The question remains: can girls and guys be ‘just friends’? In this case, yes they can. The Kissing Booth is one of very few novels that includes a boy and a girl who are best friends and spend all of their time together, and yet do not fall in love. This unique storyline makes this story even more relatable to teens everywhere. Written by 17-year-old British writer, Beth Reekles, this novel is even closer to real life because it is written by someone so close to the age of the targeted group. The story starts out with the typical guy/girl best-friends-since-birth type of storyline. Many would expect that they would end up together, but when Elle (the main character) encounters her guy best friend, Lee’s older brother, you know that won’t be the case. Lee’s older brother is the polar opposite of Elle. He’s a player, irritable and basically a ‘bad boy’. Elle, on the other hand, is innocent and has never dated and is seen as ‘one of the guys’ with most of her guy friends. The romance between them starts with a kissing booth at their school’s carnival fundraiser and it all leads up to the twists this book ensues. With every obstacle, you just continue to see the strength in their bond and relationship. This book is definitely something I would recommend for a refreshing, good, unique teen-romance read.