This frothy, made-for-summer read earns its place poolside.
At Little Bridge Island’s first annual literary festival, the attending authors create enough drama to fill several novels.
Jo Wright, author of popular children’s book series Kitty Katz, Kitten Sitter, is not feeling as perfectly “pawsitive” as her plucky feline heroine. She’s been dealing with terrible writer’s block ever since Will Price, author of several supersuccessful maudlin romances, bad-mouthed her books to a reporter from the New York Times. Now prone to wearing all black and embracing a less-than-sunny approach to life, Jo is way behind on her deadline for Kitty Katz No. 27 and in need of funds to move her ailing father out of New York City and to a warmer climate. So, when Jo receives an unexpected invitation—complete with $10,000 stipend—to the Florida Keys for Little Bridge Island’s first literary festival, she can’t really justify turning it down. There’s only one downside: Will Price is not only attending the festival, but he’s also its largest donor. Jo, along with a zany cast including magician/fantasy author Garrett Newcombe and her best friend, YA novelist Bernadette Zhang, are all charmed by the island’s hospitality and the festival’s fancy events. But when Jo and Will’s past animosity seeps into the present and unsavory rumors come to a head, Little Bridge finds itself in the eye of a “purr-fect” storm. This third trip to Little Bridge—following No Judgments (2019) and No Offense (2020)—puts Cabot’s trademark wit and vibrant characters on full display. While some key facets of the plot are underdeveloped—the explanation for Will’s unsavory behavior is unsatisfactory, as is Jo’s extreme reaction to it—the charming small-town setting, intriguing hate-to-love romance, and authentic look behind the scenes of a literary get-together make for a winning combination.
This frothy, made-for-summer read earns its place poolside.Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-308225-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
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
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...
Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.
At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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