From bestselling author Ella Fields comes an all-new, turbulent, new adult romance.Dashiell Thane wasn’t a nice guy.He was an abrasive, demanding, conniving, intolerable brat. Yet somehow, we’d been best friends our whole lives. Until our senior year when I finally decided to dip my toes into the dating pool. All it took was one kiss for jealousy, lies, and betrayal to sweep in and propel us … to sweep in and propel us heart first into dizzying, hostile depths.
You’re not supposed to kiss your best friend.
You’re definitely not supposed to kiss your best friend while you’re dating someone else.
And the absolute worst thing you could do is fall for your best friend.
Unless, of course, you want to ruin everything.
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3.75 stars
Dash and Peggy have grown up together. Their mothers are former besties. They have gone from diapers to adulthood. Dash is an “I do whatever I want” type of boy. He is all about making Peggy’s life miserable. He claims it is best friend duty, but it is more.
Peggy was confusing to me. I think she was right to want to explore being a teen. Dates, first kisses, prom, etc. I felt like she was annoyed by Dash all the time and was not that into him. Her indifference leads her to hurt him. He lashes out and hurts her back. If you are counting betrayals, I think Peggy fired the first shot. I actually understood Dash more than I understood Peggy. He was in love and she didn’t seem interested. After Dash “betrays” her, she turns into a party girl. That was an odd leap for me since I didn’t feel she all that into him.
Dash is a brat. He is conniving and demanding. Despite all that, I liked him. Honestly if he had turned on the charm earlier in the book and romanced Peggy, he would have had me in all the swoons. Let’s be realistic though, boys are dumb and immature. Dash does gets points going for what he wanted. In a messed up, controlling way, but he still knew his heart.
Admittedly, teen romance is not really my thing. That being said Ella Fields is one of the best at writing teens that are a hot mess. If you are looking for a YA book that gives you all the craziness of young love you will probably love this. Although YA is not my thing I am interested in the other couples in the book. I would probably pick up another one if EF makes this a series. I am especially intrigued by the mess Lars is in.
DREAMY’S REVIEW
My first ever Ella Fields book and I’m absolutely blown away! She is a ‘new to me author’ and I’m so glad that this was my very first read by her!!
The emotions I was getting while reading this book… I can’t even explain! The love I have for Dash and Peggy, their childhood friendship, their push and pull, their connection… perfection!
*****
Peggy is relatable in every high school girl type of way. She spoke to my heart with everything she was experiencing and not experiencing! Her vulnerability.
A girl with so much to discover.
Dash is a self-centered, spoiled bad boy with a tough exterior who gives no fucks about anyone.
… besides his life long, best friend Peggy.
A bad boy with a good, beautiful heart.
“Dashiell Thane had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. He wouldn’t have been my first choice, but then again, since he learned how to talk and use his words and that scowl as a weapon, I never really had a choice.”
What happens when you end up kissing your best friend?
“I’d never kissed by anyone other than Dash, and even then, he’d only done it in the sixth grade so he could claim my first kiss.”
*****
Now I know why Ella Fields is the queen of angst!! Kiss and Break Up was filled with angst, drama, lies and betrayal, jealousy, high emotion, made me laugh, and made me swoon. hard!
It gave me all the high school feels!
Dash and Peggy were a perfectly imperfect pair while trying to navigate through their friendship that quickly turned complicated!
“My best friend was turning my mind into a sludge pile of confused desperation.”
*****
Kiss and Break Up easily became one of my favorite reads of 2019! It totally consumed my heart! I did not expect to fall in love with this book, these characters, but I’m absolutely obsessed with them! It’s one of those stories that you can’t stop thinking about even after two reads!
Everything that Dash and Peggy (and I) went through was worth it! The heart ache, the pain because their friendship, their love, it’s for a lifetime.
Five EPIC and FRECKLES dreamy stars:
“Love, I’d discovered, was something that multiplied. With every kiss and every touch, it continued to change shape as we continued to fall.”
Kiss and Break Up is an angsty coming of age romance telling the story of two best friends discovering their love for each other. With her newest release, Ella Fields showed again her talent in writing captivating characters that make your heart beat even faster.
”No time with you is wasted even when we’re breaking.”
The heart clenching and swoon worthy story of Dash and Peggy is perfectly executed and takes the reader on an emotional journey that keeps your eyes glued to the pages from the very first page to the last.
