A wacky yet touching tale about love, truth, and acceptance.
A down-and-out writer lands a gig ghostwriting a celebrity’s memoir—only to discover he’s writing for an actual ghost.
Adam Gallagher’s career is, for lack of a better word, dying. A decade after publishing Salt Lake City Sodomite, the bestselling recount of his Mormon upbringing and public excommunication, Adam hasn’t written anything nearly as successful. Paul, his agent, has barely spoken to him in ages when he invites him out to a swanky steak dinner to tell him that Roland Rogers has personally requested him to write his coming-out story. Roland is a household name, a modern-day Cary Grant who stars as Crag Dynamite in a popular action movie franchise. After decades in the limelight as a charming bachelor, Roland is ready to speak his truth: He’s gay. Who better to write his story than his favorite author, who publicly came out all those years ago? After getting all the details from Paul, Adam sets out to spend a month at Roland’s Malibu mansion and transcribe the superstar’s story, as requested, by hand. But when Adam arrives at the celebrity’s doorstep, there’s just one tiny little hiccup: Roland is dead. After having suffered an accident on a solo backcountry skiing trip, Roland’s body remains buried under mountains of snow, but his spirit haunts his California mansion through various electrical appliances. With Adam’s help, he plans to use his book to come out before news spreads of his death. After the initial shock of meeting a ghost, Adam is prepared to fulfill Roland’s dying wish—his own career depends on it. As weeks pass, Adam and Roland develop a connection neither has felt, alive or dead, but Adam can’t help but wonder…Why now? Allen’s supernatural tale is eccentric, funny, and pleasantly peculiar. Adam and Roland are unconventional protagonists: two middle-aged men, one wildly famous and the other comically downtrodden, both searching for a sense of self. Allen offers readers an unlikely romance, sprinkled with lust, regret, humor, and even paranormal activity, and somehow it absolutely works.
A wacky yet touching tale about love, truth, and acceptance.Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781638931539
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Zando
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
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
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
PERSPECTIVES
BOOK TO SCREEN
SEEN & HEARD
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