A heartwarming and endearing love story for readers to savor.
Another member of the boy band the Heartbreakers looks for love in this fourth and final installment in Novak’s series.
Cara Samuel is stuck. She’s finally in remission from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but Cara, who’s nearly 20, is having a hard time restarting her life. At her sister Stella’s (annoying) urging, Cara cleans out her room and discovers an old bucket list that she created in a cancer support group but didn’t get to start working on thanks to a recurrence of her cancer. Stella is dating the lead singer of the Heartbreakers, Cara’s favorite band, and when they come to town, Cara meets their drummer, JJ Morris. Soon he’s helping her cross items off her list, and she’s posing as his girlfriend to help him fend off a jealous ex. As genuine feelings begin to grow between them, Cara must face her fears about her illness returning if she hopes to live life to its fullest. Readers should prepare to have their heartstrings plucked in this emotion-laden romance starring two flawed, lovable characters. Cara’s fears are easy to sympathize with, and following her journey to braving the world once again is enjoyable. JJ is a swoonworthy hero, courteous but flirtatious. Novak artfully and deftly employs the fake-dating and bucket list tropes, creating an entertaining tale with emotional depth. The leads are white.
A heartwarming and endearing love story for readers to savor. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
ISBN: 9781464230059
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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