This action-packed romance is a road trip worth taking.
A career con woman teams up with a man who’s hiding the truth about himself to save his missing brother.
Sejal Chaudhary knows her family doesn’t look like anyone else’s. With her mother, the former head of the infamous Cobra crime organization, now behind bars, Sejal’s made every effort to keep her head down—even if she can’t resist fleecing one or two creeps. After ending up on the wrong side of a small con job, she grabs the first handsome stranger she sees as cover. But while Krish Anand is happy to pretend to be Sejal’s boyfriend to scare off her angry mark, their meet-cute is no coincidence. The truth is, Krish needs Sejal more than she needs him; his FBI-agent brother, Avi, has gone missing, and he’s convinced Cobra had something to do with it. Given Sejal’s connection to the organization, she’s Krish’s only hope of finding Avi. After convincing her that he’s the FBI agent, Krish still has to talk Sejal into driving across the country with him. When she realizes that her dangerous ex-boyfriend is hot on her tail, it doesn’t take long for Sejal to agree to Krish’s terms. The road trip that ensues is a whirlwind of rundown motel rooms, junk-food dinners, and shots fired, but every hour that passes is a chance for Sejal and Krish to learn more about each other—and realize that their mutual attraction is giving way to something more. The clock is ticking, though, and Krish is going to have to come clean about who he really is, even if it means losing Sejal forever. Rai’s latest is a delightful blend of romance and suspense that doesn’t sacrifice humor in spooling out its thrills. But as the story races toward its finish, it does become slightly overwhelmed by side characters and the need to resolve multiple narrative threads; the faster pace affords less opportunity to wrap up the main couple’s arc. Overall, though, it’s a fun adventure that delivers an irresistible slow-burn romance.
This action-packed romance is a road trip worth taking.Pub Date: April 7, 2026
ISBN: 9780063119505
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
An extremely fun, fast-paced, and unusual addition to the marriage-in-trouble romance canon.
A marriage on the rocks gets a second chance—with a science-fiction twist.
Dr. Emery Martín is happily married to her husband Luca…mostly. She’s been madly in love with him since the moment they met, but in the three years they’ve been wed, she hasn’t been able to focus much on him. To the world—including Luca—Emery’s job involves developing medical-grade lasers. In reality, she works at a supersecret San Diego lab that’s engineering a compound to bring mammals back from the dead. Although Emery doesn’t want to admit it, she can tell that Luca feels pushed aside, but she believes so deeply in her work that she has a hard time leaving the lab. When Emery is late for dinner—yet again—on their anniversary, she rushes home only to see Luca get hit by a car. She has the secret compound in her car, and she knows she could get in major trouble if she uses it—but what’s she supposed to do, not save her husband’s life? The compound has only been tested on animals so far, and there’s no guarantee it will even work for humans. It does, though, and Luca comes back to life—with one small caveat. He can’t remember most things, including his marriage to Emery. After almost losing Luca, Emery is now grateful for what she has, and she’s determined to show him that she can be a better, more attentive partner. While Luca may not remember her, their magnetic chemistry is still there. This may be the do-over they needed to save their marriage—that is, if Emery can keep the life-reviving measures she took hidden from everyone around them, including nosy neighbors and her own company. Lauren—the pen name of the duo behind rom-coms like The Paradise Problem (2024)—has created a unique hook that feels genuinely refreshing. Emery and Luca’s unconventional second chance is emotionally compelling, and the slight thriller edge as Emery tries to cover up her actions keeps the pages turning.
An extremely fun, fast-paced, and unusual addition to the marriage-in-trouble romance canon.Pub Date: July 14, 2026
ISBN: 9781668017753
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
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
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