Review: 31 Kisses by Chautona Havig

Book Cover and Synopsis:

When one plus one equals thirty-one…

It happens every day.
Guy meets grandpa–and girl.
Guy knocks grandpa off ladder
Guy kisses girl to make it “all better.”
Every day.
For a month.
Just your normal, average, all-American romance…

Meet Chessie and Carson. She goes “all out” for Christmas (and every other holiday including Columbus Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Flag Day); he doesn’t own a single thing that could be considered decorative–unless you count the stickers he stuck to his dresser back when he was three.

Neither of them have ever had a serious relationship; both are opposed to frivolous expressions of affection. How on earth did they get tangled up in a “kiss-a-day-during-December” pact?

My Thoughts:
This is a light and fluffy read, with great characters and a fun storyline. Chessie and Carson's first meeting was humorous, and I found it quite amusing how Chessie's grandfather ("Gumpy") immediately started trying to fix them up.

The "Kiss-a-bell" is a cute idea, substituting a plastic bell container full of Hershey's Kisses for the traditional mistletoe. With the huge role that chocolate plays in this book, it's hard indeed to not want some of those chocolates that Chessie and Carson are constantly exchanging! ;)

Chessie's personality often reminded me of Dr. Temperance Brennan from the TV show Bones. No, Chessie is not a scientist, but she has the same blunt way of communicating, and an overly-rational way of looking at things, both of which add up to create many amusing moments. Thankfully Chessie isn't crass like Dr. Brennan, so there's not any objectionable content here. :)

This is a great read for the Christmas season; it's very fun without seeming cheesy or fake. There's just enough conflict to keep a nice balance, but not enough to stress you out or dampen the fun feeling of the story. If you're looking for a fun Christmas tale that won't get you down, look no further, this is the ticket! 

My Rating: 5 stars