Catherine Rider

It's Christmas Eve at JFK in NYC. Charlotte's flight is cancelled when a blizzard blows in, and Anthony can't bear to go home and face his break-up. So, they set out into the city together, focused on fixing their broken hearts. They start to fall for each other, but are split up by a subway ride mistake! Part Before Sunrise, part Sleepless in Seattle, this delightful story will appeal to anyone who sees the romance in a swirl of snowflakes at the top of the Empire State Building, or anyone who's wondered if true love was waiting at the other end of the airport ticket counter.

Kiss Me in New York

Does it really take ten steps to mend a broken heart? Charlotte is a British student, waiting for a flight home after the worst semester of her life. Anthony is a native New Yorker, surprising his girlfriend at the airport after three months apart. Charlotte has just been dumped, and Anthony is about to be dumped, right in the middle of the holiday crowd.æ CharlotteÍs flight is canceled when a blizzard blows in, and Anthony canÍt bear to go home. So, they set out into the city together, clutching a book Charlotte picks up in the airport gift shop: Ten Easy Steps for Getting Over Your Ex. For this one night, theyÍll focus on healing their broken hearts ... together.æ Step-by-step, the two struggle to put the past behind them. But soon the city and the snow work some magic. Will their shared misery give way to something else before Charlotte leaves New York forever?æ For anyone who believes a chance encounter can lead to true love, and anyone who sees the romance in a snowy night.

Erin 

Does it really take ten steps to mend a broken heart? Charlotte is a British student, waiting for a flight home after the worst semester of her life. Anthony is a native New Yorker, surprising his girlfriend at the airport after three months apart. Charlotte has just been dumped, and Anthony is about to be dumped, right in the middle of the holiday crowd._ Charlotte s flight is canceled when a blizzard blows in, and Anthony can t bear to go home. So, they set out into the city together, clutching a book Charlotte picks up in the airport gift shop: Ten Easy Steps for Getting Over Your Ex. For this one night, they’ll focus on healing their broken hearts ... together._ Step-by-step, the two struggle to put the past behind them. But soon the city and the snow work some magic. Will their shared misery give way to something else before Charlotte leaves New York forever?

The storyline of this book isn’t terrible. Considering it’s probably supposed to be a cheesy holiday romance, it’s pretty okay. Sure, it’s unrealistic, but if all books were entirely realistic, they wouldn’t be much of an escape. My problem with this book is that it is written so very poorly that what could have been a bearable plotline was actually extremely irritating.

I found the opening chapter to be very confusing. First, who finishes a semester abroad on Christmas Eve? Second, what was even the point of introducing the Hipster Hottie in the beginning? Looking back, Charlotte had a much cuter meet-cute with this rando than with Anthony, only for us to find out his only purpose was to be the source of Anthony’s misery. Next, I am having trouble figuring out how exactly Charlotte could have this much anger inside of her after having broken up with her semester-abroad-fling. Seriously, this girl is raging and she was with the boy for only a few months. Girl has some anger issues. She even notes later on that they “were only together for a semester.” So like, she knows how ridiculous she’s being. 

The part about following the steps of this relationship guru book is entirely unrealistic, but for the sake of cheesy holiday romance, kind of makes sense. What doesn’t make sense, is this writing style. Seriously, it reads like a 13-year-old is trying to visualise what it will be like as a high school senior. The pizza scene? I cringed reading it. Same with the scene with the carolers (and Cheese, good lord). If the author didn’t try so hard to sound poetic about the whole thing, it might be bearable. Still, what is with this line – “I brace myself for him to lose it, go full-on Brooklyn (what does that even mean?) – whatever that is (then why are you saying it?) – maybe pick up the needle and forcibly tattoo Joe in revenge.” Like what is even going on? Granted, the whole tattoo scene is a mess – who randomly goes into a tattoo shop and lets the artist free will who is probably almost 100% high? The entire book feels like it was written by someone who has no idea (or has forgotten) what teenagers actually act like (I realise that Anthony is not technically a teenager, sue me).

