About The Book
This gut-wrenching story of friendship, first love and, of course, heartbreak is a must-read for fans of If He Had Been With Me and is best read beside a box of tissues. One kiss lasts a moment. But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime. One boy. One girl. A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever. Or so they believe.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/4aEbMID
My Rating
The book gained significant attention online, primarily through BookTok, which piqued my curiosity and led me to pick it up, despite knowing it promised a tragic love story. The novel follows the dual perspectives of teenagers Poppy and Rune as they navigate the tumultuous journey of love, loss, reunion, and so much more. From their initial meeting to the challenges they face, including being torn apart and coming back together to facing their toughest battle, the story is a poignant exploration of young love.
Poppy emerges as a standout character with her maturity, positivity, and adventurous spirit, making her a relatable and compelling protagonist. However, Rune’s actions sometimes left me feeling conflicted; while his devotion to Poppy is evident, his treatment of his family left me sympathizing with them. Nonetheless, his character development throughout the narrative is commendable, adding depth to the story.
At its core, “A Thousand Boy Kisses” delves into themes of love, grief, and peace, highlighting the profound impact of young love and the challenges of coping with loss. However, the novel falls short in addressing the importance of moving on and finding love again after experiencing profound heartache, which may leave readers wanting more depth in its exploration of grief. As well, it seems to send the wrong message to young readers.
“Live hard, love harder. Chase dreams, seek adventures … capture moments. Live beautifully.”
While the writing style is solid, it is clearly tailored to a younger demographic. In my opinion, there are moments where the narrative and phases veer into cringeworthy territory. Additionally, while the story is engaging and can be devoured in a day, it lacks the special something that would make it truly memorable, and standout among similar novels.
Overall, this is a character-driven book with a somber plot, but it didn’t fully live up to the hype for me. The ending, in particular, left me feeling unsettled and lowered my overall opinion of the book. While I can understand its appeal to a teenage audience, as an adult reader, I felt that it didn’t evoke the level of emotion and heartbreak I had anticipated.
In the comments, let me know if you think that this book is worthy of all the attention it has received. Don’t forget that you can hit the follow button, so that you never miss out on a bookish post.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny