An exciting start to a new Regency romance series which promises to highlight new voices from the era.
A widow’s one-night stand goes from total bliss to total shock.
Leela, better known to society as Lady Delilah Chambers, dowager countess of the Earl of Devon, has settled into her new life as a widow, taking the opportunity to travel abroad and write popular book series about her adventures. After years when she was loved by her husband but loathed by society and her stepson (now Lord Devon) because of her mother’s Arab heritage, she’s grateful to be out of the glare of the ton and not beholden to any man’s wishes. She’s not looking for excitement but finds it anyway in the person of Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, when a rainy night traps them together in the Black Swan Inn. Their sexual chemistry is fierce, and Leela and Hunt agree to one passionate night before heading their separate ways. As a result, both are aghast when they find the next day that their separate ways have led them back to each other—because Hunt is all but engaged to Leela’s stepdaughter, Tori. They try to avoid each other on the Devon estate, knowing that Hunt and Tori’s engagement is the best and most rational choice for everyone given their respective places in society. But their attraction is too strong to resist, especially once it becomes clear that Hunt and Tori aren’t well suited. Leela and Hunt’s amorous scenes are page-turners, but it’s Quincy’s extraordinary ability to convey complex emotions that sets the book apart. Quincy’s own background as a first-generation Arab American also allows her to bring indispensable detail to the story, which is enriched by details of Leela’s journey to learn about, and come to appreciate, her “Levantine” heritage—a welcome addition to the overwhelmingly White ranks of Regency romance.
An exciting start to a new Regency romance series which promises to highlight new voices from the era.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-298679-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother.
Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. But now they’re co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. (For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.) Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. But even though she’s divorced, Lily isn’t exactly free. Behind Ryle’s veneer of civility are his jealousy and resentment. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Meanwhile, Atlas’ mother returns with shocking news. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself.
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-668-00122-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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
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