I’m a big fan of contemporary books and Stage Kiss sounded like something I would really love. I was definitely right! This book was a trip down memory lane that left me smiling when I read the last page. This books comes out tomorrow, February 13th. It’s not much longer until you all can check out it as well!

Cover

I think this cover is so sweet and simple. Yay for being able to imagine the characters mostly on my own. I love the book with the crown on top.

Plot

I LOVED this book! It brought back so many good memories. This book takes place in 2002 and I was in high school at that time. This made it so easy to relate to, haha. Erin is determined to be homecoming queen. This isn’t really her dream, but it’s a family thing. Every girl in her family has been homecoming queen for the last few generations. She’s doing it to make her mother happy. Erin’s plans are disrupted when she catches her boyfriend and bestfriend together. While Erin is hurt, she is more worried about her chance at homecoming than losing her boyfriend. Eventually she realizes that she wasn’t really in love with Nick, but it just seemed like a natural next step after being best friends for so long. I think the only thing that bothered me was that Libby did that to her. Which made it frustrating that Jenn and Colleen got mad at Erin when she didn’t want to be around Libby right away. I mean, come on! She stole Erin’s boyfriend, haha. Erin may seem a bit shallow at first, but she really isn’t. She drops everything, including her lead role in a play to help around her grandparents’ farm, when her grandfather becomes ill. Then there’s Peter of course, another theater geek who sees more than you think he would. Erin used to have a crush on him, but when there was an almost kiss, things turn awkward. She asks him for help to become homecoming queen (now that she doesn’t have a date) and he thinks of ways to help. While going along with everything, she starts to feel really close to him and tries to push away the feelings. During everything she starts to realize being homecoming queen isn’t the most important thing in the world. Friendships and memories are worth so much more!
Another thing that made this book amazing were all the references to things I love, like Dawson’s Creek, She’s All That, Harry Potter and even Care Bears (isn’t it amazing that a friendship can develop by something so simple). This book may seem to be nothing but a lot of clichés, but this is in such a good way! When I put this book down I had a smile on my face and felt happy. I was sad it was over! I can’t wait to read more in the Mountain Creek Drive books.

Characters

Erin has been so trained to think she needs to become homecoming queen that she is more worried about the dance than Nick breaking up with her to be with her best friend. All she can think of is how her mother will respond. I felt bad for her. It’s not something she really wants, but it’s expected of her. Peter is willing to help her when she volunteers to help his sister, but is kind of scared how things will turn out. She wants to deny her feelings for Peter, but after awhile she just can’t deny them. This is when she realizes she is a bit self-centered and needs to think of others as well. When her grandfather is put in the hospital it is scary, especially when she is expected to take care of the farm. I thought she should’ve had more chance to be with her family. It was very mature of her though to take this on. I liked how through the book she works through family issues and find herself in the end.

Peter is the typical boy next door in my eyes, but in a good way. He loves doing everything as stage manager and even though homecoming is nothing to him, he decides to help Erin. We later find out he had other motives. He was hurt and wanted a way to get back. I think Peter realized this in time and turned out to be a really sweet guy. He seems like a lot of fun to hang around and talk to. He definitely turns out to be a prince charming.

If you were a teenager like I was in 2002 this book will bring back a lot of memories, haha. Then again, all teenagers will basically be able to relate in some way. It’s definitely just a feel good book!