Review A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Talia fell under a spell. . . .


Jack broke the curse.


I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic. . . .


I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.


I awakened in the same place but in another time--to a stranger's soft kiss.


I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.


Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner



Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels. . . . The good news: My parents will freak


Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all--even time? (Publisher's summary from Powell's Books)

Alex Flinn has a real flair for taking a fairy tale and retelling it in a unique way that greatly appeals to today’s audience. She definitely wowed me with Beastly and after reading A Kiss in Time, Flinn is now one of my favorite storytellers.

A Kiss in Time is a very funny retelling of Sleeping Beauty. The plot actually begins where the original fairy tale’s happily ever after ends. Told in alternating point of views between Talia, an eighteenth century princess from Eurphrasia, a small kingdom in Belgium, and Jack, an American teen in the twenty-first century; this format was perfect because it allows insight into both characters. Both Talia and Jack have parental issues. Talia, has been protected and pampered all her life, and Jack feels like his parents ignore him and thus, goes out of his way to get their attention and usually not in a good way.

The combination of spoiled pampered princess and rebel teen is hilarious. Imagine waking up after being asleep 300 years and having to acclimate to the wide range of technological advances so common place today.  Talia is quickly thrust into the twenty-first century of cell phones, airplanes, and  must deal with the cultural differences such as dress (jeans, T shirts, and bikinis instead of gowns, and keg parties instead of balls). Flinn does a fantastic job highlighting just how different the twenty-first century might look to someone raised in the eighteenth century and does it in a humorous way.

At the same time as Talia is dealing with her new world, Jack is stuck with taking responsibility for a princess, who is spoiled and cursed, and believes she and Jack are destined to be together. Try explaining all that to parents who never listen.

What surprised me most about this book though is how much I enjoyed the romance. According to the curse, Talia was supposed to be awaken by her true love and that means Jack. However, Jack does not buy into the whole destiny thing. As these two characters interact, both learn things about themselves and end up saving each other. Although the ending was cheesy, it was in keeping with the total lighthearted atmosphere of the entire story and besides I like happy endings.

A Kiss in Time is a fun romp with a romantic spin, a little magic, and a message about finding one’s destiny in the most unusual of places. If you are looking for a quick lighthearted story that will leave you smiling, then you cannot go wrong with.