””…, because what I do best?” … “That would be loving you.””
What I really liked about the book is, that the characters are authentic. Not always likeable because they have tantrums, make wrong decisions, are sometimes self-centered and immature. But they ARE 18 so they are allowed to do and be all that. They are allowed to change a lot through the story while it helps them to find a way back to themselfes and back together. It’s all part of coming of age.
””What is wrong with you” … “You’re wrong for me. In all the right ways.””
I love how Ella found a great balance to mix heartbreak, swooning, angst, drama, emotions, sexy times, friendship, love, fun and anger, blending them into a perfect coctail that tastes sweet, sour, fruity and gets you drunk on all the feelings.
”It was too much. She was too much. Too much of everything I’d never known I’d need.”
Kiss and Break Up is a beautiful friends to lovers romance with all ingredients your romance readers heart wishes for. With her outstanding writing skills, Ella pulls and pushes all your emotional strings, even those you never knew you had.
”Falling in love with you has been the hardest, most exhausting, exhilarating, and wonderous thing to ever happen to me.”
This author makes me want to throw my kindle down in frustration like no other. No other author writes teenage angst like Ella Fields… this book is no exception. It has teenage drama in spades… I love how there are secondary stories just bubbling away in the background.
Dash is just the biggest arsehole ever but by God I loved his arrogant, narcissistic, bad boy ways… he has just catapulted himself into my favourite Ella Fields character by a mile. Peggy was no push over either. The humour and connection between these two characters is electric. My emotions ranged from laughing out loud an inappropriate moments to screaming obscenities and slamming my kindle down and walking away chundering. It really does have all the feels not to mention a character that we can fixate hate on.
All the ingredients for a great read!
I know I say this every time she releases a book, but Kiss and Break Up is my FAVORITE Ella Fields novel.
Dash and Peggy’s story was New Adult romance done right. We need more books such as this one with high schoolers who have sex and cuss a little, but I digress.
I didn’t know what to expect with this friends to lovers, but it EXCEEDED my expectations. Dash was…well…dashing. I couldn’t have fallen more in love with him if I even tried. He tried to get me to hate him, but he did not succeed. Peggy on the other hand felt like she could be my BFF. I loved her attitude and fashion sense!!!
Of course there’s some other things that helped make KABU the AMAZING story it was. Such as the relationship between Peggy and her mom, the friendships, and cute little Church.
While I wait for Ella’s next release, I’ll be over here hoping and praying she’ll give us Daphne and Willa’s story as well.
He’s her everything whether she wants it or not. A best friend, a partner in crime a tormentor.
She’s his safe haven, who brings light to his life as he secretly becomes her protector. Teasing her like no other keeps what they have special and unique.
They have grown up together since she was initiated as his best friend in pre school.
Nothing and no one can change what they share… or so they thought…
Wowsers!! What an emotional angst ridden read!
Incredibly Intense and captivating from the start till the end.
Dash the entitled, uncaring and unkind is the guy who’s world is centred around his childhood friend.
He may be harsh and brutal with his cutting words but he’s truthful to a fault.
Peggy is the innocence we all were once. Inexperienced and unseeing of what lies before her. Blinded by their past to fully comprehend what could be.
She is loving, caring, kind and considerate. Friends forever resonates deeply within her.
Two stunning characters who shouldn’t work but do. Their dance is mesmerising and their reletionship a thing of dreams. Pure magic!
Ella has created something that will bring you on an emotional ride of your life. Be prepared to be dazzled, and to fall in love, because I can guarantee you will!
There is no doubt in my mind that YOU need this in your life!! simple as that!
FIVE EPIC STARS!!!!!
I always get nervous in the best of ways when it comes to reading Ella’s books.
Dash and Peggy have put me into a bubble where I keep smiling like a giddy school girl.
Their story is full of swoon worthy moments, a raw and honest friendship that will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. I wanted to throw my kindle, cry at the heartache and laugh at the witty banter that they shared.
I didn’t want their story to end and Ella has absolutely nailed this perfect story of Dash and Peggy!
