Blind Kiss: A Novel

I'm giving this book three stars because it had some good points but in the end it was a depressing story and left me frustrated. The back and forth, bad decisions made repeatedly, and amount of time that the two main characters longed for each other was too much and then the ending was rushed. I've loved this author in the past so I didn't even question purchasing this book on the first day of it's release but was disappointed in the end.

The couples in Renée Carlino's books tend to be torn apart due to circumstances beyond their control, whether job transfers or illnesses. In this case, Penny and Gavin are not together simply because one of them, at various times, thinks it's a bad idea. Carlino makes it very clear, however, that this couple transcends soulmates. They are not so much meant to be together as they must be together.The two meet when they volunteer (or, in Penny's case, are voluntold) in a college psychology study about how rooted attraction is in the visual. In their case, their attraction is immediate. It's combustible and visceral. And yet Penny is not ready. She has her senior year dance study that she must prioritize, and she can't let her focus waver, not even for Gavin. So they settle into a best friendship, pledging their devotion to each other.Renée Carlino goes back and forth in time, from fourteen years ago when Penny and Gavin met to three years in the future. She shows you how their relationship builds, how deeply they love each other, and how devastatingly they can hurt each other. She also shows you that no two people operate in a vacuum: there are friends, family members, and classmates who affect how Penny and Gavin behave together, separately, and toward each other. Some of the scenes will crush you, others will make you smile and laugh. There will be times when you want to shout at Penny or Gavin - or both of them - and beg them to reconsider what they're about to do. All along, Renée Carlino shows you that this relationship will never truly be broken. The question is, though, what sort of relationship will it be?I could not put this book down, and when it was over, I was furious. I did not want to say goodbye to Gavin and Penny or their friends and family members. I wanted to spend more time with them. I wanted to see more of Gavin's silly tee shirts and watch Penny dance.I was not ready to let go.Isn't that the surest sign that you've spent time with a great book?When you read this - and you MUST - please come back and let me know your thoughts.

Blind Kiss almost killed me. I think this is the first book I've ever read where I'm not even 100% sure I like the characters and yet it impacted me so emotionally, I really enjoyed the book. I seriously wanted to smash my kindle, Gavin's face and Penny's face alternately. Ha.Never have two characters frustrated me so much that at one point, I kinda wanted them to end up with other people and just be friends. And yet, at the same time, it's so obvious that they do belong together. It just took A LOT of hard roads, bad decisions, and a need for maturing on both ends to finally end up that way.Renee does a fantastic job make you FEEL. Whether it's a swoon, a giggle, an eye roll, this book has it all. The sexual tension is great and the friendship Penny and Gavin have is so strong. They're pretty destructive for each other and yet you know these are two people who could be separated for years and then take up right where they left off.One thing I appreciated about this book is that it felt nothing like traditional romance. It is definitely a romance (contemporary) but the storyline arcs in such a way that you're constantly on your toes and wondering if the book with have an HEA. Renee does angst well but sheesh... Blind Kiss was crazy angst.I ended up giving this four stars because after I reflected a while, I decided I didn't love the characters enough (relationship wise) to give them five stars even though I loved the story if that makes sense. So if you're a Renee fan and/or love to hurt while you read, this book is for you!

This story really messes with your emotions- it is full of so much angst and moments where I wanted to shake some sense into the characters that it left me extremely frustrated in the end. Penny and Gavin meet after participating in a blind kiss study while in college. Sparks fly during their kiss but Penny feels with school and dance she has no time for a relationship, so she asks to be just friends, telling Gavin to date if he wants. When Gavin starts dating, Penny becomes jealous and resentful of Gavin when he doesn’t have time for her or misses important events. I feel her frustration at Gavin wholeheartedly but she told him to move on and date, yet guilt trips him when he puts his girlfriends needs first. From then on, it is back and forth with moments of hurting each other and telling false truths to protect their own feelings of love towards each other.The book was basically a retelling of all the past wrongs they had done to each other and how they maintained a close friendship despite it all. I felt a little jilted in the end only getting the epilogue with their happily ever after, feeling so much angst and only getting a moment of happiness. The writing, the unique blind kiss plot and storytelling was spot on but in the end I can only give this book 4 stars since it left me so frustrated up until the short epilogue.

I’ve read quite a few books from this author and found this one to be among my least favorite. I didn’t believe the story line and I didn’t feel like Penny and Gavin’s relationship was believable honestly. She annoyed me in particular. Also, the end was pretty anticlimactic.

Renee is an automatic one click for me! No need to.read the synopsis I'm all in no matter what! Gavin and Penny have reinforced my love of Renee's writing.From the moment Renee introduces us to Gavin, we the reader never stood a chance. He stole the show!I thought how they first met was totally unique, loved the idea.Good God I don't think Gavin could have been more sweet, sexy, best best friend EVER!!! Penny just needed to go with the flow. I know she had her reasons I understand, but dam I did want to smack her a couple times. She does finally grow and learn that life will change and change again.This story is filled with the perfect chemistry between Gavin and Penny. I could feel the love between these two. Renee wrote these two best friends beautifully. Angst to the max, just the right amount of banter with all characters involved.I adored the whole Piper family. The side story lines were great. Frank, I completely fell for him!! 💙I loved watching the characters grow through out the story. Loved their college days and then coming into their own. The story had me snickering, sighing, swooning, crying, sniffiling, gasping, holding my breath, and then that ending. That ending was perfection. I only have one slight problem.with it, I WANT MORE!!!!The Blind Kiss, gave me the feeling of BWWS meets Sweet Thing, which are two of my favourites, so this one will be added to my top shelf as well.Beautiful story look forward to your next release !!

To be honest I had a lot of trouble getting into this book, the timeline and past/present POV’s....ugh I just had trouble connecting with them. I love Renee Carlino’s writing. Always have and always will. I stuck with this book though. And I implore anyone to do the same. It’s all about hanging in there. For the first time in a long time, Ms Carlino made me fall in love with Gavin and sympathise with him. I wanted to shake Penny! I feel in love with this story slowly but deeply.

Prepare to be immersed into the lives of the Penny, Gavin and their love. If you don’t want to spoon with your bestie after this, you’re a cold cold human.

Just to be clear, two stars are for the seller, not for the book. Because book isn't new. Rating books is for other apps like Good reads...