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Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?
Being marooned on an island somewhere off the coast of Madagascar with five celebrities sounds romantic and glamorous, right? Wrong. You couldn't find people with fewer survival skills if you tried. Seriously. Cisco may have centerfold abs, but he can't even spell SOS. At least super-sexy Jonah seems to have a clue (too bad about the purity ring). If I'm stuck here much longer, these self-involved head cases might drive me crazy―assuming they don't insult each other to death first. It's like a group therapy edition of Survivor. At this point, I'm pretty convinced that all celebrities should be caged in Hollywood and confined to the pages of US magazine. And, btw, if you're there, God, it's me, Francesca, and I really want to go home. Help!
354 pages, Paperback
First published April 27, 2011
13 people are currently reading
1203 people want to read
About the author
Sloane Tanen
23 books162 followersAuthor of nine books including Bitter With Baggage Seeks Same--being re-released by Bloomsbury January, 2019. New novel There's A Word For That, coming from Little, Brown on April, 2019
Instagram: sloane.tanen
Instagram: sloane.tanen
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
February 23, 2017
“Worrying is like praying for something bad to happen.”
May 14, 2011
Read it! Please. It's funny. Okay, it's no Trollope, but it's a fun young adult summer read.
August 20, 2011
As one of the characters remarks, this is sort of a mashup of Lord of the Flies and the National Enquirer (more like TMZ, I'd say, but whatev). It took me a little while to warm up to this one, mostly because the MC Francesca is kind of a pain in the butt. Also, boy, she has a lot of nicknames, not really confusing, just kind of wtf (it's cute that she notices it, too). But, I digress. Because irrespective of what name she's going by (Bam?), she pretty much stays a pain in the butt through the whole book, although through some clever inexplicable author magic, over the course of events she becomes an extremely endearing PITB that you can't help but feel for and fall in love with. Part of her charm is that she tells a great story, and the other characters come to life through her eyes as the story progresses. The "celebs" are a wacky bunch, each with their own issues and baggage, but they also have real personalities and hidden strengths and vulnerabilities, which become apparent as time on their desert island without rescue peels back the veneer of their carefully constructed personas. Part of the fun is identifying the various characters with their real life counterparts (gossip blogger Dicole Richie is the most obvious example, c'mon you are laughing now, that is funny, admit it!) Anyway, I did come to care about Francesca, who really came to life as the story moved along (and it is really a pretty good page turner, btw, I had to read part of it under my desk after I got to work yesterday!), and although this is not deeply wrenching emotional territory, I did find the denouement moving and tender, something I really wasn't planning on (good thing I was still under my desk, potentially embarassing moment alert). So, this is really a good read, I liked it a lot. I think one of the things I admire most about this is that is takes an idea that is almost a parlor game (one that Francesca and her friend play in the beginning, btw), and makes it fresh, funny, real feeling and a great break from reality. Re-reading that sentence makes me wonder if I've mentioned enough how funny this book is, it's not just a study in Franny's emotional growth. It's clever, witty and smart. In fact it's so good that I put it on my immediate re-reads shelf, and I'm doing that now. So, to sum up, this is a lovely confection, albeit with some substance to it, but still a spun sugar castle that can't bear the weight of too many heavy feet tromping through it. So put on your slippers and enter, don't worry, there's enough acerbic, ironic j'ne sais quois to avoid any diabetes issues, and you will definitely enjoy the trip!
October 19, 2011
DNF
This book was terrible. It wasn't written well, and I absolutely hated every single character, even when I was skimming the end to see what went down. There was obnoxious bad language and disgusting sexual references. And it wasn't like Before I Fall where people actually learn a lesson...these guys stayed disgusting and stupid until the end of the book (from what I could tell by my skimming). So sad - I wanted to like this one! :(
This book was terrible. It wasn't written well, and I absolutely hated every single character, even when I was skimming the end to see what went down. There was obnoxious bad language and disgusting sexual references. And it wasn't like Before I Fall where people actually learn a lesson...these guys stayed disgusting and stupid until the end of the book (from what I could tell by my skimming). So sad - I wanted to like this one! :(
February 4, 2012
Let me begin by saying this review is going to have a lot of spoilers. At least, I think it will. So be forewarned.
***************
To Begin:
"Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?" looked pretty promising from the reviews here on Goodreads. People said it was laugh-out-loud funny...they found the main character, Francesca, relatable. I'll admit, I found myself laughing more than once while reading this book. (Notable: Milan comes barreling after Francesca when she is trying to save the turtle...)
What people failed to mention was the use of profanity in this book. It surprised me that this islabeled Y/A, with all the cussing. Still, I overlooked that, and kept on reading.
Characters:
The first two halves of the book had my full attention. I found myself liking Milan more and more. Throughout the book, she really developed as a character. Eve was okay, as was Cisco. (Though I would've never chosen the name "Cisco" for a character in a book.) Joe sort of melted into the background, only coming in as necessary. I have a feeling he might have been more of an afterthought. Chaz was...Chaz. I liked him sometimes, and other times I didn't. He was kind of self-contradicting.
Now, let me delve into the really important characters, or at least, they are to me: Francesca and Jonah. I wasn't really rooting for them as a couple until the third part of the book (Jonesca, anyone?) and that's why that installment was such a letdown for me. That's where things started to spiral out of control, and become realistic. Ned was a totally unnecessary character, as was his house and everything else involved. There are a million other alternate endings Sloane Tanen could have gone with, but she chose the contrived one. You know: Ned finds Francesca's phone. He charges it. Everyone finds out about said texts to Jordan. What gets me is, why would he even charge her phone in the first place? Also, how were the texts sent? If I try to send a text on my phone and there's not any reception, it doesn't go through unless I re-send it. And I know Ned didn't send the texts. So their rescue didn't make much sense, though in the book the texts supposedly went through by themselves.
