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A Kiss in the Dark
When the lights go out at a Georgia high school football game, Macy Atwood finds herself in the arms of a boy who kisses her senseless – but is gone by the time the lights come back on. All she knows is that there was something special – and oddly familiar – about her mystery kisser.
Noah Granger, Ridgedale’s resident bad boy and newest transfer student, has no problem taking credit for the kiss, but Macy can’t shake the feeling that he’s lying. Especially since a photograph of Macy and former star football player Joel Hargrove resurfaced online moments before the blackout, a not-so random reminder of how hard she fell for Joel last year. And how doing so ultimately sent her lifelong friendships with Meredith Kopala and Ben Collins up in literal smoke.
Soon junior year’s wounds begin to reopen as Macy realizes the events that unfolded are somehow tied to her mystery kisser. Discovering how means finally facing what really went wrong with Meredith, Ben, and Joel – and finding out what Noah is covering up.
But the closer Macy gets to figuring it all out, the more she starts to worry that the boy who kissed her in the dark and the boy who is stealing her heart might be two very different people.
Noah Granger, Ridgedale’s resident bad boy and newest transfer student, has no problem taking credit for the kiss, but Macy can’t shake the feeling that he’s lying. Especially since a photograph of Macy and former star football player Joel Hargrove resurfaced online moments before the blackout, a not-so random reminder of how hard she fell for Joel last year. And how doing so ultimately sent her lifelong friendships with Meredith Kopala and Ben Collins up in literal smoke.
Soon junior year’s wounds begin to reopen as Macy realizes the events that unfolded are somehow tied to her mystery kisser. Discovering how means finally facing what really went wrong with Meredith, Ben, and Joel – and finding out what Noah is covering up.
But the closer Macy gets to figuring it all out, the more she starts to worry that the boy who kissed her in the dark and the boy who is stealing her heart might be two very different people.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2018
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1581 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
April 6, 2018
RATING: 3.5/5
(...) there are the times when photographs capture perfectly the things we failed to see, things we didn’t even know about ourselves
Another cute, swoon-worthy read by Gina Ciocca. I’m not a fan of the cover honestly. It’s too similar to the author’s other book Last Year’s Mistake and a bit too cheesy for my taste.
As for the story, it was a nice, romantic, short read. The first 70% of this was fairly average but the twist at the end really shocked me and made me want to rate this higher than just 3 stars. The story took a turn that disrupted everything I thought I knew and I loved it❤️
Overall, really enjoyable and I recommend it!
(...) there are the times when photographs capture perfectly the things we failed to see, things we didn’t even know about ourselves
Another cute, swoon-worthy read by Gina Ciocca. I’m not a fan of the cover honestly. It’s too similar to the author’s other book Last Year’s Mistake and a bit too cheesy for my taste.
As for the story, it was a nice, romantic, short read. The first 70% of this was fairly average but the twist at the end really shocked me and made me want to rate this higher than just 3 stars. The story took a turn that disrupted everything I thought I knew and I loved it❤️
Overall, really enjoyable and I recommend it!
April 6, 2018
Well, this was a disappointment. With a cover like that, I expected lots of swoony goodness, but what I got was :
1) Homecoming drama
2) More homecoming drama
3) Even more homecoming drama.
And it wasn't even the kind of drama that kept me glued to the pages. Everything seemed so pointless and easily something that could have been solved with communication. There were a bazillion characters here too and no one was fleshed out as deeply as they could have been. Ultimately, they wound up being bland and unmemorable. I wasn't expecting a deep story or anything, but I was hoping that there would be a good intense romance and an entertaining storyline. The romance was barely an element of the story. There are 3 potential love interests in the book and they were all really uninteresting to me. I honestly don't even have much more to say about A Kiss in the Dark. The writing was decent, I guess? Anyways, this was definitely not the book for me!
March 22, 2018
Just piping up to say that I wrote this book, and I am very grateful to those of you who have taken the time to read and review it. A KISS IN THE DARK was inspired in part by a Superbowl commercial, and even though there is a literal kiss in the dark, it very much becomes a metaphor for not seeing what's right in front of you. I hope you enjoy the story of Macy's mystery kiss! If you do, and if you post a review of it (or any of my books - I am also the author of LAST YEAR'S MISTAKE and BUSTED), I'd greatly appreciate if you would also cross-post to Amazon! There are prizes available for doing so, up until March 28th: http://writersblog-gina.blogspot.com/...
April 30, 2018
It's amazing how much things can change in a few years? For Macy Atwood, when she started high school - she was a cheerleader, had good friends and two guys that she was happy with. Then the incident happened and fast-forward to now. Macy is no longer in front of the cameras as a cheerleader, but behind the lens, her friends no longer chat with her and the two guys she has spoken with since that night that changed everything. It's Macy's senior year, and she is busy snapping photos at the football game and thinking how life could have been different when the lights go out, and she is kissed in the dark. When the lights come on, the guy is gone. There is something familiar about the kiss and as we learn can be one of three guys? Is it Ben, her old friend, and potential crush but someone she hasn't had a proper conversation since the incident, Joel - the guy who was her friend and then stood her up the night of the homecoming dance or Noah - the new guy and her on/off boyfriend. I had hopes of who it might have been and when it was revealed, I was pleased. I have to admit though that the ending of this book I did not see coming with the twists of Joel and Noah's stories. A Kiss in the Dark does do a lot of flipping between past and present, so be aware of that when you are reading it. I have to admit though I did have higher hopes for this book as did feel that the Kiss in the Dark storyline was a bit of a letdown. I felt that the author could have done more for this part, she could have added a Cinderella searching theme but gender reversal where Macy could be searching for her Kiss in the Dark. Overall, if you are in the mood for a sweet YA read, then A Kiss in the Dark by Gina Ciocca is the read for you.
December 17, 2018
You can find this review and others on my blog shades of paper
I was pretty curious with the premise of the book, so I decided to pick this book up since I felt I was in the middle of a tiny reading slump and wanted something quick an easy to get into, and till this point I don’t know if I regret that decision, because I didn’t like this book at all. I had such high expectations and I ended up pretty disappointed.
Hear me out. The main issue why I disliked the story and made me lower my rating that much was because I hate seeing this trope in any type of book. I don’t like where I see in a book that our main character is head over heals in love with her love interest and suddenly something happened in the story in the last 30 pages that made her suddenly realice she loved the other guy who’s been in love with her throughout the entire novel. And this book was just about that. The entire time.
So yeah, apart from that I wasn’t the biggest fan of the cast of characters that were introduced. Neither of them stood out to me and the interactions between them sometimes felt quite forced and their conversations were a bit unrealistic and mindless, and they didn’t add much to the story.
I also didn’t like the use of a character being gay as a shocking factor, and this one did that at a particular moment of the story, so that made me not enjoy the book as much as I expected.
The book was told in present and past tense, having flashbacks so the reader could understand what happened in junior year that affected those characters, but I was pretty confused the entire time and I couldn’t distinguish sometimes when I was reading the flashbacks and when I wasn’t, so there were a few times where I was mixing both.
Overall, I think the premise of the novel seemed pretty interesting but I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t a book for me, because I had issues with the story and the characters, and despite being quite a fast paced book, that didn’t redeemed everything that I didn’t like.
