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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I haven’t read a book by Ella Fields that I haven’t loved and Kiss and Break Up is no different. What I like best about her is she can write anything from YA to New Adult, dark and steamy to sweet and angsty. She writes a story with heart and heartbreak and keeps me coming back for more. I get all jittery before I even turn the first page yet here I am doing it and begging for more.
Peggy Newland has a zippy and quirky personality. She’s coming into her own during those awkward teen years. She’s got a mom she can talk to, best friends that every girl needs and then she’s got Dash.
From the beginning you can tell Dashiell Thane is a self-absorbed jerk with a sweet spot for Peggy. He’s got a smart mouth, sexy glasses, reads and has a cat named Church. What more could you want in a bad boy?
They are great friends. Their banter is hilarious and spot on. I love all the fun in their story. But remember they are teenagers and with that we have to struggle and rage with them through the ups and downs, not so smart decisions and realizations of young love. Of course, Ella Fields does it best.
Ella Fields did it again with another angsty as hell friends to lovers romance and making me damn happy with it. The angst dripped out of every page, sometimes it felt like it was going to rip my heart out of my chest too. Dayum was it real… Dash and Peggy’s story is full of teen drama and first love pains and I couldn’t put it down. Dash’s love for Peggy was see through to everyone but them both.
They have been friends since they were in diapers. Dash has always been the type of friend to “impose” himself on Peggy but he’s always been there for her whenever it truly mattered or just there period. Even when their families cut ties, their friendship withstood it but will it withstand them going over the friendship line?
When Peggy asks Dash for help in the kissing department so she can finally find herself a boyfriend and experience all the typical high school things, he takes that chance without a second thought. He’s finally gonna get to experience what’s he’s been secretely craving. And it’s in that experience that he realises just how deep and beyond friendship his feelings for her run. But does she feel the same or does she only seem him as her bestfriend who is almost a brother? At first she thinks it’s too weird but with every kiss and every touch they share she starts to realise that there might be something more between them, but does she want to risk their friendship? And what about her new boyfriend… who does she want more?
Peggy has a lot to think about but then something happens and all those decisions are taken away from her along with Dash’s friendship. It’s up tp her to fight for her best friend and make things right, no matter how much he he disappointed her too.
Kiss and Break Up was just another amazing book that shows how spectacular Ella’s writing is and how she rocks every trope she ventures into. Her friends-to-lovers always steal my heart and her heros are some of my favorites too. Now Peggy, well I really disliked her at times but only because she was blind to the truth and wanted things to stay that way; I’m glad Dash is impossible to ignore or forget. Dash wasn’t perfect either of course, his reactions were very impulsive and he didn’t consider anyhting else besides what was in front of him and he should have. But I mean who can stay mad at hero who loves the heroine so damn much that her indifference breaks his heart piece by piece? I just loved Dash and how much he hurt over Peggy. Like I said many times before, I live for the angst.
I’m so intrigued by this newfound world of Magnolia Cove. Desperate to read more, too. Friends to lovers isn’t my favourite romance trope, but Ella Fields is an excellent wordsmith and brilliant writer—Dashiell Thane and Peggy Newland have carved themselves a home in my heart. Engraved themselves in my psyche. Kiss and Break Up is an all-consuming romance that will captivate your attention with its raw depiction of falling in love with your best friend, leaving your heart aching and your belly fluttering.
“Six ways from Sunday, you’ve fucked me, and I’ve yet to find anything satisfying about it.”
Bad boys and anti-heroes who are non-conforming, defying society’s every expectation, arrogant and conceited have my undying love. And they own every facet of my heart! Dash isn’t an exception, a sweet combination of infuriating and irresistable. Brutally honest and unapologetically passionate, Dash possesses an unwavering devotion to Pegs that made me sigh in frustration and swoon in bliss at his over-protectiveness.
Peggy couldn’t be anymore different to Dash. She’s kind and sweet, yet sassy and fierce; inexperienced with relationships and boyfriends; and full of life, unique eccentricity and realistic authenticity. Despite being Dash’s opposite in almost every way, the complex and multifaceted relationship they have—the connection they have formed—is so endearing!
“I’d fallen for my best friend, and she was breaking my fucking heart.”
