An uneven but ultimately charming queer historical romance.
A lord and a viscount walk into a gay bar.
Bobby Mason and James Demeroven attended Oxford at the same time, and when they meet at the start of another London season, that appears to be all they have in common. Bobby, second son of the late Viscount Mason, is desperate to be involved in politics but stuck in the aimless role of the spare. On the other hand, James, newly old enough to take on the duties of his role as Viscount Demeroven, is too beaten down by a lifetime of belittling from his stepfather to contribute in the House of Lords. James actually had a crush from afar on Bobby while they were in school, and though Bobby doesn’t remember him at all, it’s surprising they didn’t meet earlier, as both discovered at Oxford that they are “men of a certain persuasion.” Now, family and social obligations keep forcing them side by side, but their distaste for each other quickly repels them. That is, until they find each other at “Thomas Parker’s infamous club” for men of their persuasion and discover that they actually do have something else in common, which in time develops into an intense mutual attraction beyond what either has experienced. But in Victorian London, even among understanding friends and family, there are no happy endings for two noblemen who fall in love, unless someone can find a clever solution. This sequel builds directly on the plot of Alban’s first volume, Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend (2024), and fans of Gwen and Beth will be happy to see them prominently featured in this story as well. Unfortunately, readers will have to slog through a slow start and convoluted plot to get to the point where the heroes go from (sort of) enemies to lovers, but it’s worth it to see the chemistry between the two catch fire in a well-drawn and compelling way. Though there’s an abrupt shift to a slightly sappy ending with the help of lavender marriages, Alban hits the final mark with a historically accurate possibility for everyone’s HEA.
An uneven but ultimately charming queer historical romance.Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
ISBN: 9780063312036
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 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
Slow and plodding.
A young woman with a magical ability to harness light discovers she is royalty.
Talasyn is a foot soldier for her homeland of Sardovia, which has been under attack for the past decade by the powerful and evil Night Empire, a conflict known as the Hurricane Wars. Talasyn is an orphan with no knowledge of her family, but she assumes they might be the source of her rare, magical Lightweaving talent. During a battle with the forces of the Night Empire, Talasyn spars with Prince Alaric, a fierce warrior who is the son and heir to the Night Emperor. Talasyn is sent on a covert mission into Nenavar, a nearby matriarchy that has remained neutral during the Hurricane Wars, to try to access a Light Sever which could hone and refine her magic. Instead, she discovers she is the heir to their royal throne; she and her mother, now presumed dead, disappeared under mysterious circumstances when she was a year old. Alaric follows her into Nenavar, and they discover his magical ability to cast darkness and shadows produces shocking results when mixed with her Lightweaving. A few weeks later, the Night Empire defeats Sardovia and ends the Hurricane Wars, and the novel transitions to a tedious, slow-moving story of court intrigue and diplomacy. A group of Sardovian soldiers and refugees seek asylum in Nenavar, but Talasyn’s grandmother agrees to protect them only if Talasyn agrees to join the royal court and marry Alaric. The politics surrounding the impending wedding is the primary plot for the rest of the novel, and it’s a slog. The glacially slow pacing only serves to highlight the confusing world building and underdeveloped characters. It’s unclear why Alaric and Talasyn are attracted to each other, and their tentative romance is just as stuck in a rut as the plot.
Slow and plodding.Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9780063277274
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
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