The First Last Kiss by Ali Harris - September Book of the Month

It's no secret that I'm a big reader, I enjoy books and there are a lot of stories that I'll tell you that I liked but not quite as many that I can honestly say that I love but my choice for September book of the month, The First Last Kiss, is a novel that has stayed with me long after I finished reading the final pages. To say it isn't what I expected when I read the blurb would be an understatement.

How do you hold on to a love that is slowly slipping away from you? 

Can you let go of the past when you know what is in the future? 

And how do you cope when you know that every kiss is a countdown to goodbye? 

This is the story of a love affair, of Ryan and Molly and how they fell in love and were torn apart. The first time Molly kissed Ryan, she knew they'd be together forever. Six years and thousands of kisses later she's married to the man she loves. But today, when Ryan kisses her, Molly realises how many of them she wasted because the future holds something which neither of them could have ever predicted...

This is Ryan and Molly's story, a tale of not only love but of friendship, of growing up, of family and dealing with all the emotions and situations that come along with them. Be prepared to learn so much from reading this book because love isn't all hearts and flowers and The First Last Kiss shows the reality of this. Molly is the story teller and boy does she tell it well.

Now I'll admit when reading this, there were times where it became confusing, I had to go back a few pages sometimes as you see Ali has written this by alternating between past and present but the past memories don't all come in chronological order which actually was a very clever thing to do as they are talked about when it is necessary, they make you understand why things happened as they did.

It's the memories that stay with us forever, not the stuff that's attached to them.

What is truly apparent throughout the whole book is that Molly and Ryan are meant to be together, there is a real connection there, one that builds slowly and only becomes stronger the more life throws at them and I guess what they show is that opposites attract because as they go from teens to adults you see that they don't always want the same things in life but what they're willing to do is compromise.

We get glimpses of both these characters in their teens, in their twenties. Going from school, to university, getting real life jobs and homes of their own. This isn't just some cheesy romance, what you read could quite easily be real life.

Loving someone means having the confidence to know that you won't be happy all the time, that they can't make you happy all the time. It's a totally unrealistic expectation. 

Now I can't say too much more as believe me it will ruin the book for you but one piece of advice, before delving into this novel make sure you have a box of tissues handy. I always say a sign of a good book is the emotions that it can evoke in you and I was crying for 60% of this book. I couldn't have predicted what I read and believe me I tried. 

The First Last Kiss is just heartbreakingly beautiful, the last book to make me cry so much was A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole but this one was somehow just so much more.

What you learn from reading this novel is that every moment needs to be cherished, even the small kisses mean can mean the world. No relationship is perfect, and it shouldn't be. Embrace the imperfections.

Kiss till you can't kiss any more, kiss on the street in front of everyone, kiss as if each one were the last.

The First Last Kiss is both meaningful and unforgettable, a story that will stay with me and one that I wish I'd found sooner. Highly recommend others read.