Kiss and Break Up is wonderfully enthralling. When an innocent kiss turns this easy-going friendship into an intense, jealous infested, angst-ridden mess, your emotions will soar and your heart will shatter. Without fail, it realistically demonstrates that love isn’t easy—sometimes it is bittersweet, complicated beyond recognition, full of heart-aching emotions and frayed around the edges, but tender moments and irreplaceable memories await.
If you’re invested in pure innocence, teenage dramatics and first loves, Kiss and Break Up is whole-heartedly recommended, because beyond this friends to lovers narrative is rich story filled with a myriad of emotions and beautifully written characters. I wouldn’t turn away from a standalone featuring Daphne, Lars, Jackson and Willa. I’m very much unready to leave Magnolia Cove!
I adore friends to lovers romances and I’ve loved all of Ella Fields’ previous books so I was as all over this. From the blurb to the cover, everything about this book called my name.
Dash and Peggy have been friends forever. They fight and argue like best friends do but they’re always there for each other. Things start changing though and boy do those teenage hormones come out to play. Peggy wants what every other teenage girl wants. She wants the romance, the first kiss, the stuff all her peers are experiencing. Dash is…well Dash. He’s arrogant, rude, a bit of a jerk. He knows what he wants when it comes to him and Peggy but Peggy isn’t quite there yet.
I loved how both these characters act like teenagers. Peggy is quirky, clueless, and completely blind to how Dash is feeling. Dash is a jerk at times but he won me over really fast. There’s something about him that I loved.
This is another great book by Ella Fields and if you like YA/NA romance this is definitely one to check out.
These books bring back so many memories from high school. I hated high school, but I loved Ella fields rendition of high school. Reading about dash and Peggy brings back memories of high school, good and bad. It gives you every feeling you can imagine. I was hooked as soon as I started on the first page and devoured every word on every page. Their love starts as a simple act to be the first, but turns into so much more. Ella’s attention to detail sucks you in and never lets you go. This is one of the best YA books I have read to date. Well done Ella!! Keep the books coming!
Dash and Peggy have been friends, or whatever you want to call it for years. It starts with a simple kiss, just to say he was her first and turns into SO. MUCH. MORE!!! Read to find out what happens and how the story unfolds. You won’t regret it!!
I’m well passed the age of teenage angst but you know what I don’t care i absolutely loved every hormone driven moment.
Peggy and Dash took me back to my awkward high school years. The author did a great job bringing to life those struggles to fit in, your first kiss unfortunately I remember it well. He only cares about himself, he’s moody has no filter, sometimes his words are cruel but I couldn’t help myself I fell irrevocably in love with Dash. Peggy was an adorable quirky girl who doesn’t know how others see her. Lets be honest I’m sure most of us felt like this in school.
I loved their relationship I giggled lots at their banter. The whole story just made me smile and feel so happy. Ella is an author who always nails it when it comes to teenage angst .
Angsty teenage friends to lovers! This book will pull you in and have you feeling like a teenager again! This is a definite must read if you love angsty books.
Ahhh. The delicious teenage/high school angst. I ate it up. Licked the plate and all. Dashiell you hot, yummy and crass boy. He was the perfect jerk and alpha. He could definitely turn on his worst behavior when he wanted to but it wasn’t too much. Nope. It was just right. As hurtful as he could be towards Peggy he made up for it with his determining groveling. Groveling is my cat nip and Dash ticked all my boxes!
Peggy and Dashiell has known each other since they were babies and are best friends. Peggy was a great heroine but she pushed my buttons a few times but it was all because of Dash and his behavior so I couldn’t really blame her;) They had a great and easy going friendship and I enjoyed the little flashbacks of their childhood to how Dash came to be such an important fixture in her life. The progression from friendship into what could be love wasn’t easy for the two of them. It’s young love and lust when it’s best and worst. Decisions are made and not all of them are right. They come with a price and often a broken heart.
The Magnolia Cove cast besides Peggy and Dash were fabulous. I’m so invested in Daphne, Lars, Willa and Jackson. I need more from these characters. More Magnolia Cove, please. I don’t care who’s book is first. I’m waiting.
4 Freckles Stars
Ella Fields is the queen, of everything. YA, NA, teenager, angst, emotions, friendship, drama etc.
I love and enjoy all of her books. Normally I don’t like NA/YA so much, because I can’t emphasize with people of this age anymore but Ella Fields is not only my word queen, she’s a magician. I love every word she writes and Kiss and Break Up is no exception.
