It’s just my name. I’ve heard it hundreds of times in my life. But this time, she kind of sighs it through her fingers as if she’s trying to hold it in. As if it’s suddenly become a secret I’m not supposed to hear.” They’ve never talked about it. They’ve always ignored it in the aftermath. But now they’re living across the hall from each other.

It’s just this confusing thing that keeps happening. You know, from time to time. For basically their entire teenaged existence. An utterly compelling will-they-won't-they slow-burn queer romance from the author of THE GIRLS I'VE BEEN.Penny and Tate were destined to be around one another constantly...but they haven't always enjoyed each other's company. After all, their mothers have been best friends for ages, so they HAD to grit their teeth through many a movie marathon or playdate they would have rather avoided. Penny tragically lost her father, leaving her and her mother Lottie with a strained relationship, and it seems like this tragedy alone

The two girls we get to know are Tate and Penny. They have never been friends but with them sharing living quarters, they decide to make a pact. They will get along. They won’t fight. And they’ll keep each other’s secrets to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. For the moms. I absolutely loved this. I stayed up until 2am so I could finish it. I just couldn’t go to sleep without getting my ending. What I loved about the ending is that while it felt fitting, it isn’t perfect. Everything isn’t wrapped up and perfect but it is hopeful. Sharpe’s prose throughout the novel is thoughtful and evocative. She writes alternating chapters from Penny and Tate’s point of views, and their voices are clearly differentiated. Tate’s distracted mind often inserts parenthetical asides. Penny’s voice oozes with her practicality and tendency to organize. Simple metaphors and similes are incredibly effective at revealing the girls’ emotions, especially about each other. Tate tells us: “I’m sitting here, hanging on her words like she’s a cliff I’ve slipped from.” Penny thinks, after Tate says “Penny”:If you love queer love stories, YA romances, or are as big of a Tess Sharpe fan as me, you need to read 6 Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did). It’s a must! I will give a trigger warning for emotional abuse. Penny’s mom is… a lot. And she doesn’t show who she is to Penny to everyone. She’s fine with Tate’s mom. She’s even ok with Tate. But Penny is manipulative and neglectful. I love a book that is character-driven and emotional and this was everything I could have wanted and more. Tate and Penny could not be more perfect together. As reluctant allies at first, then as friends, and then as something more. Their strengths and flaws complement each other brilliantly. The way that the trauma, and after-trauma, has been depicted in this book is so wonderfully done. My heart aches for both our main characters throughout so many parts of this book. Content warnings: find them here on Tess’ blog. Ones that aren't mentioned: underage drinking, reference to cheating (past, happened to an MC but it wasn't too heavy - an ex cheats on her).

Really, Sharpe’s writing elevates this story every time you might get a bit frustrated with Penny and Tate’s stubbornness and instead draws focus to other important elements of their lives that binds them together—shared grief, fear of what their respective mothers might think about their relationship and how to overcome the chasm of hurt feelings both cling to for much of the story. Yet each new past moment that is revealed to the reader brings with it hope and promise for a future that might offer both girls a reprieve from the heavy weight they lug around on a daily basis. Ultimately, this is a story about the incredible inner strength it takes to survive loss, fear and illness and reminds us how important it is to have a good support system at your side when tragedy strikes. Also, be careful when reading about how Penny’s father died. It’s very tough to read, but it helps us understand Penny’s fears and her connection to Tate. As complicated as Penny and Tate’s relationship is, Penny’s with her mom, Lottie, is even more so. For me it was the most painful part of the novel to read, even while Sharpe is careful to not make Lottie a simple villain. I mean, she’s giving her best friend half of her liver! But particularly as a new parent, reading about a parent who emotionally and physically abandons her kid in her grief for her husband was agonizing. On the one hand, I can’t imagine losing my partner suddenly in a tragic accident, and of course I have no idea how I would cope. On the other hand, I can’t imagine not putting my kid’s well being first and not openly communicating with and going through the process of grief with them instead of shutting them out. Sharpe smartly doesn’t wrap up Penny and Lottie’s story arc; there’s no moment where Lottie does a grand apology or where Penny forgives her. The focus is on Penny as her own person; she makes her own steps forward in healing journey apart from her mom, which is so affirming to witness. This novel caused a whirlwind of emotions in me. One moment, the corners of my lips tugged into smiles; sometime later, a band pulled tight around my chest, and the lump in my throat pushed tears into my eyes. Those moments at the river, my stomach almost contracted and fear came over me like a fire closing me in. But also warmth in my chest afterward, for those two girls who cared for each other, even though they didn’t realize it themselves and almost kissed so many times.An utterly compelling will-they-won’t-they slow-burn queer romance from the author of THE GIRLS I’VE BEEN. They don’t, of course. The slow, slow burn of the story is Penny and Tate finally opening up to each other and being honest, mostly with themselves, about what it is that they actually want and what they actually mean to each other. It’s them finally seeing what everyone watching them from the outside sees, looking at these two and thinking, wow those are some soulmates right there. It’s so beautiful! After reading about the hardships each girl has gone through and how courageously they have fought for their own well-being, I can’t think of two other fictional queer girls who deserve a happy ending more. It’s difficult not to chant “kiss, kiss, kiss!” in your head while reading about all their almost kisses, even though Sharpe has already told you this isn’t the time their lips actually meet! And on more than one occasion, there is even only one bed that they have to share!! In my pitch, I called it a book about not knowing what you want (while insisting you do), being there for the people you chose no matter what, and figuring out how to deal with the one person who keeps being witness to the worst moments of your life, but still sees the best in you.

But beyond the dark moments, this is a love story and Tate and Penny have so many beautiful moments together. Even beyond the six times they almost kiss and the one time they do, each scene they have together shows another aspect of who they are separately and together. PDF / EPUB File Name: Times_We_Almost_Kissed_-_Tess_Sharpe.pdf, Times_We_Almost_Kissed_-_Tess_Sharpe.epub Anna was great. She's what a mum should be. She and Tate had a lovely relationship. I just wish she could have done more for Lottie and Penny. Times We Almost Kissed screams character. Dual POV and hopping a bit between timelines, Sharper creates immediately tension. Not only are we expecting the fireworks and chemistry, but we’re also expecting an explanation. A reason why they didn’t kiss. And what they’re still doing. It was impossible to stop reading because throughout, I kept wondering, is this the time? These girls were wonderfully messy, so great to read about and are very much now resting in a corner of my heart forevermore.Oh, and before, I forget, because it bears mentioning. I also loved their friends, both grade A cinnamon rolls, so much. I love me a friend group. This one wasn't quite an ensemble but they left their mark nonetheless. Now Marion, Penny's gran and her dad's mum, was incredible. She was everything Penny needed despite losing her son. I can't really put into words how amazing she was. I hope everyone going through loss and grief has a Marion to help them through it.