“Five hundred kisses are all it takes to steal a heart.”Chris Montgomery doesn’t believe it, and he’d know. He’s met— and had— many a man. None of whom he’d want to share five hundred kisses with. If you don’t like someone, you just don’t like them. End of story.No amount of kissing will change that.Dylan Halsworth doesn’t believe it either. But Chris and his arrogant, always right, dare I be … arrogant, always right, dare I be wrong attitude has Dylan challenging him to try it. And who knows, maybe watching his most loathed neighbor suffer through five hundred kisses with the same man is worth it. He’d sit back, crack open a Mountain Dew, and have a good laugh . . .
But . . . shit . . . there is one slight snag in his plan.
Chris has chosen Dylan with whom to prove his point . . .
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This story was originally written as part of the Goodreads “Love’s Landscapes” anthology, 2014. This second edition has new scenes, scene expansions, scene alterations, a revised ending, reformatting, and–thanks, Natasha!–a new cover.
Big thanks to all those involved in both its original and second edition developments.
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4 stars – loved it even more than the first version!
I’m so very glad to have read this latest edition, because in my last memories, I liked the story but I had this lasting feeling of “there is too much unnecessary angst and it could be resolved if they just… talked”. And to my great delight, Mrs. Sunday remastered the dialogues and the course of the story in this version is devoid of it (yay!). Not that there isn’t a bit of angst – it’s enemies-to-lovers duh – but it’s like they finally stopped acting like dramatic teenagers. I guess it’s also because of how much the author refined and enriched the settings and the secondary characters : everything has more depth and is better fleshed out. The dialogue is more well-paced, the lines match better to each MC, and overall, everything flows better. I’m so pleased the resolution of their story was reworked too, it feels less like an abrupt and easy out.
I much adore this story now and I know I’ll be reading it again to follow Chris and Dylan’s little game of chicken we all know the end of.
I’m not gonna do a repeat of the summary and every other review which will resume the story much better than me, so in few words : if you like grumpy assholish rich lonely guys who enjoy to pique the (un)friendly dynamic camp owner neighbour across the lake (and vice versa), well this is for you!
I received a free ARC for an honest review.
4.25 Stars
Anyta Sunday is always good at getting your emotions involved, while reading her books, and writing characters that are easy to become attached to. That is definitely the case in this story. She packed a punch in a short read.
This was such a sweet, delightful, and humorous story of two former friends, brought back together by life and a little wager. What’s the worst that could happen? I love how Dylan and Chris’s story played out. It was well written, and I loved the characters woven throughout the book.
If you’re looking for a pick me up, that’ll put a smile on your face, I would absolutely recommend this novella.
***I received a copy of this book for my reading pleasure. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***
This was an adorable novella filled with banter, competitiveness, teasing , tons of Mountain Dew, a bit of steam and lots of kisses.
I loved Dylan and Chris and how this is a friends-to- enemies-to-lovers and second chance all rolled into one. Add in a bet and forced proximity and you’ve got something amazing!
Would highly recommend if you’re looking for something short and fun!
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
I loved this take on friends to enemies to lovers. These two guys get sucked into a bet that takes a very unexpected turn and shows them that sometimes, behaving like the kids at the summer camp and accepting a dare can have very interesting consequences. This is a light, frothy romance with some great characters being set up perfectly in sweet situations by the author.
Once best friends, Dylan and Chris did everything together, now as adults they can’t stand to be around each other.
A powerful rain leaves Dylan no option but to ask Chris for a favor, to help his summer camp kids.
As with most summer camps there are always those dares or superstitions. One so happens to be after 500 kisses between two people they will end up in love with each other. Big talks lead up to them both proving that in fact it isn’t true and they will prove it, by kissing each other 500 times.
Between rowdy teens, camping trips, early breakfasts, and kisses lasting longer each time, neither one knows if this challenge is actually working or is it just the mind set.
To get the answers both will have to confront the past and make amends but their journey to get there is full of laughs, jokes and lots of kisses.
What a story! It’s short, but so full of everything! A friends to enemies to friends to lovers beauty! There is a lot of their backtory packed into the narration, along present developments that push them inevitably on the road to a relationship.
I loved how stubborn and cheeky Chris was, how Dylan knew all about it, and how they understood each other every step of the way. A cute feel good story about second chances!
This is a cute as hell, sweet novella, Ex-best friends to enemies and then friends to lovers, close proximity story.
Dylan runs a summer camp a storm destroyed part of the kitchen and he can’t send the kids back because the needs the money so he needs his neighbor Chris’s help, they used to be not only friends but best friends, something happened between them that they stop taking to each other, you need to read the story to find out.
Chris is arrogant and cocky, they listened to the kids talk about that you can make someone fall in love with you if you share 500 kisses, so Dylan dare Chris who can’t resist a bet and then he kiss Dylan.
The story between Dylan and Chris is fill with sweetness, teasing, bantering and sad memory’s, they wait to long to finally be together but at the end they have a lovely HEA and many stolen kisses!
I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review.
A little former-friends-turned-enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity vibe with witty banter and snark and so many steamy and unexpectedly tender kisses… yep, it all works perfectly for me. I loved the premise of this novella, and how the story of Chris and Dylan’s past slowly unfolded as circumstances bring them together again. They’re both stubborn and the bet is most definitely the push they need to start really spending time together again and opening up to their feelings. I liked how it was packed with heat and anticipation but for a novella, is still quite a slow burn. A cute, sweet and funny read.
Sweet enemies to lovers romance. I liked the little peeks into the past, slowly revealing Dylan and Chris’ youth from best friends to becoming enemies. I’ll be looking for more from this author.
This newest edition has been edited and expanded. Well done, Anyta!
Chris Montgomery and Dylan Halsworth were friends when they were kids. Insecurity and miscommunication ended their friendship when they were sixteen. Fast forward to adulthood and they are enemies, that live across the lake from each other. Dylan runs a summer camp and Dylan lives in the big house across the lake, while restoring boats. A disaster at Dylan’s camp has him asking for help from Chris. Chris starts out grudgingly helping Dylan and soon after Chris is having fun. Dylan and Chris overhear a camp kid mentioning 500 kisses steals a heart and next thing you know, there’s a bet to be won. How will these two enemies cope when kissing is suddenly involved?
This is a cute novella, with a good premise. Unfortunately for me, it missed the mark. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the two MCs. I didn’t feel like the story was flushed out enough to get any feeling for any of the characters. There wasn’t any excitement to this book. Kids at a summer camp bring excitement but I didn’t feel any here. The book is well written, with no noticeable errors.
I’ve read this author before. This is a sort mm novella. Main characters are Dylan a summer camp owner and Chris his rich ex best friend and neighbour. Love the title of this book, the idea brought up by the kids at camp is that 500 kisses will steal your heart. Fun, quick read about friends to lovers and second chances with better communication.
A sweet read!
If you don’t like someone, you just don’t like them…
End of story…
No amount of kissing will change that…
Aww..this novella is just too sweet and romantic. Man, I really need more of this couple. I loved how everything turned out in the end.
If I could, I would give this novella 10 stars! It was such a pleasure reading this. I really love this author’s books. I’m so glad I discovered her a couple years back!
Full of kisses, attraction, friendship and romance.
Perfect for readers of contemporary romances.