I was pretty curious with the premise of the book, so I decided to pick this book up since I felt I was in the middle of a tiny reading slump and wanted something quick an easy to get into, and till this point I don’t know if I regret that decision, because I didn’t like this book at all. I had such high expectations and I ended up pretty disappointed.
Hear me out. The main issue why I disliked the story and made me lower my rating that much was because I hate seeing this trope in any type of book. I don’t like where I see in a book that our main character is head over heals in love with her love interest and suddenly something happened in the story in the last 30 pages that made her suddenly realice she loved the other guy who’s been in love with her throughout the entire novel. And this book was just about that. The entire time.
So yeah, apart from that I wasn’t the biggest fan of the cast of characters that were introduced. Neither of them stood out to me and the interactions between them sometimes felt quite forced and their conversations were a bit unrealistic and mindless, and they didn’t add much to the story.
I also didn’t like the use of a character being gay as a shocking factor, and this one did that at a particular moment of the story, so that made me not enjoy the book as much as I expected.
The book was told in present and past tense, having flashbacks so the reader could understand what happened in junior year that affected those characters, but I was pretty confused the entire time and I couldn’t distinguish sometimes when I was reading the flashbacks and when I wasn’t, so there were a few times where I was mixing both.
Overall, I think the premise of the novel seemed pretty interesting but I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t a book for me, because I had issues with the story and the characters, and despite being quite a fast paced book, that didn’t redeemed everything that I didn’t like.
November 11, 2017
I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
Macy is starting off senior year in a way that she never imagined: down 3 friends, not on the cheerleading team, and on the sidelines taking photos. She had everything going for her junior year with her best friends Meredith, Ben and Jadie, and she was crushing hardcore on the transfer student Joel. Homecoming was coming up, and things were looking promising when Joel finally got around to asking her to go with him.
But senior year, Meredith and Ben are not talking to her anymore, and things are ridiculously weird with Joel, who broke her trust last year. The only solid thing in her life is Jadie, who has been by her side for the whole year.
When Macy gets kissed by a mysterious guy during a short blackout in the football field, she tries to figure out who it could be. Even the new guy, Noah, is a suspect since he was close to her on the field and he's been flirting with her since he transferred to the school.
Things are not as they seem, though, and there is one particular night junior year that Macy cannot remember entirely, which makes her believe that something very major shifted the balance of her life. But no one is willing to tell her exactly what happened, so she is trying to fit the pieces together.
She just hopes that her senior year doesn't end up like her junior year: in flames.
Okay, I know I gave it two stars and I feel really bad about it, but this book was just "okay" for me. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. The beginning was very rocky for me. So much that I almost stopped reading it. It was throwing me around and around and I couldn't distinguish which characters were who, and the going from junior year to senior year definitely was not helping. I know that this was to keep the reader guessing and to basically keep them as lost as Macy was, but it just made me mad that I couldn't figure out which character was which person in Macy's life.
Once I finally put the right characters into their proper places, I was a little better. But right off the bat, I called the major mystery. It was so obvious to me that I just wanted to shake Macy and yell at her all of the secrets that were being thrown in her face. Because it was like the sun was right in front of her, but she seemed to be in the only dark, raining cloud - that's how ignorant she was.
The second mystery was pretty good, even though I figured it out about a chapter before, but that one wasn't seen at chapter 3 like the first secret.
I did finish this book and I did enjoy the ending of it. Everything was wrapped up all nice and pretty, even though that's not how high school is at all, but I accepted it. It was just the repetition of everything that really got to me.
I think there will be tons of readers who will love this story and every agonizing teen angst that comes along, but for some reason it just wasn't for me this time. I am very grateful that I was giving the opportunity to read this as an eARC and I am definitely still going to be on the lookout for more books by Gina Ciocca!
Macy is starting off senior year in a way that she never imagined: down 3 friends, not on the cheerleading team, and on the sidelines taking photos. She had everything going for her junior year with her best friends Meredith, Ben and Jadie, and she was crushing hardcore on the transfer student Joel. Homecoming was coming up, and things were looking promising when Joel finally got around to asking her to go with him.
But senior year, Meredith and Ben are not talking to her anymore, and things are ridiculously weird with Joel, who broke her trust last year. The only solid thing in her life is Jadie, who has been by her side for the whole year.
When Macy gets kissed by a mysterious guy during a short blackout in the football field, she tries to figure out who it could be. Even the new guy, Noah, is a suspect since he was close to her on the field and he's been flirting with her since he transferred to the school.
Things are not as they seem, though, and there is one particular night junior year that Macy cannot remember entirely, which makes her believe that something very major shifted the balance of her life. But no one is willing to tell her exactly what happened, so she is trying to fit the pieces together.
She just hopes that her senior year doesn't end up like her junior year: in flames.
Okay, I know I gave it two stars and I feel really bad about it, but this book was just "okay" for me. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. The beginning was very rocky for me. So much that I almost stopped reading it. It was throwing me around and around and I couldn't distinguish which characters were who, and the going from junior year to senior year definitely was not helping. I know that this was to keep the reader guessing and to basically keep them as lost as Macy was, but it just made me mad that I couldn't figure out which character was which person in Macy's life.
Once I finally put the right characters into their proper places, I was a little better. But right off the bat, I called the major mystery. It was so obvious to me that I just wanted to shake Macy and yell at her all of the secrets that were being thrown in her face. Because it was like the sun was right in front of her, but she seemed to be in the only dark, raining cloud - that's how ignorant she was.
The second mystery was pretty good, even though I figured it out about a chapter before, but that one wasn't seen at chapter 3 like the first secret.
I did finish this book and I did enjoy the ending of it. Everything was wrapped up all nice and pretty, even though that's not how high school is at all, but I accepted it. It was just the repetition of everything that really got to me.
I think there will be tons of readers who will love this story and every agonizing teen angst that comes along, but for some reason it just wasn't for me this time. I am very grateful that I was giving the opportunity to read this as an eARC and I am definitely still going to be on the lookout for more books by Gina Ciocca!
March 12, 2018
Rating: 3.5 Stars
I loved the concept of a stolen kiss in the dark. A kiss that felt familiar, but was shrouded in mystery. Macy's search for the identity of the kisser coincided with some friends from the past reemerging in her life. I enjoyed tagging along as Macy examined events from her past in order to figure out her present.
•Pro: The format worked really well for this story. There were several concurrent mysteries running through this story, and all were connected in some way to the events from Junior year, which lead to the demise of some friendships. Ciocca fed us bits and pieces from the past and present in such a way to keep me flipping the pages, and she aligned the past and present storylines in a way that was quite complementary and worked without disrupting the flow of the story.
•Pro: I always enjoy a little mystery in a story, because I like trying to figure it out. I had my suspicions about several things, which I ended up being 100% right about, but there were other details revealed which were surprising, and I enjoyed getting to the big reveal.
•Con: I thought the opening of the book was really strong, but then it stumbled a little. There were some things that seemed a little random thrown out there, but after that, I thought the story hit its stride and I was all in.
•Pro: There was a lot of focus on family. Parents were present, and siblings played a actual role in the story.
•Pro: Some social politics are explored, and I liked the small challenge to the school social hierarchy, and I am always a fan of that.
•Con: I really thought this was going to be a romance. There was romance, but it was not the central focus of this story. Regardless, I still enjoyed the story, though I wished for more of a romantic slant.
