A warm, enchanting love story perfect for fans of classic rom-coms.
Two London roommates with an unconventional bed-sharing situation get to know—and then fall for—each other via Post-it notes before they ever meet.
When Tiffy Moore finally leaves her emotionally abusive, manipulative boyfriend, she needs a cheap place to live ASAP. Leon Twomey, meanwhile, needs money to help get his brother out of prison after a wrongful conviction, so he’s looking for a roommate. The catch? They’ll be sharing a bed—just not at the same time. Leon works the night shift as a palliative care nurse, meaning he’s only at the apartment during the day, while his roommate can have it during nights and weekends. Tiffy’s so desperate that she agrees to this unconventional arrangement even though she and Leon haven’t even met in person. They start communicating via Post-its left throughout the apartment, and by the time they finally meet in person (in a hilarious shower scene), they’ve already started to fall for each other. As they get to know each other better and even become friends, they have to decide if they’re willing to risk their perfect living arrangement to take a chance on love. Tiffy and Leon could easily become clichéd characters—Tiffy the quirkily dressed woman with a publishing job, Leon the taciturn night-shift worker who avoids friendships—but debut author O’Leary perfectly captures their unique voices. The story is a delight from start to finish, full of eccentric side characters (including Tiffy’s friends and co-workers) and sexual tension. Although the romantic comedy elements are always at the forefront, there are plenty of moving moments, especially concerning Leon’s job and Tiffy’s quest to overcome the abuse and trauma of her past relationship. With likable main characters, spot-on dialogue, a fun premise, and plenty of drama, there's a lot to like in this sweet story.
A warm, enchanting love story perfect for fans of classic rom-coms.Pub Date: May 28, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-29563-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an...
True love flares between two people, but they find that circumstances always impede it.
On a winter day in London, Laurie spots Jack from her bus home and he sparks a feeling in her so deep that she spends the next year searching for him. Her roommate and best friend, Sarah, is the perfect wing-woman but ultimately—and unknowingly—ends the search by finding Jack and falling for him herself. Laurie’s hasty decision not to tell Sarah is the second painful missed opportunity (after not getting off the bus), but Sarah’s happiness is so important to Laurie that she dedicates ample energy into retraining her heart not to love Jack. Laurie is misguided, but her effort and loyalty spring from a true heart, and she considers her project mostly successful. Perhaps she would have total success, but the fact of the matter is that Jack feels the same deep connection to Laurie. His reasons for not acting on them are less admirable: He likes Sarah and she’s the total package; why would he give that up just because every time he and Laurie have enough time together (and just enough alcohol) they nearly fall into each other’s arms? Laurie finally begins to move on, creating a mostly satisfying life for herself, whereas Jack’s inability to be genuine tortures him and turns him into an ever bigger jerk. Patriarchy—it hurts men, too! There’s no question where the book is going, but the pacing is just right, the tone warm, and the characters sympathetic, even when making dumb decisions.
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an emotional, satisfying read.Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57468-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
With frank language and patient plotting, this gangly teen crush grows into a confident adult love affair.
Eleven years ago, he broke her heart. But he doesn’t know why she never forgave him.
Toggling between past and present, two love stories unfold simultaneously. In the first, Macy Sorensen meets and falls in love with the boy next door, Elliot Petropoulos, in the closet of her dad’s vacation home, where they hide out to discuss their favorite books. In the second, Macy is working as a doctor and engaged to a single father, and she hasn’t spoken to Elliot since their breakup. But a chance encounter forces her to confront the truth: what happened to make Macy stop speaking to Elliot? Ultimately, they’re separated not by time or physical remoteness but by emotional distance—Elliot and Macy always kept their relationship casual because they went to different schools. And as a teen, Macy has more to worry about than which girl Elliot is taking to the prom. After losing her mother at a young age, Macy is navigating her teenage years without a female role model, relying on the time-stamped notes her mother left in her father’s care for guidance. In the present day, Macy’s father is dead as well. She throws herself into her work and rarely comes up for air, not even to plan her upcoming wedding. Since Macy is still living with her fiance while grappling with her feelings for Elliot, the flashbacks offer steamy moments, tender revelations, and sweetly awkward confessions while Macy makes peace with her past and decides her future.
With frank language and patient plotting, this gangly teen crush grows into a confident adult love affair.Pub Date: April 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5011-2801-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
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