Consider Yourself Kissed

by Jessica Stanley
Consider Yourself Kissed cover
Good Books rating 4.12
Contemporary Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 534
  • Added: 2025-09-14
  • Updated: 2025-09-18
  • ISBN: 9780385701549
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2025-05-27
  • Formats: 6
  • Reviews: 4
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99 Hardback • £14.99

Consider Yourself Kissed explores the life of Coralie Bower, who moves from Australia to London seeking a fresh start after a difficult past. As she builds a life with Adam, a witty journalist and father, and his charming daughter, Coralie confronts the challenge of balancing personal ambition, love, and family while grappling with her own sense of self. The novel delves deeply into themes of identity, emotional resilience, and the complexities of blended families. Set against a turbulent British decade marked by multiple prime ministers, Brexit, and the Covid-19 pandemic, the story intertwines intimate personal dramas with the broader public events shaping their lives. Told over ten years, it is a heartfelt and authentic portrayal of modern love and family, blending humor and heart with sharp insight into how public and private lives intersect.

Reviews
TripFiction · 2025-09-14
engrossing 3.80

An engrossing and entertaining debut that thoughtfully explores the challenges faced by young women today.

The reviewer finds the novel engaging and reflective, appreciating how it captures the complexities and challenges many young women experience. The debut status of the author is noted positively, emphasizing the book's capacity to entertain while also providing thoughtful insights into contemporary life and relationships.

Quick quotes

    Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley is an engrossing, entertaining and reflective debut novel.

    It explores the challenges facing many young women.

    An engrossing, entertaining and reflective debut novel.

Goodreads · 2025-05-27
insightful 4.20

An intelligent and honest exploration of love's complexities, balancing humor and authenticity while reflecting on personal and political upheaval.

This review highlights the novel's nuanced portrayal of relationships as ongoing, fluid processes rather than fixed states. The author’s razor-sharp humor and vivid characterizations bring to life both the protagonist’s inner struggles and the broader social context, making the story deeply relatable and reflective of contemporary life. The book is praised for being smarter and more intricate than typical romance novels, resonating with readers who appreciate a blend of personal and societal insights.

Quick quotes

    Stanley doesn’t shy away from the messiness of relationships, there are no easy fixes or grand declarations to tie everything up in a bow.

    Jessica Stanley’s humour is razor-sharp, her characters are vividly drawn, and her ability to balance the sweet and the sour is unparalleled.

    Consider Yourself Kissed is not your typical romance, it’s smarter, deeper, and far more relatable.

NPR · Heller McAlpin · 2025-05-26
clever 4.50

A smart, relatable novel that uniquely intertwines a mother's domestic struggles with British political turmoil, offering rich, clever storytelling.

Heller McAlpin praises the novel for standing out among stories about overwhelmed mothers by blending personal family drama with the complexities of British politics and global events. The novel’s rich narrative and cleverness provide a humorous and sympathetic portrayal of its heroine, making it appealing even to readers less familiar with the political backdrop. This blend of the personal and political enriches the story, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Quick quotes

    Consider yourself kissed —and hugged and understood—by Jessica Stanley's smart, oh-so-relatable tale.

    What sets Consider Yourself Kissed apart ... is the way it braids its utterly sympathetic heroine's domestic drama with the concurrent rollercoaster of British politics and cataclysmic global events.

    Stanley's novel is rich, and her cleverness irrefutable.

The Guardian · 2025-04-29
authentic 4.00

A delightfully grounded romance that intertwines personal and political themes, capturing the complexity of modern life with warmth and authenticity.

This review emphasizes the novel’s unique blend of romance with broader political and social commentary, such as Brexit and contemporary family dynamics, making the story feel both timely and heartfelt. It appreciates how Jessica Stanley grounds the love story in realistic struggles and cultural contexts, providing readers with a nuanced and authentic portrayal of relationships and life’s challenges in today’s world.

Quick quotes

    This irresistible love story braids the personal and the political – from Brexit to who gets to use the spare room as an office.

    A delightfully grounded romance.

    Captures the complexity of modern life with warmth and authenticity.

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