Official Review: Second Kiss Trilogy by Natalie Palmer

[taliak33]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Second Kiss Trilogy" by Natalie Palmer.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Second Kiss is a young adult romance novel by Natalie Palmer centered around Gemma, a naïve but relatable middle schooler whose love life (or lack thereof) and social blunders get her into a world of trouble. However, her best friend, Jess, is always there to lend an ear, despite being a year older than Gemma and having problems of his own. Readers will join Gemma on her quest to make it through the end of middle school without humiliating herself more than she already has. Throughout all this, Jess is her rock, her mentor, and her best friend. But is there more to it than that? This novel details the journey of two friends who struggle to recognize and express their true feelings all while dealing with natural and unique twists and turns of adolescence.

I rate this novel 2 out of 4 stars. I did not rate it a 4 because the novel was not edited fully or completely, with several spelling, grammar, and format errors. Also, the characters, especially Jess and Gemma, were wonderfully written and relatable, but their complexity could have been explored more. For example, there were times where Gemma's naivety comes across as childish and seemed to contradict her actual age. Also, Drew is another incredibly complex character, but it was often difficult to visualize her personality as she often flip-flops between being a complicated, insecure teenager to a one-dimensional obnoxious 'mean girl.' I did not rate it a 1, though, because the suspense between Gemma and Jess was engaging, well paced, and fun to read.

Going through the end of middle school with Gemma was a truly enjoyable experience. From her hilarious mistakes that land her in trouble to the heartwarming realizations she has about herself and her friends, her character represents the very best and worst of middle school. Furthermore, her relationship with Jess is a genuinely beautiful and well-written story. Palmer takes the age-old story of friends hiding romantic feelings and dives deeper into the specific circumstances between Jess and Gemma that make their relationship unique. Rather than make the main conflict between them worrying over ruining the underlying friendship (these worries are implied), Gemma and Jess must overcome serious hardships that prove to them how much they need each other.

One issue I had with the novel, however, was Gemma's exaggerated naivety and childishness. At times it seemed unrealistic that Gemma would not recognize Jess' feelings for her and several of the arguments Gemma has with those around her seemed forced. This is certainly something that fits with her young, immature personality but as the story goes on, it strains belief that she would not put the pieces together sooner. Her character seems to fall into the trap common for friends who have romantic feelings for each other by insisting that without a confession of love, she would not accept it is true, even when everyone around her tells her it is true.

Overall, the writing in the book was smart and easy to read. I think this book would appeal to any fans of the young adult genre, in any age group, specifically those who enjoy romance stories.

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Second Kiss Trilogy
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[Kristy Khem]

This seems like a lovely story about friendship, school life, and romance! Nice review! I will be sure to take a look at this book soon.

[Becca Olsson]

Insightful review, middle school is such a tough time without any romantic struggles. I feel for this girl deeply