6 Times We Almost Reviewed
- Hannah Wahlberg
- Nov 12, 2024
- 3 min read
6 Times We Almost Kissed (and One Time We Did) by Tess Sharne
CW: Click Here
4.5/5
Reading Tess Sharne's 6 Times We Almost Kissed (and One Time We Did) (which I'll be referring to without its subtitle for the majority of this review), was like handling Pandora's Box. The book was tempting with its cute cover and promise of a Sapphic enemies-to-lovers story. Then I began reading and the monsters kept spilling out. There's so much darkness in those pages, sometimes graphic. However, I promise there's hope in the end. Please take the content warnings list seriously for this book. I absolutely recommend the novel, but only if you understand it's not as light as the cover and title imply.
6 Times We Almost Kissed takes place during the summer when Penny's mother donates part of her liver to Tate's mother. Done in order to save Tate's mother from cancer. Penny and Tate bicker constantly, but they must call a truce if they want to cut down on possible stress for their mothers. Except they both have feelings for the other that they've been trying to ignore. How long will it take for those to come to the surface without the banter standing in the way? To make things more intense, Tate and her mother move in with Penny and her's to save money. The romantic feelings aren't the only secrets being buried. Penny's awful relationship with her mother has been unaddressed for too long. Will anyone be able to get through the summer without breaking?
When I started reading 6 Times We Almost Kissed, I was in the throes of covid. I was struggling to be satisfied with any book I picked. I almost DNF'd this one because Penny was so whiny. Then we got to Tate's POV and I relaxed. Penny grew on me, especially after I learned why she is the way she is. She lost a parent and her other one closed herself off. She had also been on the cusp of being diagnosed with OCD before her mother forced her to stop therapy. By the end of the book, I had wanted more. Although I think Sharne should have included an epilogue where things are further along in the healing process, I appreciate that trauma, grief, mental illness, and poor relationships are depicted honestly. The theme of boundaries is especially well handled. The book can be heavy, but it can also be cathartic.
While it is clearly a love story between two girls, the romance arc is treated almost entirely as just a romance. Sharne does not choose to make the novel about being queer. There is a bit of anxiety when Tate and Penny come out to each other as bi in a flashback, but if you're looking for a book that just accepts queerness as ordinary, pick this one. It might have something to do with the setting. 6 Times We Almost Kissed is set in rural northern California. The small town isn't without its creeps and dangers, but it is comfortable with gay people. Frankly, many of the side characters just assumed that Penny and Tate would eventually get together. As much as I love books that get into the ups and downs of the queer experience, I also enjoyed how this one portrayed it as normal.
If you've ever wondered what kind of romance novel a thriller writer would write, 6 Times We Almost Kissed is the answer. Tess Sharne is not used to writing romance, which is likely why this one is so dark, but I attest that she did a fantastic job. If anything I've mentioned about this novel sounds up your alley, I strongly suggest you read it!
~Bonus Content~
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