500 Kisses to Steal a Heart was written for the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s 2014 Love’s Landscapes event. The two MC’s are Dylan Halsworth, who runs Camp Halsworth, a summer camp for kids, and Chris Montgomery, a selfish, arrogant, prideful man who’s most important person in his life is himself. This story is told in third person through the eyes of both Dylan, and Chris.



Camp Halsworth’s dining hall suffers severe damage during a storm. The only person Dylan can ask help from is Chris, the neighbor across the lake who is his enemy.

Chris and Dylan used to be close friends when they were younger. Because of Chris’s fear at ruining their relationship he severely messed up the chance for the two to grow closer. Chris made some very cruel and stupid mistakes, and Dylan took revenge. From those incidents, they had a hate relationship with each other for what appears to be at least ten years. The storm incident forces them together and due to events, and five hundred kisses, their feelings begin to change. Dylan is the generous and romantic of the two. Chris is the playboy and seems more stubborn and less forgiving, however both characters are very stubborn and competitive. Throughout the story they remind me of high school boys that are constantly trying to one-up the other. It’s as if neither grew up from the emotional pain they dealt each other so long ago.

I love the way the author took one line from the prompt about five hundred kisses and worked it into the story. Because of both MC’s stubbornness each refuses to give in about the five hundred kisses. The author did a great job of showing us through the kisses how Dylan’s and Chris’s relationship started to change them.

There was ust, tension, witty banter and all around fun. I loved the sweetness that wove its way throughout the story despite the bickering Dylan and Chris had with each other. I wish we were given a bit more information about their background like where they lived and why they did certain things. Like why did Chris kiss McHay behind the school after he stood Dylan up when he knew if Dylan found out it would hurt him terribly? We never find out. But despite some questions left unanswered, I enjoyed this story very much and was left feeling happy when I finished reading it. I give this 4.5 Stars raising it to 5 Stars.


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this reads like fanfiction and that is not a jab. it literally feels like a fanfiction trope AND THATS VALID

i like anyta's writing -i liked notice me yet? better than this one, and i liked rock better than nmy, but i still likes this one well enough. despite how unrealistic the plot is (i cannot stress enough just how easy it is to NOT kiss someone, especially when you really really don't like them. yes, even if they dare you to. really, super easy), its super fun to read, lighthearted, even though it still has some depth so that you dont not give a shit. you know the vibe? where things MATTER but they're written in a way that doesnt make you want to rip your heart out? like that.

so i liked it! the camp setting was really fun too. really enjoyed it! good for her. ( )

Short and sweet! The ex-best friends/enemies-to-lovers energy is so good, especially with how the story starts off with a bet whether 500 kisses is really all it takes to steal someone’s heart ( )

Enemies to lovers story. Or more correctly Friends to enemies to lovers.
Cute story. 3.5 stars rounded up. ( )

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