There is a reason why Ella Fields is one of my all time favorite authors. I am always in awe with her writing. She writes the best kind of characters that make you feel all the emotions. And you will have all the feels while reading Kiss and Break Up! I loved Peggy from the start. She is a strong female character and stayed true to who she was. What can I say about Dash? He is close to perfection! Although that boy is not an angel! (but I wouldn’t change anything about him!) I think he had me swooning the hardest out of all her male characters. He also made me want to throw my kindle across the room a time or two (or ten). Ella also writes the best secondary characters and you need to have their own stories in your hand asap! So please give us the next one soon!!! I will be rereading Kiss and Break Up until then!
This book has everything I love about YA. It’s funny and sweet, the characters are lovable and there’s a perfect mix of drama and angst to humor and lighthearted fun.
Ella’s stories are always effortless to read in general. They’re easy to get lost in and before you know it, it’s two am and your trying to rationalize another chapter over sleep. That’s exactly what happened while reading KABU. Peggy and Dash were straight up fun to read. I loved everything about them. The contrast to their personalities, their life long friendship, the sweet first love that unfolded throughout the story.
Dash has to be one of the most charming assholes I have ever read. I say that as a term of endearment, his heart was always in the right place with Peggy, but his stupid boy brain wasn’t. It was quite comical honestly. I loved that Peggy wasn’t a pushover when it came to Dash. She stood up to him and called him out when it mattered most. He was so abrasive and salty sometimes but her sweetness always balanced him out.
As always, Ella knocks it out of the park with her interesting characters and great storytelling. Fans of YA are going to flip over this one.
OMG! OMG! OMG! Ella Fields did it Again with KISS AND BREAK UP!! When you enter A World of Words By Ella Fields, you CANNOT Just be in the Moment….You Are Right There in the middle!! You get a sense of All The Feels of the Book and never a Dull moment page after page! Drama after Drama that unfolds with Dash and Peggy’s Storytelling.
You get a Taste of their early childhood friendship to teenagers trying to figure out what life has to offer. Heartbreaks that yet to NEVER-END but leave an imprint on your soul. Every high school girl wants to experience LOVE on different levels but Be Careful What You Wish for….which Never goes the Way You Want it to Go…LIFE finds a Way with Fate right on its tales.
Kiss and Break Up is Beautifully Written and such an EMOTIONAL Rollercoaster ride of TWISTS AND TURNS that will Have you wanting to Throw your Tablet across the room! There were some Jaws Dropping several times and Heartwreching moments that will Leave you Breathless.
I’m Never the Same after Reading Ella’s Work and definitely you will feel the Same way after Reading this too!
A MUST READ BOOK!!
Senior year for Peggy and Dash…. and all their friends. Make memories and have fun!! They’ve been best friends since they were little. So what happens when you fall for your best friend????
A crazy story of teenage drama but true love!! Dash realizes he’s fallen for Peggy yet still keeps messing up!! It’s a story of how to fight for who you want and love people for who they are!!
After the first to book I read by Ella Fields, I knew she could write anything and I would read it. Kiss and Break Up just confirmed that for me once again.
High school age NA romance is not something I typically read, but after finishing this book I want all the stories of all the students at Magnolia Cove Prep!
I was captivated immediately by Dash and Peggy’s BFF relationship and wondering if it would grow into more. When this innocent girl is besties with the “don’t give AF” Dash, you just know the story is going to be good! And even more so once the reader realizes that Dash’s biggest weakness is also his greatest strength – Peggy.
I can’t say too much more without giving away story, all I can say is that Ella Fields delivers once again with all the angst, all the feels, and all the drama I have come to expect from her.
This will absolutely be a book I read again, which is not something I normally do, but with the world Ella created for Dash, Peggy, their families, and the rest of the students at Magnolia Cove Prep, it’s a world I find myself missing terribly already and one I want to spend more time in.
Originally posted on Undeniably Book Nerdy book blog:
Dash and Peggy were best friends since they were in diapers. Dash is this hot-hole who is very protective of Peggy but he’s not always the nicest person. Peggy lovingly tolerated Dash over the years, but she of zero experience when it comes to guys, wants to have a boyfriend. When Peggy catches a cute lacrosse player’s attention during their senior year of high school, Dash, in typical Dash fashion, was only too happy to help Peggy practice her kissing skills. Except this kiss may just change their friendship to something irreparable.