•Pro: Friendships are at the heart of this story. It explores the way secrets and lies can impact those important relationships, reinforcing the idea of how vital honesty is in a friendship.
•Pro: Ben was seriously the best guy ever. I wanted to yell at everyone, who was not appreciating him properly.
•Pro: After spending so much time finding out what everyone was hiding and why, I was happy to see Ciocca give all the characters good endings. The ending was really strong, and left me with a very favorable impression of this book.
Overall: A mystery, that led to repairing broken friendships, finding romance, and finding one's true self.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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I loved the concept of a stolen kiss in the dark. A kiss that felt familiar, but was shrouded in mystery. Macy's search for the identity of the kisser coincided with some friends from the past reemerging in her life. I enjoyed tagging along as Macy examined events from her past in order to figure out her present.
•Pro: The format worked really well for this story. There were several concurrent mysteries running through this story, and all were connected in some way to the events from Junior year, which lead to the demise of some friendships. Ciocca fed us bits and pieces from the past and present in such a way to keep me flipping the pages, and she aligned the past and present storylines in a way that was quite complementary and worked without disrupting the flow of the story.
•Pro: I always enjoy a little mystery in a story, because I like trying to figure it out. I had my suspicions about several things, which I ended up being 100% right about, but there were other details revealed which were surprising, and I enjoyed getting to the big reveal.
•Con: I thought the opening of the book was really strong, but then it stumbled a little. There were some things that seemed a little random thrown out there, but after that, I thought the story hit its stride and I was all in.
•Pro: There was a lot of focus on family. Parents were present, and siblings played a actual role in the story.
•Pro: Some social politics are explored, and I liked the small challenge to the school social hierarchy, and I am always a fan of that.
•Con: I really thought this was going to be a romance. There was romance, but it was not the central focus of this story. Regardless, I still enjoyed the story, though I wished for more of a romantic slant.
•Pro: Friendships are at the heart of this story. It explores the way secrets and lies can impact those important relationships, reinforcing the idea of how vital honesty is in a friendship.
•Pro: Ben was seriously the best guy ever. I wanted to yell at everyone, who was not appreciating him properly.
•Pro: After spending so much time finding out what everyone was hiding and why, I was happy to see Ciocca give all the characters good endings. The ending was really strong, and left me with a very favorable impression of this book.
Pictures don't always tell the whole story. Sometimes they are worth a thousand words, and other times they tell a thousand lies. But then there are the times when photographs capture perfectly the things we failed to see, things we didn't even know about ourselves.
Overall: A mystery, that led to repairing broken friendships, finding romance, and finding one's true self.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
January 8, 2018
This review was originally posted on Andi's ABCs
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The first time I read a book by Gina Ciocca was her debut, Last Year's Mistake, in 2015. I enjoyed the book a lot. I really clicked with the writing. So when I saw Gina had another book, Busted, coming out in 2018 I was beyond excited. Read and loved that. And then there was A Kiss in the Dark. A book that sounded like equal parts romance and mystery mixed with a lot of teen angst. I was dying to get my hands on it. And when I did...loved! It was really everything I had built it up to be in my head and I’m so happy.
This book was the perfect mix of mystery and contemporary romance. As a reader what I loved is that I didn’t have the whole story from the beginning. You know that something happened. You know that friendships ended and hearts were broken, it you didn’t know why it happened and who was involved. All it took was one unforgettable kiss in the dark for Macy to go back to that year and unravel just what lead to it all falling apart and to figure out who kissed her and why. It was done really well. I had no clue what happened and how it lead to all the destruction until I was about 70% done, although I figured out the kiss early on.
On top of loving the mystery/romance aspect it helped that I loved the three main people involved, Ben, Joel and Macy. All three played a part in the mess that was their lives and it took a year for them to face it and to try and fix what they broke or missed completely. I highly enjoyed seeing their story unfold and the secrets they were hiding. Plus I admit to being a tad smitten with Ben. Sue me, he’s adorable.
All in all I think this was my favorite book by Gina Ciocca. There is something about her books that I just click with. Her writing style just gets me and I need more of her stories in my life. This is an author you need to check out and this is a book you need to read!
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The first time I read a book by Gina Ciocca was her debut, Last Year's Mistake, in 2015. I enjoyed the book a lot. I really clicked with the writing. So when I saw Gina had another book, Busted, coming out in 2018 I was beyond excited. Read and loved that. And then there was A Kiss in the Dark. A book that sounded like equal parts romance and mystery mixed with a lot of teen angst. I was dying to get my hands on it. And when I did...loved! It was really everything I had built it up to be in my head and I’m so happy.
This book was the perfect mix of mystery and contemporary romance. As a reader what I loved is that I didn’t have the whole story from the beginning. You know that something happened. You know that friendships ended and hearts were broken, it you didn’t know why it happened and who was involved. All it took was one unforgettable kiss in the dark for Macy to go back to that year and unravel just what lead to it all falling apart and to figure out who kissed her and why. It was done really well. I had no clue what happened and how it lead to all the destruction until I was about 70% done, although I figured out the kiss early on.
On top of loving the mystery/romance aspect it helped that I loved the three main people involved, Ben, Joel and Macy. All three played a part in the mess that was their lives and it took a year for them to face it and to try and fix what they broke or missed completely. I highly enjoyed seeing their story unfold and the secrets they were hiding. Plus I admit to being a tad smitten with Ben. Sue me, he’s adorable.
All in all I think this was my favorite book by Gina Ciocca. There is something about her books that I just click with. Her writing style just gets me and I need more of her stories in my life. This is an author you need to check out and this is a book you need to read!
October 8, 2018
4.5 stars
Really liked this cute book .. from the moment of that"kiss" onward it waa really a fun story to follow .. I loved the chemistry between the characters and the ending was really satisfying .. recommeded if you like Kasie West books
Really liked this cute book .. from the moment of that"kiss" onward it waa really a fun story to follow .. I loved the chemistry between the characters and the ending was really satisfying .. recommeded if you like Kasie West books
June 26, 2018
Very cute!
January 16, 2021
This. This is just pure high school drama. It’s like a soap opera copy and pasted into a high school setting. There were so many side plots and issues that were just people NOT TALKING TO EACH OTHER. But not for a few days or weeks. Nooo it was a YEAR of not talking!! I liked the main girl at first, but then she was just annoying because it was so gosh darn obvious who “mysteriously kissed her” (which was the only original aspect of the book by the way but kind of got ruined since I figured out who it was when I was less then 25% through the book). And as soon as she fixes her issues with someone it blows up again and it’s not even because of something she did. Yeah. I wanted to bang my head so many times as I was reading this book. I think lost what was left of my brain cells after what I put my poor brain through by reading this. Sorry brain. Guess this is why I suck at math. Too much life sucking aimless drama. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
December 17, 2018
It was solid writing, and the set-up was done in a way that did feel paced well and intrigued me enough for me to keep on going. I did figure out something partway through that was a major plot point, but it didn't affect my overall feelings. I do think I might have enjoyed this one more were I a little younger than I am now.
August 10, 2021
I waited 3 years to read this book... and guessed the entire "plot" (yes, that includes the ever so obvious "mystery" kisser), in 10 pages.
Good news: I only wasted 10 pages of my life on this book.
Good news: I only wasted 10 pages of my life on this book.
