A romantic comedy so charming that its ridiculousness hardly matters.
When a lonely woman creates a golem from clay, the mythical figurine magically comes to life in the form of a hot guy who may or may not be the perfect boyfriend.
Eve is about to turn 40, and she’s just so sad. Her father died a year ago, and since then, her life has been a lonesome slog. Her job is uninspiring, her best friend’s been unavailable, the dating market’s a nightmare, and she can’t stop stress eating. Her mother is selling their family home, and her younger sister is getting married—on Eve’s birthday weekend. There’s a glimmer of hope when the cute guy who recently moved into her building reveals that, like Eve, he’s Jewish. But when “Hot Josh” seems uninterested in her, Eve’s only solace is an overly sweet bottle of kosher wine. Remembering an old Jewish legend, Eve drunkenly constructs a golem, a clay figure that’s said to come to life to protect people in need. When Eve wakes up the next morning, the golem has transformed into a full-sized, shockingly handsome, and very much living man who wants nothing more than to protect and serve Eve. The golem, whom she names Paul Mudd, seems like the answer to all her problems—a perfect companion and a plus-one for her sister’s wedding. As time passes, Eve realizes that Paul is causing more harm than good, but she’s not sure she’ll ever find happiness without him. Told from Eve’s perspective throughout, the book is captivating and witty from the get-go. The author leans into Eve’s identity as a secular American Jew, showing her family’s deep connection to their Jewish roots despite their lack of religious observance. The story also examines issues of antisemitism and generational trauma with heft and grace. Of course, the story does require a significant suspension of disbelief—Eve accepts, with barely a moment’s doubt, that the inanimate figure she molded has come to life, quickly deciding that the next logical step would be to bring him to work with her. Even so, with well-developed characters, poignant romantic humor, and brilliantly described family connections, this is still a thoroughly engaging read.
A romantic comedy so charming that its ridiculousness hardly matters.Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9780778368120
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
Have tissues ready as you read this. A small package will do.
A love story about a life of second chances.
In Nassau, in the Bahamas, casino detective Vincent LaPorta grills Alfie Logan, who’d come up a winner three times in a row at the roulette table and walked away with $2 million. “How did you do it?” asks the detective. Alfie calmly denies cheating. You wired all the money to a Gianna Rule, LaPorta says. Why? To explain, Alfie produces a composition book with the words “For the Boss, to Be Read Upon My Death” written on the cover. Read this for answers, Alfie suggests, calling it a love story. His mother had passed along to him a strange trait: He can say “Twice!” and go back to a specific time and place to have a do-over. But it only works once for any particular moment, and then he must live with the new consequences. He can only do this for himself and can’t prevent anyone from dying. Alfie regularly uses his power—failing to impress a girl the first time, he finds out more about her, goes back in time, and presto! She likes him. The premise is of course not credible—LaPorta doesn’t buy it either—but it’s intriguing. Most people would probably love to go back and unsay something. The story’s focus is on Alfie’s love for Gianna and whether it’s requited, unrequited, or both. In any case, he’s obsessed with her. He’s a good man, though, an intelligent person with ordinary human failings and a solid moral compass. Albom writes in a warm, easy style that transports the reader to a world of second chances and what-ifs, where spirituality lies close to the surface but never intrudes on the story. Though a cynic will call it sappy, anyone who is sick to their core from the daily news will enjoy this escape from reality.
Have tissues ready as you read this. A small package will do.Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780062406682
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.
After being released from prison, a young woman tries to reconnect with her 5-year-old daughter despite having killed the girl’s father.
Kenna didn’t even know she was pregnant until after she was sent to prison for murdering her boyfriend, Scotty. When her baby girl, Diem, was born, she was forced to give custody to Scotty’s parents. Now that she’s been released, Kenna is intent on getting to know her daughter, but Scotty’s parents won’t give her a chance to tell them what really happened the night their son died. Instead, they file a restraining order preventing Kenna from so much as introducing herself to Diem. Handsome, self-assured Ledger, who was Scotty’s best friend, is another key adult in Diem’s life. He’s helping her grandparents raise her, and he too blames Kenna for Scotty’s death. Even so, there’s something about her that haunts him. Kenna feels the pull, too, and seems to be seeking Ledger out despite his judgmental behavior. As Ledger gets to know Kenna and acknowledges his attraction to her, he begins to wonder if maybe he and Scotty’s parents have judged her unfairly. Even so, Ledger is afraid that if he surrenders to his feelings, Scotty’s parents will kick him out of Diem’s life. As Kenna and Ledger continue to mourn for Scotty, they also grieve the future they cannot have with each other. Told alternatively from Kenna’s and Ledger’s perspectives, the story explores the myriad ways in which snap judgments based on partial information can derail people’s lives. Built on a foundation of death and grief, this story has an undercurrent of sadness. As usual, however, the author has created compelling characters who are magnetic and sympathetic enough to pull readers in. In addition to grief, the novel also deftly explores complex issues such as guilt, self-doubt, redemption, and forgiveness.
With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.Pub Date: Jan. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5420-2560-7
Page Count: 335
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
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