Kiss Me Again [Paperback]

Kira Weston had severed all ties with boyfriend Ethan Rourke just a few months ago, but her roommate could not resist trying to fix her up with someone else. She decided death was too good for her when she hired a professional to help get her over the loss. The only problem was that Kira had no knowledge she had hired him, and Devin Hanson had ended up wearing the dinner they were sharing.

Ethan couldn't believe that Kira had resorted to professional help to heal her heart, but he wasn't going to allow it. He had been experiencing problems with his boss, and decided that would be a good enough excuse to try to redirect her attention. He would tell her that Rita was sexually harassing him, and needed her to act like the love of his life again. What he failed to admit was that he missed Kira more than he thought possible.

This was only a mildly entertaining read. The characters are flat, and not very interesting. The story is not well developed, and boring in many spots. Chemistry was also missing from the characters, and when that is missing, you can't become invested in them. I would recommend skipping this book.

Kira Weston waited for years for her ex-sort-of-fiancé, Ethan Rourke, to open his heart for her. Now that he's out of her life, she's determined to move on. Except that she can't seem to forget Ethan. When Ethan calls her claiming he needs her help to deflect his boss's sexual harassment, Kira isn't sure this isn't some ploy of his to win her back. As things turn out, it mostly is, but Kira's not quite ready to walk away from Ethan - again. So she decides she'll use the opportunity to teach him a lesson. If Ethan wants her help to stave off his sexual predator boss, he'll have to do more than pretend they're back together. He'll have to pay attention to her like he never did when they dated. The only problem is, rather than helping her get over Ethan, Kira's plan makes her want to try and break down the walls around his heart once more. Will she succeed? Or will Kira and Ethan's second chance at love turn into a second round of heartbreak?

Love isn't always easy and Dee Tenorio doesn't shy away from that in Kiss Me Again. Ms. Tenorio takes two basically likeable people and puts them in a realistic, difficult situation. Ethan's past has left him closed off emotionally, and his reticence to open about his past has nothing to do with any lack of trust in Kira and everything to do with feeling like he needs that distance to be his defense mechanism. Kira, in turn, isn't unreasonable in her wants. She gives her heart to Ethan but doesn't feel loved in return. Yet she's not perfect; she misses signs that he gives her that he does, in fact, care.

Sensuality and enjoyable banter bring heat and levity to Kiss Me Again, keeping it from being dragged down by heartache. With some added humor thanks to scenes with Ethan's wonderfully delightful best friend and Kiss Me Again moves at a swift pace. Yet for all its laughter and sex appeal, what stuck with me the most about Kiss Me Again was how the multiple problems Ethan and Kira face (not just with each other) rang true. The obstacles both had to overcome were ones I could see the average person facing, making me, the reader, feel more connected to the story.

Ms. Tenorio has written many books I've loved and the only downside to reading Kiss Me Again is that I have one less book in her backlist to glom up. Still, I don't regret crossing Kiss Me Again off my list. Humor, heartbreak, and personal growth have never blended so well as they do in Kiss Me Again and I finished Ethan and Kira's story a well-satisfied reader.

Shayna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

The author has taken a simple situation--a couple getting back together again--and managed not only to make it fresh, but to give it all the qualities of an epic love story. The book has everything you could want in a love story--great characters, big climax, well-paced/well-written prose, humor and attitude. The heroine, Kira, insists on no sex this time around, which provides for a sexier read than many novels where the characters jump right into bed. The sexual tension between them steams up the room. As we read further into the novel, we learn more about what makes the hero, Ethan, tick, as the heroine probes into his relationship with his family. Ethan's co-worker and neighbor provides a lot of laughs, as do his femme fatale boss. More than anything, this is a tale about the human heart. It grabs you. I promise you will be reaching for the tissues when they break up agin, before getting to the oh-so-satisfying ending.