March 6, 2018
The book alternates between junior and senior year. And I lost my train of thought. You know what, YA really works for me when it is like this. First audio, obviously, and second, normal YA with normal people. No angst. Drama, yes, they are teens after all. And romance of course.
Macy loves to take photos (this author seems to have a type), she is nice and normal. I'd love to have had a friend like that in HS.
And then someone kisses her, in the dark. Let the drama begin.
There is Joel who she got close to last year. And as the book alternates we get to see them meeting and becoming friend. But something obviously happened.
There is Noah, the new guy in school, hot and wanting to get to know her better. He is not around in the previous year though. But it could be him.
I wanted to know what happened. Why did she looser her bestie Meredith? And her friend Ben? Why is she not talking with Joel anymore? I did like how it all came together. Oh and kids can sure hold grudges!
I spotted the mysterious kisser when all the players were introduced, so yes that was easy and I was happy.
I spotted the other secret before the first real hint was out. But I did wonder about that when nothing happened (before the end). Juicy secrets.
A nice YA fiction.
Narration
I think this is my 5th? book by Amy Melissa Bentley and I so like her voice. When she started talking I was all, yay, it is Amy! I like her soothing voice and her different characters. She is also really good at YA
Macy loves to take photos (this author seems to have a type), she is nice and normal. I'd love to have had a friend like that in HS.
And then someone kisses her, in the dark. Let the drama begin.
There is Joel who she got close to last year. And as the book alternates we get to see them meeting and becoming friend. But something obviously happened.
There is Noah, the new guy in school, hot and wanting to get to know her better. He is not around in the previous year though. But it could be him.
I wanted to know what happened. Why did she looser her bestie Meredith? And her friend Ben? Why is she not talking with Joel anymore? I did like how it all came together. Oh and kids can sure hold grudges!
I spotted the mysterious kisser when all the players were introduced, so yes that was easy and I was happy.
I spotted the other secret before the first real hint was out. But I did wonder about that when nothing happened (before the end). Juicy secrets.
A nice YA fiction.
Narration
I think this is my 5th? book by Amy Melissa Bentley and I so like her voice. When she started talking I was all, yay, it is Amy! I like her soothing voice and her different characters. She is also really good at YA
November 12, 2018
Not as swoony of a romance as I wanted. The back of the book makes it sound like the central theme of the story is an anonymous romance, but it was more about mending friendships and piecing together what happened at homecoming of the prior year. There was a lot of drama and a lot of miscommunications between Macy and, well, everyone else. She was also fairly clueless. I adored the love interest, and the ending was very sweet. I was expecting this to be more like PS I Like You (one of my favorite anonymous romances) but I still liked it.
March 22, 2018
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Same Review Also Posted On My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
I have mixed feelings about this book. It was fun to read, but honestly I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped. From the blurb and the cover, I expected some swoon worthy romance not some high school drama. The mystery and the twists in the plot were pretty much predictable. The main character was not bad but her ignorance quite frustrated me. I’m not saying it was a terrible read because the plot was entertaining enough to enjoy and some might even love it if you’re into books set in high school. This was actually my first book by Gina Ciocca but definitely not my last.
The book starts with high school senior Macy Atwood attending the football game. Everyone was assembled at the ground, but suddenly when the lights go out, someone kisses her passionately in the dark. Macy gets surprised by the kiss but she couldn’t push him away because he feels like someone familiar that she don’t want to let go. When the lights turns back on, her mystery kisser disappears leaving her perplexed. Macy feels that he is someone she already knows and currently she has two people in her mind. It’s either Noah Granger, the school’s bad boy and transfer student or her ex-boyfriend Joel Hargrove who broke her heart. Noah quickly takes credit for the kiss but she believes that he’s lying. So much has happened on her junior year which ruined her friendship with Meredith Kopala and Ben Collins. Now dealing with the last year’s events, Macy tries to figure out who actually kissed her.
Macy Atwood is an okay-ish character but she’s not my favorite protagonist. I really liked her at the beginning but as the story progressed, she started to annoy me. She seemed too dumb to figure out the answers even when they are right in front of her. I really wanted to strangle her when she can’t see the obvious. Joel is a complex character who’s fighting his own issues. He was always treated like an outsider in his school because he once belonged to their rival school. Noah is the school’s bad boy and and a new transfer student. Okay, there’s nothing special about this guy except for the secret he’s hiding. I really liked Ben Collins. He’s super sweet, caring, talented, and good hearted. I also liked Macy’s best friend Meredith. I felt sorry for Meredith but I really enjoyed the friendship between her and Macy.
The plot was fun but I hate that it was mostly centered around high school homecoming drama. Apart from the mystery kisser aspect, it was nothing original. The mystery and the twists were pretty easy to figure out. I was somewhat disappointed with the romance part. The cover is a bit deceiving because romance is definitely not the major focus in this book. The only redeeming factors of this book are the friendship, the family dynamics, and the diverse aspects. The writing was pretty good and easy to follow. The whole story was told in Macy’s first person POV. I liked the format of this book. The story alternates between Macy’s senior year and junior year so we could see what really happened in the past.
Overall, I enjoyed the book but I didn’t love it. The drama kept me interested but I wish there was more romance, and the secondary characters were a bit more fleshed out. Anyway, the story finally wraps up pretty nicely with a satisfying cute ending.
Same Review Also Posted On My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
I have mixed feelings about this book. It was fun to read, but honestly I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped. From the blurb and the cover, I expected some swoon worthy romance not some high school drama. The mystery and the twists in the plot were pretty much predictable. The main character was not bad but her ignorance quite frustrated me. I’m not saying it was a terrible read because the plot was entertaining enough to enjoy and some might even love it if you’re into books set in high school. This was actually my first book by Gina Ciocca but definitely not my last.
The book starts with high school senior Macy Atwood attending the football game. Everyone was assembled at the ground, but suddenly when the lights go out, someone kisses her passionately in the dark. Macy gets surprised by the kiss but she couldn’t push him away because he feels like someone familiar that she don’t want to let go. When the lights turns back on, her mystery kisser disappears leaving her perplexed. Macy feels that he is someone she already knows and currently she has two people in her mind. It’s either Noah Granger, the school’s bad boy and transfer student or her ex-boyfriend Joel Hargrove who broke her heart. Noah quickly takes credit for the kiss but she believes that he’s lying. So much has happened on her junior year which ruined her friendship with Meredith Kopala and Ben Collins. Now dealing with the last year’s events, Macy tries to figure out who actually kissed her.
Macy Atwood is an okay-ish character but she’s not my favorite protagonist. I really liked her at the beginning but as the story progressed, she started to annoy me. She seemed too dumb to figure out the answers even when they are right in front of her. I really wanted to strangle her when she can’t see the obvious. Joel is a complex character who’s fighting his own issues. He was always treated like an outsider in his school because he once belonged to their rival school. Noah is the school’s bad boy and and a new transfer student. Okay, there’s nothing special about this guy except for the secret he’s hiding. I really liked Ben Collins. He’s super sweet, caring, talented, and good hearted. I also liked Macy’s best friend Meredith. I felt sorry for Meredith but I really enjoyed the friendship between her and Macy.
