Raspberry Sherbet Kisses

by Ellyn Bache

The first kiss reminded her of raspberry sherbet...

And no man's kiss has since matched that wonderful, summery essence in all its glory.LilyRose knows her rare ability to see sounds and taste shapes--synesthesia--is a gift that defines who she is...but it's also made her an object of ridicule.

And made her an outcast. That is, until a mean-spirited customer mocks a young girl--and kindred spirit--she's befriended. Years of repression suddenly give way when LilyRose hurls a basket at that customer. And finds herself being escorted from her shop in handcuffs!

For decades LilyRose has searched for that special man who could teach her to embrace her uniqueness. She just didn't expect to find him waiting to pick her up from jail....

Genres: Romance

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

Ellyn Bache is the author of nine novels, including Safe Passage, which was made into a movie starring Susan Sarandon, and The Art of Saying Goodbye, which was chosen as an “Okra Pick” by the Southeastern Independent Booksellers Alliance. She began her career writing short stories for women’s magazines like McCall’s and Good Housekeeping, some of which have recently been collected in Kaleidoscope: 20 Stories Celebrating Women’s Magazine Fiction. She has also published dozens of literary stories, including those which appeared in a collection that won the Willa Cather Fiction Prize. After many years living in Wilmington, NC, she moved to Greenville, SC, a lovely city but much too far from the ocean. Visit her at www.ellynbache.com

Reviews

[Anonymous · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable quick romp through romance and family.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet clean read. Could have had more grit.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet story appropriate for any age reader. It follows young LilyRose, who wants to keep her synesthesia a secret, yet yearns for the raspberry sherbet flavor she experienced with her first kiss. The word synesthesia is used a lot in the beginning of the book, probably to introduce the reader to the concept, but it becomes more subtle throughout, simply describing the colors and shapes LilyRose experiences either by the sounds of music or a person's voice. It's a quick, easy read and something of a slow burn if you're into those types of romances.

Some of my favorite passages from the book:

"One thing some synesthetes see is pain, and right then, I could see it very clearly in front of my eyes: a thin metallic, vertical line."

"Yet at the first sign of anything she perceives as a danger to me, she becomes the drawbridge the enemy has to cross in order to storm the castle."

"It's entirely to Alex's credit that his laugh comes out sounding like silver sparkles and not nasty little red darts."

"...without warning the honeyed glow of friendship tightens into something more urgent, part yearning and part pleasure, threading through my belly like a promise."

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed learning about synesthesia. Enjoyed the book, too, but the ending seemed abrupt.

[Sumayyah · Rating 2 out of 5]

There could have been so much more to this book. The main character suffers from synesthesia, but her condition is hardly mentioned at all, save a few "shh, don't say that out loud" and some "oh, this tastes like cool glass" moments. In addition, the romance felt rushed and unrealistic.

[Esther · Rating 2 out of 5]

An extra star for being an enjoyable poolside read, but an emotionally dense story and an unrealistic take on life as a synesthete.