Peggy Sue is the typical teenager with some quirky side effects and a touch of childish naivety. She’s inquisitive and wants to explore her sexuality and maybe find love with the help from her best friend Dash.
And Dash is, yes, also a typical teenager but not as naive as Peggy. And he’s the first to become aware that Peggy is not an annoying “little sister” but so much more. And worth to fight for.
Their banter, their journey and their young love is a story I highly recommend. I want to be 18 again
Angst Lovers rejoice! Ella Fields has brought her A-game once again. Kiss and Break Up is the epitome of stories where teenage-drama abounds as two childhood friends navigate their way from a platonic relationship into a full-fledged romance.
Dash and Peggy are both quite colorful characters. Lifelong friends with opposing personalities should not fit romantically. However these two do. They are both fiery and intelligent beings who give as good as they get.
Their relationship is pure pyrotechnics. It is never boring.
This book is a true page turner that kept my attention from beginning to end. I loved the thrill of trying to figure out what these two would do next. The drama was always at maximum leveling this story.
Ella Fields is a master at communicating the subtleties of teenaged angst and longings. I loved the way she left Easter eggs for readers who have already experienced her other books. I also enjoyed many of the minor characters and the fact that some of their stories could somehow lead to books of their own.
First those readers who love high drama, strong characters with magnetic personalities, and unconditional love, Kiss and Break up is the perfect book.
4 1/2 STARS FOR KISS AND BREAK UP!! I felt like I was back in high school reading this book and what a memory it was. Dash was flipping amazing, he had no filter and I loved it. Peggy is a strong girl trying to find her way in the dating world. Dash and Peggy have been friends forever and I loved watching their stories play out. This book is full of angst with so many emotions flying around, I could not put it down. This is a 1-Click book for sure.
If you’ve ever thought of going back and reliving your teenage years and maybe doing things differently, you only have to read this NA/YA offering from Ella Fields and you will think again!
Unrequited love, torturous angst, bad decisions, the vilest school yard bullies and a vicious rumour mill; Kiss and Break Up has it all in spades, and quite simply these entitled cashed-up teens are out of control!
Childhood besties, Peggy and Dash are “chalk and cheese” but somehow their unlikely friendship works.
What doesn’t work however is when they cross that line into intimacy and as they transition from friends to friends-with-benefits, to enemies and finally lovers is nothing short of chaos!
As acerbic, selfish and quintessential “spoilt brat” as Dash is, I absolutely loved him!
It’s not hard to see the reasons for his motivation and resultant behaviour and underneath the bad boy exterior he really is the most swoon-worthy loyal and vulnerable lover.
Peggy I had more trouble deciphering as a character, she seems very certain of herself but is also quite innocent for her years despite her environment; yet as the story progresses I struggled with her mercurial behaviour and her transition with her feelings in this book were not as plausible as were Dash’s, and as such she lost a little weight with me.
Though pivotal characters aside, this author has once again written a superb tale of teen angst at it’s absolute best as she is so satisfyingly reliable at producing, and with their colourful unfiltered circle of friends and the side stories developing there, she only further whets your appetite for what can only be more explosive angst to come! Bring it on Ms Fields!
Yet again this author has managed to knock me on my behind. So many emotions. Every character she has ever written has played a pivotal role and has somehow embed themselves into the template of my being. EVERY. DARN. ONE. OF. THEM. It is always a close race to be number one and up until this book, no one has come close to Felix (If you don’t know who Felix is, then I implore you to find out) until this one. Be still my heart because Dash might have superseded Felix.
Who is Dash, one might ask? He is this darling of a man who doesn’t give two pinches of squirrel poop about anything… except Peggy Sue. Sweet lord. watching this friendship from babies until the agonizing decision that she was more than his best friend was both wonderful and heartbreaking. These two are proof that regardless of what love thinks should happen and the way in which it should happen it means NOTHING in the end game because the Universe has the ultimate say. For Peggy and Dashiel, kismet ruled. They were each other’s dual flame.
I loved that the author portrayed the pain and angst of trying to survive in High School life/drama. I might be old but it still haunts me, especially as I had the ugly duckling syndrome going on. Looking back, I can have the last laugh but in those glorified hell moments of high school, what I wouldn’t have done to be the swan. I loved that even though sexy moments were had during the story that the actual true steamy moment wasn’t until the book was almost over. I loved the secondary characters and pray to the book gods and this amazing author that writes words that are oxygen in my life that the other characters all get their stories too, including a glimpse into where Dash and his Freckles are in the future.