The plot was fun but I hate that it was mostly centered around high school homecoming drama. Apart from the mystery kisser aspect, it was nothing original. The mystery and the twists were pretty easy to figure out. I was somewhat disappointed with the romance part. The cover is a bit deceiving because romance is definitely not the major focus in this book. The only redeeming factors of this book are the friendship, the family dynamics, and the diverse aspects. The writing was pretty good and easy to follow. The whole story was told in Macy’s first person POV. I liked the format of this book. The story alternates between Macy’s senior year and junior year so we could see what really happened in the past.
Overall, I enjoyed the book but I didn’t love it. The drama kept me interested but I wish there was more romance, and the secondary characters were a bit more fleshed out. Anyway, the story finally wraps up pretty nicely with a satisfying cute ending.
April 28, 2018
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Macy had a rough junior year and is hoping to make the best of her senior year, including mending some relationships that were destroyed last year. When the lights go out at her high school during the football game, Macy finds herself in the arms of a boy who kisses her senseless. The boy seems to know her and everything about him is familiar, but she can't quite figure out who is he.
Noah, the resident bad boy has no qualms about taking credit for the kiss and Joel - her junior crush who bailed from taking her to homecoming is acting weird again.
But Macy is also trying to build a bridge between her best friend Meredith and her former friend Ben after something happened during Junior year as she continues to try and find the boy who kissed her in the dark.
Okay, this book was... Okay.
First, I am very confused because the football game happens at night and when the lights go out, well am I the only one who is confused how Macy still did not see this person? Because I did not get an impression that this was a dome setting (maybe I missed the part?) because otherwise, Macy should have been able to see the person who kissed her. Not really up to how she was so blind that moment.
Two, Macy was a sweet character and easy enough to follow, but oh my god I did not understand how she was super oblivious. Like the signs were everywhere and the other characters knew, but no one apparently bothered to tell her what was going on. I found this beyond frustrating and I wanted to throttle her. She was always confused about Ben and Joel and was questioning their behavior and "mysterious" words the entire damn book and somehow could not see what is in front of her? I find it hard to believe. That, or the character herself really was that thick.
This book takes place during senior year, but we get chapters that tell us what unfolded during junior year. I liked Meredith and I felt so sorry for what she went through.
I thought the romance could have been so sweet, but a lot of the book focused on Macy navigating senior year and a lot of it was about homecoming. I couldn't relate to the obsession of homecoming because when I was in high school about ten years ago, we didn't have homecoming in my school. The romance kind of happens slowly and by accident, but the focus of the book felt like everyone around Macy were mad at her the entire time because she seemed to just...Not get it.
Overall, I found some of the book cute. It was a fast read. I just found some things to not make sense and the whole case with Macy being completely blind to everything was a little frustrating through the book. But, I did find that I still enjoyed it well enough. Also, I LOVED Macy's parents and I was glad for positive parent representation in the book.This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Cafe
Noah, the resident bad boy has no qualms about taking credit for the kiss and Joel - her junior crush who bailed from taking her to homecoming is acting weird again.
But Macy is also trying to build a bridge between her best friend Meredith and her former friend Ben after something happened during Junior year as she continues to try and find the boy who kissed her in the dark.
Okay, this book was... Okay.
First, I am very confused because the football game happens at night and when the lights go out, well am I the only one who is confused how Macy still did not see this person? Because I did not get an impression that this was a dome setting (maybe I missed the part?) because otherwise, Macy should have been able to see the person who kissed her. Not really up to how she was so blind that moment.
Two, Macy was a sweet character and easy enough to follow, but oh my god I did not understand how she was super oblivious. Like the signs were everywhere and the other characters knew, but no one apparently bothered to tell her what was going on. I found this beyond frustrating and I wanted to throttle her. She was always confused about Ben and Joel and was questioning their behavior and "mysterious" words the entire damn book and somehow could not see what is in front of her? I find it hard to believe. That, or the character herself really was that thick.
This book takes place during senior year, but we get chapters that tell us what unfolded during junior year. I liked Meredith and I felt so sorry for what she went through.
I thought the romance could have been so sweet, but a lot of the book focused on Macy navigating senior year and a lot of it was about homecoming. I couldn't relate to the obsession of homecoming because when I was in high school about ten years ago, we didn't have homecoming in my school. The romance kind of happens slowly and by accident, but the focus of the book felt like everyone around Macy were mad at her the entire time because she seemed to just...Not get it.
Overall, I found some of the book cute. It was a fast read. I just found some things to not make sense and the whole case with Macy being completely blind to everything was a little frustrating through the book. But, I did find that I still enjoyed it well enough. Also, I LOVED Macy's parents and I was glad for positive parent representation in the book.This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Cafe
February 11, 2018
I didn't particularly love Gina Ciocca's BUSTED so I was slightly worried going into this; however, I ended up being pleasantly surprised. A KISS IN THE DARK is fast paced as well as fun, and Gina even packs in a surprising twist at the end!
It took A KISS IN THE DARK a while to find its footing. I had a hard time at first keeping Macy's friends and potential love interests - there were THREE, which seemed nutty at the time but Gina brought it together quite nicely by the end - straight. Once I got a handle on everything, though, I found it easy to settle in for the long haul!
A KISS IN THE DARK introduces two time periods - Junior Year (a.k.a the year Macy's life turned into trash) and Senior Year (a.k.a. the year of picking up the pieces). I found the big reveal what happened junior year to be interesting as well as slightly suspenseful. I had my theories as to what had happened, but it was still fun to see everything unfold! I also liked the new revelations that Senior year brought with it.
Macy isn't the most likable character at first. There was something about her that just rubbed me the wrong way; however, as the book progressed, I began to like her more and more. I loved seeing her take charge of her life again as well as go all Veronica Mars when it came to finding that mysterious kisser. I also loved that she had a hobby in the form of photography/yearbook. I found the three potential love interests to be likable and interesting as well. Ben, however, had my heart from the start. He was so stinkin' cute. Plus the ways he would go out of this way to help Macy during their junior year? I was SWOONING!
Despite a slow start, A KISS IN THE DARK is yet another enjoyable YA contemporary, and while it may be a bit premature to say this considering it's only February, I'll say it anyway: it would make for a PERFECT beach/pool side read.
*ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
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It took A KISS IN THE DARK a while to find its footing. I had a hard time at first keeping Macy's friends and potential love interests - there were THREE, which seemed nutty at the time but Gina brought it together quite nicely by the end - straight. Once I got a handle on everything, though, I found it easy to settle in for the long haul!
A KISS IN THE DARK introduces two time periods - Junior Year (a.k.a the year Macy's life turned into trash) and Senior Year (a.k.a. the year of picking up the pieces). I found the big reveal what happened junior year to be interesting as well as slightly suspenseful. I had my theories as to what had happened, but it was still fun to see everything unfold! I also liked the new revelations that Senior year brought with it.
Macy isn't the most likable character at first. There was something about her that just rubbed me the wrong way; however, as the book progressed, I began to like her more and more. I loved seeing her take charge of her life again as well as go all Veronica Mars when it came to finding that mysterious kisser. I also loved that she had a hobby in the form of photography/yearbook. I found the three potential love interests to be likable and interesting as well. Ben, however, had my heart from the start. He was so stinkin' cute. Plus the ways he would go out of this way to help Macy during their junior year? I was SWOONING!
