The Kiss Countdown

Books | Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy

3.9

Etta Easton

A struggling event planner and a sinfully hot astronaut must decide if their fake relationship is worth a shot at happily-ever-after, in this starry debut.Risk-averse event planner Amerie Price is jobless, newly single, and about to lose her apartment. With no choice but to gamble on her shaky start-up, the last thing she needed was to run into her smug ex and his new, less complicated girlfriend at Amerie's favorite coffee shop. Panicked, she pretends to be dating the annoyingly sexy man she met by spilling Americano all over his abs. He plays along—for a price.Half the single men in Houston claim to be astronauts, but Vincent Rogers turns out to be the real deal. What started as a one-off lie morphs into a plan: for the three months leading up to his mission, Amerie will play Vincent's doting partner in front of his loving but overly invested family. In exchange, she gets a rent-free room in his house and can put every penny toward her struggling business.What Amerie doesn't plan for is Vincent's gravitational pull. While her mind tells her a future with this astronaut is too unpredictable, her heart says he's exactly what she needs. As their time together counts down, Amerie must decide if she'll settle for the safe life—or shoot for the stars.

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More Details:

Author

Etta Easton

Pages

336

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

2024-04-09

ISBN

0593640225 9780593640227

Community ReviewsSee all

"It was good. Ups and downs. "

Cara Grant

"This book was full of surprises and I loved how Amerie pulled Vincent closer to his family (especially his mom). I also loved how despite all of their obstacles, they were able to come together and realize that love is worth it. I highly recommend this book!"

Bella Coulter

"I love this book to pieces. The author does an amazing job with comedic timing language, and embracing black culture. She also implements topics such as grief and learning how to overcome fear and self-doubt. “The Kiss Countdown” is the perfect story for sitting on the beach or simply curling up in your favorite cover. Overall, this book deserves a 5/5."

Marie

"Amerie Price, a recently jobless event planner, faces a looming threat of losing her apartment due to rising costs. When she unexpectedly encounters her ex and his new girlfriend, she improvises by pretending to date Vincent Rogers, the man she accidentally spilled coffee on earlier. Vincent, needing a faux partner to deflect family pressure regarding his upcoming space mission, agrees to Amerie's plan. As they spend more time together, their mutual attraction intensifies. Yet, Amerie grapples with uncertainty—is their connection genuine or merely a product of their charade? The plot engaged me, but Amerie's actions sometimes left me puzzled. While her family issues were relatable, her handling of setbacks felt immature, almost adolescent. It seemed like she could benefit from significant introspection or counseling. Overall it was a cute read and I found many of the characters to be charming. "

Brandi C

"I could have wished on all the stars, planets, and moons and still never could I have imagined being led to someone like you." This was a really sweet and cute debut romance. I really liked the writing and how evenly paced the book was. The main characters Mimi and Vincent were likable and I found myself rooting for them. Their chemistry and interactions were cute and though it’s a slow burn when they got together it was a bit steamy. Even though this book is light read there are still some things like the loss of a sibling and a parent who is ill that brought some seriousness to the book. There is some miscommunication with a third act breakout but I would recommend this book if you are looking for a sweet diverse romance. Read for: - Fake dating - Black romance - He falls first - Astronaut mmc/event player fmc - Forced proximity - Only one bed "