Kiss and Break Up was a fun book to binge read. If you enjoy hot-jerk-holes, a friends-to-lovers romance, a lot of teenage drama and angst, and messy relationships–which I personally do like every now and then and, really, this book did come at the right time when I was in the mood for it–you’re going to love this one. Things did happened pretty quickly (and somewhat messily with a lot of telling rather than showing) in the first quarter of the book, and I couldn’t quite connect with the story or Dash and Peggy at first. But, when I did get into the story, I couldn’t stop reading even when Dash and Peggy frustrated me because they acted like, well, like the high school kids they are. But, between the roller coaster that was Dash and Peggy’s relationship were some swoon-y moments that is classic Ella Fields.
One of my favorite parts were the friendship between Peggy and her two friends, Daphne and Willa, who both need their own book because they were going their own romantic dramas, as well as the friendship between Dash and his crew. Of course I have to mention Dash’s beloved Scottish Fold Church because he’s my fave and he stole every scene he was in.
Kiss and Break Up is my least favorite book by Ella Fields. There were some good parts, but I’m a bit underwhelmed to be honest. The story and the main characters felt messy and under developed at times. I never really rooted for Dash and Peggy’s romance nor truly ever really liked Dash and Peggy was just okay. But, if you’re a fan of Ella Fields Kiss and Break Up is worth a read because I did still found it entertaining overall despite my issues with it.
Ella Fields has done it again with a book that I couldn’t put down.
Friends to lovers, first love teenage angst but so much fun.
Full of characters that are fun and fascinating and characters that you just love to hate.
Dash is is brash, no filter but incredible protective and loyal and you can’t but help love him,.
Peggy doesn’t care to be popular but she wants to experience the normal teenage girl life but Dash has other ideas and so the ride begins.
Ella is fast becoming one to the top YA/NA authors, up there with Tijan and Erin Watt
Can not wait for the next ride !
5 Stars!
Peggy Newland grew up privileged and wealthy. Then her parents split and she now lived in a cozy cottage with her mom. Certain things had changed, but the one thing that always stayed the same was her friendship with the boy she’d known since birth. They’d been best friends for as long as she could remember. Since he pushed his way into her life and declared them the best of friends. Dash Thane was bossy, controlling, demanding, and often a brat, but he had over the years become important to her. He’d always been like a brother, but lately something had been shifting between them. She was suddenly more aware of him, and noticing more and more how beautiful he was. But this was Dash, and she could never go there.
Dash & Peggy start their senior year at Magnolia Cove Prep, and soon Peggy is getting some new male attention. Dash had always been protective of her, but he was experiencing something new that felt a whole lot like jealously. He’d known one day she would find a nice guy and and figured he’d be happy for her, but none of these guys were good enough for her. He quickly realized he wasn’t ready for her to date. Then he kisses her and changes everything. Your not supposed to kiss your best friend, and your definitely not supposed to like and and want to do it again.
As things get complicated between Dash and Peggy they are thrown into new territory that they aren’t sure how to navigate. They are both confused by these new scary feelings and are soon in over their heads. It gets awkward and intense, and soon things spiral out of control as one decides they want to get out of the friend zone and the other is terrified to ruin their friendship by trying for more. Falling for your best friend could be the biggest risk of all.
This book was absolutely amazing!!! It will definitely be in my top reads for 2019! This story is a roller coaster of angst, drama, jealously, lies and betrayal, and omg my heart! My heart was melting for Dash! He’s of course gorgeous on the outside, but he’s so much more than a cocky jerk. He’s thoughtful, loyal, and has the most beautiful heart! This is one of those stories that just completely consumes you and you can’t quit thinking about.
Ohhh My DASH!!!!!!
Ella Fields proves that she can dominate aany genre. She has very quickly become an instant 1 click!
I automatically fell in love with the two main characters Peggy and Dash. They have been best friends since they were young and now that they are all grown up and starting senior year, feelings are starting to change. Peggy finds a boyfriend that Dash is determined to get rid of. Dash is hooking up with random girls, all the while having only one girl on his mind. This is a steamy, bad boy, friends to lovers book that will have you on the edge of your seat, dying to know what is going to happen next.
This was a fantastic book and I can’t wait for everyone to devour all the juicy goodness that is, Mr. Dash Thane!
I Just finished Kiss and Break Up and wow still speechless!!
Another amazing book By Ella Fields!
