An evocative summer romance that will take readers on a journey filled with food, wine, and sex.
Two exes reunite on a food tour of Europe and attempt to prove to each other—and themselves—that they’ve moved on.
Theo and Kit were childhood best friends who eventually became a couple—until a disastrous breakup on the flight to a European food and wine tour. They haven’t spoken in several years, and both have found success, if not happiness, in their chosen fields. Kit made a life for himself in Paris, where he’s a pastry chef. Theo is a bartender with an encyclopedic knowledge of wine and dreams of being a sommelier. Their abandoned European tour gave them a voucher that would expire in 48 months, and right at the end of that window Theo decides to redeem it, never dreaming that Kit would decide to use his voucher on the same exact trip. But, of course, he does, meaning the two of them are stuck together for three weeks, alongside a flirtatious tour guide named Fabrizio and a cast of adventurous travelers and eaters. Kit and Theo strike an uneasy truce to get along for the duration of the trip, but in an effort to prove they’re totally over each other—and to burn off the sexual tension that’s radiating between them—they make a “sex wager”: Whoever hooks up with the most people while on the tour wins. Kit and Theo are both bisexual, which gives them a wide pool of applicants—and, in a slightly unbelievable turn, seemingly everyone they meet is attracted to them. The emphasis on Kit and Theo’s physical conquests does add to the atmosphere of their booze-filled, hedonistic summer trip, but at times it also detracts from the romance. Kit and Theo’s long, often tumultuous relationship is the beating heart of the book, and the story is most successful when it focuses on their emotional and physical bonds. Bestselling author McQuiston creates well-rounded characters in Kit and Theo, and, crucially, shows how they’ve changed since their initial romance to make the possibility of a second chance feel earned. The story is packed with enough detail to make readers feel like they, too, are on the tour—there are lengthy descriptions of the art Kit and Theo see, as well as the food they eat and the endless amounts of wine they drink.
An evocative summer romance that will take readers on a journey filled with food, wine, and sex.Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781250862747
Page Count: 432
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.
A recently dumped librarian finds herself fake dating her polar opposite.
When Daphne Vincent’s fiance, Peter, dumps her, she’s shocked—but the worst part is that he’s leaving her for his gorgeous best friend, Petra, the woman he’d always told Daphne not to worry about. Now Daphne has to move out of Peter’s home and restart her life in the small Michigan town where she’d moved to be with him. Salvation comes in the form of Miles Nowak, Petra’s ex—he has a tiny spare room in his apartment, and he understands what it’s like to wallow in heartbreak. Daphne feels lucky to have her dream job as a children’s librarian, but other than that, she feels adrift and friendless in Waning Bay—and then she and Miles get invitations to Peter and Petra’s wedding. In a momentary lapse of judgment, Daphne not only says she’ll attend the wedding, but tells Peter she’s dating Miles. It would be the perfect way to show Peter and Petra that they’ve moved on…if only it were true. In the grand tradition of fake-dating romances, Daphne and Miles pretend to be in love, getting to know each other while having various adventures and misadventures. Daphne quickly learns that although she’d dismissed Miles as a pothead with a lack of direction, he’s actually a good time—and a loyal friend. But Daphne knows she needs to get out of Waning Bay, so this fake relationship can’t lead anywhere…can it? Reliable bestseller Henry has written another surefire hit that manages to be dramatic, sexy, and fun. Miles and Daphne have chemistry that leaps off the page, and their will-they-or-won’t-they energy propels the story to its satisfying conclusion. Daphne is an immensely likable character, one whose past realistically informs her current relationships. The world of Waning Bay is charmingly quirky, and Daphne’s co-workers at the library are endearing. As always, Henry’s biggest strength is the sharp, often hilarious dialogue that makes the story a joy to read.
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593441282
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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