A fun read that perfectly balances swoon-worthy romance with a thoughtful examination of first impressions.
A young woman in love with her handsome but aloof boss finds that wishes can have unexpected consequences in Ready’s novel.
This fourth installment of the author’s Ghosted series introduces Anna Benoit, who works as a housekeeper for Max Barone, the owner of a wildly successful jewelry empire in Geneva, Switzerland. For Anna, meeting Max was love at first sight, despite the fact that Max barely seems to register her existence: “Looking at him was like looking at the desolate sweep of an arctic winter the moment before the sun rises for the first time in months. I was struck, pierced, and flayed by the promise of that sunrise.” One day, while cleaning Max’s library, Anna finds a sapphire necklace along with a brittle old note claiming that it grants wishes. On a whim, she wishes that Max loved her and that they were married. When Max walks in on her, however, he accuses her of stealing the necklace, which has mysteriously moved to Anna’s pocket. Though she is immediately fired, Anna somehow wakes up the next morning in Max’s chateau with everyone calling her “Mrs. Barone.” She and Max are the only ones who have both sets of memories—of Anna the housekeeper and of Anna and Max’s happy seven-year marriage. Anna explains the wish she made, and she and Max go about attempting to reverse it—first by wishing on the same necklace again, then by flying to Paris after Max comes up with an alternate theory. As they work together to put everything right, they begin falling for each other for real. But Max has foresworn passion and true love, which means they’ll just have to forget about each other once everything returns to normal—ifthey can undo the wish.
Fans of the author’s previous works will likely be delighted to revisit the character of Max, who pointedly did not get his happy ending in Ready’s earlier novel, Fated (2024). Anna proves to be a worthy match for him; her over-the-top romanticism plays nicely against Max’s stoicism. Just when the story seems to tip over into predictable romance tropes (they’re falling for each other despite their differences!), Ready tips the scales and forces readers to reexamine their own preconceived notions of what “should” happen (their plan to reverse the wish will work!). This blend of comforting romantic touchstones with witty dialogue and keen human observations makes for an enchanting read that manages to build genuine tension—both sexual and narrative. Anna is clearly a genuinely good person and easy to root for as a protagonist, although her fixation on Max before she even gets to know him as a person sometimes comes across as a bit childish. But her relentless positivity and wry observations (“Well, there’s a word for optimistic naivety, and that word is tomorrow”) are likely to eventually win over even the most hard-hearted readers. Ready, while crafting a sexy romp that ticks all the romance boxes, also manages to introduce heavier themes that provide a surprising amount of food for thought, including the fantasy of a person vs. the reality, fake happiness vs. real misery, and the ways in which memories shape the present. These elements, supported by smooth writing and briskly paced action, result in a genuine thinking-person’s love story.
A fun read that perfectly balances swoon-worthy romance with a thoughtful examination of first impressions.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781954007826
Page Count: 346
Publisher: W. W. Crown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
The forbidden romance trope fails because the conflict is so pedestrian.
A professional hockey player has feelings for the one woman he can’t have: his soon-to-be stepsister.
Sig Gauthier loves his job playing defense for the Boston Bearcats, and he’s proved himself a real asset to the team. When this season ends, he will renegotiate his mediocre, low-paying contract, one he accepted while injured and desperate for any team to sign him. When his father asks him to come to dinner to meet his new girlfriend, Sig decides to go, since it’s only a few hours’ drive to Darien, Connecticut, and he’s curious. On the way, his ancient truck breaks down, and he pulls into a country club parking lot where he meets Chloe Clifford, the most beautiful, alluring woman he’s ever seen. Chloe dreams of accepting a seat as a harpist at a conservatory in Boston; however, her wealthy, controlling mother wants her to stay in Darien. That night at dinner, Sig is surprised to find Chloe there—and when they discover their parents are planning to marry each other, they realize they can only be friends themselves. Sig encourages Chloe to come with him to Boston, where he rents her an apartment despite it being a massive financial burden. Several months pass. They long for each other, but studiously ignore their incendiary sexual chemistry and remain friends. When the press realizes that Sig’s biggest fan is his soon-to-be-stepsister, his new general manager tells him he must choose between Chloe or re-signing with the team. Everything rests on the premise that two people who meet as adults would be entering into a taboo, forbidden relationship because their parents are about to marry. Although Bailey does her best to sell it, the pretext keeping her characters apart is thin and underdeveloped. Chloe and Sig are wild for each other from the second they meet, which negates any attempt to create tension or conflict.
The forbidden romance trope fails because the conflict is so pedestrian.Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063380783
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
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