Review: An excellent debut from this author.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 1, 2013
Written by Tash MOriginally posted on confessionsfromromaholics dot comARC provided kindly by Lady Reader Tours for reviewing purposesWHAT JUST HAPPENED? I'm still wrapping my mind around this book as it's not what you expect from a young adult book about a rock band about to make the big time. Yeah, I had a inkling every since I first read the novella that the author has something special here and I wasn't disappointed. The book was a tearjerker to sum it up in a nutshell.Continuing from the novella, Jake and Aly continue to see each other--at a cost. Their group of friends soon start injecting themselves into their relationship as well as Notting, Jake's manager and father figure, as they are not all happy that they are sneaking around and messing up the status quo. As the boy-next-door rocker and the girl-next-door get to know each other, the secrets come tumbling out left, right and centre. The band is about to leave on tour and things are rapidly changing in Aly and Jake's friendship and the group as a result of everyone meddling and growing up. Jake and Aly are starting to realize that they have something special going on. But, who's kidding whom? It is not going to be easy relationship, Aly is not allowed to date until she's 16 and her parents are well known for being strict. They need to figure out how they're going to survive but it isn't going to be easy.If I could choose a YA that been my favourite so far this year, this would have to be the book. There is so much going on in this book but it doesn't seem over the top. It's the right balance between all the situations as they all connect back to the main story. It's the story of two teenagers experiencing their firsts as they are about to embark on the big time and start high school. Hence the title First Kiss. This one time I actually do not want to say too much about the story as this is a book you need to read yourself. However, if you are seeking a bad boy rocker with a story to tell and the girl next door starting to mature and question things, this is the story for you. It is a YA book but it written such a way that you can forget that Aly is only 14 and Jake is 18 at the start because of the maturity that flows through their words, resulting in a book that reads like one of those rocker books that  adults fawn over but with its characters only still in high school.I highly recommend that you read this book and buy the version with music as the music fits in perfectly in the right moments like the novella. I'm hearing a particular song repeat in my head at this very moment as I write this review. 5 couples once again and I'm waiting in anticipation for the second book. An excellent debut from this author.