Despite a slow start, A KISS IN THE DARK is yet another enjoyable YA contemporary, and while it may be a bit premature to say this considering it's only February, I'll say it anyway: it would make for a PERFECT beach/pool side read.
*ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
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November 30, 2022
Actual Rating: 3.7
Let’s talk about the mystery. The whole “who set the fire” thing was exciting. I was not expecting it to be Noah. I thought maybe Ken Davenport did it because we’ve seen how jerky he can be.
The other mystery, the kiss, was not as mysterious. I knew around 100 pages in that it had to be Ben. It’s usually the most unlikely suspect and Macy ruled Ben out almost immediately.
The ending was so cute! I can’t believe Ben had that locket with the Superman S and then Joel gave it to Macy instead. I felt so bad for Ben and it crushed my heart. At least he got the girl in the end. And how cute was the whole picture thing? I was practically squealing when I saw what was written on the back.
Overall, it was a fantastic book and I really liked how the author went back and forth between Junior and Senior year. I can’t help but wonder how it would’ve been if all the Junior year chapters were in order followed by the Senior ones. Personally I think it was great the way it was. Comment what you think!
Let’s talk about the mystery. The whole “who set the fire” thing was exciting. I was not expecting it to be Noah. I thought maybe Ken Davenport did it because we’ve seen how jerky he can be.
The other mystery, the kiss, was not as mysterious. I knew around 100 pages in that it had to be Ben. It’s usually the most unlikely suspect and Macy ruled Ben out almost immediately.
The ending was so cute! I can’t believe Ben had that locket with the Superman S and then Joel gave it to Macy instead. I felt so bad for Ben and it crushed my heart. At least he got the girl in the end. And how cute was the whole picture thing? I was practically squealing when I saw what was written on the back.
Overall, it was a fantastic book and I really liked how the author went back and forth between Junior and Senior year. I can’t help but wonder how it would’ve been if all the Junior year chapters were in order followed by the Senior ones. Personally I think it was great the way it was. Comment what you think!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2018
MY OPINION: ****
Finally, a cutesy romance novel that was exactly what I needed this summer!
It's been a while since I've read a romance novel. I mean like a real, cheesy, fluffy, cute romance novel. I loved this book and everything about it and I'm really glad to get back on track for the summer with this novel!
This book starts off with a kiss. Our main character, Macy Atwood, is kissed in the dark at a football game by a "stranger" who is gone by the time the lights come back on. This is an interesting premise from the start and we get an air of mystery which was definitely an essential factor to loving this book.
We soon meet three possible boys that it can be.
1. Noah Granger. (I couldn't help but think of Hermione Granger every time I read his last name!). Noah is described as a "bad boy" in the blurb but in the book, he didn't really come off as a bad boy to me. We don't get a really big idea of who he really is until the end, to be completely honest. I didn't like Noah at first for whatever reason (I don't even remember why!) but as the story went on, I definitely appreciated his character a lot more and secretly wanted it to be him who she kissed in the dark (and I'm not saying who it was either... unless you want to look at the spoilers!). Noah's a transfer student from the opposing high school and even though a similar character got a lot of crap for it, Noah was mutually accepted by most.
2. Ben Collins. (This made me think of Pride and Prejudice!). Ben was a sweet boy who I really liked overall. At first I wasn't rooting for him because I was surrounded by these other two hot, amazing boys who Macy seemed to really like. Also, Ben had the hots for Macy's best friend. However, I learned to really love him. He was so nice and caring and even though he had some problems when talking to girls, he was romantic and subtle.
3. Joel Hargrove. Joel was a difficult character to relate to because when we saw him, he always seemed detached and distant. He really had a lot on his plate, as Ben says somewhere in the book, and I admire his strength and bravery at being able to really overcome his problems and admit to himself who he really is.
Then we have Macy's friends, like Jadie and Meredith.
Meredith really aggravated me at times. I thought she was little bossy, sometimes almost selfish, and she was overly commandeering. By the end, I sort of understood where she was coming from but still. I don't think she had the right to treat Macy like she did, especially when she didn't understand the whole picture. Meredith, however, didn't really get her fairytale ending or really any closure, which I was a little bummed out about.
Jadie was such a great friend to Macy. She's supportive, she's understanding, and I really loved her character. She was everything Meredith wasn't and I was glad she and Macy became such great friends. There's a scene where she's bullied in the book and I'm glad Macy stood up for her, even if she was the only one. This just shows how true and important friendship is and how it can get you of really tough situations.
This book was told from Macy's perspective from two different time periods: senior year (the present) and junior year (the past). I honestly loved how it was done because as the story went on, everything sort of came together and I really got those "aha!" moments when I realized why something turned out the way it did.
The ending was almost shocking and I can say for myself that I really did not expect the plot twists at all. It was like WOW. But I loved it and I think the book really ended up with a big SLAM BANG POW and I loved how everything all turned out.
Agh I really want to spill but I can't. Because spoilers. SIGH. Please somebody read the book so we can TALK AND FANGIRL!
Overall, I really loved this book and am very interested in reading more of Gina Ciocca's work in the very near future! I would recommend this to readers looking for a mystery romance novel!
Main Character: Macy
Sidekick(s): Jadie, Meredith, Joel, Noah, Ben, etc
Villain(s): Misunderstanding, the past, mistakes, love, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: All of this could happen in real life.
Finally, a cutesy romance novel that was exactly what I needed this summer!
It's been a while since I've read a romance novel. I mean like a real, cheesy, fluffy, cute romance novel. I loved this book and everything about it and I'm really glad to get back on track for the summer with this novel!
This book starts off with a kiss. Our main character, Macy Atwood, is kissed in the dark at a football game by a "stranger" who is gone by the time the lights come back on. This is an interesting premise from the start and we get an air of mystery which was definitely an essential factor to loving this book.
We soon meet three possible boys that it can be.
1. Noah Granger. (I couldn't help but think of Hermione Granger every time I read his last name!). Noah is described as a "bad boy" in the blurb but in the book, he didn't really come off as a bad boy to me. We don't get a really big idea of who he really is until the end, to be completely honest. I didn't like Noah at first for whatever reason (I don't even remember why!) but as the story went on, I definitely appreciated his character a lot more and secretly wanted it to be him who she kissed in the dark (and I'm not saying who it was either... unless you want to look at the spoilers!). Noah's a transfer student from the opposing high school and even though a similar character got a lot of crap for it, Noah was mutually accepted by most.
2. Ben Collins. (This made me think of Pride and Prejudice!). Ben was a sweet boy who I really liked overall. At first I wasn't rooting for him because I was surrounded by these other two hot, amazing boys who Macy seemed to really like. Also, Ben had the hots for Macy's best friend. However, I learned to really love him. He was so nice and caring and even though he had some problems when talking to girls, he was romantic and subtle.
3. Joel Hargrove. Joel was a difficult character to relate to because when we saw him, he always seemed detached and distant. He really had a lot on his plate, as Ben says somewhere in the book, and I admire his strength and bravery at being able to really overcome his problems and admit to himself who he really is.
Then we have Macy's friends, like Jadie and Meredith.
Meredith really aggravated me at times. I thought she was little bossy, sometimes almost selfish, and she was overly commandeering. By the end, I sort of understood where she was coming from but still. I don't think she had the right to treat Macy like she did, especially when she didn't understand the whole picture. Meredith, however, didn't really get her fairytale ending or really any closure, which I was a little bummed out about.
