Kissing Kendall by Jennifer Shirk
December 7, 2012
Contemporary Romance
Entangled
Reviewed by Mandi
Kendall lost her firefighter husband on the job two years ago, and just recently lost her job. Down and depressed, her two good friends decide it’s time to stir it up and get her out of the house. Kendall doesn’t have much motivation, staying at home and baking all day. Until her friends start to realize the cupcakes she makes are fabulous. They encourage her to get out and start her own bakery, something that terrifies yet deep down excites Kendall.
Another fear she has is dating. She kind of has the urge to get out there again, but she wants someone really safe to start. That someone is not one of her long-time friends Brad. Brad is a police officer who was great friends with her late husband. He has had a crush on Kendall since before she was married, but he respectively stepped back when she fell in love with his friend and since his death, he doesn’t want to push her. He checks on her often, and as a handyman on the side he offers to help fix up the café she wants to buy for her future bakery. When Kendall mentions to her girlfriends that she might be ready to date and words gets back to Brad, he decides to make his move.
This book is pretty cute and light hearted. I like a friends to lover story, and this author gives them a nice road to romance. Kendall is ready to date, but the biggest thing holding her back is fear resulting from losing the man she loved. They kind of go back and forth, each trying to date someone else, and of course having no spark between anyone but themselves.
I wish we had gotten to see Kendall and Brad together a little more. Maybe on more dates, or just more alone time with them. In the story they are often with friends and family, and there was some nice family banter, but I wanted to see more one on one time with them. I like that once Brad gets wind of Kendall dating someone he knows, he gets a little alpha and jealous. It takes a lot of patience from him to give Kendall the time and space to build up the confidence she needs to get back out there.
As this is from the Bliss line, there is only kissing in this book, but it fit the tone well. I felt like the I love you and marriage proposal was just tacked on at the end, but otherwise a pretty cute story with some nice banter, especially from the supporting characters. I’d try this author again.
Rating: B-
Recent Reviews:
Goodreads
O nice review Mandi, I did not know there were still romance books written today without hot sex scenes in them! It would be a nice change of pace. And I do love the friends to lovers trope.