Author: Lauren Blakely

Book: 21 Stolen Kisses

tl;dr recommendation: I think age play is a hard limit for me, but Lauren’s writing is impeccable. SO CONFLICTED.

Book Summary:

When I first met him I resisted.
Like any forbidden love, I told myself he was a crush, and it would pass.
That was a lie. It never faded.

And I never expected he would fall for me just as hard.

There were so many reasons that should have kept us apart, least of all, the decade that separated us. Growing up in New York City, I learned early on that love is a double-edged sword. Love broke up my parents, love took away my friends, and love — the big, intense, never-been-like-this-before love — landed me in therapy. Now I’m heading to college, and it’s time to give love a clean slate again. But, can I really start over when he’s still in my life Because the one man I’ve always wanted, is also the only guy I absolutely can’t have…And he wants me just as fiercely.

Can I settle for anything less than the love of my life?

Longer Review:

I am so utterly and completely conflicted. Stay with me here. From a completely objective standpoint, this book is great. It’s well written, it has beautifully developed characters, it contains themes spread throughout the book that connect with each other – it’s just a good fucking book. Lauren makes writing look easy. If I were an editor, I’d snatch this book up in an instant.

However, from a subjective standpoint, I really struggled with this one – and as a reader, I can’t say that I loved it.

Before you slaughter me, hear me out. This is an NA book, so if you’re expecting the explicitly delicious blakelyesque dirty talking sex scenes, you will be disappointed. Those scenes do not exist in this book. I wasn’t looking for them though, I swear.

I knew they wouldn’t be there, and I do love many NA books, so why did it take me FIVE DAYS to read this book? Because the age thing really bothered me. It just did. I’d be lying if I said anything else. Spoiler (or comforting?) alert: the characters do nothing inappropriate; the age of consent in NY is seventeen – so even if they wanted to get some serious action on, they could.

Yet, the age difference of seventeen to twenty-five made me cringe. She’s a senior in high school and he spent time with her since she was in at least 9th grade. *cringe* He looks at her mother as his surrogate mother *cringe* The gifts he gives her are representative of her – but they’re really juvenile *cringe*

So thus, I was cringing until I hit 90% in the book. I shouldn’t have a problem with it. I shouldn’t. My husband and I are six years apart. Of course, I didn’t meet him until I was 21, so there’s that.

I have been having a serious internal personal struggle over why this particular trope bothers me so damn much. Because, let’s be honest – I have forgiven some seriously inappropriate behavior in books. Semi-stalking? Verbal abuse? Caveman style antics? ALL FORGIVEN. So why, when I’m presented with perhaps one of the most adorable, sweet, kind, LOVING men am I blanching? I don’t know.

OK. so moving away from my serious hangups for which I may need to seek counseling, the book is otherwise fantastic. Noah is a wonderful character who shows so much restraint I started to get concerned for his health. It cannot be advisable to walk around with blue balls for hours at a time. It just can’t. Kennedy is young, and while she is most certainly an old soul, she is still a bit immature. She’s been groomed to lie and while she’s trying to break out of that habit, it’s tough.

I completely fell for the love quotes that are scattered throughout the book, and the ‘found hearts’ made my heart squeeze. Lauren has a way with words that makes you think that they just appeared on the page with little to no effort, but I know differently. She is a master storyteller. Even with all of my difficulties, I really loved the characters.

So, overall, I have to give this one a 3.75; it’s a compromise for my struggle combined with the beauty of the story. It most certainly is a forbidden love story – can you handle it?

[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]