Four Kisses by Bonnie Dee

Four Kisses (novella)

A free installment

Bonnie Dee

Contemporary Romance

Published in 2011

H/h - Drake Malinson/Jen Adams

Setting: Present day.

Read in Feb, 2012.

My rating:

                                                          [spoiler alert]

Oh good God! Why did it end so soon? It could’ve been such an ah-meh-zing novel, instead of a novella! I’m still in a haze. I had Four Kisses in my TBR for sometimes now. It was simply a perfect Valentine’s Day read for me, just finished it in an hour as I couldn’t put it down. The story itself was very beautiful, about two people meeting in different phases of their lives and exchanging a kiss (or kisses) every time they met.

First Kiss

Drake and Jen 1st met as two awkward teenagers, she 13, he around 14/15 (I’m sorry but I don’t recall Drake’s age being mentioned but he was closer in age with Jen). Jen was studious and brilliant and even though her crowd was a mixed one, Drake didn’t fit into that. He was with a different sort of crowd, the bully boys, though he wasn’t a bully himself. The 1st kiss happened the day they met and it was both of their 1st, though Drake made Jen believe otherwise. It was very sweet, the kiss and the circumstances that made it happen.

They met for the 2nd time 3 yrs later on the prom night. No, Drake was a dropout already; a drug addict also selling drugs. Jen was still studious. It was very apparent that Drake had kept tags on what’s happening in Jen’s life. Jen may have or not, but in the deepest recesses of her mind, their 1st kiss lingered. When her current boyfriend come prom date turned out to be the s*itbag (which he always was but a mesmerized Jen got caught up in his oily charms or that’s what I believed) and made her prom night a disaster, she found Drake, waiting for her in the shadows. Beautiful scenes followed by another kiss. But when they met next, just like the 1st time, they acted they didn’t know each-other at all.

The 3rd time happened almost 8 yrs later. Jen is well on her way of becoming an established lawyer but she doesn’t like the new job and the human misery she’s forced to face in every case. The name in the recent case startles her badly, who was brought in on criminal offense of keeping drugs and trying to sell it. Jen is breathless but she decides to stick around. She faces an all grown up Drake in the interviewing room. The spark is still there. Even though physically he has evolved a lot, Drake’s dark eyes still possess the same intensity it did when he was 15. They talk and Jen agrees to plea on his behalf. It ends with a different kind of kiss, but it was, again, very sweet. I sooooo felt the connection between them. It was undeniable.

3 yrs later, Jen is still single but changed her job. Drake comes back into her life as an unexpected surprise, as he has always been before. He has served a few years in prison, which with Jen’s help was reduced from his original sentence. They haven’t seen each-other ever since. Jen is very happy and senses Drake’s exuberance too. It’s like meeting an old friend whom you’ve missed a lot, even though they didn’t really share anything of importance in their previous meetings. Yet they remembered everything that happened. Drake informs Jen that he’s trying to change himself, as per her suggestion all those years ago in interviewing room. Jen reassures that she still thinks Drake is supposed to have a better life because he deserves one. Now, what would they do? Would they take a chance this time?

They talk about a few things but when it’s time to go back, they make a decision... And I was screaming nooooooooooooooo! I mean the story was just beginning for them. Even though I knew from the reviews there are no sex scenes in this novella, I still wanted one, anything... I totally adored Drake and his obsession over Jen. Lord, I wanted to see this relationship spreading wings after 15 long years. I do feel a little cheated because I didn’t get a chance. I can totally visualize them together, having a beautiful life ahead and would’ve loved to see them as a couple visiting those places from their past that created some truly unforgettable moments for them.

4.5 stars. *sigh*

“Four Kisses” has 4 chapters and a few adorably hot kisses. I got it free from smashwords Reader set the price when it was published. Well, it’s not free anymore. But, the price isn’t big so go ahead and get it!