4.5-STAR REVIEW: I’D RATHER KISS YOU GOODNIGHT by Christine Columbus

Publication Date: September 15, 2025

Sally has sworn off relationships. At forty-seven, she finds herself stuck in a rut and feels as if she s going nowhere. Until her mother needs help to fix up her house, now Sally spends her weekends driving three hours to plaster and paint walls. Ty is also lending a hand with the repairs, and their attraction simmers just beneath the surface. As the house takes on a new life, so does Sally s heart. By day, they work on the house, but in the evenings, they escape to a local campground, overlooking river sunsets and diving into a summer romance. What does Sally do when summer fades to fall, and Ty prepares to leave?

I’d Rather Kiss You Goodnight by Christine Columbus is a contemporary romance with an extremely fitting title, as the phrase is used throughout the story. This small town romance often pulled at my heartstrings and other times had me chuckling or laughing out loud.

The story has Ty and Sally meeting not only under unusual circumstances, but they had no idea who the other was. Ty has two brothers with whom he’s supposed to bond more after their dad’s funeral. Sally is the daughter of their dad’s significant other, Mabel, who never wanted to marry again. Bernie is woven throughout the tale, and Mabel is trying to fulfill some of his wishes that they had discussed when he got sick. The story is primarily set in a small town in Wisconsin, and although Sally lives in Minneapolis, she travels back and forth to help her mom.

The story has a few surprises and a few unlikable characters. Sally seems like she would rather remain in a rut than grab onto a chance at happiness. Loved ones who have passed still play a role in their lives, especially Bernie and Ty, Sally and Mabel keep coming across signs.

There’s romance and heart-to-heart talks and some closure with a happily ever after, but the ending seemed rushed, and an epilogue would have been nice.

I’d Rather Kiss You Goodnight rather than kiss you goodbye weaves the lives of characters together in unexpected ways.

Eighteen years ago, while living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I published children’s stories, creative non-fiction, poetry, and flash fiction, then stumbled into romance, writing several short stories and a novel with The Wild Rose Press.
Then, I took a fifteen-year break and traveled the US with my husband, volunteering at National Wildlife Refuges, the Army Corps of Engineers, and Oregon State Parks.
And now, I am thrilled to be back writing with ‘Chance Meeting‘ available now and ‘I’d Rather Kiss You Goodnight.