Back to Jonah: that wasn't necessarily a surprise. I don't know why, it just wasn't. What was so frustrating about that was the fact that he appeared to like Francesca. The author led you on. I didn't appreciate that at all.
Her mom, dad, and sister also seemed unimportant characters. I guess I might have skipped the beginning entirely and gone straight to the scene with Francesca in the airport, getting into the limo. Her mom and dad could have been mentioned in passing.
Final Thoughts:
The only part I really liked in the third section was when they all sat around together, admitting things about themselves. That was a cute moment, and one that I enjoyed. Otherwise, the ending seemed very rushed, absurd, and contrived On the contrary, the epilogue was quite satisfying, if not a bit unrealistic. The author tied up loose ends, though, and for that I applaud her. That's why this book gets three stars.
Would I read this again? I really don't know. Would I recommend it to a friend? Not anyone under the age of fourteen. Yeah, this isn't literature like "Jane Eyre" or even "Twilight." But those are two completely different things. This is chick-lit at it's best. I enjoyed reading it, and I hope you will, too.
-HomeschoolGirl :)
***************
To Begin:
"Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?" looked pretty promising from the reviews here on Goodreads. People said it was laugh-out-loud funny...they found the main character, Francesca, relatable. I'll admit, I found myself laughing more than once while reading this book. (Notable: Milan comes barreling after Francesca when she is trying to save the turtle...)
What people failed to mention was the use of profanity in this book. It surprised me that this islabeled Y/A, with all the cussing. Still, I overlooked that, and kept on reading.
Characters:
The first two halves of the book had my full attention. I found myself liking Milan more and more. Throughout the book, she really developed as a character. Eve was okay, as was Cisco. (Though I would've never chosen the name "Cisco" for a character in a book.) Joe sort of melted into the background, only coming in as necessary. I have a feeling he might have been more of an afterthought. Chaz was...Chaz. I liked him sometimes, and other times I didn't. He was kind of self-contradicting.
Now, let me delve into the really important characters, or at least, they are to me: Francesca and Jonah. I wasn't really rooting for them as a couple until the third part of the book (Jonesca, anyone?) and that's why that installment was such a letdown for me. That's where things started to spiral out of control, and become realistic. Ned was a totally unnecessary character, as was his house and everything else involved. There are a million other alternate endings Sloane Tanen could have gone with, but she chose the contrived one. You know: Ned finds Francesca's phone. He charges it. Everyone finds out about said texts to Jordan. What gets me is, why would he even charge her phone in the first place? Also, how were the texts sent? If I try to send a text on my phone and there's not any reception, it doesn't go through unless I re-send it. And I know Ned didn't send the texts. So their rescue didn't make much sense, though in the book the texts supposedly went through by themselves.
Back to Jonah: that wasn't necessarily a surprise. I don't know why, it just wasn't. What was so frustrating about that was the fact that he appeared to like Francesca. The author led you on. I didn't appreciate that at all.
Her mom, dad, and sister also seemed unimportant characters. I guess I might have skipped the beginning entirely and gone straight to the scene with Francesca in the airport, getting into the limo. Her mom and dad could have been mentioned in passing.
Final Thoughts:
The only part I really liked in the third section was when they all sat around together, admitting things about themselves. That was a cute moment, and one that I enjoyed. Otherwise, the ending seemed very rushed, absurd, and contrived On the contrary, the epilogue was quite satisfying, if not a bit unrealistic. The author tied up loose ends, though, and for that I applaud her. That's why this book gets three stars.
Would I read this again? I really don't know. Would I recommend it to a friend? Not anyone under the age of fourteen. Yeah, this isn't literature like "Jane Eyre" or even "Twilight." But those are two completely different things. This is chick-lit at it's best. I enjoyed reading it, and I hope you will, too.
-HomeschoolGirl :)
March 2, 2012
First word, if you're a lover of "real" books, don't read it. It's so unbelievably unbelievable that it's unreality became it's main attraction.
I loved Francesca! she is mad at her sister and mother, does a really silly thing out of spite and wins a contest!! She seemed what we are, impulsive and without a care but for our own. and her texts!!! Ha ha!! I wish I had one who'd send me hilarious messages like those!!
A very, very good thing of this book is, it has no romance!!! The usual lust is there, but no everlasting love. it's very refreshing, since every Hollywood book has a romance in them and frankly, I'm tired of it. For not having another tiring romance, I give Ms Tanen a very warm hug!!!
Tis is a light read and the writing is beautiful. It's not an easy job to get a reader immersed in such an unbelievable story, which is not a fantasy but a contemporary read. The writer did it beautifully.
Last word: why did you have to make Jonah gay???? we need someone to crush on!!
I loved Francesca! she is mad at her sister and mother, does a really silly thing out of spite and wins a contest!! She seemed what we are, impulsive and without a care but for our own. and her texts!!! Ha ha!! I wish I had one who'd send me hilarious messages like those!!
A very, very good thing of this book is, it has no romance!!! The usual lust is there, but no everlasting love. it's very refreshing, since every Hollywood book has a romance in them and frankly, I'm tired of it. For not having another tiring romance, I give Ms Tanen a very warm hug!!!
Tis is a light read and the writing is beautiful. It's not an easy job to get a reader immersed in such an unbelievable story, which is not a fantasy but a contemporary read. The writer did it beautifully.
Last word: why did you have to make Jonah gay???? we need someone to crush on!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2011
This was extremely entertaining--I read it at one sitting, which tells you it held my attention. It's over the top,but in an age where someone as useless as Kim Kardassian can get famous simply for being famous, the cult of celebrity itself has gone over the top.
