With a few details that slightly hinder the overall impact of the book, this is a fast-paced, engaging addition to the...
Adria and Riaz, wolf-changeling soldiers with complicated romantic pasts, fight then embrace their attraction to each other against the backdrop of a brewing interspecies war.
Adria and Riaz have each cut ties with romantic partners that left them emotionally devastated, so when they meet, neither is particularly happy with the blazing attraction that rises between them. But as they work together to investigate the rumblings of a rising war, and each establish deeper personal ties with the pack they’ve been separated from for years, they give in to a physical relationship that grows more emotionally connected every day. Making peace with their past choices opens the way for a bright romantic future, if they can survive the attacks against their pack and the tenuous world order. Book 11 in the Psy-Changeling series, this maintains author Singh’s status as a paranormal romance force. Her smooth writing style supports a great blend of action, adventure, exquisite sexual tension, high-stakes romance and a believable, exciting paranormal world set in a not-too-distant future Earth. While some romantic conflict elements don’t ring pitch-perfect true as to why Adria and Riaz can’t be together in the beginning, yet find their happily-ever-after in the end, and the sprawling cast of characters can be a little distracting and confusing at times, Singh’s polished characterization, dynamic storytelling and compelling worldbuilding keep the pages turning. Fans of the series will be happy to see Hawke and Sienna as pivotal secondary characters, as well as the said sprawling cast, which includes favorites from previous books. The last few pages offer clues to upcoming romantic and interspecies battles in the Psy-Changeling world.
With a few details that slightly hinder the overall impact of the book, this is a fast-paced, engaging addition to the popular paranormal romance series and sets up the next book with rising tension and a mysterious cliffhanger.Pub Date: May 29, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-425-24756-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2012
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an...
True love flares between two people, but they find that circumstances always impede it.
On a winter day in London, Laurie spots Jack from her bus home and he sparks a feeling in her so deep that she spends the next year searching for him. Her roommate and best friend, Sarah, is the perfect wing-woman but ultimately—and unknowingly—ends the search by finding Jack and falling for him herself. Laurie’s hasty decision not to tell Sarah is the second painful missed opportunity (after not getting off the bus), but Sarah’s happiness is so important to Laurie that she dedicates ample energy into retraining her heart not to love Jack. Laurie is misguided, but her effort and loyalty spring from a true heart, and she considers her project mostly successful. Perhaps she would have total success, but the fact of the matter is that Jack feels the same deep connection to Laurie. His reasons for not acting on them are less admirable: He likes Sarah and she’s the total package; why would he give that up just because every time he and Laurie have enough time together (and just enough alcohol) they nearly fall into each other’s arms? Laurie finally begins to move on, creating a mostly satisfying life for herself, whereas Jack’s inability to be genuine tortures him and turns him into an ever bigger jerk. Patriarchy—it hurts men, too! There’s no question where the book is going, but the pacing is just right, the tone warm, and the characters sympathetic, even when making dumb decisions.
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an emotional, satisfying read.Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57468-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
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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