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Table of Contents
About The Book
From the national bestselling author of Before We Were Strangers, Swear on this Life, and Wish You Were Here comes a powerful story of two people who spend years denying their scientifically proven chemistry.
Penny spends her afternoons sitting outside a sandwich shop, surrounded by ghosts. Fourteen years ago, this shop was her childhood dance studio—and she was a dancer on the rise. Now she’s a suburban housewife, dreading the moment her son departs for MIT, leaving her with an impeccably decorated McMansion and a failing marriage. She had her chance at wild, stars-in-her-eyes happiness, but that was a lifetime ago. After The Kiss. Before The Decision.
The Kiss was soulful. Magical. Earth-shattering. And it was all for a free gift card. Asked to participate in a psych study that posed the question, “Can you have sexual chemistry without knowing what the other person looks like?” Penny agreed to be blindfolded, make polite conversation with a total stranger, and kiss him. She never expected The Kiss to change her life forever and introduce her to Gavin: tattooed, gorgeous, and spontaneous enough to ask her out seconds after the blindfolds came off.
For a year, they danced between friendship and romance—until Penny made The Decision that forced them to settle for friendship. Now, fourteen years later, both of their lives are about to radically change—and it’s his turn to decide what will become of their once-in-a-lifetime connection.
Penny spends her afternoons sitting outside a sandwich shop, surrounded by ghosts. Fourteen years ago, this shop was her childhood dance studio—and she was a dancer on the rise. Now she’s a suburban housewife, dreading the moment her son departs for MIT, leaving her with an impeccably decorated McMansion and a failing marriage. She had her chance at wild, stars-in-her-eyes happiness, but that was a lifetime ago. After The Kiss. Before The Decision.
The Kiss was soulful. Magical. Earth-shattering. And it was all for a free gift card. Asked to participate in a psych study that posed the question, “Can you have sexual chemistry without knowing what the other person looks like?” Penny agreed to be blindfolded, make polite conversation with a total stranger, and kiss him. She never expected The Kiss to change her life forever and introduce her to Gavin: tattooed, gorgeous, and spontaneous enough to ask her out seconds after the blindfolds came off.
For a year, they danced between friendship and romance—until Penny made The Decision that forced them to settle for friendship. Now, fourteen years later, both of their lives are about to radically change—and it’s his turn to decide what will become of their once-in-a-lifetime connection.
About The Author
Photography by Chris Wodjak Photography 2016
Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and the bestselling author of Sweet Thing, Nowhere But Here, After the Rain, Before We Were Strangers, Swear on This Life, and Wish You Were Here. She grew up in Southern California and lives in the San Diego area with her husband and two sons. To learn more, visit ReneeCarlino.com.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (August 14, 2018)
- Length: 336 pages
- ISBN13: 9781501189630
Raves and Reviews
“Blind Kiss beautifully illustrates how destiny prevails over even the best-laid plans. You will love this story."— Tracey Garvis-Graves, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl He Used to Know
“A story of enduring passion, devoted friendship, and the undeniable power of chemistry, Blind Kiss asks the question: Would you wait a lifetime to be with the person you love? Renée Carlino's evocative prose is at once heartbreaking and full of hope, and the palpable spark between Gavin and Penny will touch the depths of your heart.”— Kristin Rockaway, author of The Wild Woman’s Guide to Traveling the World
"Blind Kiss is Renée Carlino at her finest. The tension between Penny and Gavin leaps off the page. This is a romantic, tender, complicated love story. I found it heartfelt, honest and simply wonderful."— Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
"Carlino (Wish You Were Here) impresses and astonishes with this complicated, beautiful contemporary that shifts between past and present with devastating effect . . . [Her] sharp, incisive prose calls the traditional romance novel ending into question throughout. The expert characterizations and a constantly surprising plot are enthralling. Deep and complex, this heartbreaking and heartwarming tale will live in readers’ memories long after the final page is turned."— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Renee Carlino never fails to deliver mature, layered, unique, and emotionally satisfying love stories, and Blind Kiss was all this and even more. Wow! My absolute favorite book of hers to date!"— Mia Sheridan, New York Times bestselling author
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Blind Kiss eBook 9781501189630
- Author Photo (jpg): Renée Carlino Photography by Chris Wodjak Photography 2016(0.1 MB)
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