A satisfyingly textured office romance.
An English girl finds herself caught up in a messy romance during a prestigious London internship.
Anna Sherwood has put everything into getting a paid internship at electric vehicle manufacturer Arrowmile, including lying about the fact that she has only one year at the University of Leeds under her belt. She’s determined to take full advantage of the opportunity in hopes of laying the groundwork for her future career. While out clubbing and drinking tequila shots with the 14 other interns during their icebreaker evening, Anna meets a cute stranger named Lloyd, and the mutual attraction is instantaneous. After a night of cheesy chips and an intoxicating kiss, they part ways, never expecting to see each other again. But on Anna’s first day at Arrowmile, she discovers that Lloyd is CEO Topher Fletcher’s son. He initially pretends not to know Anna, hurting her feelings. But when it turns out that Lloyd wants more, Anna pushes him away, afraid she’ll be seen as using him to get ahead. Prickly, misguided, and prone to overwork, Anna shows growth and better self-understanding as she learns that she doesn’t have to sacrifice love to get ahead. Lloyd reveals his own layers, remaining steadfast in his interest, despite Anna’s barriers. The taut romantic tension becomes steamy and rewarding when they do get together. Lloyd is cued as biracial (Indian and white); Anna presents white.
A satisfyingly textured office romance. (Romance. 15-adult)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9780593809082
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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