A scorching and compelling historical romance.
An infamous courtesan and a reserved earl share a month of new experiences.
Thaïs Magdalene is known in London as the “best fuck in Britain,” and that’s exactly how she likes it. She accepts one patron a week, for one night only, and never the same man twice. Now, her notoriety will deepen further, because in order to raise money for her beloved Institute for the Equality of Women, she’s auctioning off an entire month of her favors. Twenty-five thousand guineas later, she’s preparing to spend the next 30 days with a filthy-rich poet—or so she thinks. In fact, when she arrives at the address she’s been given, she learns that she’s actually about to spend a month in the middle of nowhere with the upright Lord Alastair Eden, who is “about the furthest thing from a whoring rakehell she [can] imagine.” And Alistair is definitely nervous about his month with Thaïs, but he’s determined to see it through. A friend helped him secretly bid for her services because he’s hoping to marry soon, and since he has little experience in the bedroom, he’s hired her to be absolutely sure he knows how to pleasure his future wife, whoever she may be. Because Alastair is shy, they don’t jump right to the sex lessons; instead, Thaïs puts together a schedule, and they slowly work through the many ways a married couple can make each other happy. As they approach the end of their month together, Thaïs starts wondering if Alastair could be the husband to give her the family she’s secretly wanted for many years, but Alastair doesn’t allow himself to think about it since he’s got plans to marry a society lady—until Thaïs leaves. This plot is a perfect match for Peckham’s mastery of erotic writing, providing multiple opportunities for breathtakingly intimate scenes and providing rich emotional development alongside the steam. Readers who like their historical romances big, bawdy, and over the top will be thrilled by the conclusion to Peckham’s Society of Sirens series, especially as it ties up some loose ends from the first two books.
A scorching and compelling historical romance.Pub Date: June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9780062935656
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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
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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