Let’s talk about Anthony though. He reminds me a ton of that guy from 500 Days of Summer. The one played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt who feels like he deserves the girl and stalks her trying to convince her she loves him? Anthony doesn’t do that exactly, but he has the same kind of attitude. First off, one of his first lines is “then I guess you don’t understand love.” Neither do you, small child. Later, he intentionally hits Charlotte with a CitiBike to get her attention. I realise the author probably meant that he just nudged her, but seriously, write that, don’t describe a full-on attack with a two-wheeler. And then we have the “maybe I hadn’t given up football thing.” What purpose does that detail serve? The book does not go on about his lost love for football. And then we get the whole mother-cancer-backstory, which was the worst (I’ll get to Anthony’s family scene in a bit). And then Anthony does the whole “she’s not like other girls” thing with thinking that Charlotte is above selfies – well fuck you Special Snowflake, selfies are the best and sometimes really help with self-esteem. Also, what is even wrong with feeling the way you look and wanting to document it? (I am a big selfie promoter). And then we get a little glimpse into his mind when he sees an old couple and thinks “I wonder if this is their last Christmas together,” like good lord, take your moody emo ass and put it elsewhere don’t bother thinking about this charming couple and whether or not they’re going to DIE. There are so many side tidbits and inner dialogues like this that I can’t even keep track of the actual story. And how he goes on and on and on about Maya. Like seriously, it is so evident to me that he felt the relationship was much more serious than she ever did. He sounds like a lost puppy (again, like 500 Days of Summer guy). And then he goes and thinks to himself that he was doing so well at not thinking about Maya – hello? Have we been reading the same story? She’s all he ever thinks about! And then we have a prime example of well-off white boy privilege, when they are caught sledding in Central Park at night and get caught, and he oh-so-casually drops that his brother is a cop. And then the cop casually calls in to check. And then the cops give them a lift home because clearly this lawbreaker is telling the truth? And then we get to his house where he drops in on his laughably stereotypical Italian family (where he calls his grandmother Grandma instead of Nonna, like every Italian family ever, does – do your research authors). Here we have them being all happy and then suddenly forlorn because damn it’s the anniversary of poor Isabella’s death (did I mention that part of Anthony’s tragic backstory yet?). And then when Charlotte arrives, they tell her their entire lives’ history, even though they literally just met her. And they automatically assume she is having boy trouble because she cannot decide if she wants to come back to New York – like hello? Moving to another country is a hella big decision that requires serious thought and does not have to revolve around a boy? 

New paragraph. The end where they get separated by train is laughable. Like honestly, that is so typical that I am not even mad. Because then we get the whole “screw this I am going to the Empire State Building” plan of Charlotte’s. Which leads to Anthony declaring his love for the ticket lady once he finally gets there (seriously, he does, I am not kidding). And then to add to his emotional fuckboyness (because I think I’ve established that is what he is), HE ACTUALLY SAYS M’LADY. LIKE AN ACTUAL FUCKBOY.

There is a lot here that I have an opinion on, and a lot that I have an opinion on that I didn’t write. But seeing as how I’ve been fairly terrible to this book (although for good reason), I shall stop there. The best parts about this book are 1) A gay Macy’s Santa Clause, 2) how they literally bought a dog from a homeless man and named it Mistake like how hilarious is that?, and 3) the drunk man on the train that they followed to a singles’ mixer (I swear I cannot make this up). And then there is the part at the end where they are “in love” after only knowing each other for like, seven hours, and that Charlotte TOTALLY made her decision to go to Columbia because she was “in love”, and that Anthony ran past security at the airport to kiss her one final time (we live in a post-9/11 world, people, he would be tasered for that in real life). And the god-awful inner monologues for both of the characters that took up more space than actual dialogue between them. And the interactions between the two characters – the author suggests that they are nonverbally communicating as if they are an old married couple, reading the minds of each other and assuming that this average look on the other’s face has this miles-long meaning. Honestly.

Like I previously said, the storyline of the book IS NOT TERRIBLE. I probably wouldn’t mind reading it, if only the writing was bearable, like, at all. It’s entirely unrealistic, but hey, that’s what books are for. I almost feel like re-writing this entire story, just so that it can get the writing it deserves. But nevertheless, I suppose if none of the things at all I have pointed out in 1400 words annoys you, maybe give this a shot but damn, don’t expect to feel any different afterwards. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica 

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  A copy of this novel was provided through Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. 


I wasn't sure what to expect from Kiss Me in New York beyond a fluffy tale of the magic of New York City. What I found in its pages was a warm tale of the holidays that will surely be appealing for its target audience. Even I enjoyed its otherwise fluffy tone--it's a novel to cozy up to and just get lost in. You've got two of my favourite themes: Christmas and NYC. Yes, I am aware one is a city not a theme--but who really cares?

There's a certain kind of fondness in Kiss Me in New York that is easy to enjoy. It's sugary sweet and short enough that the sweetness doesn't leave a nasty taste in your mouth when you're done. The best way to put it is, Kiss Me in New York is a cuddle in the form of literature. A treat that is good in moderation and will leave you feeling good. Christmas time is an already romantic (and often overused) timeline but it makes you long for the city, for snow and for love.

Continued: BOOKEDJ

Andrea

Beckah brooks

meghan pacharis

Krystal 

Caylie 

Heiligabend, JFK-Flughafen, New York. Charlotte ist gerade wieder solo. Nach einem Auslandsjahr wurde sie von ihrem amerikanischen Boyfriend abserviert und will nun nichts mehr, als in den Schoß der Familie nach London zurückzukehren. Dann wird ihr Flug verschoben und Charlotte ein Hotel-Gutschein in die Hand gedrückt. Geht es noch schlimmer? Ja, geht es: Anthony will seine Freundin vom Flughafen abholen, doch die macht dort kurzerhand vor aller Augen mit ihm Schluss. Da hat Hardcore-Optimistin Charlotte eine Idee: Wieso verbringen sie und Anthony nicht gemeinsam mit ihrem neuen Ratgeber: Wie man in zehn Schritten über seinen Ex hinwegkommt den Heiligabend? Doch aus unbeschwertem Spiel wird bald romantischer Ernst.

Kiss Me in New York

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