The fake celebrities and the stand in for Perez Hilton are well drawn and Francesca is a funny narrator. However, this is going to date faster than most of the real celebrities and fads that it mentions. Glad I was able to buy it in paperback, so I'll have less guilt about withdrawing it in a year or two when it's sitting on the shelf along with other past flavor of the month sort of books.
Note to timid SCROTUM fearing types: this book includes plenty of recreational drugs, drinking, some four letter words and what the movie reviewers might call "mild sexual innuendo". Very much a YA book, and the sort that the 20 something women who peruse my YA shelves will probably snap up.
The fake celebrities and the stand in for Perez Hilton are well drawn and Francesca is a funny narrator. However, this is going to date faster than most of the real celebrities and fads that it mentions. Glad I was able to buy it in paperback, so I'll have less guilt about withdrawing it in a year or two when it's sitting on the shelf along with other past flavor of the month sort of books.
Note to timid SCROTUM fearing types: this book includes plenty of recreational drugs, drinking, some four letter words and what the movie reviewers might call "mild sexual innuendo". Very much a YA book, and the sort that the 20 something women who peruse my YA shelves will probably snap up.
March 11, 2012
Why read: Received for review
What impressed me: I liked the concept of this book, celebrities in a Survivor-like situation, due to a plane crash. And I actually really enjoyed that each of the celebrities was a cliched stereotype easily compared to different real life celebrities.
What disappointed me: Francesca was utterly unlikeable. She was naive, boy-crazy and inconsistent in both thought and action. It was completely unbelievable that she would win this contest with an essay that contained lies that would have been checked up on. The entire situation surrounding the eventual rescue of the crash survivors was ludicrous and took away from the realism the character's growth created.
Recommended: Not especially. There are better books with similar themes and circumstances. Skip this and read Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.
What impressed me: I liked the concept of this book, celebrities in a Survivor-like situation, due to a plane crash. And I actually really enjoyed that each of the celebrities was a cliched stereotype easily compared to different real life celebrities.
What disappointed me: Francesca was utterly unlikeable. She was naive, boy-crazy and inconsistent in both thought and action. It was completely unbelievable that she would win this contest with an essay that contained lies that would have been checked up on. The entire situation surrounding the eventual rescue of the crash survivors was ludicrous and took away from the realism the character's growth created.
Recommended: Not especially. There are better books with similar themes and circumstances. Skip this and read Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.
January 12, 2013
One word... Hilarious! It made me laugh so hard quite a few times. It is one of silliest books I have read so far. Well, it was silly, but not in a bad way. It might be neither very realistic nor original, but it sure was the kind of book I would read after reading an emotional one. It was that entertaining.
Francesca was so adorable with her wild red hair and sassy attitude. I liked how she adapted herself to the surrounding environment, but not the fact that she "killed" her father. Being with pretentious celebrities during this kind of situation was tough!
The way the author told the story was so captivating which made me unable to stop reading. Besides, the wording was very witty and amusing. I am going to check out more of Sloane Tanen's books.
Francesca was so adorable with her wild red hair and sassy attitude. I liked how she adapted herself to the surrounding environment, but not the fact that she "killed" her father. Being with pretentious celebrities during this kind of situation was tough!
The way the author told the story was so captivating which made me unable to stop reading. Besides, the wording was very witty and amusing. I am going to check out more of Sloane Tanen's books.
June 23, 2011
I first fell in love with Sloane Tanen's work when someone bought me "Hatched" - the little witty chicks and pregnancy book (which makes a fabulous baby shower gift, btw) :) This is her first YA novel and I'm thrilled to be on the same Sourcebooks Fire author list with her. In our celebrity-drenched culture, this novel is not only funny, it's really relevant.
September 24, 2013
This novel was a pleasure to read! It was a cute yet well written story that didn't take itself too seriously. I found it to be surprisingly unpredictable with an entertaining cast of characters. It was light but explored some serious issues. Overall, this was hilarious and fun. I look forward to checking out other books by this author.
June 7, 2011
Really stupid plot. Her phone comments and funny lines kept me somewhat interested. Some parts of the book contained really strange conversations. Francesca, the main character, didn't really seem to care that she was stuck on a desert island.
May 24, 2011
Quite possibly the silliest book I've ever read but it was hilarious... I LOLed many times. Very witty.
July 15, 2011
This book is hilarious!
October 14, 2015
Awful. Was a fan of her picture/Coco books, but this novel was too painful. Stick to Bitter With Baggage Seeks Same.
February 26, 2019
DNF at 30%.
What irks me about some young adult fiction nowadays is the way that teenagers are portrayed. Especially when us as readers exist entirely in the perspective of one of these characters, we expect the character to have depth and presence of mind outside of the one-dimensionality that so many of these teenage characters possess. The first couple chapter of this book — the ones setting the stage and introducing the characters as well as the plot — really highlight this aspect of these cardboard cutouts of what the stereotypical teen is viewed as. Just take this quote:
J,
When is my mother going to LEAVE??? She’s so obviously stalling. Next, she’ll ask me if I have a boyfriend or if I’m doing drugs. Isn’t it obvious that I’ll never have a boyfriend?
Sure, this is a text conversation, but it presents the protagonist as a angsty, shallow, and just plain whiny. Teens don’t speak like this. People in general don’t speak like this. Especially coming from a character who has supposedly gone through things like her parents splitting up and being eloquent and intelligent enough to win a freaking writing contest, it seems like a disingenuous portrayal at best and an insulting stereotype at worst.
There were several people that found this book funny and engaging but for me at least, it’s this constant tell-not-show and shallow characters that made me dislike this book. It could have been an interesting plot if the only the characters had more depth.
