A sweet installment in a heartfelt romance series.
A rancher bonds with his long-lost son and the teen’s guardian in this contemporary romance.
On a snowy night, Chicago veterinary student Janie Adams drives into Wishing River, Montana, on a mission: find local bar owner Aiden Rivers and introduce him to the boy who is most likely his 15-year-old son. Janie’s not the mother—that would be her spoiled older sister, Maxi. Maxi left baby Will in her sister’s care when Janie was just 18 years old. Janie is now grappling with serious debt and hoping an introduction to the son he never knew he had will prompt Aiden to help provide for Will. Aiden is shocked: He hasn’t thought about Maxi since their brief fling left him with a scar from her then-boyfriend. Aiden had no idea Will existed—or his stubborn, beautiful guardian. Aiden connects with both Will and Janie, introducing them to the joys of Wishing River, the horses the bar owner is rescuing on his own ranch, and his vibrant group of friends. Janie, a devoted mother to Will since she was barely out of high school, finds work at a local veterinary clinic and, eventually, comfort in Aiden’s arms, but she knows she will have to return to Chicago sooner or later. Over the next few weeks, Aiden, Janie, and Will form a tentative yet loving family—but what will happen when real life comes knocking on the door? In this third installment of her Wishing River series, James offers a warm, engaging story from both Janie’s and Aiden’s points of view as the two bond over their love of animals and Will, a thoughtful and realistically written teenage character. The author deftly depicts Aiden wrestling with the idea of fatherhood in light of his own sad childhood with an abusive dad who quashed his son’s teenage dreams of studying veterinary medicine. The Montana town of the series title exudes charm, from a diner with original paintings, courtesy of Lainey from James’ novel The Trouble With Cowboys (2019), to a host of rescue animals.
A sweet installment in a heartfelt romance series.Pub Date: March 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68281-567-0
Page Count: 364
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
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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