Only A Kiss [Book Tour Stop]: Review + Giveaway :)

But it never really is, is it?

TITLE: Only A Kiss
AUTHOR/s: Ines Bautista-Yao
PUBLICATION DATE: 29th of November, 2014
GENRE: Contemporary romance
AVAILABLE AT: Amazon | Buqo (On sale for only $0.99 until February 14!)

Ever since reading her first book, One Crazy Summer, which has been one of my most favorite reads ever (no bluff), I've been a fan of Miss Ines Bautista-Yao. That is why when I learned that she was touring her other book, I immediately signed up! 

That is why, here is my review for Miss Ines Bautista-Yao's Only A Kiss! (Forgive the lengthiness of the review. I just had to say all of these hahaha! In fact, I don't think it's even enough to express all of my beautiful feels!) 

Follow the tour here!

Oh and by the way, paperback of Only A Kiss is now available in National Book Store and Fully Booked in the Philippines!

(via Goodreads)

When she was nine-years-old, Katie knew she wanted Chris to give her her first kiss. It wasn’t because she was in love with him (no way, he was her best friend! Besides, she was in love with his fourteen-year-old big brother), it was because she could make him do anything she wanted.

Besides, it didn't really mean anything. It was only a kiss after all.

But then things started to change. They grew up. They parted ways and went to different high schools. And other girls and boys—well, just one particular boy—came into the picture, throwing their lives upside down.

Told from the alternating points of view of Katie and Chris, this love story between two best friends will tug at your heartstrings and leave you thinking how the simplest things can mean so much.

Only A Kiss revolved around the two best friends Katie and Chris whose friendship blossomed into something more, not without troubles though. The progression of the story was smooth and brilliantly interwoven. I liked how the years flew by flawlessly since other stories tend to have a "jumping through the years" feel, like the author skipped some important phases in the characters' lives. Miss Ines, on the other hand, managed to highlight just enough to make the readers feel invested in the story without cramming all the details (aka making the story feel 'stuffy')

The plot wasn't complex but the anticipation of how the events would turn out is enough motivation to make me continue turning the pages.The characters, both major and minor, were also realistically created. They were flawed just like normal people and represented how real life actually works. Another good point when it comes to characterization is that there were significant character developments throughout the story. 

I liked how the story diverged from the usual "bad relationship" trope. In fact, Andrew was a real sweetheart and I kinda felt sad for him in the end. (Wishing he'll have his own story someday) Chris also became more 3D for me instead of simply belonging to the usual "player guys" who were naturally jerks since Miss Ines made sure to enlighten the readers on why he did the things he did. Plus, I already looooooove his sketches even though I haven't even seen it!

Oh and did I mention how much I adored the cover? Just look at it! So lovely :)

"It was so hard when you were the only one who liked something and no one else did." - Katie

"But who did you turn to when you lost your best friend?" - Chris

"This was exactly what he was afraid of. This was why he had kept it inside for three years." - Chris

"...(she) decided it was time to face the music. No matter what song was playing." - Katie

"Or maybe she was imagining things. And hoping. Hoping, hoping, hoping. She hated hoping. She preferred action. Hoping was for the weak, and no way was she weak." - Katie

 "She smiled, put her car in drive and hurried home - or more specifically, to the person who, to her, was home." - Katie

Have you ever felt scared of reading another book by an author who wrote a book you loved? I experience it all the time! The worry that it wouldn't live up to your expectations? Fortunately, I can say that my second Ines Bautista-Yao book did not disappoint :) (It is already her third book but I haven't got the chance of reading her second book, What's In Your Heart yet. Boohoo)

5/5 rating for Ines Bautista-Yao's Only A Kiss! :)

5/5 rating :)

Ines Bautista-Yao is the author of One Crazy Summer, What’s in your Heart, and Only a Kiss. She has also written two short stories, “Flashbacks and Echoes,” which is part of a compilation called All This Wanting and “A Captured Dream,” one of the four short stories in Sola Musica: Love Notes from a Festival.

She is the former editor-in-chief of Candy and K-Zone magazines and a former high school and college English and Literature teacher. She is also a wife and mom and blogs about the many challenges and joys of motherhood at theeverydayprojectblog.com. She has recently launched The Author Project, a section in her current blog devoted to the stories in her head: http://theeverydayprojectblog.com/inesbyao-author-project/

Visit her:
BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM

Ines is giving away lots of things!

For Philippine residents:
One (1) winner will get a signed paperback of ONLY A KISS, a gift card from FILA, and a back issue of CAST comic book
Two (2) winners will each get a signed paperback of ONLY A KISS, light up laces, and back issue of CAST comic book

For everyone:
Five (5) winners will each get an ebook of ONLY A KISS

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