An enchanting novel overflowing with self-love and second chances.
After breaking off a five-year engagement, a young woman embarks on a quest for self-love by throwing herself a Double Quinceañera for her 30th birthday.
Exactly one month before her wedding, Nadia Palacio decides to finally end things with her cheating fiance, Brandon Lewis. Much to the dismay of her opinionated parents, not only is Nadia’s wedding cancelled, but she is holding her very own “treintañera” in its place. After emigrating from Argentina to Utah at age 12, Nadia worked hard to achieve perfection for her family, acing her way through college and law school. She even had the trophy high school sweetheart, but after more than 13 years of ignoring Brandon’s red flags, Nadia realized that while she was always chasing success, she never once stopped to celebrate her victories. The only time Nadia ever came close to living spontaneously was during one uninhibited summer fling in college with a young commitment-phobe named Rocket. Befitting her newfound bravery, Nadia decides to commemorate her accomplishments with a party at Utah’s Enchanting Orchards, where she meets the venue’s temporary host: Marcos Hawkins, aka Rocket. Marcos is filling in for his ailing father, and despite his tendency to run away when the going gets tough, he is adamant about saving the orchard from his greedy uncles, who want to sell it. As Marcos and Nadia work together to plan her big day, they are flooded with strong feelings from their past…but how can Marcos act on them when Nadia is trying to find herself? Méndez’s debut adult novel is a love letter to people starting from scratch and an ode to those searching to find their one true love. The Utah setting is effervescent and romantic—“The sky was quickly turning dark purple, and far from the city lights, the first stars were glittering like crystals”—providing a perfect backdrop for a fresh story of family, friendship, and renewed love.
An enchanting novel overflowing with self-love and second chances.Pub Date: July 26, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4967-3705-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Kensington
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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