
Hello everyone! Happy Valentine’s Day!!! đđđđ Today’s prompt is top 5 first kisses. It is really strange, but I had a lot of trouble with this one. I read a lot of romance and books that have romance, but for some reason first kisses aren’t something I remember very well. So, I had to go digging, which was fun because I got to re-visit some of my favorite pairings to see if their first kiss stacked up to the rest of the story. The covers all link to the book’s Goodreads page, and I’ve included the official covers and synopsis when available. Top 5 Tuesday was created by Shanah @ Bionic Book Worm, and is now being hosted at Meeghan Reads!
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more…?
Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn’t been too great, but at least he’s not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He’s heard a little about Charlie – the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months – but he’s never had the opportunity to talk to him.
They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn’t think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner…
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming….
Nora Stephensâ life is booksâsheâs read them allâand she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.
Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sistersâ trip awayâwith visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who sheâs convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that theyâve met many times and itâs never been cute.
If Nora knows sheâs not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows heâs nobodyâs hero, but as they are thrown together again and againâin a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allowâwhat they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories theyâve written about themselves.
A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
The Goblin Emperor meets “Magnificent Century” in Alexandra Rowland’s A Taste of Gold and Iron, where a queer central romance unfolds in a fantasy world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.
Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, finds himself at odds with one of the most powerful ambassadors at courtâthe body-father of the queen’s new childâin an altercation which results in his humiliation.
To prove his loyalty to the queen, his sister, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds, with the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him at best. In Arasht, where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers and myth runs side by side with history, counterfeiting is heresy, and the conspiracy they discover could cripple the kingdomâs financial standing and bring about its ruin.
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
Set in an alternative Edwardian England, this is a comedy of manners, manor houses, and hedge mazes: including a magic-infused murder mystery and a delightful queer romance.
For fans of Georgette Heyer or Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton, who’d like to welcome magic into their lives . . .
Young baronet Robin Blyth thought he was taking up a minor governmental post. However, he’s actually been appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society. If it werenât for this administrative error, heâd never have discovered the incredible magic underlying his world.
Cursed by mysterious attackers and plagued by visions, Robin becomes determined to drag answers from his missing predecessor â but heâll need the help of Edwin Courcey, his hostile magical-society counterpart. Unwillingly thrown together, Robin and Edwin will discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. Itâs an unforgiving job, and Hartâs got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.
Mercy never has a moment to herself. Sheâs been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.
After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to âA Friendâ. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.
If only Hart knew heâs been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him mostâMercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmaresâeach other?
Set in a world full of magic and demigods, donuts and small-town drama, this enchantingly quirky, utterly unique fantasy is perfect for readers of The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Invisible Library.
So, there you have it. My top 5 first kisses. I seem to have a thing for first kisses that come after some slow tension-filled buildup where the characters are often at odds in the beginning. What first kisses are your favorites? Let me know what they are down in the comments!
AH, CHRIS, FOUR OUT OF FIVE OF THESE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS!!!
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This is why we’re friends! Lol. I know I can always trust your recommendations. Also, did you see the cover for A POWER UNBOUND?! I’m going to lose my mind over this book when it comes out. We’re getting the couples back from the first two books plus a Lord Hawthorn romance. I think I might die from excitement.
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I DID SEE THAT AND I AM GOING TO BE BEGGING (LITERALLY) BEGGING TOR FOR AN ARC. I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HOW MARSKE FINISHES UP THIS SERIES.
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A Taste of Gold and Iron is so good in so many ways, it holds a special place in my heart!
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It was so, so good. It is definitely one of my favorites. đ
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look i havent read four out of five of these, BUT THE FACT THAT HEARTSTOPPER WAS THE FIRST BOOK YOU MENTIONED?? I LOVE THAT OKAY. NICK AND CHARLIE ARE THE BEST. EVER. PERIOD. ALSO MUST READ THE REST OF THESE BOOKS MERELY BECAUSE THEY’RE FEATURED ALONGSIDE HEARTSTOPPER SO THEY HAVE TO BE GOOD RIGHT?? tysm for the recs I LOVE THEM
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Nick and Charlie were the first couple that came to mind for this topic. đ All of these books are great and some of my faves, but be warned that they aren’t necessarily anything like Heartstopper. I hope you enjoy them when you pick them up!
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Ahem…ACOMAF. *runs away*
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oooo, what a fun post!! Definitely agree with Heartstopper, Hart & Mercy, and Book Lovers. I have not read the other two!
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I really liked this week’s topic! I had fun trying (and failing) to remember all the first kisses of my favorite book couples.
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Yeees, I love it! I’ve only read two of the books on here but I’ve literally just picked up A Marvellous Light and I still have Taste of Gold and Iron & Book Lovers on my TBR and hope to read that soon(ish). I looove when there’s a slow build-up of tension and angst and FEELINGSâit just makes that first kiss all the more swoontastic! đ Great post, Chris!
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I HOPE YOU LOVE A MARVELLOUS LIGHT!! The last book of that trilogy just had its cover reveal on Monday, and I am DYING to get my hands on it.
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Such a fun post! And eeeeeppp to Heartstopper!!
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Yeah! I really liked this week’s topic. It had me revisiting some of my favorite book couples. đ
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