An enjoyable Victorian romance threaded with mystery.
A mathematical genius and a casino owner gamble on each other.
Jasper Jones isn’t quite sure about the spinster in oversized spectacles sent over by Perdita’s Governess Agency, but he’ll have to make do with her for now. As the owner of Rockford’s, London’s most infamous gaming hell, he was busy even before becoming the guardian of his teenage niece, Cecelia, and he needs the help. But Miss Francis “Frankie” Turner isn’t actually there to be a governess; though Perdita’s is a legitimate agency, she’s arrived at Jasper’s house to fulfill its other mission, which is to spy on wrongdoers of the ton. If it was up to her, she’d devote all her time to solving complicated math problems, but after her sister goes missing, she agrees to look into Jasper, as it seems that whatever happened to her sister is related to a larger conspiracy based at Rockford’s. It doesn’t take long for Jasper to realize something is unusual, and oddly desirable, about Frankie—his first hint is when it appears that she’s taught Cecelia how to count cards while playing Vingt et Un. But rather than banish Frankie when he learns about her mission (and her extraordinary mathematical ability), he decides to support her, and both eagerly agree to work together, not realizing they’re gambling their hearts in the process. Lovise’s second Secret Society of Governess Spies book expands the world introduced in Never Blow a Kiss (2024), and builds on its strengths. Because Jasper and Frankie begin working together fairly early, their closeness develops quickly, so the suspense comes from other parts of the plot. Though the criminal shenanigans and their resolution require an extraordinary suspension of disbelief, the misogynist viewpoint behind the nefariousness does not, so readers will likely be willing to overlook the contemporary feeling of this historical romance. Thanks to the chemistry between the well-written, neurodiverse bluestocking heroine and her fake rake, fans of the first book will find much to enjoy, and this one stands alone well enough to attract new readers as well.
An enjoyable Victorian romance threaded with mystery.Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781538740552
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
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
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: tomorrow
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