4.5 ⭐️ 

 

I’m normally not much of a fan of romance novels, but A FORTY YEAR KISS by Nickolas Butler was a real hit for me! 

 

Why? 

 

I really enjoyed these older protagonists. Vivian and Charlie were married for 4 years back in their 20s. Charlie was a big drinker, and Vivian was sick of it. Forty years and a whole lot of life later, Charlie seeks to reunite with Vivian. Vivian has spent a lifetime struggling financially, and she has taken in her single mother daughter Melissa and her two young granddaughters. When Charlie re-enters Vivian’s life now, her life is way more complicated than it was in her twenties. 

 

I loved the small moments in this book that were so big. Different gestures resonate in different ways depending on your age and life experiences. I was so taken by Charlie and Vivian’s gestures toward each other. 

 

I also really liked the focus on economics and lifestyle affordability. It made this novel very relatable and grounded in the day-to-day, waiting-for-payday existence. 

 

I also have to give props to the author for having interesting plot points that seemed unique to me. The voice, likely due to being from a male author, of this author was fresh and propulsive. 

 

Sometimes I felt like this novel had a more vignette than novel feel, so occasionally I was wanting a bit more connective tissue. 

 

I will definitely seek out more by this author. A FORTY YEAR KISS publishes February 4, 2025.