A quirky romance about second chances for those who come in second place.
Cursed with being forever second best, a 28-year-old woman risks everything to win the heart of her high school crush.
Imogen Finch is unlucky. Clinically unlucky, according to her clairvoyant mother, who prophesied Imogen’s silver-medal existence when she was only 6. No matter how hard Imogen tried to win student offices and ace math exams, she was forever destined to be runner-up in life—and in love. Every one of her 17 exes not only dumped her but left her for other people. Resigned to mediocrity, Imogen works six jobs in Pitt’s Corner, her small coastal town, caring for her mother and avoiding the pitying stares of her now happily married ex-boyfriends. Despite the blows to her ego, Imogen was never certain she was even in love with her past flames—all except heartbreak No. 1, Eliot Swift. Even though they were never a couple, Eliot was Imogen’s first and only love, the one who didn’t believe in her mother’s miserable prophecy, the one who ghosted her (and the whole town of Pitt’s Corner) 10 years ago. Still nursing her wounds a decade later, Imogen finds her world turned upside down when Eliot’s father dies, forcing him to return to the friends and family he left behind. Seeing Eliot again only confirms Imogen’s feelings for him, but will she be able to separate herself from a fate she spent years believing was irreversible? Firkins’ novel is a special blend of humor, passion, and friendship, with a hint of a sixth sense that sets it apart from other contemporary romances. Every so often, a chapter outlines one of Imogen’s 17 breakups, each more outrageous and humiliating than the last, and it’s impossible to root for anything other than a well-deserved happily-ever-after. Don’t expect Imogen to find her HEA too easily, though; Firkins takes her time with her characters, patiently weaving moments of grief, healing, and understanding to make this friends-to-lovers tale gratifyingly worthwhile.
A quirky romance about second chances for those who come in second place.Pub Date: Oct. 31, 2023
ISBN: 9781250836526
Page Count: 352
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...
Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.
At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
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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