Kiss My Ash

Kiss My Ash is another wonderfully written story by Leddy Harper but unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea. I'm all for taboo topics but the story of Ash and Kristy was really hard for me to enjoy. I blame that on me being in my 30s and my son's being 15 &19. While reading Ash all I could see where my boys, Ash's personality and actions did not fit his age so it kept throwing my reading off.

As I stated it was a wonderfully written story and many others will love it. Don't let it not being my cup of tea prevent you from one clicking

This story is totally different from any other books I read so far.....which is great. The plot is like out of this world but I love it. The characters were great!! At the end is happy ever after!!! Great work Leddy Harper!! First time reading from you and your work speak for itself!???

Love is love.
When it involves two, single, consenting adults there should be nothing that states your love is wrong. Yet, we live in a world that has a set of unwritten rules regarding relationships which has relatively limited our pool of dating instead of letting us jump into the deep end of the water.

In Kiss My Ash, it begins in the very taboo aspect of one adult and one two months away from being a legal adult. That's correct, Asher is only 17 when the book begins, but pursues the much older, (MILF as he once refers to) Kristy. Now, Ash doesn't pursue a physical relationship with Kristy until he is actually 18, knowing the legal ramifications of doing so, but instead under the misinformed guise that Kristy thinks he is actually older than he is (22 years old) uses that time to get to know her.
Once the cat is out of the bag that Ash is still in high school, a school Kristy's own teenage daughter attends, that is when emotions really begin to get complicated. The story continues and the push and pull of their complicated feelings, relationship, ramifications, etc...continue to a well written conclusion, but I want you to experience this relationship through your own emotions, not mine.

I can't tell you how many times my emotions flipped and flopped during this book. I am a huge believer in the never-ending happiness of love and HEA. However, Leddy didn't hold back on her punches or letting the emotions run high. The reality of Ash and Kristy's situation isn't brushed under a rug. They both know the ramifications of what they want to pursue vs. the reality of actually living the dream. Can a HEA exist when the world is such an ugly place? It doesn't matter that Asher is wise beyond his years or that Kristy had her daughter as a young teen and hasn't really had a chance to live a life that has been her own since she was 17 herself. The world only sees what it wants to see, but should that matter when two people love each other? This is the emotional rollercoaster of this story!!

I don't want to give much more away, but I will tell you this; if you are ready for a thought provoking book that will take you on an emotional journey than Kiss My Ash is for you.

Oh Leddy Harper is pushing the envelope with this latest book and I love it. This will be a taboo read for many as it's an older, though far from old, woman and a much younger young man.

I struggle as a Brit with books written on this matter because many of the legal issues standing in the way wouldn't be an issue here in the UK so it's purely a moral point but it isn't something I have an issue with so much of the drama of this read was lost on me. That said this was a well written, as always, and enjoyable read.

Ash is a wonderful character, mature beyond his years, a former delinquent that has grown into a respectable gentleman. He is everything you could want in a man except he is just 17. Kirsty is a youthful 32 and mother to a teenage daughter. Both these characters have been through difficulties and are both at a point where life is starting to even out which makes their meeting all the more right for me. I could relate to Kirsty having been a young mother myself and I love reading a character I connect with.

This story won't be for everyone but honesty give it a chance otherwise you will miss out on meeting Ash and a story that despite the taboo is fun to read and the chemistry between the main characters is a joy. And to those that won't even give it a chance I think the title is a sublime message.

Kiss My Ash is a contemporary romance with a twist. It's a December/May (or in this case August/May) relationship that is complex because (among other things) of the friendship between the male protagonist and the female protagonist's daughter. There is a bit of deception about who knows who at the beginning that sets the stage for this story.

