A novel as comfy and satisfying as “the taste of hot stew on a rainy night.”
Friendship, love, and a magical mystery come together in Reeves’ romantic fantasy.
Briar Wyngrave, a witch, has always wanted to go to the city of Pentawynn to become a magical fashion designer (“It’s Pentawynn or death for me,” he says). Because the same curse that killed his mother is now affecting him and draining his health and magic away, he wants to leave a mark on the world in the short amount of time he has left; Pentawaynn, “the glittering metropolis of modern witchcraft,” is the ideal place to do it. But in a surprising twist of fate, a prophecy sends him to Coill Darragh, a small town in the middle of the ocean where his destiny has foretold of a lover hiding behind a mask. It’s there, along with his magpie familiar named Vatii, that he meets Rowan O’Shea, a handsome alderman with a mysterious scar to whom Briar is immediately attracted. To further complicate things, Linden Fairchild—a charismatic celebrity Briar has long had a crush on—comes to town to open his own shop, determined to cure curses. Torn between Linden and Rowan, Briar struggles with his feelings about the prophecy while trying to make a name for himself while he still can. A cursed forest, a ghost roommate named Gretchen, and strange happenings in town add additional flavor to this charming and cozy romance. The worldbuilding, which plays on a combination of modern and magical, feels fun and fresh—there’s a social media app called “Alakagram,” and enchanted clothing that helps people feel less shy at parties. The story’s focus on gay relationships and the general acceptance depicted in the town make for a refreshing read.
A novel as comfy and satisfying as “the taste of hot stew on a rainy night.”Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024
ISBN: 978-1039475892
Page Count: 332
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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