A short, sweet, and extremely festive romance that will put readers in the holiday spirit.
Romance-author exes wind up sharing a bed (and a book idea) when they get snowed in at a publishing event.
Jessica Carrington and Nick Matthews once had the kind of relationship that happily-ever-afters are made of. They were head over heels in love and both pursuing their dreams of writing romance novels. But then Nick’s career took off faster than Jess’ and he broke up with her, breaking her heart. Nick made a name for himself writing love stories without happy endings (a cardinal sin in the romance world), earning himself movie adaptations and bestsellers. Jess, meanwhile, grew a steady but much less financially rewarding career. Seeing her ex succeed for writing books that aren’t even technically romance is too much to take, so she’s avoided him for years…that is, until they end up at a charming inn for their publisher’s annual holiday party. Jess is enraged that she’s asked to present an award to Nick, although she goes along with it to look professional. She hopes to get through it with as little interaction as possible, but perhaps she should see what’s coming next: They get snowed in, and they’re forced to share a hotel room—and there’s only one bed. Jess can’t deny that she and Nick still have chemistry and all the snappy banter of an enemies-to-lovers rom-com. When their publisher suggests they work on a book together, her initial hesitation turns into excitement as the words flow easily. But just because they work well together doesn’t mean they’d make a good couple, and Jess still doesn’t know why Nick broke it off all those years ago. Ballard has written another fun and impossible-to-put-down romance with engaging leads. Readers will enjoy the peek behind the curtain at the world of publishing, and the sexual tension between Nick and Jess will keep them turning the pages. The cozy setting and Christmas details make for strong holiday vibes, no matter the season.
A short, sweet, and extremely festive romance that will put readers in the holiday spirit.Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9780593851845
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
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
Deeply moving and emotional.
A hockey player falls in love with his tutor.
Matt “Freddy” Fredderic is the life of the party at Waterfell University. He’s a starter on the hockey team and can have any girl on campus—but he’s also in danger of failing out if he can’t improve his grades in math and biology. His ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia make him eligible for university tutoring services, and Ro Shariff is his newly assigned tutor. Ro had a crush on Freddy freshman year but convinced herself that she’s over it now, in her senior year. She’s been in an on-again, off-again relationship with a guy named Tyler for the past two years, but he’s manipulative, borderline abusive, and probably cheating on her. Ro is desperate for love and affection and still suffers from bouts of intense homesickness. She and Freddy develop a tentative friendship even though they couldn’t be more different on the surface—he’s a popular, gregarious athlete to her quiet, introverted academic. Ro sees beyond Freddy’s persona as a dumb jock, while he recognizes that she feels lonely and like an outsider. When Freddy swoops in to rescue Ro after an ugly disagreement with Tyler, the two admit that their feelings for each other are more romantic than friendly. Corinne’s second novel is an emotional powerhouse. Ro and Freddy share everything with each other: fears of not being good enough for their friends, details of their harmful previous romantic relationships, and the deep feelings of grief related to illness and loss of parents. They have to learn to trust themselves and each other in the midst of the pressures that come with transitioning from college to adulthood. Their evolution from friends to lovers is a classic slow burn, and it makes for an angsty and deeply affecting read.
Deeply moving and emotional.Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781668068489
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: yesterday
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