What irks me about some young adult fiction nowadays is the way that teenagers are portrayed. Especially when us as readers exist entirely in the perspective of one of these characters, we expect the character to have depth and presence of mind outside of the one-dimensionality that so many of these teenage characters possess. The first couple chapter of this book — the ones setting the stage and introducing the characters as well as the plot — really highlight this aspect of these cardboard cutouts of what the stereotypical teen is viewed as. Just take this quote:
J,
When is my mother going to LEAVE??? She’s so obviously stalling. Next, she’ll ask me if I have a boyfriend or if I’m doing drugs. Isn’t it obvious that I’ll never have a boyfriend?
Sure, this is a text conversation, but it presents the protagonist as a angsty, shallow, and just plain whiny. Teens don’t speak like this. People in general don’t speak like this. Especially coming from a character who has supposedly gone through things like her parents splitting up and being eloquent and intelligent enough to win a freaking writing contest, it seems like a disingenuous portrayal at best and an insulting stereotype at worst.
There were several people that found this book funny and engaging but for me at least, it’s this constant tell-not-show and shallow characters that made me dislike this book. It could have been an interesting plot if the only the characters had more depth.
February 27, 2025
Not predictable
Start with one stereotypical second child who feels abandoned by the one parent who understands her, add a B-list actor and his illegitimate son, a blogger who airs everyone’s dirty laundry, a dyslexic heartthrob and two attention seekers and throw in a plane crash on a supposed uninhabited island and stir!
Start with one stereotypical second child who feels abandoned by the one parent who understands her, add a B-list actor and his illegitimate son, a blogger who airs everyone’s dirty laundry, a dyslexic heartthrob and two attention seekers and throw in a plane crash on a supposed uninhabited island and stir!
November 15, 2021
What if you were trapped on a deserted island with a bunch of teenage celebrities and a gossip blogger? Francesca enters a writing contest on a whim, based on a lie. What happens next is a hilarious look at society’s obsession with celebrity and what it takes to stay popular.
July 1, 2017
The description on the back of the book was funnier than the actual book. It was alright as books go. Not bad. But not necessarily good.
March 5, 2018
I thought it was good but they hurried up And finished the ending
November 28, 2023
This book was light hearted and exciting. It was easy to remember details about the characters. I wish there would have been a tad bit more survival details in a survival book but I liked it.
September 19, 2025
it was entertaining, but also, yikes. very 2000s in the worst way.
May 21, 2011
If you’ve been looking for the perfect, adorable, funny, smart YA beach read, I’ve found it for you. You can thank me later. In the mean time, I hope you’ll go take a peek at Sloane Tanen‘s YA debut, ARE YOU GOING TO KISS ME NOW?. It’s fun, fast-paced, and rife with wit, and I just know you’ll love it!
ARE YOU GOING TO KISS ME NOW? is the story of 17-year-old Francesca, who, after finding out her Dad is not only shacking up with his new, younger, yoga-loving girlfriend, but that he’s gotten her pregnant. In a particularly weak moment, she writes an essay for a Seventeen magazine contest, in which she discusses the horrors of losing her dad. As in, having a dead dad. As in, Francesca has just written something completely crazy and narcissistic and evil, but, whatever, it’s not like her essay is ever going to be read by anyone. Of course, when she gets the call that she’s actually won the essay contest, and will soon be flown to Madagascar to work with some celebrities to promote literacy, it’s kind of a mixed bag. Francesca sort of wants to just tell the truth to Seventeen. Sure, she’ll be giving up the college scholarship part of the prize — a part she kind of needs — but she’ll also be giving up being published in the magazine. Because, you know, Francesca would rather not have the world — or her dad — find out that she lied in the most karmically horrible way to win a contest. Really, it was just a literary purge. Then again, Francesca can’t resist the chance to hang out with celebrities. She doesn’t even know who’s going to be on the trip, but here’s the thing: Francesca has a secret addiction.
She’s not addicted to drugs or shopping or anything like that. She’s addicted to tabloids. PerezHilton.com. Celebrity gossip of any kind. She knows who’s pregnant and who’s breaking up and who’s had botched surgery. And she’d give anything to be up close and personal with celebs, and to write an article about them for Seventeen (another part of the prize — she’ll be recording everything from the trip for the magazine). So Francesca keeps her mouth shut. And before she knows it, she’s off to hang with the people she thought she’d only ever read about in the grocery store checkout.
Of course, meeting the rich and famous never goes the way you think it will. And in Francesca’s case, it probably couldn’t go worse. In a misshap, seasoned actor/liscenced pilot Joe Baronstein lands on the wrong island, overshoots the runway, and crashes their plane in the middle of nowhere. Now she’s stuck on a deserted island with Cisco Parker (Hollywood’s up-and-coming do-gooder and celebrated action hero), Milan Amberson (everyone’s favorite tabloid trainwreck), Eve Larkin (starlet-turned-maybe-arsonist desperately trying to stay out of US Weekly), Chaz Richards (snarky celebrity blogger), and Joe’s estranged son, Jonah Baron (Christian rocker and teen idol). Survival seems impossible with this motley crew, and while every second on the island seems one second closer to Francesca’s ultimate demise, she’s busy snarkily texting the deets to her BFF Jordan (well, pretending to, anyway…it’s not like she has service) in hopes that if she ever gets out of there she’ll have material for her article. And, uh, also just to maintain some semblance of sanity.
With epic sass and brilliant voice, ARE YOU GOING TO KISS ME NOW? is a sure hit for romcom fans. It’s like LORD OF THE FLIES meets GEORGIA NICOLSON meets US Weekly. How could this not be a fun read?
