“A Thousand Boy Kisses” is dedicated to those who believe in true and epic love. I do, and I have never given up on love. But did I like the book? I would have definitely loved it if I were 17 or 18. So, consider this a spoiler: in my opinion, this book is for teenagers who enjoy dramatic love stories.
Now, you might be wondering—what is A Thousand Boy Kisses about? In a nutshell, the book tells the tragic love story of Rune and Poppy, who try to fill a jar with memories of their best, heartwarming kisses. It’s a story of two neighbors, best friends, and a beautiful couple. Below, I’ll introduce you to the plot of the novel in a nutshell and provide my A Thousand Boy Kisses review of Tillie Cole’s book!
Just to mention that this book will remind you of A Walk to Remember and The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, or The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
A thousand boy kisses summary
Poppy was five years old when she met Rune, who had moved from Norway to Georgia, USA, with his family because of his father’s new job. Initially, Rune was clearly unhappy with the situation, but once he became friends with Poppy, the two became inseparable.
When Poppy was eight, her grandmother was very sick, and before she passed away, they shared a sweet conversation:
“Poppy, what is it I always say was my favorite memory of my life?”
“Pawpaw’s kisses. His sweet boy-kisses,” answered Poppy.
On that day, her grandmother gave her a jar filled with heart-shaped papers. She advised Poppy to record all her special memories of kisses and keep them in the jar, so that when she became a grandmother herself, she could share those memories with her own granddaughter. When Rune learned about this, he promised that they would fill the jar with memories together.
However, Rune’s family soon had to move back to Oslo, and it was a difficult time for both of them. Rune was heartbroken, but things got even worse when, one day, Poppy suddenly stopped returning his calls. Rune became filled with anger and resentment, hating the world and even his parents for separating them. He turned into a rebellious teenager, doing whatever he pleased. He never made peace with the idea that Poppy had betrayed him.
A few years later, Rune returned to Georgia. At first, he didn’t want to speak to Poppy, who now looked different—her hair was shorter, which was strange since she had always loved her long hair. But Rune couldn’t stay away from her for long, and soon they got back together. The drama of their separation ended, but a far worse tragedy began.
Rune discovered that Poppy was sick. During the time she ignored his calls, she had been undergoing treatment. She hadn’t wanted Rune to feel guilty for not being with her, believing that she was protecting him by pushing him away.
Together, they shared many magical dates and thousands of kisses, with Rune doing everything he could to fill the jar with unforgettable, heart-wrenching memories.
In the end, Poppy passed away, leaving Rune devastated. Ten years later, Rune also died, and they were reunited in the afterlife near their favorite cherry tree. Many readers are left wondering how Rune dies in A Thousand Boy Kisses. In the epilogue, Poppy mentions that it happened quickly and painlessly. While the book does not specify exactly what caused Rune’s death, I assume it was an accident—likely a motorcycle accident, as he enjoyed riding his motorbike.
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A thousand boy kisses review
Like I mentioned earlier, I would recommend this book to teenage girls who believe in pure, heartwarming love and are hoping to meet a perfect guy like Rune. It’s easy to read, with simple language and a fast-paced plot that avoids long, tedious descriptions. If I had read this book when I was 16, it would definitely have been one of my favorites. It reminded me so much of A Walk to Remember, a movie I was obsessed with. I watched it so many times that I could recite the characters’ lines by heart.
The book also has an eye-catching cover and looks great in my collection. I saw how viral it went on TikTok, so I decided to order it online. Even though I knew it was more suited for teenagers, it still made me cry. I found myself tearing up in the last few pages, realizing that life often shows no mercy, and many sad stories, like this one, reflect real-life experiences.
As for ratings, A Thousand Boy Kisses has been well-received:
A thousand boy kisses summary
