Today's read is a new...not so new read. What does that mean? Well, let me take a step back, and first say that when I picked up this read, I hadn't noticed that it is a novel based on a graphic novel of the same name. Silly thing is, I actually reviewed the graphic novel back in 2024 (here). I'm not a completely idiot (just a little scatter-brained, at times), and recognized the title right away. I even went back to check my old post author with the new one to see that this was, indeed, written by someone else. And I thought, "Huh. Weird that Webtoons would bring out two books with the same title, but whatever." Yep, I forgot to read the description completely and didn't take the time to read the smaller print on the cover.
A said, I'm not always super attentive and often in a hurry.
Anyway, I'm still excited to dive into today's read because the graphic novel was adorable. I'm hoping this format lets us take a deeper dive into the characters and get to understand them a bit better.
So, let's snuggle down into a chair and see what these pages hold.
THE KISS BET
based on the graphic novel by Ingrid Ochoa
by Farrah Penn
Wattpad Books
YA Romance
352 pages
COMING...
FEBRUARY 24th!!!
In this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age novel based on the wildly popular webcomic, Sara Lin has decided senior year is the time she’s going to make something special happen: her first kiss.
This clean teen contemporary YA rom-com about first love and friendships is perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads.
Based on the hit WEBTOON comic, The Kiss Bet follows Sara Lin on her quest to experience her first kiss. Told from both Sara and Patrick’s point of view, The Kiss Bet shows that life—and love—can be messy and complicated, but it sure can be fun.
It’s senior year and Sara Lin just turned eighteen. The last thing she needs is to worry about having her first kiss.
Sara understands that her first kiss is a rite of passage, one that she takes very seriously, even if everyone around her doesn’t. She wants it to be special—true love’s kiss—and wants to fall for someone she really cares about, not just get it over with.
But that’s about to change because her good pal Patrick just challenged her to a bet that will either lead to love, heartbreak, or embarrassment . . . or maybe all three.
As Sara explores her relationship options with three different boys, she realizes that life isn't a fairytale and romance can be confusing.
This clean teen contemporary YA rom-com about first love and friendships is perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads.
Based on the hit WEBTOON comic, The Kiss Bet follows Sara Lin on her quest to experience her first kiss. Told from both Sara and Patrick’s point of view, The Kiss Bet shows that life—and love—can be messy and complicated, but it sure can be fun.
It’s senior year and Sara Lin just turned eighteen. The last thing she needs is to worry about having her first kiss.
Sara understands that her first kiss is a rite of passage, one that she takes very seriously, even if everyone around her doesn’t. She wants it to be special—true love’s kiss—and wants to fall for someone she really cares about, not just get it over with.
But that’s about to change because her good pal Patrick just challenged her to a bet that will either lead to love, heartbreak, or embarrassment . . . or maybe all three.
As Sara explores her relationship options with three different boys, she realizes that life isn't a fairytale and romance can be confusing.
MY TIDBITS
Embarrassing situations and steering the rollercoaster of social life in high school mixes with fun characters for a delightful read.
This novel is strongly based on the same titled graphic novel by Ingrid Ochoa, but this form does add tons more depth. We still have Sara, a girl celebrating her eighteenth birthday with her two best friends, who faces a $50 bet of asking a random guy to kiss her. When she does, it doesn't head into fairytale goodness but leaves her face-planted on the concrete floor. Glad that no one outside of her two friends and the stranger witnessed her humiliating experience, she heads to school to deal with falling grades in math and the usual social drama. This ends her up with tutoring hours. Unfortunately, her tutor is the new guy, and he just so happens to be the stranger from the subway. Add that the best friend, who challenged her to the ludicrous bet, is suddenly discovering he's actually in love with her, and chaos is guaranteed.
For those who read the graphic novel, you're already aware of the direction this tale goes, but it definitely adds so much more to everything. The chapters dance between Sara and Patrick, her best friend's, perspectives. I found Patrick's chapters humorous but fitting in the beginning, since they start with only one sentence or so. When he starts 'waking up', they quickly get longer. Sara carries most of the tale, which fits since she's the main one facing everything. While I found her a bit ridiculous, at times, in the graphic novel, this normal novel form brings her across with more clarity, and her decisions are more understandable. She has lots to figure out, but the things she faces and how she handles them aren't as sporadic as they, sometimes, come across in the graphic novel form. In other words, she's easier to connect with and root for.
This is a very sweet, light-hearted romance read. There's absolutely no 'spice' and not even hints of it. These characters have enough on their plates as they deal with the daily problems and try to figure out the chaos of teen life and last year of high school. It's innocent, humorous, and lets the awkwardness of friendships, first loves, and getting ready to head into 'real' life shine in the most adorable way.
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