-school freshman Charlotte, "Charlie," doesn't fit in with the sports crowd or the brainy set and she's never been kissed. Although Charlie admits she's "ready to kiss someone," she is startled when the class Romeo, Kevin Lazarus, unexpectedly French kisses her at school, triggering a series of bewildering events. As she sorts through her own feelings for Kevin, Charlie discovers her best friend Tess has also fallen for him. To complicate matters further, Charlie's mother announces she has fallen in love with Kevin's divorced father. With a crush on her best friend's boyfriend-her future stepbrother-Charlie faces one moral dilemma after another, but she does it with humor and a certain charm. A confused Charlie ends up spending her freshman year trying to diagnose what's going on, what she really wants and who's kissing whom. Amazing what one kiss can do. (Fiction. YA)

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