Price of a Kiss by Linda Kage

Price of a Kiss by Linda Kage
Release Date: August 15, 2013
Publisher: Self-Pub
Pages: 373
Series: n/a
Review Source: Originally an eARC from author; purchased finished copy from Kindle

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
I don’t care what my cousin says; I am not the queen of impossible relationships. I mean, just because my last boyfriend tried to kill me and left a bit of a scar on my neck, then forced me to move across the country and legally change my name to Reese Randall to escape him, does not mean—

Oh, who am I kidding? For a freshman in college, I have to have the worst dating track record ever.

It’s no wonder love is the last thing on my mind when Mason Lowe enters my life. But the chemistry between us is like bam! Our connection defies logic. And he’s just so freaking hot. Being around him makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt before. I even like bickering with him. He could be my soul mate...except for one teeny tiny glitch.

He's a gigolo.

Boy, do I know how to pick them.

My Thoughts:
I had the privilege of beta-reading an early draft of this book and I totally loved it! I'm happy to say that on re-read of the finished book the story completely held up.

The chemistry between Reese and Mason is off the charts, and I just adored how there was a deep friendship connection beneath the lusty one. My main pet peeve about romance is when the characters have no real thing in common besides their attraction to one another. Attraction is important, don't get me wrong, but I can never really love a book unless that attraction is to each other's personalities as well. In this book Linda Kage does a phenomenal job of building up the friendship between Reese and Mason, having them really like one another, bonding over things like Harry Potter, as the physical attraction continues to build.

What I also love about this book is that on a very bare bones level 'Price of a Kiss' follows a lot of New Adult tropes (broken girl who has a tragic past with guys, broken boy with commitment issues and a tattoo) and yet it felt fresh for two main reasons. First: Reese is just adorable. She's so optimistic and sweet, and even though she worries about what's happened to her, she doesn't let it define her or paralyze her like so many other NA stories start off with. Second: a gigolo?! What?? That was basically my first reaction when Linda pitched the story to me. But as soon as you start reading, it makes sense, and I love how it's completely unique and a totally different take on the usual manwhore character. Believe me, you will totally fall for Mason alongside Reese.

What also makes this story shine are the secondary character, most specifically Mason's sister, Sarah. So adorable! Reese's cousin is a piece of work, but she's an interesting contrast to Reese's personality. Really I just can't say enough good things about this book. Reese and her comments to the reader are laugh out loud funny, and I think her voice is what makes the book truly stand out among other NA titles. If you're looking for a unique college romance, you should definitely pick this one up.

I can't wait for more people to read 'Price of a Kiss', because I have a feeling they'll love it as much as I do.

The Cover:
Gorgeous!

Rating:
[5/5]

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