A tough-as-nails hero and a clever take on female empowerment add layers to a fun, sexy story of self-discovery.
A salty wonder woman learns to open up in Woeppel’s unconventional superhero romance.
Birdie Bowden is tired of the sexism and public scrutiny that comes with being the “Chicago Bird,” her city’s official superhero. She is losing patience with “the weight of responsibility” and “always being careful who is watching.” After a public relations disaster during an attempted rescue of a drunken baseball fan, Birdie is put on leave. She retreats to the lakeside suburb of Grove, where she reluctantly attends her mandated therapy sessions with the soft-but-tough Dr. Marly Evans. She begins to reckon with the traumatic relationships from her past (neither her mother or her ex-fiance could handle her superhuman abilities). Another of Dr. Evans’ patients, the spunky Evie, takes Birdie under her wing and gives her a place to stay. Evie, a recovering cancer patient trying to repair her marriage, pushes Birdie to open up and enjoy herself. Their friendship deepens, as does Birdie’s prickly relationship with Evie’s brother, the annoyingly grumpy but devastatingly attractive Aiden. As Birdie grows closer to them both, she starts to challenge her assumption that her abilities prevent her from forming attachments to ordinary humans. As her leave comes to an end, Birdie must decide if she can return to a job that requires her to tame her fiery character and if her fledgling romance with Aiden can survive once he knows her true strength. Woeppel cleverly uses a superhero protagonist to explore the constraining expectations for working women and the ways in which society discourages unchecked displays of female strength. Birdie’s grit and foul language make her an unusual but very appealing romantic hero. Likewise, Aiden has an openness and ease that make him more engaging than the average gruff, prickly love interest; the chemistry between these two tough cookies is satisfyingly steamy. Extroverted and zany Evie makes for a great best friend—her struggles in the aftermath of her illness lend her a depth that adds to the emotional complexity of the story. Cozy cottages, quirky summer festivals, and comfy Adirondack chairs provide a picturesque backdrop for Birdie’s new beginning.
A tough-as-nails hero and a clever take on female empowerment add layers to a fun, sexy story of self-discovery.Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781632998774
Page Count: 314
Publisher: River Grove Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.
A woman accused of shooting her husband six times in the face refuses to speak.
"Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband. They had been married for seven years. They were both artists—Alicia was a painter, and Gabriel was a well-known fashion photographer." Michaelides' debut is narrated in the voice of psychotherapist Theo Faber, who applies for a job at the institution where Alicia is incarcerated because he's fascinated with her case and believes he will be able to get her to talk. The narration of the increasingly unrealistic events that follow is interwoven with excerpts from Alicia's diary. Ah, yes, the old interwoven diary trick. When you read Alicia's diary you'll conclude the woman could well have been a novelist instead of a painter because it contains page after page of detailed dialogue, scenes, and conversations quite unlike those in any journal you've ever seen. " 'What's the matter?' 'I can't talk about it on the phone, I need to see you.' 'It's just—I'm not sure I can make it up to Cambridge at the minute.' 'I'll come to you. This afternoon. Okay?' Something in Paul's voice made me agree without thinking about it. He sounded desperate. 'Okay. Are you sure you can't tell me about it now?' 'I'll see you later.' Paul hung up." Wouldn't all this appear in a diary as "Paul wouldn't tell me what was wrong"? An even more improbable entry is the one that pins the tail on the killer. While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself laughing out loud.
Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-30169-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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
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