The Kiss Countdown is a starry debut from Etta Easton

There are certain romance books you hear about and know you’re going to pick up. When I saw the cover and heard the pitch for The Kiss Countdown, I was all in.

Coupled with the fact that this is a Black romance and a debut author, how could I not want to pick this one up? Let me start by saying that I feel like I was destined to enjoy this book so there’s no way I couldn’t feature it on Culturess.

Upon trying out the first chapter, I was immediately captivated and felt like I was seeing stars in the best way. Hopefully, you like a good space moment because The Kiss Countdown does feature a love interest who is an astronaut which was out-of-this-world in the best way.

Trust me, the space jokes aren’t going to be any better but I’d like to thank Berkley for sending me an ARC as this book ended up being a new favorite and I truly cannot wait to have this gem on my shelves.

The Kiss Countdown is a glittering debut romance from Etta Easton.

This book begins with Amerie who recently lost her job and is just having a bout of bad luck and she ends up running into Vincent and she’s immediately over it. Then her ex comes in and Vincent comes in handy as she uses him to be her “fake boyfriend.” Of course, only moments later, Vincent’s sister shows up and the two agree to fake date.

For these two, fake dating is how their relationship begins but a friendship starts to blossom between Vincent and Amerie. While the two couldn’t seem more different, they end up having more in common than they originally thought. Plus their agreement even extends to becoming roommates as Amerie can’t afford to stay in her apartment due to a rent increase.

What I enjoyed most about The Kiss Countdown is that Amerie and Vincent didn’t immediately jump into things. The two were dealing with a lot personally and had a hard time, trying to figure out where a relationship would fit. It also made for some undeniable tension and I couldn’t help but eat that up.

The Kiss Countdown also dealt a lot with Amerie and Vincent’s family lives. Amerie’s mother has Sickle Cell Anemia and it’s something Amerie is struggling to come to terms with. Even so, it ends up being a huge part of her growth as a character. As for Vincent, he’s dealing with the grief of losing his brother and the guilt trip his family is laying on him as he embarks on his mission to the moon.

While I loved this book, the third-act conflict did feel a little bit annoying as I think they could have solved it together. Even so, I know sometimes that’s how it has to go for the two to be together. Either way, I ended up loving this book and cannot wait to read more from Etta Easton in the future.

The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton is out now where books are sold.