The ABC's of Kissing Boys, by Tina Ferraro

If Beth Reekles's The Kissing Booth had been written by an actual adult, it probably would have resembled Tina Ferraro's The ABC's of Kissing Boys. The two books have a lot in common, but Ferraro's novel is smarter, more substantial, and infinitely less cheesy.

Ferraro's heroine is high school junior Parker Stanhope. When Parker fails to make the varsity soccer team, she comes up with an elaborate scheme to change her coach's mind—a plan involving a choice parking spot, her brother's best friend, and impressing everyone with her skill at the school fair's kissing booth. Parker doesn't actually know anything about kissing, but her freshman neighbor Tristan seems to be an expert. The two make a deal: Tristan will teach Parker how to kiss, and Parker will help Tristan shoot up the high school social ladder. Parker's plan goes haywire pretty much immediately (of course), but her sudden, unwanted interest in Tristan doesn't seem to be fading.

The ABC's of Kissing Boys is about as creative as a French manicure, but let's be honest: no one reads this kind of story for its groundbreaking nature. Ferraro has written a quick, fun story with a charming love interest and a wholesome stay-true-to-yourself message. Like The Kissing Booth, The ABC's of Kissing Boys reads like a low-budget Disney TV movie, but—unlike Ms. Reekles's novel—at least it would be a low-budget Disney TV movie I would happily sit through.

Review based on publisher-provided copy.