Jadie was such a great friend to Macy. She's supportive, she's understanding, and I really loved her character. She was everything Meredith wasn't and I was glad she and Macy became such great friends. There's a scene where she's bullied in the book and I'm glad Macy stood up for her, even if she was the only one. This just shows how true and important friendship is and how it can get you of really tough situations.
This book was told from Macy's perspective from two different time periods: senior year (the present) and junior year (the past). I honestly loved how it was done because as the story went on, everything sort of came together and I really got those "aha!" moments when I realized why something turned out the way it did.
The ending was almost shocking and I can say for myself that I really did not expect the plot twists at all. It was like WOW. But I loved it and I think the book really ended up with a big SLAM BANG POW and I loved how everything all turned out.
Agh I really want to spill but I can't. Because spoilers. SIGH. Please somebody read the book so we can TALK AND FANGIRL!
Overall, I really loved this book and am very interested in reading more of Gina Ciocca's work in the very near future! I would recommend this to readers looking for a mystery romance novel!
Main Character: Macy
Sidekick(s): Jadie, Meredith, Joel, Noah, Ben, etc
Villain(s): Misunderstanding, the past, mistakes, love, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: All of this could happen in real life.
March 12, 2018
4.5 - Adorable and Wonderfully Swoony
A Kiss in the Dark is a fun and wonderfully swoony YA contemporary story. With a mixture of drama, mystery, romance and humor, this book had me positively entertained throughout the entire time.
When I saw this book on Instagram, the gorgeous cover immediately made me swoon and I was dying to get my hands on it. Then I saw that Ciocca was also coming out with Busted and I just couldn’t pass up requesting for both books. I finished reading Busted a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it! (REVIEW) When I finally got approved for A Kiss in the Dark, I was beyond excited and couldn’t wait to finally read it. Well, I’ll have you know that I absolutely loved it!
During a high school football game, the lights suddenly go out leaving the field in complete darkness. Unexpectedly, Macy Atwoods bumps into the arms of a boy who kisses her passionately. By the time the lights come back on, her mystery guy has vanished. Macy, stunned and confused, knows that her mystery kisser is someone familiar – someone special – she's just not quite sure who. Determined to find out the boy who kissed her in the dark, Macy starts to piece the clues together and soon realizes that to get to the truth, she must deal with old wounds about what really happened during her junior year. How far will Macy go to figure out the mystery kisser who took her breath away? And what if he's not who she expected?
This book was such a delightful read with the perfect balance of mystery, teen angst, and slow burn romance. I thought the story development was great and paced quite well. I also enjoyed the way the storytelling was set up. The alternating chapters told from Macy’s POV both in her junior and senior year kept me intrigued until the end. I really loved the mystery aspect of the story. Ciocca definitely kept me guessing the entire time and the twist in the end – totally took me by surprise! I do have to admit that while I was trying to figure out Macy’s mystery kisser, I had a very strong gut feeling who he was and I really wanted it to be him. Well, I definitely squealed when I realized I was correct. But even though I solved that part, I thought the revelations were done well and I had fun seeing everything unfold.
Macy was a strong lead character. I found it very easy to like and relate with her. She’s caring, loyal, smart, and artistic. I also loved that she had a passion for photography. Adored the other characters too. Jadie was amazing, a great friend, and so likable. Her friendship with Macy was #goals. I even liked Meredith. She was bossy and kind of a mean girl, but she did care about her friends. I thought the parents were fantastic. Macy’s mom was just the best and I loved her to pieces. Her relationship with Macy was so endearing.
Macy’s potential love interests were fun to read about. Noah was mysterious, flirty and charming. Joel didn’t appeal to me at first. There was something off about him, but in the end he surely won me over. But Ben... Ben, Ben, Ben... that boy totally had my heart from the very beginning. He was easy going, friendly, caring, and super sweet. Swooned so hard over his friendship with Macy and the way he always tried to just be there for her. All in all, I really enjoyed getting to know these guys and seeing how they interact with Macy. They certainly created more conflict and drama than the girls. There were things that could have been avoided if they were just honest... but, what’s the fun in that?!
I'm so smitten with Gina Ciocca’s stories and this book is by far my favorite! A Kiss in the Dark is fun, heartwarming, and adorable. There are so many things I loved about this book – great friendships, lovable characters, sweet romances, and important life lessons. I truly enjoyed this novel and my heart was so full of happy with how Ciocca beautifully ended the story. So excited to read whatever she writes next and you should totally add this and her other books to your TBR.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
To read more of my reviews, go to Sincerely Karen Jo
A Kiss in the Dark is a fun and wonderfully swoony YA contemporary story. With a mixture of drama, mystery, romance and humor, this book had me positively entertained throughout the entire time.
When I saw this book on Instagram, the gorgeous cover immediately made me swoon and I was dying to get my hands on it. Then I saw that Ciocca was also coming out with Busted and I just couldn’t pass up requesting for both books. I finished reading Busted a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it! (REVIEW) When I finally got approved for A Kiss in the Dark, I was beyond excited and couldn’t wait to finally read it. Well, I’ll have you know that I absolutely loved it!
During a high school football game, the lights suddenly go out leaving the field in complete darkness. Unexpectedly, Macy Atwoods bumps into the arms of a boy who kisses her passionately. By the time the lights come back on, her mystery guy has vanished. Macy, stunned and confused, knows that her mystery kisser is someone familiar – someone special – she's just not quite sure who. Determined to find out the boy who kissed her in the dark, Macy starts to piece the clues together and soon realizes that to get to the truth, she must deal with old wounds about what really happened during her junior year. How far will Macy go to figure out the mystery kisser who took her breath away? And what if he's not who she expected?
This book was such a delightful read with the perfect balance of mystery, teen angst, and slow burn romance. I thought the story development was great and paced quite well. I also enjoyed the way the storytelling was set up. The alternating chapters told from Macy’s POV both in her junior and senior year kept me intrigued until the end. I really loved the mystery aspect of the story. Ciocca definitely kept me guessing the entire time and the twist in the end – totally took me by surprise! I do have to admit that while I was trying to figure out Macy’s mystery kisser, I had a very strong gut feeling who he was and I really wanted it to be him. Well, I definitely squealed when I realized I was correct. But even though I solved that part, I thought the revelations were done well and I had fun seeing everything unfold.
Macy was a strong lead character. I found it very easy to like and relate with her. She’s caring, loyal, smart, and artistic. I also loved that she had a passion for photography. Adored the other characters too. Jadie was amazing, a great friend, and so likable. Her friendship with Macy was #goals. I even liked Meredith. She was bossy and kind of a mean girl, but she did care about her friends. I thought the parents were fantastic. Macy’s mom was just the best and I loved her to pieces. Her relationship with Macy was so endearing.
Macy’s potential love interests were fun to read about. Noah was mysterious, flirty and charming. Joel didn’t appeal to me at first. There was something off about him, but in the end he surely won me over. But Ben... Ben, Ben, Ben... that boy totally had my heart from the very beginning. He was easy going, friendly, caring, and super sweet. Swooned so hard over his friendship with Macy and the way he always tried to just be there for her. All in all, I really enjoyed getting to know these guys and seeing how they interact with Macy. They certainly created more conflict and drama than the girls. There were things that could have been avoided if they were just honest... but, what’s the fun in that?!
