Its unique setting is this novel’s strong suit.
An American florist and a Londoner with wanderlust find their chemistry is at odds with their circumstances in this debut.
When Lucy Bernstein moves into her best friend’s warehouse flat in London, she’s pleased to discover that tall, handsome Henry Baker is one of her seven new flatmates. But it turns out that Henry is only in town one weekend a month—the rest of the time he’s traveling as a photographer and auditioning other places to live. Each chapter is one of his London visits, which double as “Warehouse Weekends”—times the flatmates dedicate to hanging out together and being tourists in their own town. They are a fun, rowdy bunch, and though it can be tricky to sort out the names and personalities, there’s good banter and vicarious living to be had here. Henry reciprocates Lucy’s attraction, but the logistics are against them. Lucy vacillates between holding back to protect herself and trying to give it a chance. Henry vacillates between flirting with Lucy and saying London has “nothing for him.” While the book makes their mutual attraction very clear, it’s less detailed on other reasons to root for them. Neither has much in the way of a backstory. Henry’s soul- and new-home-searching suggest something unsettled in him, but outside of it being an obstacle to a relationship with Lucy, it’s not explored. Lucy, meanwhile, has a classic case of wanting but not clearly asking for things, then being filled with resentment when she doesn’t get them. This is a relatable trait, but a frustrating one, and it would make her more sympathetic to have it grounded in something, or for her to have some self-awareness around it. A subplot about the flower shop she works for and her seemingly thwarted dreams for advancement there underscore the problem.
Its unique setting is this novel’s strong suit.Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780063316522
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.
A single mom winds up fake dating an incredibly wealthy man in her hometown.
Dolly Brick is back in her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to help her dad and disabled brother manage their house and family business. As a 39-year-old single mother with multiple jobs—which now include working at the Brick Fish House—Dolly is always busy. When her mom left their family years ago, Dolly took over caring for her siblings and father and never really stopped. When she runs into Stewart Whitfield after making a shrimp delivery to his family’s mansion, she doesn’t think they could be more different. She’s had to figure out how to do everything by herself, and he can’t even change a tire. That’s why Stewart’s proposal that she pretend to be his girlfriend feels so unbelievable—but it comes with a hefty check that she desperately needs for home repairs. So she becomes the fake girlfriend of Stewart Whitfield (as in, the Whitfields her town is named after; his real fiancée just dumped him and it’s a bad time for him to be single) and experiences what it’s like to walk into fancy buildings through the front door instead of the service entrance. More than the boats and helicopter and expensive dinners, though, Dolly is impressed by what a kind man Stewart is—and how it feels to let someone else take care of her for a change. Soon, their relationship starts to feel more real than fake. Monaghan creates an impossibly winning story with a charming, lovable heroine. Dolly is capable, hardworking, and will do anything for the people she loves. She and Stewart both possess real flaws, and while their relationship begins with one of the most beloved rom-com tropes, their challenges feel like realistic adult obstacles rather than easily solved miscommunications. It’s also refreshing that, even though Dolly must learn to allow other people to help her, she never views her caretaking responsibilities as burdens. She deeply loves her family, and that love carries through the entire story.
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9780593853979
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
A deliciously dramatic look at how one woman’s past influences her future.
A happily engaged woman is pulled back to her hometown—and her first love—when tragedy strikes.
Billie Wright is living her dream, running a thriving fertility clinic in New York City and engaged to a wonderful trauma surgeon named Dean. Her happily-ever-after meant giving up her life in Wisconsin, where she left behind many friends as well as her high school sweetheart, Mick. Although they’d been deeply in love, when Billie’s ambition pulled her away from home and toward the city, Mick couldn’t handle either the distance or her busy schedule. Billie has finally moved on from that heartbreak—but then she receives a phone call from Mick, the first communication between them in years. Her best friend, Erin, died in a car accident, leaving behind an 11-year-old daughter, Phoebe. Now Billie must return home to help sort Erin’s affairs and provide some kind of comfort to Phoebe while grieving the loss of her best friend. Of course, being back home also means being in close contact with Mick. Their feelings for each other may not have ever gone away, and their proximity leads to big decisions for Billie. Can she ever reconcile her current life in Manhattan with her past in Wisconsin? And which one will be her future? Giffin knows how to do drama, and she ratchets up the stakes with every page as she continues to reveal new obstacles for Billie. The ending wraps up quite neatly, but the nostalgia-filled ride is full of twists and turns that will keep readers flipping the pages.
A deliciously dramatic look at how one woman’s past influences her future.Pub Date: July 7, 2026
ISBN: 9780593600320
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
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