by Andie J. Christopher ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2020
Plenty of humor and a great heroine are pluses in this unevenly paced romance.
A romantic comedy with plot elements from The Proposal and Crazy Rich Asians.
Bridget Nolan, an assistant state’s attorney in Chicago, is “supersmart, no bullshit, and hard as nails.” Raised by her South Side Irish dad and older brothers after her mom abandoned the family, she is totally focused on prosecuting sexual assault cases and crimes against children. She reluctantly agrees to take on Chicago law student Matt Kido as a summer intern only because his connections might secure her a fellowship that would pay her student loans. Matt’s family is politically connected (his grandfather was a senator from Hawaii) and wealthy, which is why they are shocked when he turns down a cushy associate position to intern with the state. Matt is more keen to avoid his cheating ex and defy his parents’ expectations than to be a public servant, but one look at Bridget and he's smitten. The attraction is mutual, so when the internship ends, Bridget invites Matt to her brother’s wedding in Vegas, the better to show up her jerk of an ex-boyfriend, who will also be there. They end up getting drunk and married, having sex, and then deciding to stay together to piss off their relatives until the state of Illinois allows them to divorce. Along the way, they banter, have sex, and fall in love, which scares Bridget: “If she couldn’t make the necessary compromises for [her ex], who had grown up the same way she had, what hope did she have with someone like Matt? Matt lived in a whole other stratosphere.” While Bridget’s ballsy prosecutor persona is described rather than illustrated, she and her family are, on balance, fully developed characters, and readers of Not the Girl You Marry (2019), the first book in the series, will find their return very welcome. Except for his infatuation with Bridget, Matt is underdeveloped, and his ambivalent feelings about his family’s wealth wear somewhat thin. His disapproving Japanese American mother and blonde, rich, pouty ex-girlfriend are caricatures.
Plenty of humor and a great heroine are pluses in this unevenly paced romance.Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0270-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Jove/Penguin
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
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by Colleen Hoover ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
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New York Times Bestseller
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
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SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
by Rebecca Serle ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 19, 2024
An entertaining love story with moments of depth.
What would you do if you knew your romantic destiny?
When Daphne Bell receives a card that says the word “Jake” and nothing else, she’s pretty sure she’s about to meet the man she will spend the rest of her life with. In many ways Daphne is your average 30-something, with a middling career as a producer’s assistant in Hollywood and a loving family and friends. But Daphne has received a little extra-special gift (mandate?) from the universe: Near the beginning of romantic relationships, she somehow receives a note bearing the name of a man and the exact amount of time they will date. This began in the fifth grade with a postcard saying, “Seth, eight days.” Since Jake’s card lacks a duration, Daphne jumps to the only logical conclusion: He must be “the one.” When Daphne finally meets Jake Green, he turns out to be sweet and sexy and has the delightful quirk of jotting down in a notebook every time he sees someone wearing Doc Martens, so she decides to put her faith in fate and go all in. But, of course, it can’t be so simple. First, Daphne is hiding significant secrets from Jake. And second, there is Hugo (3 months), Daphne’s ex-boyfriend and current best friend. Although Hugo is always dating some woman or other, when he and Jake meet, the awkward encounter makes it clear that not everyone is okay with Daphne and Hugo’s universe-sanctioned breakup. Ultimately, it’s up to Daphne to decide how much she’s willing to risk to take control of her future. Nothing groundbreaking here, but Serle provides an interesting conceit and a healthy dose of wit that readers will appreciate.
An entertaining love story with moments of depth.Pub Date: March 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781982166823
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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