A charming love story perfect for Bridgerton fans.
A proposition leads to an unexpected connection in this debut Regency romance.
At the age of 27, Julia Beaumont is resigned to spending her life as a spinster in Kent, England. When she was 14, her father died, leaving her as the primary caretaker of her stepmother, Constance, and stepsister, Susannah. Constance is especially dependent on her, denying Julia opportunities to attend social functions where she might meet eligible men. A failed elopement when Julia was 17 served to cement her status as an unmarriable woman. Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, is a devilishly handsome man accustomed to having any woman he desires, married or single (“Over much of the past ten years, he’d solidified his reputation as London’s most devastating rake”). His conquests have formed a club devoted to discussing their exploits, while the married women’s husbands regularly challenge him to duels. When Julia and Gregory meet at the Weatherford ball, it is hardly love at first sight. After Julia rescues Gregory from another unhappy husband, he impulsively kisses her. Startled, she flees the ball, leaving behind one of her shoes. Intrigued, Gregory goes to her home to return the shoe and receives a surprise when Julia proposes a marriage of convenience. The arrangement will offer Julia freedom from Constance while protecting Gregory from betrayed husbands. The situation is ideal until a man from Julia’s past and an invitation to attend the queen’s ball force her and Gregory to consider if their unconventional beginning will have a true fairy-tale ending. Drake’s romance is a sparkling take on “Cinderella” with nuanced lead characters and a fast-paced narrative replete with plenty of sexual tension. Julia is an amiable hero, devoted to her stepsister but determined to escape from a life caring for Constance. Julia’s intelligent and headstrong nature is complemented by Gregory’s temperament. He’s a man whose pursuit of hedonistic pleasures masks a sensitive nature and a fear of following in his parents’ footsteps and ending up in an unhappy marriage. The strong supporting characters include Susannah, a talented musician seeking more out of life than marriage, and Julia’s former suitor Lucas Campbell.
A charming love story perfect for Bridgerton fans.Pub Date: Dec. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1649373144
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2022
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
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
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