A flirty and cozy romance that’s heavy on laughs and light on angst.
A young woman makes the mistake of falling in love with a charming earl while posing as her noble cousin.
When Lady Strickland dies unexpectedly, few people are more relieved than the awful woman’s daughter, Lady Isabelle, and niece-by-marriage, Arabella. Free from her taunts and abuse, both women are ready to take control of their lives. Isabelle wants to spend her days reading, but her great-aunt insists she continue with her coming-out as soon as her year of mourning is over, and Bella talks her into heading for London. Isabelle worries that with her poor health, there’s no way she’ll survive the season, and when she realizes that great-aunt Lucretia is severely nearsighted, she comes up with a plan to have Bella take her place for the season. Bella reluctantly agrees, not having the heart to throw her cousin into another overwhelming situation after her mother’s death. Bella has a sense of wonder and excitement as she makes her debut in society, knowing that her lack of standing would otherwise have prevented her from having these experiences. She barrels headlong into the London ton with unabashed curiosity, often landing in wild, quirky scenarios. The charming Lord Brooke, an eligible earl, is interested in courting Bella, thinking she’s her wealthier and more appropriate cousin. Bella’s struggle with her secret as she falls in love with a man above her station provides the bulk of the tension in the book, which is sweet without being twee. Once the story moves past the initial whiplash of the opening, in which Lady Strickland dies within two sentences and readers have to untangle who’s related to whom, it blossoms into a lively romance featuring charming banter, a heartwarming bond between the two young women, and various Regency shenanigans. Isabelle and Arabella’s neglectful and abusive upbringing is mentioned, as is Isabelle’s panic disorder, but these are touched upon rather lightly, and the tone very much stays centered in the realm of bubbly and airy.
A flirty and cozy romance that’s heavy on laughs and light on angst.Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9780593549667
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
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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