Customer Reviews

The Kiss That Counted

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this book. Perhaps it just suited my mood when I read it, but I don't know how I can help that, and for me it was the perfect mix of angst and comfort, with insights into and comments on the human condition, mixed with drama and romance. In many ways a classic story of seeking redemption, and of ultimately saving yourself, but with a lot of help from your friends. In many ways it had the depth of Maybe Next Time, but with a lot less self-destructiveness and heartbreak.

The jacket description helped me very little in regards to this book, and in fact kind of confused me. I bought the book on the strength of the author's previous works. Her characters are generally interesting, sympathetic, and distinct individuals, generally involved in something interesting, and Karin really infuses each book with careful details of the specific lives her chraracters are living. Each of these strengths was fulfilled with this book.

CJ is on a self-imposed mission to redeem wrongs she committed in her youth along with her family. All the while she keeps looking over her shoulder, fearful of being drawn back into that destructive life, and suspicious of her own motivations at every turn. This self-recrimination, and the importance of her goals, keeps her wary of forming attachments that may derail her, or end up inflicting her problems on or harm others.

Karita lives a fulfilling life. She struggles to reconcile emotional damage stemming from judgments on her priorities she received from a previous failed relationship with the way she has chosen to live her life in the present: she is satisfied with her job, and derives real joy in volunteering her time, specifically at shelters helping women, children and animals.

To pay for a lapse in judgment CJ is forced into community service that brings her consistently into Karita's sphere, which she'd only previously brushed. Their irresistible connection is strong enough to override their insecurities initially, leading to the titular kiss, but events afterwards conspire to keep them from actually forming a romantic attachment. Except that the kiss remains in the backs of both their minds as they each try to navigate life's various obstacles, while being inexorably drawn back towards one another.

I like how both of these characters seem like good people that you can really pull for. You can see little ways they could support one another if they'd ever finally get together. They also don't engage in self-destructiveness on purpose. They aren't perfect, but they're doing the best they can, sometimes against the odds. Tightly paced, with meticulous and consistent characterizations and motivations supported by interesting and often mysterious back stories. I was riveted. One of Karin's stongest outings lately, in my opinion.

CJ Roshe is an extremely successful real estate agent and more successful at getting whatever woman she wants. She leads a life with no connections and no real roots since it helps her to hide a past and a secret that could destroy everything, but she can't help wonder what it would be like to live with friends and know that she wouldn't have to always be ready to run at the first sign of danger. Nothing would have changed if CJ hadn't had an extra glass of wine one day and run a stop sign in front of a police officer, then been assigned to community service as part of her sentence. When she arrives at a women's shelter to do her time, CJ meets Karita Hanssen who is going to change everything. Karita lives each day as it comes also, but in a very different way. Between her job, hours at the shelter, more volunteer hours at an animal shelter and her friends, Karita has a full life, almost full enough not to miss having anyone special to share it. She's always felt she was touched by magic and she knows that magic will bring someone to her someday. As CJ and Karita build a friendship, they begin to see what each is looking for in the other, but happily ever after only occurs in fairy tales. Reality intrudes threatening the future both women would like to have.

Kallmaker has returned to the style of some of her earlier novels and has written a very strong book. The characters are well developed and the plot unfolds at a perfect pace. Kallmaker shows her experience as a writer in not rushing incidents, but allowing them to play themselves out. The reader is given time to digest the action in the book and absorb its impact on the characters, yet the timeline doesn't drag either. The characters discover things about each other gradually instead of forcing their information onto the pages. Characters are multidimensional and interact with other characters in the book on different levels, showing both strengths and weaknesses as real people would. There are also strong secondary characters who contribute to the story at key plot points. There is a romance here, but there is also a bit of a mystery as the reader begins to wonder what CJ's secret is and how she will resolve the problem once it is revealed. In the end, The Kiss That Counted is also a testimony to friendship and the changes it can cause in person's life. Kallmaker shows with the skill in this book why she deserves such a large fan following.

Here's what I look for in a romance: A good backstory with enough information about the characters' lives so that I can have a sense of who they are. Characters with real personalities. No "strong, silent, brooding "type" in lieu of character development. Characters I can have sympathy or empathy for. A sense of place so that I can picture the characters going through their lives; and, very importantly, a set up that makes sense. I can't abide by a "she loves her but can't tell her because of no good reason. I also want to root for the couple to be together and get a real sense of pleasure when they do eventually get there. I like good chemistry and well written love scenes, but I can take a fade-to-black if the author doesn't want to be explicit.

Here's why this is a very good book. I have a very clear picture of each character in my head. I know where they live and why they live there. I have some sense of Denver, where they live. I learned a decent amount about their careers and why they're good at them. I learned a lot about each woman's past and why that past led them to where they are. Their backstories weren't just told to me in a rush, either. I learned little things at various points rather than an information dump. It made sense that each woman was hesitant to take a leap. They were both adults, too, not 30-something children <s>.

When one of the women kissed the other for the first time I got a zing of pleasure. That's really nice! And when they eventually had sex it was very compelling. Not explicit in terms of bodies, but very explicit in terms of emotion. That's hard to do, and Karin definitely got it right.

