A perfect potion of cozy, romantic, and enchanting fun.
A 30-something cottage witch bands together with a handsome stranger and a teenage goth in order to save their Connecticut hometown from an ancient curse.
When she was 9 years old, Jessica Gold discovered that her mother was magic. Well, not technically magic, but just enchanting enough for the impressionable child to take her father quite literally when he says, “Your mother is magic,” and set out to follow in her mother's footsteps. Using simple spells from Goody Fletcher’s Book of Useful Household Tips, a grimoire her mother unearthed from an estate sale, Jessica became a “cottage witch,” one who uses herbs and remedies to perform acts of good. That is, until Jessica decided to take Billy Walker to her senior prom. A harmless love potion meant to steal Billy’s heart ended up unleashing the terror of fellow high school student and storm witch Rosalie Hopkins. Years later, West Harbor still shivers at the chill of Rosalie’s jealousy-induced blizzard, and Jessica continues to lie low at her boutique, Enchantments, performing just the right amount of magic to make her customers feel charmed. Just when the residents of West Harbor seem to have forgotten the inexplicable, snowy events of 2006, the bearded and rugged Derrick Winters appears in Jessica’s shop. The sexy warlock reveals that there’s a deadly rift surfacing beneath their town, and only the “Chosen One” and the “Bringer of Light” can stop it. Jessica turns out to be the Chosen One, and the Bringer of Light is 16-year-old Esther Dodge, a high school student who can explode pumpkins with her mind. Can Jessica, Derrick, and Esther use their powers of good to prevent the destruction of West Harbor, or are darker forces at play? Cabot’s latest adult rom-com is charming and mystical, combining her usual humor with a strong female heroine to make an enticing new saga. The first installment of the Witches of West Harbor series will leave readers eager to follow Jessica and Derrick on their quest for harmony.
A perfect potion of cozy, romantic, and enchanting fun.Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780063268371
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023
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
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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