A page-turning tale of the healing power of love.
A woman embarks on a journey of self-discovery at a hotel with a connection to her past in Carter’s second-chance romance.
In 2019, Jeanette Coles, a commercial director from San Francisco, spent an unforgettable night in Los Angeles at the Lyric Hotel. While walking her dog, she met Evan Jameson, a cello player who’d performed with such world-famous musicians as Sting and Diana Krall. Their instant connection led to a night of passion; however, both were married, and Evan was reluctant to start an affair because “the only woman he’d give that much of himself to was his wife.” After returning to her home in San Francisco, Jeanette’s world was shattered when her husband, Michael, was killed in a car accident. Eight months later, Jeanette returns to the Lyric Hotel for an extended stay with no set departure date. Meanwhile, Evan’s busy performing schedule becomes complicated when Nancy tells him she’s pregnant with their second child. As he navigates the responsibilities of marriage and parenting with his life as a musician, Jeanette copes with her grief through a series of business and romantic encounters with other guests at the hotel. As the December holidays approach, Jeanette gets an invitation to join her mother in Paris, which offers the possibility of a surprise reunion with the man she’s unable to forget. Carter’s debut is a sparkling romance with vivid characters and sharp, crystalline prose. Jeanette is an instantly memorable protagonist whose journey through her grief is heartfelt and poignant. Evan is a strong foil for Jeanette, and their scenes together crackle with romantic tension. The author also shows a knack for clever chapter titles (such as “Loathing Me Loving You”) and witty character introductions, as when Jeanette meets with an aging actor to film a commercial: “One historical landmark leaned against another. Charles Millburn stood among the gnarled roots of the 120-year-old fig tree, resting his silver pate against a venerable branch, eyes closed as a makeup woman dabbed foundation onto his nose.”
A page-turning tale of the healing power of love.Pub Date: July 16, 2024
ISBN: 979-8891322691
Page Count: 298
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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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