ARE YOU GOING TO KISS ME NOW? is the story of 17-year-old Francesca, who, after finding out her Dad is not only shacking up with his new, younger, yoga-loving girlfriend, but that he’s gotten her pregnant. In a particularly weak moment, she writes an essay for a Seventeen magazine contest, in which she discusses the horrors of losing her dad. As in, having a dead dad. As in, Francesca has just written something completely crazy and narcissistic and evil, but, whatever, it’s not like her essay is ever going to be read by anyone. Of course, when she gets the call that she’s actually won the essay contest, and will soon be flown to Madagascar to work with some celebrities to promote literacy, it’s kind of a mixed bag. Francesca sort of wants to just tell the truth to Seventeen. Sure, she’ll be giving up the college scholarship part of the prize — a part she kind of needs — but she’ll also be giving up being published in the magazine. Because, you know, Francesca would rather not have the world — or her dad — find out that she lied in the most karmically horrible way to win a contest. Really, it was just a literary purge. Then again, Francesca can’t resist the chance to hang out with celebrities. She doesn’t even know who’s going to be on the trip, but here’s the thing: Francesca has a secret addiction.
She’s not addicted to drugs or shopping or anything like that. She’s addicted to tabloids. PerezHilton.com. Celebrity gossip of any kind. She knows who’s pregnant and who’s breaking up and who’s had botched surgery. And she’d give anything to be up close and personal with celebs, and to write an article about them for Seventeen (another part of the prize — she’ll be recording everything from the trip for the magazine). So Francesca keeps her mouth shut. And before she knows it, she’s off to hang with the people she thought she’d only ever read about in the grocery store checkout.
Of course, meeting the rich and famous never goes the way you think it will. And in Francesca’s case, it probably couldn’t go worse. In a misshap, seasoned actor/liscenced pilot Joe Baronstein lands on the wrong island, overshoots the runway, and crashes their plane in the middle of nowhere. Now she’s stuck on a deserted island with Cisco Parker (Hollywood’s up-and-coming do-gooder and celebrated action hero), Milan Amberson (everyone’s favorite tabloid trainwreck), Eve Larkin (starlet-turned-maybe-arsonist desperately trying to stay out of US Weekly), Chaz Richards (snarky celebrity blogger), and Joe’s estranged son, Jonah Baron (Christian rocker and teen idol). Survival seems impossible with this motley crew, and while every second on the island seems one second closer to Francesca’s ultimate demise, she’s busy snarkily texting the deets to her BFF Jordan (well, pretending to, anyway…it’s not like she has service) in hopes that if she ever gets out of there she’ll have material for her article. And, uh, also just to maintain some semblance of sanity.
With epic sass and brilliant voice, ARE YOU GOING TO KISS ME NOW? is a sure hit for romcom fans. It’s like LORD OF THE FLIES meets GEORGIA NICOLSON meets US Weekly. How could this not be a fun read?
June 19, 2011
Are You Going To Kiss Me Now? is a very well written book. In this review I am going to go through characters, what I liked and didn't like,initial thoughts, and after thought. This review will touch basis with possible spoilers, but I won't spoil anything! Promise!
Okay so let's start with the plotline. This story is about a girl named Francesca who is stranded on an island with 5 celebrities and their hilarious efforts to get off. Honestly the summary that Goodreads provides is all you need to know. My summary doesn't give that much justice so ignore it and read the one above. I thought the plot itself was very funny and creative. WARNING IF YOU ARE NOT INTO SOMEWHAT ANGSTY BOOKS THIS IS NOT THE BOOK FOR YOU! If you aren't into the young adult genre, don't read this book. The story contains a bunch of teenage stars and a couplenuttyadults. There is a constant reference to common celebrities which I really liked and I thought the characters were very well developed. With that said lets move on to characters.
Francesca- 16 year old, junior in high school. She is the voice of this whole novel. Personally I really liked how the author pursued Francesca. She is very witty,smart, and funny. Her personality didn't annoy me once this whole story and that was a pleasant surprise.
Cisco- Cisco is a teen superstar. He is very dumb, but overwhelmingly hot. He is also the player in the group.
Joe- He is Jonah's dad. His character is very hard to describe. He has a lot of dimension towards the end but during you beginning I honestly didn't know how I felt about him.
Jonah- Jonah is a full out Christian. He has a purity ring and is also sort of a smart
Milan- She is a snotty celebrity. I hated her at the beginning but she grew on me towards the end.
Eve- Her and Milan are constantly fighting (which is somewhat entertaining) She has substance some of the time and other times she is very selfish (as you will see later in the book)
Chaz- Chaz is like a Perez Hilton. He is very gay (which triggers Jonah's homophobia big time) and he writes a celebrity gossip site. His character is very honest and HILARIOUS!
Overall these characters are very 3D and very real. This book was a fun read, but at any point in the story I could just set the book down which I didn't like because I wasn't so in to the book that "I just couldn't put it down," I could just stop reading whenever I wanted. The only time I had the "have to finish" impulse was towards the end.
What I liked-
The content
The characters
Humor
What I disliked-
The confusion towards the end of the book
Some of the character's attitudes
Wasn't always entertaining
Overall Rating- 4/5 stars
Recommend It?- Yes!
January 31, 2012
What would it be like to be stranded on an island? What would it be like to be stranded on an island with a bunch of skill-less celebrities? Such is the premise of this novel about survival - both in the wilderness and in Hollywood.
When Francesca hears that her father is having a baby with his new girlfriend during a separation from her mother, her writes a fictional story in which she's dealing with his death - a story that wins her a trip to Africa with a bunch of celebrities. All she has to do is document what happens, which seems like a dream come true until the plane crashes in the middle of nowhere. Now she's on a island with Jonah - a Christian pop singer, Cisco - a teen heartthrob, Chaz - a celebrity gossip columnist, Eve - a young celeb dealing with personal drama, Milan - a teen diva, and Joe the adult actor role model. As they try to survive on the island, the truth about each character comes to life as they deal with the thought that they might never be rescued. To cope with trauma, Francesca makes note of all of these soul baring revelations in pretend text messages to her friend at home (although there's no reception so she'll never get them, right?) Will the celebrities make it off the island or will nature be too much for these celebrities?