This book just furthers why reading is so important in my life because this author creates characters that allow me to lose myself in my imagination and forget about the ugliness of the world, poor health, or depressive thoughts that try and pull me under (especially as I near a half-century mark) and instead allow me the moments to let my jaded black heart believe that love really does exist.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started Kiss and Break Up but I was pleasantly surprised in the best way possible!!
I loved how Dash and Peggy’s friendship started and how their relationship evolved and turned into something beautiful.
Peggy was perfect and just how a teenager should be going into their first relationship.
Dash was one of a kind and I loved everything about him, especially how deeply he cared for Peggy. He didn’t always show this in the typical way but he definitely did it ‘his’ way! To me that is what stood out to Peggy and she slowly opened her eyes to him.
A brilliant angsty friends to lovers story that I didn’t want to end!
Thank you Ella, I love your talented writing!
I did not want this book to end!! I immediately feel in love with these characters, their friendship, drama, heartache, everything! I loved it all!! Ella Fields has proven time and again with each of her books she is a rockstar in every genre she writes! She does not hold back and it shows in her writting! She made me fall head over heels with this NA romance! Dash gave me the best whip lash! Hes charming, broody, romantic and a jerk! I wish he was around when I was in high school! Peggy is a feisty little thing when she wants to be! I loved her confidence and transformation throughout the book. Kiss and Break up definitely ranks on the top of my favorite read list for the year! Hope Ella isnt finished with these characters and we see much more of them!
A sweet and sexy new adult romance, once again Ella fields nailed it!
Dash and Peggie is besties since they are still in diapers. Cute? Not really when he is her biggest tormentors also. But then something happened. They both grow up. Or I should say, Dash finally notice his best friend, the girl that always there, the girl that just kinda except all his bullies and overprotective ashole-ness… Is growing up to be a stunner! And when some douche canoe wants her, Dash be dangit if he would anyone get his girl.
It’s page turner, fun to read from the first page, teen-age angst… Kinda feel like watching Beverly Hills 90210 (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you are missing a lot, girls. Ask your momma.)
Dash is yumm in his bad boy persona but sweet in the way he feels toward Peggie.
And Peggie… I love this girl. Sweet n naive n brave for her age. I can relate her want to have someone. It’s great how Ella capture that sweet and yet no so innocent high school moment.
Love every second of this story.
The Best Adventure
An angsty friends-to-lovers romance that will make you want to fall in love for the first time all over again! Dash would have been my high school crush!
Peggy and Dash have been best friends since they were in diapers. He’s kind of a jerk but Peggy and his friends get the toned down version.
Peggy is ready to come into her own. A little change to her appearance, date someone and maybe a find a boyfriend. Dash is not at all ready for her transformation.
Ella manages to break my heart and then piece me back together every single time. Her words are beyond beautiful. Her stories give me angst, but always leave me with something memorable and love in my heart. Dash was rough edges but you won’t be able to stop your fall. Love is messy, but once you find it. you fight for it. Another unforgettable story.
Dash and Peggy had been friends since they was born. Dash has always been protective of her but she wanted this year to be different. Will she find what she’s looking for or find out what she wants has always been there?
Dash and Peggy Sue are best friends with a love hate relationship, when feelings change neither of them knows how to process them. Peggy is a naive girl, with no experience while Dash is the typical rich bad boy with plenty of experience for everyone. One of the best things about this book was the supporting characters and hoping we get their stories.
This is how YA is done really loved this story and loved the characters
High school drama, Angst, Best friend to lovers, Broody teenage boy, A girl trying to find herself and real coming of age story for both characters
I quite liked Dash what he did to Peggy at times really annoyed me but i could also see why he was protecting her but he needed to let it go as well, he was funny at times and had a really bad attitude, sometimes he was quite nasty but that’s what i love about this ya stories and the broody boys.
Peggy was so sweet i just wanted to take her under my wing and be her best friend, i did love the connection he had with Dash and let him be himself. I really loved her character and also the side characters especially her friends Daphne and Mila. I also loved Lars, Jackson and Raven as well.
I must admit i really like Ella Fields writing and she knows how to write angst and this was no exception. This was just such a well rounded story
If your a fan of Ella Fields you will not be disappointed and if you live YA it’s a must read.