Leddy Harper is a seasoned author who knows how to tell a tale. She writes complex / multi-dimensional characters who are well developed. This story is told from a dual POV and it was interesting to see how both character's thoughts developed over the course of the book. SHE appears to be this uber confident woman who is actually insecure and in need of physical reassurance and he comes off as this sensitive, caring guy (which he is) when in reality he's trying to postpone the inevitable to make a situation less dangerous. There are ABSOLUTELY things about her that ticked me off and I'm surprised that the nosy neighbors we heard so much about in the beginning of the story didn't get involved (I don't think that sentence is grammatically correct).

The story has very few secondary characters so it was easy to follow and you could tell the story was well plotted as it was written. It flows well from beginning to end. I was able to read it in one day.

What I expected to be a deliciously taboo read turned out to be that plus so much more! One moment I wanted to smack some sense into Ash and Kristy and the next I was swooning over Ash and all the ways he showed his affection. Wise beyond his years Ash isn't your typical boy next door and I can totally understand why Kristy found herself intrigued and unable to fight her feelings. I love the slow build up of their relationship and how they both learned so much more than they expected from the other. The author did an amazing job of presenting a realistic approach to their relationship and I found myself questioning what would I do in Kristy's shoes. Their story steamed up my Kindle but I found myself enjoying the emotional bond they formed just as much. This steamy, taboo, angsty and emotional book held me captivated until the very last page and has me eagerly looking forward to this author's next book.

4 STAR Review by Jodi for Ruby Red Romance Review

I enjoyed this story. I want to start by saying I knew going into it that this story was one that would make me question things. This story is taboo and has a large age gap. But the truth is this story is about love and heartbreak. It's about learning what is real and how to grow as a person.

Ash is amazing. He grows so much as a person in this story. This story made me feel so many emotions. Ash is the perfect book boyfriend, and wise beyond his years. Leddy did an amazing job with these characters. I enjoyed this book, but did have some issues with the age difference. All in all I couldn't put this book down. 

Not your typical romance. This book is a little bit more taboo than normal but the story is simply amazing and the feelings in this book run high.

This is a book about a younger guy with an older woman. Though Ash is nothing like his age. He’s wise beyond his years. Ash and Kristy are a couple who have to fight for their love. They have hurdles to jump and boundaries to make.

Leddy Harper gives us everything we love in a OW/YM story and it’s one that you won’t forget.

Highly recommended!

I thoroughly enjoyed Asher and Kristy's story of forbidden love. Kristy is the single mom of a teenage daughter and has finally bought her own home. She meets the younger guy next door, Asher while moving into the house. Things heat up between Asher and Kristy in the form of quite a bit of flirting. Asher is keeping secrets and when Kristy finds out what that secret is, it might just ruin everything! This was a great summer read.

Ash Jenkins will have you looking twice around your neighborhood for the boy next door. I am not the “cougar” type, but Kiss My Ash gave me a few new fantasies. This book is written with lots of yummy moments and delicious scenes. Pick up Kiss My Ash tonight and relax while you see your fantasies come to life in this fun and sweet story about how love knows no age.

Kristy Richards has just moved in when next door neighbor Asher Jenkins walks over to help her when he notices she is having trouble with some boxes. Kristy immediately notices how hot he is, as well as how much younger he is. She has no problem looking without touching, but it doesn’t seem that Asher got that memo. He has always been attracted to older women, and Kristy has just become his prey. As they slowly begin to form a friendship, mutual feelings come into play. Unfortunately, Kristy has no idea how much younger Asher really is, and when the truth comes out she feels hurt and betrayed. Asher will need to prove to her that love is love, no matter the age difference.

I don’t think I’ve read too many older women/younger men books, especially with Asher’s age. But I see the importance of it because it is a major part of the story due to the consequences of their actions. Asher is more mature and has a plan in place for the future. Kristy sees this and knows how hard he works to accomplish his dreams, but she can’t get over the age difference, especially when others will be quick to judge. And it doesn’t help that she has a daughter the same age as Asher! This was a good read and I look forward to reading her next book!

I voluntarily read an advanced reader’s copy.