Customer Reviews

Kissing Games of the World: A Novel

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a huge fan of Sandi Kahn Shelton's work but Kissing Games of the World is her best yet. I was hooked from the first sentence to the last -- couldn't put it down. I fell in love with the characters (even the obnoxious ones) and like the very best books of the world - I found myself wondering what those people were up to long after I had read the last page. Besides being an engaging story it is seamless and beautifully crafted. The dialogue rings true, the descriptions sing on the page and the plot moves along with perfect pacing. Can't wait for her next book!

I am an avid reader and have a mountain of books to be read all over my house. I can usually tell from the get go whether or not a book will pull me into the story. I was intrigued with "Kissing Games of the Universe" when I first spotted it at Target last year. I got it and put it off reading for a long time. I knew I was going to enjoy it, bt I needed the right time to start. I also got Sandi's other 2 books in case I liked "Kissing" and had a craving for her other books, I would have them around. I am odd that way. If I think I will like a book or a writer, I get as many books by him/her and keep them.
Well, yesterday was the right time for me to read "Kissing Games" and I am SOO glad I did. What a wonderful read!! I did not want it to end. I cried; I laughed; I cried again; I slowed down reading it so it would last longer. I just plain did not want it to end. If the book was 500 pages longer, I would have continued. Never mind that I was up most of the night.
I still hear the characters' voices in my head. I caught myself re-reading passages. I loved the characters- especially Nate and Jaimie bt the kids too and even the "annoying" characters appealed to me. I want a sequel, I need a sequel, I must have a sequel...no fair, as my 7-yr-old would say, that Sandi drops this wonderful literary gem into our hands bt does not continue...life is about to get even more complicated.
I like a book that would inspire me, grab me and keep me there with it. I don't necessarily care for syrupy love stories with little to no depth. I do appreciate complex characters and situations and this book offers me all that. I really have mixed feelings about those open-ended endings or too true-to-life endings. I mean, a book is a journey that I hope will take me places and take me home safely. So, I feel that this book did a wonderful job with the arc of the characters. It is an uplifting, complex study of flawed characters who come to find love, redemption, forgiveness and happiness...maybe not all in this order.
Thank you Sandi for a wonderful read!! I want more!!

Sandi Shelton has written another magnificent and entertaining novel with characters that come to life so well I actually feel I am walking around with them. This novel is a little different from her first two in that we get a male as well as female perspective. This novel is full of dynamic characters, a fresh and compelling plot, and a lively dose of romance against a backdrop of human frailty. A great read! I can't wait for her next one!

I've read all of Sandi Shelton's books, and this one is by far the best. I read it on a day when it was dismal and rainy, and I gulped the book down along with pots of tea. By the end of this novel, I felt like I could face the world and smile while doing it! The main characters, Jamie and Nate, have great banter and a terrific sexual chemistry. The plot zips along, and the kids are adorable without being sickeningly sweet. The tragedies -- and the humor -- in this book are universal. But what I admire most about Shelton's writing is how she creates a complete world with sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and lots of 3D characters who are wonderfully drawn. Even the most peripheral characters are uniquely themselves. I don't know how she makes writing look so easy, but I can't wait for her next novel. I'm planning to give this book as a Christmas gift to several friends and my mom, too!

An intensely flawed man, an independently strong yet non-confidant woman pulled together by forces outside their control. Shelton's writing is smooth and forward focused; the only item lacking was a touch of intrigue. Great summer read.

This was a wonderful book. It had this easy, slow pace, like drinking ice tea on the porch a nice summerday. I am not saying it was like that all the time. Oh no, it had ups and downs and I wanted to kick someone. But the language was like that.

They all had issues. Jamie had man issues, she was overprotective of her son, but that was understandable since he had asthma. But she did not let anyone get close really. She had let Harris though. Then there is Nate who had severe father issues. These two clashed at once. He did not like to find her in his old home, and he was thinking she had slept with his dad. She saw him as he was, a harsh idiot sometimes. Those were also the times I wanted to give him a kick. He was certainly not nice, but yes, issues. The only two that had some hope and seemed normal were the kids. Oh they were lovely, talked all the time and saw truth. The author did a wonderful job with everyone really. People do have issues.

This is not a romance, it is a book about loss, finding yourself, hope and love. These two people really deserve to be loved. Nate does have a fiancee' but does he love her, or does he just need someone there. It is not like he meets her a lot either. Jaime is a single mum with a minimum lovelife. Her sister tries to get her to date but to no avail. Then these two meet, harsh words, but passion underneath, and slowly something starts to build up. Something that could get torn down any minute.

This book grabs a hold of you, and you keep reading, while sitting on that porch. The language flows easily. There is no I either hate or love these characters, no grey zones. They all had flaws, they were human, and yes they did and said stupid things. But she made it easy to still like them, and love some. And yes get angry at some too of course.

I can't remember who talked about it, but it was about titles in books, and I found this one here. It fitted Nate perfectly.

This book did have some underlying sexual tension and sparkling romance wanting to get through. I enjoyed their awkward dance and waited for them to see the light. They were meant to be, but the road there seemed rocky to say the least.

It was a book with many layers, and I did enjoy them all. To see life go by in their lives as they struggles with their new roles. I was pleasantly surprised.


Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: A nice, simple yet beautiful cover that fits the tone of the book.
Reason 4 Reading: Review copy from the publisher
Final thoughts: A sweet, and nice read.

This is a wonderful book. Well written, engaging, fun, poignant, believable, romantic, thoughtful, with well-drawn characters. Highly worth reading, but beware, you may find it hard to put down! All Sandi Kahn Shelton's books are terrific, but this is her best yet!

This book has a beautiful cover and that's why I picked it off the bookshelf at first. Once I started it reading it, I enjoyed it even more because I know or have heard of most places mentioned in this book-I live in Connecticut. It is a fast and easy read and it kept me up really late. Most of the characters are likable, although there were some I grew to despise: Harris the old man who dies early on in the book, his son Nate and Trace, little Arley's father. Jamie's character is sincere, kind and warm, her sister Lucy seems intelligent but drifts from one man to the next which is unhealthy for anyone. There were some mistakes in grammar and probably the book needs some more proofreading, luckily they do not take away from the story. I am glad the cover does not too whimsical like many similar books nowadays. I may not have looked at it twice. I would not classify it as chick-lit either, underneath the funny situations are serious issues that many people can relate to. Overall, it is a good story, would probably make a good romantic comedy if put on screen and it will keep you entertained.

Kissing Games of the World: A Novel, is a fast page turner. A man's death in Chester, Connecticut, rearranges already complex family relationships. Love develops between two unlikely people. Life goes
on but the complexities remain; such is love. I would recommend this book to anyone because of the writing style that draws you in immediately with
a plot that keeps you involved to the end.

Nate, widower, is estranged from his father and his five year old son, Christopher. He spends his life as a successful jet setting salesman. Jamie is a struggling artist raising her son after her boyfriend left her when Arley was born. When Nate's father dies unexpectedly of a heart attack, it is time for Nate to step up and take responsibility for his son. He arrives at his father's Connecticut home to find Jamie in residence. Knowing his father had always been a "ladies man" he immediately assumes the worst. And Jamie is none to pleased to see this man who has never had time for his son. Sparks start to fly as each tries to grab the high moral ground.

This tale of two wounded people trying to make headway in life was cute and enjoyable. And it seemed at times as if the children were the real "grownups" in the story. Kissing Games of the World is a light read about overcoming the things that have held us back in relationships.