An appealing, modern premise stutters and then sprints but never becomes a cohesive whole.
An American rapper called Duchess falls in love with the queen’s grandson the Duke of Wessex.
Danielle “Duchess” Nelson is the world’s most prominent rapper, but she chafes at the constraints placed on her by her manager, her fans, and the press. She dreams of leaving rap behind to focus on further expanding the line of skin care products she developed for Black women. When a malicious White singer tries to ride Dani’s coattails to fame, the media frenzy disrupts Dani’s chance to sell her business to a cosmetics conglomerate. Frustrated, Dani accepts an invitation to perform at a concert being hosted by the royal family, an event designed to bolster the Crown’s image in the public eye. His Royal Highness Prince Jameson, the Duke of Wessex, has managed to live a quiet life as a philosophy professor, but he's forced into the spotlight when the queen orders him to fulfill his duty by acting as host of the concert. Determined to keep the paparazzi from Dani, the queen's event coordinator asks Jameson to host her at his country estate. Jameson and Dani give in to their undeniable attraction, believing they can have a secret affair before returning to the limelight in London. The story is clearly meant to appeal to readers looking for Meghan and Harry energy, but the plot drags due to unorthodox pacing. The love interests don’t meet for the first 100 pages. Instead, the opening focuses on how they each crave autonomy, but the problems introduced during this protracted exposition disappear in the heat of their affair. Dani’s character is interesting and complex, but the development of the relationship is rushed, especially compared to the almost unbearably slow start.
An appealing, modern premise stutters and then sprints but never becomes a cohesive whole.Pub Date: June 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-308450-6
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
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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