I can't imagine what more I'd want in this story. That's a big compliment, since I usually have a laundry list of things I'd change about most books. I don't normally read a book twice, but I think I'll make an exception for "The Kiss That Counted."

Karita is a total joy - I just love and admire how she lives her life - I liked her from hello. Moving from Minnesota to Denver two years earlier she is vibrantly a part of her community after being in the Peace Corp for four years.

Thirty-four year old CJ's back story was enthralling and compelling. Her fear that her unflinchingly abusive relatives will hunt her down to Denver (where she has lived for eight years) far away from her eastern US roots was raw and real. That their practice of never letting anyone out of the life of scamming people (much like the 'Irish' travellers that exist today) would lead to her eventual discovery terrified her and the reader felt it. For that reason alone I was hooked by the first chapter and didn't put the book down until the last page, even then I went back re-read parts that I had enjoyed.

The suspense between the characters is quietly compelling. CJ has every reason to hide who she is. One of the most original stories I have read in the last year.

There are wonderful subplots with serious issues: Karita volunteers in an animal rescue office and in a shelter for battered women (the description is so vivid that I can believe it will lead more than one reader to do more for their community), CJ takes under her wing the new guy in the office, Karita confronts sexual harassment in her workplace.

I can't say enough good things about this novel it was a real pleasure! And the author's laugh out loud funny moments are a joy and always placed perfectly int he story.

If you liked this book you will love the author's other titles -
Touchwood
One Degree of Separation
Wild Things
Painted Moon
Embrace in Motion

I have read several of Karin's books and have only liked one. Her style of writing has me wondering what I missed. Her characters are just not developed to me and the "romance" just is not there. I can only say that I will not be re-reading this one. Sorry.

Karin Kallmaker has been writing for a long time. I have read every one of her books and have enjoyed almost every one. This one was quite disappointing.

She introduces CJ Roshe, a woman who was raised by an abusive, unlawful family. CJ lives under the guise of an assumed identity and has built success as an adult. However, her past lingers in the shadows and she never lets down her guard. After receiving a ticket for almost driving drunk, CJ decides to accept community service as a sentence. She ends up working with Karita Hanssen at a local women's refuge. Karita is an all-around do-gooder. CJ and Karita are polar opposites, but something unseen pulls them together without their consent. Both women learn to lean on each other as CJ's past comes roaring back with a vengeance.

Bottom Line -- It took me a very long time to get into this story. The telling of the tale is very disjointed and nowhere the quality of work I have come to expect from Kallmaker. There is no build-up of tension between CJ and Karita. Their coming together is very abrupt. Although expected for this type of book, it was almost surprising to this reader that they actually DID get together before it ended. Even for this Kallmaker fan, this one was a little hard to swallow.

What a surprisingly good read. Surprisingly because I was less than enchanted with Karin Kallmaker's last novels, Finders Keepers and Just Like That come to mind. So, I bought it anyway because I like some of books a lot (Touchwood, Watermark, Carpool, Embrace in Motion) and keep hoping it will be a winner.

And it was. I don't know how to comment on the story without giving too much away and on the other hand don't make it sound too shallow. Because it isn't. Both characters and plot are complex. It is apparent from the beginning that CJ is running from something, primarily personal attachments in any manner, when she meets Karita and can't really withdraw from her charming and caring personality. Both characters have to deal with their past, it clearly affects their present and may affect their future. The story also shows that we are more than our genes and are responsible for our own destiny. Enjoyable secondary characters enhance the story even more.

Kiss that Counted really isn't your 'standard' romance fair. For one, if you're just looking for sex scenes, this really isn't for you. It's so refreshing to have a romance without the apparently required sex scenes every 20 pages. 'They' say it sells, and maybe so, but really. It's getting a bit too much in the lesbian romance genre. And it's not that I mind reading hot sex scenes. Especially when they have something to do with character/plot development, and they can. No, really, I don't. But there needs to be more to a good, enjoyable romance than that or just bill it as porn with a wee bit of plot, just so people know what they are getting (Kallmaker is very good at writing erotica, too.) So, I hope this book sells like nobody's business to show publishers that romances can be about more than sex, that it takes well-developed characters and plot to make a good story. I'm happy to see that Kallmaker hasn't lost her story-telling abilities.

I did love reading this book I mean the characters were all great. I loved the way it was written only I wanted more dialogue but overall the plot and the way it was all explained I liked. I would reccomend this book to anyone.

This is another good Kallmaker story. I seldom find much to criticize about her books. she always crafts her characters carefully and plots with precision. My one problem with this book is that it took me a long time to figure out who "the Gathering" were and why CJ was so anxious to stay away from them. Even after we know more about her father and aunt Bitty, the gathering is still nebulous. I think it would have helped the reader to understand Cj if we had a better grasp of her background. I won't say more about it, but will leave it to each reader to make the connections.
Karita is easy to understand, but there is much about CJ that is hidden until almost the end of the book. It kept me reading because I wanted to know who she is and why her life is as it is. The romance is not one where we can be positive that all is well (except that KK always gets the main characters together). I thought that perhaps this story might be the exception until the plot twists that worked out the problems.

a worthwhile read.