I'm so smitten with Gina Ciocca’s stories and this book is by far my favorite! A Kiss in the Dark is fun, heartwarming, and adorable. There are so many things I loved about this book – great friendships, lovable characters, sweet romances, and important life lessons. I truly enjoyed this novel and my heart was so full of happy with how Ciocca beautifully ended the story. So excited to read whatever she writes next and you should totally add this and her other books to your TBR.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
To read more of my reviews, go to Sincerely Karen Jo
May 12, 2020
Enjoyable easy read. It started out a little confusing introducing a lot of characters at once so it was hard to keep everyone straight but as the story progressed i found myself not wanting to put the book down. At some points I did have to remind myself that it was based around teenagers because communication could have solved a lot of issues however I remember being a teenager and communication isn’t something they’re great at. Unfortunately like in real life, the characters were concerned with friendships and school drama instead of taking time to consider themselves and happiness. It was a very angsty book but fun too. Ciocca touched on some controversial topics but didn’t overwhelm the plot with them.
I did greatly enjoy having LGBTQ characters in the story. A lot of kids struggle with their sexuality and it’s not addressed enough, in books or regular life as normal. Finding a book geared towards teens that has gay or lesbian characters gives them someone to relate too instead of the typical M/F relationships.
The character I found most interesting was Macy’s mom- she was loving, protective and so so sassy. I loved that she stood up for Macy and always had her back. And Jadie is a great model for young girls reading- be yourself and don’t take shit from anyone. She was very level headed and matural compared to the rest of the gang. The rest; Macy, Ben, Joel, Meredith, Noah- they were all typical teenagers. I found them pretty ordinary kids trying to figure out hormones, the future and life.
I did greatly enjoy having LGBTQ characters in the story. A lot of kids struggle with their sexuality and it’s not addressed enough, in books or regular life as normal. Finding a book geared towards teens that has gay or lesbian characters gives them someone to relate too instead of the typical M/F relationships.
The character I found most interesting was Macy’s mom- she was loving, protective and so so sassy. I loved that she stood up for Macy and always had her back. And Jadie is a great model for young girls reading- be yourself and don’t take shit from anyone. She was very level headed and matural compared to the rest of the gang. The rest; Macy, Ben, Joel, Meredith, Noah- they were all typical teenagers. I found them pretty ordinary kids trying to figure out hormones, the future and life.
March 25, 2018
High school drama, it's never interesting unless you were part of it. But weirdly enough, knowing that i hate drama, this one actually interested me, to the point of me staying glued to the pages and finishing it in one sitting.
It was full of secrets which makes you continue on reading to know what happened and what's going to happen, because it alternates between the past and the present, so even though i figured out the identity of the mysterious kisser way in the beginning, i continued on reading because the book just grabs you and doesn't let go.
I did want to see more of Macy and the mysterious kisser at the end though after they got together, because i felt there not enough romance.
Nonetheless, it was a fun, interesting and very enjoyable read.
It was full of secrets which makes you continue on reading to know what happened and what's going to happen, because it alternates between the past and the present, so even though i figured out the identity of the mysterious kisser way in the beginning, i continued on reading because the book just grabs you and doesn't let go.
I did want to see more of Macy and the mysterious kisser at the end though after they got together, because i felt there not enough romance.
Nonetheless, it was a fun, interesting and very enjoyable read.
March 14, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! It was part love story, part mystery and, though I figured out the 'mystery kisser' pretty quickly, and I'm not sure the author was trying to keep it a secret, it kept me totally guessing on other mysteries. It was very well written, the characters were believable and realistic, and the ending was very satisfying. It was also very well edited which, in my opinion, is important in a good read. No typos or grammatical errors, that I remember...
All in all, definitely an author I will be checking out in the future.
All in all, definitely an author I will be checking out in the future.
April 20, 2019
Really good! I love how well written this was. Like I feel like if this happened in real life, this is exactly what would happen. Ben was such a good character, and I can relate to Macy (MC) a lot. Highly reccomend!
August 27, 2020
Just what I needed. Something that kept me intrigued from start to finish, had a bit of a surprise towards the end, and sweet happy romance. 😁
dnf-2024
January 15, 2024DNF 87 %
I’m so bored. It took a turn in a stupid way . I can’t believe I wasted my time . I wish I could get the time back
I’m so bored. It took a turn in a stupid way . I can’t believe I wasted my time . I wish I could get the time back
June 12, 2018
Drama, drama, drama... but dang it, I couldn't stop reading it.
Also, holy awesome plot twist batman! I'm usually good at predicting things, but I didn't catch on to this one until about a minute before it was revealed. Nice, very nice.
Not a big fan of how happy the ending was. Everyone seemed too quick to forget old hurts/betrayals/fears and just be ok with everything
Also, holy awesome plot twist batman! I'm usually good at predicting things, but I didn't catch on to this one until about a minute before it was revealed. Nice, very nice.
Not a big fan of how happy the ending was. Everyone seemed too quick to forget old hurts/betrayals/fears and just be ok with everything
August 28, 2018
But there's no way I imagined it. Someone kissed me in the dark. But why?
And more important--who?
Senior year is not starting as planned for Macy Atwood. Last year, she was on the cheerleading team, crushing on the transfer student, and hanging out with her large group of friends. Until all of that went up in flames, literally. Now Macy has lost two of her closest friends, quit the cheerleading team, and is still struggling with the fact that the boy she liked stood her up last homecoming. But now the season is coming around again, and one night, at a football game, the lights go out and Macy finds herself kissed senseless in the dark. When the lights come on again, her mystery kisser is no where to be found. As she sets out to find the boy who kissed her, old memories and hurts from last year's falling out come back to the surface.
This book looks like a totally cheesy teen romance. And that's what I was expecting; I needed some brain fluff after watching Netflix's movie based on Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before. But this book, unfortunately, didn't live up to my expectations, so I'm giving A Kiss in the Dark 2 stars.
Here's the deal: the writing isn't bad, but the story is pretty boring. The book jumps back and forth between her junior and senior years as Macy, our narrator, trues to figure out who kissed her that night in the dark. Right away she's narrowed it down to only a handful of people. That leaves her with a total of three love interests:
1) Joel Hargrove, the boy who stood her up last year's Homecoming
2) Noah Granger, this year's transfer student, football player, and bad boy extraordinaire who takes no issue claiming that he's Macy's mystery kisser
3) Ben Collins, the boy Macy was trying to set up with her former best friend, Meredith, last year, and now the boy who won't talk to her at all
The issue for me is that none of these characters are particularly well-developed. Most of them are flat, including Macy herself. Aside from all of her romance drama, Macy also has a fair amount of friendship drama--and none of these characters are all that interesting, either.
I've asked myself a thousand times how we went from being friends to floating around one another like ghosts, acting like we no longer exist on the same plane.
Not to mention that this book is just drama. I mean, heaps of it. Like a teen soap opera on steroids. None of it is particularly realistic, and all of it could've been solved in ten pages with a little talking, instead of almost 350 pages of going in circles.
A Kiss in the Dark was just not for me. The drama might appeal to some (actually teen) readers, but for me it was exhausting and ridiculous and very, very childish. However, it's a pretty quick read; I blew through it in 3-4 hours. But that may be mostly because I simply didn't care.
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