A warm, witty, and absolutely charming seaside holiday that’s perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella.
A woman travels to the Channel Islands to chase down the story behind her parents’ epic romance only to get involved in a complicated love story of her own.
When it comes to romance, Laura knows what she wants: a sweeping, fated love story like the one her parents had. Although her father died when she was young and her mother passed away two years ago, she impulsively pitches a story about their romance to her hard-to-please editor at a lifestyle magazine and gets the go-ahead to travel to Jersey and write about the ultimate feel-good meet-cute. But upon arriving, Laura ends up accidentally taking someone else’s black suitcase off the luggage carousel. It might be a disaster…or it might be fate, given that the suitcase contains a copy of Laura’s favorite book and sheet music for songs by her favorite artist (Phil Collins is an unusual pick for someone in their 20s, but he was Laura's dad's favorite). Maybe the owner of the suitcase is actually her dream man, and maybe this is the real story. But Hot Suitcase Man proves hard to track down, and Laura finds herself spending most of her time with Ted, the gruff cabbie who drives her around the island. Even though she initially nicknames him Beardy McCastaway, he seems more interesting (and attractive) as time goes on. And when she ends up getting to know his family (including his delightful father, Gerry, who has Parkinson’s disease), she feels instantly at ease. Laura must decide what kind of love story she’s really looking for—one that’s written in the stars or one that’s right in front of her. Cousens creates a world full of lovable characters who are all trying their best to be happy despite life’s many obstacles. Laura’s quest to find out more about her parents is compelling, but Ted’s journey to sort out his own life while helping Gerry move into an assisted living facility is equally poignant. Although all the characters are dealing with their own hardships, Cousens imbues the entire story with an uplifting sense of hope. As Laura’s aunt Monica puts it, “Maybe life’s more about carving out happy chapters than finding a single happy ending.” The Jersey setting creates a cozy, wind-swept background to the deliciously slow-burn romance.
A warm, witty, and absolutely charming seaside holiday that’s perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella.Pub Date: Nov. 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-33152-1
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
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
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.
A travel writer has one last shot at reconnecting with the best friend she just might be in love with.
Poppy and Alex couldn't be more different. She loves wearing bright colors while he prefers khakis and a T-shirt. She likes just about everything while he’s a bit more discerning. And yet, their opposites-attract friendship works because they love each other…in a totally platonic way. Probably. Even though they have their own separate lives (Poppy lives in New York City and is a travel writer with a popular Instagram account; Alex is a high school teacher in their tiny Ohio hometown), they still manage to get together each summer for one fabulous vacation. They grow closer every year, but Poppy doesn’t let herself linger on her feelings for Alex—she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship or the way she can be fully herself with him. They continue to date other people, even bringing their serious partners on their summer vacations…but then, after a falling-out, they stop speaking. When Poppy finds herself facing a serious bout of ennui, unhappy with her glamorous job and the life she’s been dreaming of forever, she thinks back to the last time she was truly happy: her last vacation with Alex. And so, though they haven’t spoken in two years, she asks him to take another vacation with her. She’s determined to bridge the gap that’s formed between them and become best friends again, but to do that, she’ll have to be honest with Alex—and herself—about her true feelings. In chapters that jump around in time, Henry shows readers the progression (and dissolution) of Poppy and Alex’s friendship. Their slow-burn love story hits on beloved romance tropes (such as there unexpectedly being only one bed on the reconciliation trip Poppy plans) while still feeling entirely fresh. Henry’s biggest strength is in the sparkling, often laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue, particularly the banter-filled conversations between Poppy and Alex. But there’s depth to the story, too—Poppy’s feeling of dissatisfaction with a life that should be making her happy as well as her unresolved feelings toward the difficult parts of her childhood make her a sympathetic and relatable character. The end result is a story that pays homage to classic romantic comedies while having a point of view all its own.
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.Pub Date: May 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0675-8
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
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