Kiss Cam by Kiara London | Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5)

Kiara London's Kiss Cam is another case of the "I wanted to like this novel, but couldn't get fully into it" blues. You know the type: an interesting premise, a promise of fluffy fun and a whole lot of romantic goodness. In terms of a contemporary novel, it wasn't at all bad. Sadly, it wasn't my cup of tea and was nearly one of those books I couldn't keep up with or bring myself to continue.

So, what went wrong? I'm not entirely sure. I wouldn't go as far as too say that the novel wasn't good or that the writing failed it. I am sure there will be a lot of readers out there who appreciate it for what it was--but the way it played out, the way it was paced felt almost dull and dated for me and what could have been an intriguing read. Kiss Cam had a lot going on for it: the humor, for one, will quirk your lips upward. It's got a sense of itself down pretty well. I think that, perhaps, I am just in a slump and far out of the target age group--hell, we all have that. A book can be good and hold a lot of promise, but you just can't connect with it.

That's my issue with it. I couldn't connect with it.

And I'm not even sure if I could have connected with it in high school.


That being said, it does have a few other pros to it. An awesomely refreshing and trusting family relationship, a solid group of friends. I think the build-up to the main relationship was cute but a bit... much. If you're a fan of friendships building into something more, this is definitely for you. You're going to have an interesting spin on an otherwise mundane topic. We've seen it before. Friends enter a fake relationship only to, eventually, fall for each other. It's still going to be an immensely satisfying read for teenagers and it really incorporates the whirlwind that is internet-fame.

I thought that the chemistry between characters was great and the way that it all tied together was nicely. The ending, or at least the last chunk of the novel, was a lot better/faster to the point that if it had been at that pace, I probably would have loved the novel rather than hold indifference towards it.

Overall, Kiss Cam is so sweet it will give you a toothache. With a rocky start, it is still worth a shot for young adult contemporary fans and has a feel-good vibe to it that is good for us all in these dark times. I can't say that I'll ever give this a second look but I will say it's going to be your new-favourite if you're looking for pure fluffy goodness.

With its modern edge and sweet tone, it's going to make a lot of readers day.