KISS ME HARD BEFORE YOU GO BOOK REVIEW
Kiss Me Hard Before You Go by Shannon McCrimmon is a heartwarming romance set in the 1970s. I really haven’t read much fiction set during the ’70s and was happy I settled on this book. The story follows Evie Barnes and her father living on a dairy farm in rural South Carolina. Each summer her father loans out his land to the traveling fair. Evie dreads it because it means more work and noise for her. But this year things change when she gets acquainted with Finch Mills, a lifelong carny. Evie begins to explore love and what is really important in life.
This book has several things to recommend it. First, there is an amazing cast of characters. Besides Evie and Finch being well-developed, the background characters are worth getting invested in as well. Evie’s best friend Katie is pregnant and unwed. Her father wants her to give the baby up for adoption, but she is determined to keep it. Another fun cast of characters is the sideshow folks that Evie befriends. They become another family for her and I loved reading about the connection between Evie and the sideshow people. In addition to the cast of characters, the storyline is superb.
Kiss Me Hard Before You Go starts out typical enough with a small town girl wanting a new life beyond the dairy farm. She wants to go to college and get out the toil of farming life. She also hates each summer when the fair comes. However, many unexpected things happen in her life. She learns to appreciate the magic of the everyday. Additionally, she comes to understand that family is not just blood. I like the rural backdrop in which the story takes place. It makes the romance seem timeless.
If you want a good romance tinged with passion, Evie and Finch’s is it. There are no mature scenes in the book, but you still feel the sparks between the two. Their romance happens organically, not a sudden attraction or love at first sight. It builds up little by little with understanding and respect. I personally enjoyed the two snarking at each other the beginning of the novel. The moments they have together are magic and will make you smile.
Overall, this book is a romance lover’s dream. Check it out if you want a good story with a happy ending.
ADAPTATION RECOMMENDATION
Hallmark would have a field day with Kiss Me Hard Before You Go. It is the perfect blend of romance and family that Hallmark loves. I really don’t have any actors and actresses in mind, but it would not be hard to cast.
CONTENT NOTE: There is some bad language in the book but it’s not pervasive.
You can buy the book on Amazon. Right now, the e-book is free to download.
OVERALL RATING
“Hello, Gorgeous.”
ROMANCE RATING
In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My
feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me
to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
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