A modern romance with the perfect mix of emotional growth and meddling aunties.
A woman and her childhood nemesis are stuck together on a 10-day cruise in this contemporary romance about family expectations.
Jasmine Randhawa has worked hard for her independence, knowing that her decisions have labeled her a troublesome daughter to her parents though she’s ticked the boxes of having a well-paying job and an attractive boyfriend. But finding herself suddenly single and overhearing her parents invite her sister, Niki, on an Alaskan cruise they're taking along with other members of their South Asian community have finally put her over the edge. Alas, Niki can’t go, and, in a small act of defiance, Jasmine insists on taking her place. What she doesn't know is that it's a cruise for seniors, and the only other person her age is Jake Dhillon. For years, Jasmine has watched her community accord Jake celebrity status as the ideal South Asian son, while Jake knows of Jasmine’s reputation for trouble. They each must fight against the judgmental assumptions they’ve made, but Jasmine finds Jake too cocky for his own good, while Jake thinks Jasmine tries too hard to be a rebel. Then, when they both volunteer to host the ship’s amateur dance competition, they start to bond over adventurous excursions and their fraught relationships with cultural norms. The romance is slow and sweet as the leads test each other’s boundaries. A cruise to Alaska makes a charming setting, combining a lively cast of characters with beautiful, immersive descriptions of the environment, and the gorgeous backdrop further accentuates Jake and Jasmine’s developing attraction. As well as finding romance, Jasmine learns that there's a middle ground between isolating herself from family conventions and fully embracing Punjabi traditions. She can have it all—and on her own terms.
A modern romance with the perfect mix of emotional growth and meddling aunties.Pub Date: April 18, 2023
ISBN: 9780593440650
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 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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