This is a cute novel that delves into the people's vulnerabilities and desire to keep up appearances, especially when you're a product of the public eye. The book touches on a lot of problems from drug addictions, homosexuality, affairs, illegitimate children, and simply what it means to be scrutinized by the public. I think it did a nice job handling the topics and having the characters grow on the island. At times it becomes boggled down by celebrity name dropping. Also, in the beginning Eve and Milan were interchangeable. I had a hard time remembering which female burned down the house and which one had a drug issue. Could that be commentary on female celebrities or weak character development, I don't know, but come the end of the novel they were a little bit more distinct. Besides those two, all of the other characters were nicely developed with clear motivation.
This is a quirky novel that explores not only the difficulties of surviving in the wilderness completely unprepared, but also the secret, extreme lives of some not-so-picture-perfect-celebrities. In a way it's a tabloid reader's dream novel - even if the celebrities are fictional. It was definitely a fun book that in the end is not all fluff.
When Francesca hears that her father is having a baby with his new girlfriend during a separation from her mother, her writes a fictional story in which she's dealing with his death - a story that wins her a trip to Africa with a bunch of celebrities. All she has to do is document what happens, which seems like a dream come true until the plane crashes in the middle of nowhere. Now she's on a island with Jonah - a Christian pop singer, Cisco - a teen heartthrob, Chaz - a celebrity gossip columnist, Eve - a young celeb dealing with personal drama, Milan - a teen diva, and Joe the adult actor role model. As they try to survive on the island, the truth about each character comes to life as they deal with the thought that they might never be rescued. To cope with trauma, Francesca makes note of all of these soul baring revelations in pretend text messages to her friend at home (although there's no reception so she'll never get them, right?) Will the celebrities make it off the island or will nature be too much for these celebrities?
This is a cute novel that delves into the people's vulnerabilities and desire to keep up appearances, especially when you're a product of the public eye. The book touches on a lot of problems from drug addictions, homosexuality, affairs, illegitimate children, and simply what it means to be scrutinized by the public. I think it did a nice job handling the topics and having the characters grow on the island. At times it becomes boggled down by celebrity name dropping. Also, in the beginning Eve and Milan were interchangeable. I had a hard time remembering which female burned down the house and which one had a drug issue. Could that be commentary on female celebrities or weak character development, I don't know, but come the end of the novel they were a little bit more distinct. Besides those two, all of the other characters were nicely developed with clear motivation.
This is a quirky novel that explores not only the difficulties of surviving in the wilderness completely unprepared, but also the secret, extreme lives of some not-so-picture-perfect-celebrities. In a way it's a tabloid reader's dream novel - even if the celebrities are fictional. It was definitely a fun book that in the end is not all fluff.
June 9, 2016
After reading some of the negative reviews on Goodreads and seeing the low rating, I was a little skeptical about reading it. However, it wasn’t as bad as I would have thought. I found the plot to be intriguing though a bit cliché with the celebrity gossip and whatnot but I did enjoy the actual survival part of the book. There were some facts there that were actually useful if I should ever find myself in a similar situation. Another thing I appreciated was the mini plot twist toward the end – I actually did not see that one coming so I was part pleasantly surprised and part going like “wtf, are these characters stupid or what?”
That being said, I have mixed feelings about Francesca. This is mostly due to the fact that I found her somewhat annoying especially with all those random texts to her best friend. It was like she was journaling her life rather than actually texting someone. If it was because of the survival thing that she started “texting/journaling” her story, then that’s fine but from the beginning, you can tell that that was just how she texted. It was really odd to say the least.
The other characters were so bizarre. They were all famous except for the gossip/tabloid gay guy and they all had their weird quirks and personalities. At first they seemed very shallow but after a day or two of trying to survive in the wild, they actually started to show the depth of their characters with actual strengths and vulnerabilities. It was refreshing to hear about the real side of these famous people rather than what is normally written on those gossip magazines. It’s hard to forget that celebrities and famous musicians are just real people at the end of the day.
The one thing that I felt was a little unrealistic was the fact that after they were saved (spoiler but is it really since it’s a no brainer that they would ultimately be saved), the little epilogue just seemed so fake. Somehow I doubt that will happen in real life but hey, who knows, maybe it will.
Overall, a decent book that was ended up higher than my expectations. Not sure if I will recommend it per say but it wasn’t bad at all.
To read more: http://holedupinabook.blogspot.com/20...
That being said, I have mixed feelings about Francesca. This is mostly due to the fact that I found her somewhat annoying especially with all those random texts to her best friend. It was like she was journaling her life rather than actually texting someone. If it was because of the survival thing that she started “texting/journaling” her story, then that’s fine but from the beginning, you can tell that that was just how she texted. It was really odd to say the least.
The other characters were so bizarre. They were all famous except for the gossip/tabloid gay guy and they all had their weird quirks and personalities. At first they seemed very shallow but after a day or two of trying to survive in the wild, they actually started to show the depth of their characters with actual strengths and vulnerabilities. It was refreshing to hear about the real side of these famous people rather than what is normally written on those gossip magazines. It’s hard to forget that celebrities and famous musicians are just real people at the end of the day.
The one thing that I felt was a little unrealistic was the fact that after they were saved (spoiler but is it really since it’s a no brainer that they would ultimately be saved), the little epilogue just seemed so fake. Somehow I doubt that will happen in real life but hey, who knows, maybe it will.
Overall, a decent book that was ended up higher than my expectations. Not sure if I will recommend it per say but it wasn’t bad at all.
To read more: http://holedupinabook.blogspot.com/20...
