A rom-com that tries to hit serious notes about sizeism, racism, sexism, and online toxicity.
Competitive gym users go from enemies to lovers.
Curvy Chinese American “fitstagrammer” Crystal Chen can’t stand the new Chris Evans look-alike at her gym, especially since he's been violating workout etiquette: ignoring signs that a rack has been claimed by another person, hogging the water fountain, and getting in the way of her training sessions with clients, not to mention blocking her camera as she's recording her exercise routines. Then she’s caught off guard when a heated exchange about her cellphone—she thinks he stole it to get on her nerves—turns into a make-out session in the men’s locker room. But Crystal has a bigger surprise in store when she finds out that her grandmother has gotten engaged and that her intended is the grandfather of the Squat Rack Thief, aka Scott Ritchie, Boston firefighter. To make matters worse, Scott may have a girlfriend, a figure skater. Despite the many bumpy starts, Scott and Crystal finally get past their initial misunderstandings to explore the romantic sparks between them. It seems like the perfect relationship for the homebody, gym-loving duo—till Crystal’s fear of being cheated on rears its head. Just as the couple tackle that issue, Crystal’s carefully constructed sense of identity comes crashing down thanks to online fatphobia. In this debut novel, author Lea explores the challenges of a woman learning to respect herself while realizing that the social media version of body positivity, though the core of her Instagram brand and philosophy, may not be the ideal route to happiness. With some amusing dad jokes and come-on lines, several steamy and romantic sex scenes, and nonstereotyped portrayals of a biracial family, the novel has real promise. But a first-person narrative that dwells on the heroine’s hang-ups may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and Crystal’s judgmental behavior toward others also clashes with her criticism of those who resort to reductive stereotypes. Though Crystal works to overcome the paradox and her internal dialogue and Instagram posts about body identity and White beauty standards earn her points, the drama feels a bit drawn out.
A rom-com that tries to hit serious notes about sizeism, racism, sexism, and online toxicity.Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-33657-1
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.
Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.
Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781538704431
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.
A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.
Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ (Wilder, 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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