Review: Really great story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 14, 2013
First Kiss is an intense and emotional coming of age story about first love that was so much more that I expected.  Actually, it was one of those books that leave you still thinking really hard about it the next morning when you wake up.  The story begins the summer before Jake's senior year and Alyssa's freshman year.  Jake and his band are starting to make a name for themselves, tour, and have developed quite a fan base.  Alyssa is the girl next door who Jake never considered more than his friend's little sister, until one day he noticed she wasn't so little anymore.  What starts out as friendship develops into so much more and takes Jake, Alyssa, and pretty much everyone who knows them by surprise.  The story centers around their relationship, but encompasses the whole world of challenges of teen love, which is complicated even further by the age difference, and then there is the whole rock-and-roll star scene and the lifestyle that involves.  Throw in jealous exes, and friends and family who don't seem to have your best interest at heart - or do they, and you are in for a helluva a ride.One of the main issues in Jake and Alyssa's relationship is the age difference.  Granted, a few years down the road 3 or 4 years isn't going to make a difference, but right now, it presents quite a challenge.  Personally, I didn't have a problem with it.  I think that is something you have to judge on a case by case basis.  For the most part, I think Jake and Alyssa were okay with the age difference and handled things well.  It was just everyone else in involved that had the problem, but that is not to say they don't have their challenges, and when it rains it pours.  I liked Aly, I really did.  She had her immature moments for sure, but her innocence was part of her charm, but for the most part, she handled things far better than someone beyond her years.  I loved Jake to, and I think things were harder on him than anyone, though he pissed me off royally at one point, but I can also see where this adds to the story.  I have have faith that he is going to fully redeem himself before it is all over, at least I really hope he does, and I can't wait to see how everything plays out.  There are quite a few secondary characters in the story who play important roles in the story, some I really liked, and some I liked to hate.The story spans over a fairly long time frame overall and is kind of long - but the novella, Skid Out, was also included in the beginning, and despite the length, I did enjoy it.  The ending was something I wasn't expecting.  Actually, I was kind of sad and a bit heartbroken because I didn't see what happened coming, but on the positive side, I know this is the first book in a trilogy, so there is a lot more to come to this story and I am so curious where Ann Marie Frohoff is going to take these characters in future installments.  I will be cheering for these two all the way.  First Kiss is not a sweet, happily ever after romance story by any means, nor are things sugar-coated in any way - sex, drugs, alcohol, partying, and family issues are all addressed, and frankly, that is one of the things I loved about this novel - that and of course the romance.  Is first love true love?  Maybe.......maybe not.....we'll see.  I can't wait to read the next installment, Broken Notes, which is scheduled to release in December 2013.