A rom-com that tries to hit serious notes about sizeism, racism, sexism, and online toxicity.
Competitive gym users go from enemies to lovers.
Curvy Chinese American “fitstagrammer” Crystal Chen can’t stand the new Chris Evans look-alike at her gym, especially since he's been violating workout etiquette: ignoring signs that a rack has been claimed by another person, hogging the water fountain, and getting in the way of her training sessions with clients, not to mention blocking her camera as she's recording her exercise routines. Then she’s caught off guard when a heated exchange about her cellphone—she thinks he stole it to get on her nerves—turns into a make-out session in the men’s locker room. But Crystal has a bigger surprise in store when she finds out that her grandmother has gotten engaged and that her intended is the grandfather of the Squat Rack Thief, aka Scott Ritchie, Boston firefighter. To make matters worse, Scott may have a girlfriend, a figure skater. Despite the many bumpy starts, Scott and Crystal finally get past their initial misunderstandings to explore the romantic sparks between them. It seems like the perfect relationship for the homebody, gym-loving duo—till Crystal’s fear of being cheated on rears its head. Just as the couple tackle that issue, Crystal’s carefully constructed sense of identity comes crashing down thanks to online fatphobia. In this debut novel, author Lea explores the challenges of a woman learning to respect herself while realizing that the social media version of body positivity, though the core of her Instagram brand and philosophy, may not be the ideal route to happiness. With some amusing dad jokes and come-on lines, several steamy and romantic sex scenes, and nonstereotyped portrayals of a biracial family, the novel has real promise. But a first-person narrative that dwells on the heroine’s hang-ups may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and Crystal’s judgmental behavior toward others also clashes with her criticism of those who resort to reductive stereotypes. Though Crystal works to overcome the paradox and her internal dialogue and Instagram posts about body identity and White beauty standards earn her points, the drama feels a bit drawn out.
A rom-com that tries to hit serious notes about sizeism, racism, sexism, and online toxicity.Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-33657-1
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
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
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