September 10, 2011
Francesca is an average high school junior with a secret obsession for celebrity gossip. She devours tabloids and all things celebrity-related but know it's embarrassing so doesn't share it with anyone. On a whim, she enters a magazine essay contest and wins, the prize being a tour around Africa to promote literacy with a group of celebrities; she's expected to write an article about it afterward, which will be published next to her winning essay. She, five celebrities, and a celebrity gossip blogger all head out on this tour, which ends with them getting marooned on the wrong island. It's uninhabited, and there is seemingly no way to leave, nor is there any way for them to contact anyone. Instead of this being a dream come true for Francesca, it quickly turns into a nightmare because all the celebrities are completely self-absorbed, drama-ridden, and completely inept at surviving on their own, the way they now need to.
The premise of this book was a lot of fun and I loved the different personalities Francesca had to deal with. It was entertaining to see how she learned to deal with each one - one celebrity needed her not to show him up, another needed constant reassurance that she was beautiful in order, etc. - and she definitely proved that despite being a "nobody" (as opposed to the celebrity "somebodies"), she had a lot to offer the group, since she was able to rely on old outdoor skills she learned growing up.
The pacing was quick and the plot moved along at a nice speed, despite the plot simply being them stuck on an island together, driving each other crazy. I didn't feel bored at any point, and the author gave all the characters depth despite them being so superficial at first. It was also nice to see the way Francesca began to realize how she was both alike and different from these celebrities, despite having such a completely different life.
This is one of those books that is not life changing but still a fun way to pass a few hours. I think the target audience will especially love it because, once again, what a great premise and execution! The ending was a little too quick and tidy, at least in my eyes, but I enjoyed it overall.
The premise of this book was a lot of fun and I loved the different personalities Francesca had to deal with. It was entertaining to see how she learned to deal with each one - one celebrity needed her not to show him up, another needed constant reassurance that she was beautiful in order, etc. - and she definitely proved that despite being a "nobody" (as opposed to the celebrity "somebodies"), she had a lot to offer the group, since she was able to rely on old outdoor skills she learned growing up.
The pacing was quick and the plot moved along at a nice speed, despite the plot simply being them stuck on an island together, driving each other crazy. I didn't feel bored at any point, and the author gave all the characters depth despite them being so superficial at first. It was also nice to see the way Francesca began to realize how she was both alike and different from these celebrities, despite having such a completely different life.
This is one of those books that is not life changing but still a fun way to pass a few hours. I think the target audience will especially love it because, once again, what a great premise and execution! The ending was a little too quick and tidy, at least in my eyes, but I enjoyed it overall.
June 8, 2011
At First Sight:
The concept of this book is strangely hilarious. I mean, who would get stranded on a desert island with five other celebrities? I was attracted by the fact that it seemed very funny and just interesting. I wanted to know where Francesca would end and how everything would play out.
My Thoughts:
I picked up the book and I couldn't put it down at first. Sloane's voice is real and addictive. It's like talking to your best friend. I couldn't help but think about one of my favorite authors that achieves the same sort of feeling, Meg Cabot. I liked how the beginning moved. It was nicely paced and definitely laugh out loud funny. Francesca and her best friend, Jordan, are like two peas in a pot. Their addiction to texting is much like mine and my friend's and their relationship was very believable.
Towards the middle and end of the book I started feeling less and less excited. Of course, they were stranded in a desert island and those celebrities aren't really smart but I kept waiting for them to have redeeming qualities that would make them feel like real people and not empty-headed bimbos. I mean, we all know celebrities have lives but we don't actually see much of that, right? I expected Sloane Tannen to show us that real, emotional, sensitive side of the celebrities but it never came. It also seemed to me like they kept going over the same things again and again. The end was a bit rushed for me but it had a nice surprise that I loved and it closed the book in a good satisfying way.
Overall, I think the book's greatest strength is its humor. The characters are not ocean-deep and I've always been huge on characters. But this book is so entertaining and nicely paced that you almost forget about it. It's the type of book you'd bring to the beach because it's definitely light hearted and sort of that summery fun feel.
In one sentence:
"Laugh out loud funny!"
Plot: 4
Characters: 3
Writing: 4
Cover: 4
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 3.8 stars
The concept of this book is strangely hilarious. I mean, who would get stranded on a desert island with five other celebrities? I was attracted by the fact that it seemed very funny and just interesting. I wanted to know where Francesca would end and how everything would play out.
My Thoughts:
I picked up the book and I couldn't put it down at first. Sloane's voice is real and addictive. It's like talking to your best friend. I couldn't help but think about one of my favorite authors that achieves the same sort of feeling, Meg Cabot. I liked how the beginning moved. It was nicely paced and definitely laugh out loud funny. Francesca and her best friend, Jordan, are like two peas in a pot. Their addiction to texting is much like mine and my friend's and their relationship was very believable.
Towards the middle and end of the book I started feeling less and less excited. Of course, they were stranded in a desert island and those celebrities aren't really smart but I kept waiting for them to have redeeming qualities that would make them feel like real people and not empty-headed bimbos. I mean, we all know celebrities have lives but we don't actually see much of that, right? I expected Sloane Tannen to show us that real, emotional, sensitive side of the celebrities but it never came. It also seemed to me like they kept going over the same things again and again. The end was a bit rushed for me but it had a nice surprise that I loved and it closed the book in a good satisfying way.
Overall, I think the book's greatest strength is its humor. The characters are not ocean-deep and I've always been huge on characters. But this book is so entertaining and nicely paced that you almost forget about it. It's the type of book you'd bring to the beach because it's definitely light hearted and sort of that summery fun feel.
In one sentence:
"Laugh out loud funny!"
Plot: 4
Characters: 3
Writing: 4
Cover: 4
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 3.8 stars
December 11, 2011
The first thing I have to say about this book is that everything about it was misleading. The cover, the title, the synopsis... they are pointed to a fun, romantic comedy. In reality, what I got was a book full of bickering and I would say zero romance.
