Review: "Kiss the Girl" by Melissa Brayden (Soho Loft #1)

Kiss the Girl is the first book in the Soho Loft series by author Melissa Brayden. It tells the tale of two women in the world of advertising who may be enjoying the fruits of their labors but seem to still have something missing in their lives. When they first meet, it's purely by accident but there's an instant connection that neither can deny. When they realize that their companies are rivals for the same account, both wonder if they're willing to risk what could be something more between them for being top dog in a cutthroat industry.

Brooklyn Campbell is young and creative and an up and coming star in the advertising world. After leaving the foster care system, she made sure to maintain a certain distance from those around her, choosing only to be close to her three best friends whom she met in college and with whom she started an agency. 

Jessica Lennox is a veteran in the advertising world and is at the top of her game. She's competitive and has been known to do what is necessary to get each and every prized client. The agency she started from the ground up is one of the most successful in the industry. Her work is her life, leaving very little time for anything else.

The book tackles the budding relationship between Brooklyn and Jessica while also exploring their lives as individuals. Brooklyn is close to her three best friends but still finds it difficult to share everything with them. Jessica isn't the hard-as-nails bitch that she's perceived to be but she knows it's important to maintain a certain image in order to remain on top. Their paths crossing brings about something new for both of them and while the fact that they're competing for the same account gets in the way at times, they can't deny that what's going on between this is special.

I liked seeing Brooklyn's interactions with her three friends, Samantha Ennis, Mallory Spencer, and Hunter Blair. They're four funny and driven women but what makes them interesting is that they're not all cut from the same cloth. Since Kiss the Girl is the first in a series featuring the four women, I'm already looking forward to reading the stories of the three other girls. ^.^

Brooklyn and Jessica's relationship was sweet and felt real. They had issues to overcome and it definitely wasn't smooth sailing so it was nice to see them contemplating and deciding whether they should continue to pursue being together or not. They were also able to bring a sense of balance to each other's lives, providing support when necessary. However, one of them ends up feeling betrayed and even when the supposed betrayal is explained, there is still hesitation and fear in having something more. They need to be on the same page if there's any chance for them to have a future together but when your past is still dictating your present, is there really any hope left?

As is Melissa Brayden's MO, there's humor and poignancy in her latest creation. The characters are easily likable and even with all their issues, you want to cheer them on to their happily ever after. The story is well-paced and isn't overly complicated, something that's refreshing when you're confronted by books that have more subplots than characters. I recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet and satisfying romance. Kiss the Girl gets 4.5 stars out of five. ♥

Date read: 31 August 2014

Learn more about the magnificent Melissa Brayden here.

Buy Kiss the Girl and Ms. Brayden's other books on Amazon | Barnes & Noble.