I’ve been a fan of her writing since Frayed silk and Kiss and Break up is not the exception a story that will keep you hooked and super intrigued at all times, a roller coaster of emotions, angst, tears, and happiness but mostly so much love between two people who needed to go through hell to finally see what was in front of them all these years..
“To go all in. I’m already there, Wating for you to let go and meet me in the deep end.”
Kiss and Break up is a High Shcool, love story, that started a long time ago when Dash and Peggy were just kids … full of angst and the right amount of funny situations, Kiss and Break Up would make you cry and laugh with these wonderful characters and situations but always leaving us wanting more.
“You’re wrong for me. In all the right ways”
Dash was very intense, he was extremely protective and possessive of Peggy. no matter what, he was always making sure she was ok. even when he made mistakes, he will always do whatever it was needed to fix everything between them. even if at times Dash felt very self-centered, when it came to Peggy she was always first.
“I Couldn’t escape him. He filled my head, clenched every muscle, and shortened my breath.”
Peggy, what a beautiful heroine, I really love how strong but at the same time vulnerable she was when she was around Dash.. she only let him see the real her and no one else. Peggy was very original, her way of dressing and acting were never to impress or to fit in, she was always true to herself making her an even more interesting heroine.
“She was the one constant in my life. A pillar of light”
love the chemistry between the main characters, no matter at what stage of their relationship they were, you could always feel the connection and the intensity between these two.
So many great secondary characters that made this story more beautiful and support immensely the main characters, Daphne, Willa, Lars, Raven, Jackson especially Peggy’s mother all of them really brought so much to the story making it more intense and even deeper.
Overall the story was great, the characters where awesome, everything really made the book very enjoyable wanting to know more about the rest of the characters. I’m dying to know if we’re getting Willas and Daphne stories I Can’t WAIT for more!
Ella Fields writes teenage angst better than anyone. From beginning to the very last page, it’s chock full of high school drama.
Dash has the “if a boy picks on you it means he likes you” skill down pat. Too bad it takes him so long to figure it how to identify those feelings. But Peggy takes even longer, bringing out the winner of all angst.
Welcome to Magnolia Cove Prep where popcorn, wine, and Kleenex are a part of the first aid kit.
When it comes to Ella Fields, I don’t care if the cover isn’t gorgeous and the blurb doesn’t pique my interest. Her name alone is a magnet that screams: ANGST! DRAMA! CHEATING! LOVE TRIANGLE! And that’s exactly what you’ll get in her brand-new high school romance Kiss and Break Up. A little bit of everything. And. So. Much. More.
I can’t even. This book looks so innocent but let me spoil it for you – it’s NOT! Ella can pat herself for making my eyes all watery. Also, falling in love with a swoon-worthy asshole was never easier. Add to the awesomeness, that is Dashielle Thane, Ella’s killer writing skills and you are about to experience a roller-coaster of emotions.
KABU is that type of book that’s able to get you out of every book funk another author has thrown you into. Likable characters, an interesting story line with enough twists to keep you at edge.
Dashiell is mine. Mine. MINE! No ifs, buts and maybe about, okay?
Ella Fields has blown me away yet again. I’ve not read a High School romance in sooo long, and I’m in love again. Kiss and Break Up is brilliant!
I have to say this book is one angst fest. It’s intense, and half of that is just Dash himself. Okay, maybe 75%…
I loved this book so much. It was emotional, angsty and incredibly written. The story was addicting, and the characters were likeable, well some were, but I just got so lost in this world (when real life wasn’t interrupting), and I did not want to leave.
I loved Peggy. I also love the name too! It’s so pretty! Anyhoo, Peggy was a feisty and independent young woman who was discovering herself at the cusp of adulthood. She was so likeable and awesome And as for Willa (I soo need her story soon) and Daphne (repeat previous statement). Ugh, they were just as fierce as Peggy and so loyal and so awesome!
Peggy and Dash as a couple: perfect but sooo freaking frustrating. The amount of times I screamed at my Kindle I could count on both hands (not exaggerating), but Dash is irresistible, so… I’ll leave you to find out how irresistible *evil chuckle*.
Kiss and Break Up is one of my favourites of 2019! It’s an Ella Fields classic that I will be screaming at everybody Oprah style to read! It’s a brilliant read, and I guess you could blame Dash for that, I mean, he’s always been too arrogant for his own good.(lol.)
(PS: Dash is mine <--- important to remember.)