Kiss the Girl
By Zoraida Córdova
Reviewed by Lucille Rose
Kiss The Girl is a young adult romance starring Eric Reyes: the lead guitarist of ‘Star Crossed’ and out-cast son of a Colombian millionaire, and Melody ‘Ariel’ Del Mar: lead singer of pop sensation ‘The Siren Seven’.
Melody has spent her whole life in the spotlight with her sisters, leading their band to stardom under their father’s rule. But when her dad starts to push her past the breaking point, Melody decides it’s time for a little adventure. Eric Reyes has dreamed of making it big ever since his grandfather made him his first guitar. But only hours before the first tour, he meets the disguised lead singer of Siren Seven. The spark is instant, and under the influence of love, he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. Will that spark flame? Or will the truth about her identity let it die?
Romance, I believe, is a criminally underrated genre. And my proof is Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Cordova. This hilarious, amazing novel is a must-read for anyone who loves a good book (and just everyone in general). Good romances can be hard to come by, which is why this story is a gold mine of love and excitement.
Eric Reyes is a funny, swoon-worthy character who is impossible to dislike. His personality is nothing short of tantalizing. This golden-retriever male protagonist is the epitome of the perfect male lead. The only flaw I found in this character was his inner turmoil. After wallowing about being cut off from his disapproving father, and unable to contact his mother, Eric’s trauma was fixed with a single phone call. His parents, after years of an unhappy marriage, were suddenly right as rain, and extremely supportive of his career choices.
Melody ‘Ariel’ Del Mar was an awesome female lead; she and her sisters are the perfect role models for women in the music industry. She always expressed the importance of staying true to oneself and never allowing others to take away your passions. While Melody was a highly likable character, she could at sometimes be bothersome. Her relationship with her sisters was, while beautiful, highly unrealistic. From “cutsie” nicknames to cringe-inducing jokes, the ‘Siren Seven’ sisters didn’t exactly capture the ups and downs of having many siblings.
Kiss the Girl had a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat, but I found fault in the pace of the story. Many authors fall into the trap of revealing trauma too soon before the reader has time to really connect with the characters. I had barely begun the book when Melody began brooding over her controlling father, and Eric was complaining about his own family. Melody and Eric’s romance was, while breathtaking and addictive, sparked too soon. Maybe it’s just because I’m not a fan of the ‘love at first sight’ trope, but the couple being in raptures with each other not two minutes after meeting was underwhelming.
At the same time, their love story was a song waiting to be written. This is a must-read book, and I’ll be looking for the rest of the stories in the Meant to Be series.
Recommended for fifteen- to sixteen-year-olds, four out of five stars.
Penguin Random House 2023
Zoraida Córdova
Lucille Rose is your average reading nerd whose love language is books, who’s obsessed with Taylor Swift, and who loves getting to rant about literature. My favorite authors are Jane Austen and Lynette Noni, and the books that made me fall in love with reading are The Medoran Chronicles. Writing is my passion and I hope one day I get to do it full-time.