Its has been about a month or two since I finished reading Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? and I can honestly I say there is still a ton of mixed feelings present about this book. While it was not at all what I was expecting, I found myself glued to the pages. For some reason I can't explain or put my finger on while I didn't really like the book I just could not stop reading it! I don't recall a time where this has ever happened to me. So kudos to Sloane for accomplishing this feat.
Now, I'm about to talk about a mild spoiler! The ending was like the only best part of the story. While all the secrets the celebrities held are revealed and they all become close like a family, those two things almost made 300 pages of bickering and griping worth it. But I do understand how celebrities could be so miserable stranded on an island without all the luxuries they are use to having. Oh, and the actions of most of the celebrites and the main character were just awful. I really didn't like how they all took advantage of each other. I didn't like how and why the main character gave up her virginity.
Also, I felt that there was no plot. Sure they all wanted to get rescued but still I couldn't find any major or subplots. I don't know about anyone else, but I need a plot! If I were the publisher I would seriously consider changing the title of this novel.
Aside from all the things that were bothering me with this novel, I did find it somewhat enjoyable when I accepted the fact that it was not the book I was expecting to read. By the end I was able to sympathize with most of the characters. I found Jonah and his dad to be the most sincere people out of the bunch. Everyone was a wreck, but I was glad to see that they all took their experience on the island and changed themselves and their lives for the better.
Its has been about a month or two since I finished reading Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? and I can honestly I say there is still a ton of mixed feelings present about this book. While it was not at all what I was expecting, I found myself glued to the pages. For some reason I can't explain or put my finger on while I didn't really like the book I just could not stop reading it! I don't recall a time where this has ever happened to me. So kudos to Sloane for accomplishing this feat.
Now, I'm about to talk about a mild spoiler! The ending was like the only best part of the story. While all the secrets the celebrities held are revealed and they all become close like a family, those two things almost made 300 pages of bickering and griping worth it. But I do understand how celebrities could be so miserable stranded on an island without all the luxuries they are use to having. Oh, and the actions of most of the celebrites and the main character were just awful. I really didn't like how they all took advantage of each other. I didn't like how and why the main character gave up her virginity.
Also, I felt that there was no plot. Sure they all wanted to get rescued but still I couldn't find any major or subplots. I don't know about anyone else, but I need a plot! If I were the publisher I would seriously consider changing the title of this novel.
Aside from all the things that were bothering me with this novel, I did find it somewhat enjoyable when I accepted the fact that it was not the book I was expecting to read. By the end I was able to sympathize with most of the characters. I found Jonah and his dad to be the most sincere people out of the bunch. Everyone was a wreck, but I was glad to see that they all took their experience on the island and changed themselves and their lives for the better.
dnf
May 21, 2020I actually found this book on my friend's shelf and though "you know what it doesn't look half bad maybe I'll try it" I was wrong. Dead WRONG.
I disliked this book from the very beginning. Not only did the protagonist sound whiney and annoying, but I felt like this sixteen year old (if that was really her age I don't remember) was actually a seven year old. I couldn't handle it. The only reason I sort of mildly liked her was because SHE WAS THE ONLY CHARACTER GIVEN TO ACTUALLY LIKE!! It was mind boggling how terrible the characters were. All of them were just dumb and inconsistent and I realize that most of them change on the island but some of the most stupidest character changes happened with out any reason. The main character was suddenly okay with people touching her! Like?!?
The sexual things that happened were also so overrated and annoying. I stopped halfway through and just skimmed. I even stopped skimming and read the epilogue. The problem with books like this is, it's just what me and my friend like to call "fluff". That's it. Fluff sounds like a good time and most of the time it is a good pick me up after a series, but I've found you have to be in the mood and the writer has to have some idea to what they are doing. All this book was, was just junk with a few descriptive words thrown in.
I was actually sort of hoping this would be something like Lord of the Flies (which I had just read and enjoyed), but again I am wrong and it is the stark opposite.
I was also put off by the lack of depth in any of the characters and how little they developed. This book had so much potential.
I did have a favorite part that made me burst out laughing though. That was when the main character is being taken to the private plane and she is commenting and pretending to have an interview with a talk show host. It was pretty funny!
These are all my opinions so please don't come commenting about "oh that Kate is going to hear a thing or two from me." Thank you!
I disliked this book from the very beginning. Not only did the protagonist sound whiney and annoying, but I felt like this sixteen year old (if that was really her age I don't remember) was actually a seven year old. I couldn't handle it. The only reason I sort of mildly liked her was because SHE WAS THE ONLY CHARACTER GIVEN TO ACTUALLY LIKE!! It was mind boggling how terrible the characters were. All of them were just dumb and inconsistent and I realize that most of them change on the island but some of the most stupidest character changes happened with out any reason. The main character was suddenly okay with people touching her! Like?!?
The sexual things that happened were also so overrated and annoying. I stopped halfway through and just skimmed. I even stopped skimming and read the epilogue. The problem with books like this is, it's just what me and my friend like to call "fluff". That's it. Fluff sounds like a good time and most of the time it is a good pick me up after a series, but I've found you have to be in the mood and the writer has to have some idea to what they are doing. All this book was, was just junk with a few descriptive words thrown in.
I was actually sort of hoping this would be something like Lord of the Flies (which I had just read and enjoyed), but again I am wrong and it is the stark opposite.
I was also put off by the lack of depth in any of the characters and how little they developed. This book had so much potential.
I did have a favorite part that made me burst out laughing though. That was when the main character is being taken to the private plane and she is commenting and pretending to have an interview with a talk show host. It was pretty funny!
These are all my opinions so please don't come commenting about "oh that Kate is going to hear a thing or two from me." Thank you!
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