A small-town Christmas romance that focuses more on the community than on the holiday season.
An exonerated Wall Streeter returns to his Louisiana hometown for a second chance at life and the possibility of romance with a newly divorced cafe owner.
Vaughn Miller is trying to get his career back on track after a wrongful conviction left him serving two years in jail for a white-collar crime he didn't commit. Going back to his hometown of Catalina Cove is the first step in trying to start his life over, but encountering beautiful divorcée Sierra Crane upends his world in a way he never could have expected. As far as a romantic relationship is concerned, however, Sierra is feeling particularly reluctant to venture into anything serious after her ex-husband's lies and infidelity shattered her trust. Trying to keep the situation with Vaughn casual proves to be harder than Sierra though, though, and she can't resist her attraction to him, let alone ignore his persistence in trying to prove that he's worthy of her heart. Meanwhile, Sierra's ex has a plan of his own to get her back, and it could prove threatening to not only her burgeoning romance, but the newest member of her family: her goddaughter. The small-town setting of Jackson's Catalina Cove series provides a soothing backdrop here for a storyline that fluctuates in drama and intensity. Although the book takes place around Christmas, the seasonal element frequently feels like an afterthought—and the titular wish seems like window dressing grafted onto a story already stacked high with characters and side plots. The low-angst romance will be a comfort to readers in search of an easy read this fall even if the final twist is fairly predictable.
A small-town Christmas romance that focuses more on the community than on the holiday season.Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-335-20198-0
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Review Posted Online: Aug. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
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 powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.
Best friends confront feelings for each other when they take a honeymoon trip together.
Francesca Gardiner and George Saint James have always been best friends—just like Jo and Laurie from Little Women, which they both love. Frankie has a big, complicated family and George was the boy next door who’d moved in with his eccentric grandmother. Their friendship survived childhood, awkward teenage years, and living together as young adults without ever venturing into the romantic—well, except for one kiss, but they don’t talk about that. When Frankie gets engaged to an older professor named Nate, George isn’t happy and a huge fight ensues. Despite his misgivings, George shows up to be her best man, but Nate leaves Frankie right before the wedding with only a cryptic letter. Devastated, Frankie goes to a friend’s house to recuperate, but her honeymoon is already planned and paid for—so she decides to travel to Tofino, a picturesque town on the coast of Vancouver Island, with George taking Nate’s place. Frankie wants to fix her friendship with George, but now that they’re in a romantic suite in a beautiful location, things are more complicated than ever. She’d always thought a relationship would be a bad idea, but she’s slowly beginning to realize they’ll never be able to go back to being kids. Maybe the only way forward involves forging a new kind of relationship. Fortune, the author of romances like This Summer Will Be Different (2024), returns with another love story full of longing and intense angst. The many allusions to Little Women are charming, and Frankie is a delightfully headstrong, feisty character. She and George have explosive chemistry, and Fortune manages to make the “will-they-or-won’t-they” nature of their relationship feel like life-or-death stakes.
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9780593953242
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2026
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