An uneven set of stories that’s sometimes entertaining and other times troubling.
Griffin offers a collection of four novellas, each featuring a couple that must overcome personal obstacles to make way for love.
The first story, “No Regrets,” opens with a literal bang—Darien Francis, a small-business owner, finds herself in the middle of a bank robbery alongside security guard Richard Li. Afterward, she quickly falls for his easygoing and accommodating nature but finds herself held back by memories of her late lover and the brutality she experienced during the robbery. In the second story, “Probation,” Shane Kenniston, a former youth orchestra teacher, was accused of sexual assault by a 15-year-old girl, resulting in the loss of his job and the destruction of his social life; things become more complicated when he begins dating his former student’s sister, Beth, without initially realizing who she is. Following this is “The Shape of Life,” about a man named David and a single mother named Kate, whose life revolves around caring for her daughter with muscular dystrophy. The final story, “House Hunters,” concerns a group of friends: Frank, a real estate agent estranged from his young daughter; Gia and Andrea, financially successful newlyweds; and Kayla, a woman who believes all men are “useless.” These novellas often offer fun romantic plots with happy endings. However, they sometimes delve too deeply into issues that seem beyond the scope of brief stories. For example, some discussions of race between Darien, a White woman, and Richard, an East Asian man, come across as strained and excessive, as when he earnestly tells her, “I’ll show you how I go about dating Caucasian girls.” However, the storyline between Shane and Beth is the most problematic, presenting a 30-year-old teacher who slept with a teenage girl as sympathetic, while vilifying the girl he slept with. The series’ third-person narration occasionally offers patronizing or objectifying internal monologues, with little attempt to critique such mentalities: “What was it with women, that they thought you shared some kind of relationship the minute things got physical?”
An uneven set of stories that’s sometimes entertaining and other times troubling.Pub Date: April 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781509248827
Page Count: 226
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 23, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.
A recently dumped librarian finds herself fake dating her polar opposite.
When Daphne Vincent’s fiance, Peter, dumps her, she’s shocked—but the worst part is that he’s leaving her for his gorgeous best friend, Petra, the woman he’d always told Daphne not to worry about. Now Daphne has to move out of Peter’s home and restart her life in the small Michigan town where she’d moved to be with him. Salvation comes in the form of Miles Nowak, Petra’s ex—he has a tiny spare room in his apartment, and he understands what it’s like to wallow in heartbreak. Daphne feels lucky to have her dream job as a children’s librarian, but other than that, she feels adrift and friendless in Waning Bay—and then she and Miles get invitations to Peter and Petra’s wedding. In a momentary lapse of judgment, Daphne not only says she’ll attend the wedding, but tells Peter she’s dating Miles. It would be the perfect way to show Peter and Petra that they’ve moved on…if only it were true. In the grand tradition of fake-dating romances, Daphne and Miles pretend to be in love, getting to know each other while having various adventures and misadventures. Daphne quickly learns that although she’d dismissed Miles as a pothead with a lack of direction, he’s actually a good time—and a loyal friend. But Daphne knows she needs to get out of Waning Bay, so this fake relationship can’t lead anywhere…can it? Reliable bestseller Henry has written another surefire hit that manages to be dramatic, sexy, and fun. Miles and Daphne have chemistry that leaps off the page, and their will-they-or-won’t-they energy propels the story to its satisfying conclusion. Daphne is an immensely likable character, one whose past realistically informs her current relationships. The world of Waning Bay is charmingly quirky, and Daphne’s co-workers at the library are endearing. As always, Henry’s biggest strength is the sharp, often hilarious dialogue that makes the story a joy to read.
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593441282
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
BOOK TO SCREEN
SEEN & HEARD
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