‘Once Upon a Kiss’ by Robin Palmer was a delightfully smart and witty read. It captured the angst of adolescence mixed with the doubts, intensity, and courage that make the characters in YA novels so fun and easy to read about.

Zoe is not quite unpopular, but she resides on the outskirts of the hierarchy that makes up her high school. Her best friend, Jonah, is right there with her. She knows everything about him, as he does about her, and even though they seem a perfect match, their friendship overrides any romantic feelings that Zoe is sure will never develop. Andrea, the typical mean girl character, is always around to make Zoe’s life more annoying, while her boyfriend, Brad, is nice, but falls under Andrea’s spell quite easily. The variety of other characters that we meet when Zoe is a teenager in 1986 all come back into play when she is somehow transported to the year 2016.

Thinking it all occurred as the result of a horrible incident at her favorite store, she doesn’t know how to cope with all the newfound technology, music, and relationship developments that are populating her new life. Not only is she now the most popular girl in school, but she is downright mean and vindictive, much like Andrea was back in 1986. Except now Andrea is Zoe’s sidekick.

Robin Palmer has taken it upon herself to make ‘Once Upon a Kiss’ readers question what they would do if given the chance to be someone they’re not, but in a way that allowed changes to be made that would benefit the masses. Zoe’s supposedly selfish and hateful personality in 2016 is turned on its head when the “new” (or “old,” if you think about it, since she came from 1986) Zoe arrives, ready to start fresh and turn over a new leaf in terms of who she is and what she wants out of life. The skepticism of her fellow classmates and family members, as well as best friend Jonah, who is nowhere even close to being remotely interested in even knowing who she is when she arrives in 2016, is extremely realistic. People are always wary of change, especially when it comes from unlikely sources. Yet, the point of much of the novel was about bringing people together and showcasing people’s personalities and cultures beyond judgments people make without really knowing someone.

Truly thought-provoking and definitely a page-turner, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever sought a new perspective or wondered what would happen if given the chance to start again. It is truly amazing how enlightening life can be when you allow yourself to see the world through different lenses.

You can find ‘Once Upon a Kiss’ by Robin Palmer here.