An engaging tale that shows how thin the line between love and hate really is.
Sworn enemies down on their luck realize they might not be so different in this romantic comedy.
In this genre, tropes reign supreme. The tension of the love story is not if the two leads will get together, but how. Sarah Webb and Brian Hawkins have been nemeses for years, since Sarah became best friends with Jess, Brian’s sister, in college. Now in their mid- and late-20s, both Sarah and Brian find themselves on the receiving end of proposals, she from her surgeon boyfriend, Tyler Ackerman, and he from his girlfriend, Hannah Abbott-Thorne (who appears in one of Dembowski’s previous books). Both reject the proposals and end up holed up in Jess’ guest bedroom while they sort out their next moves. Like many supposed enemies, they bicker, especially when it comes to who will get the bedroom—all the while tamping down their mutual attraction: “His eyes widened as he took her in…urging his nether regions to calm the fuck down”; “Not that Brian himself had ever given her an orgasm, but the dream version of him certainly had.” Then a work gala for the nonprofit that Sarah works for requires a date to avoid humiliation by Tyler, who’s bringing a model. Sarah’s choice of Brian as her escort proves fortuitous; they make a great impression and leave Tyler seething with jealousy. They also kiss, but Sarah, believing her friendship with Jess is at stake, puts a pin in it. Thus begins the book’s middle section of mounting tension and red herrings as other potential partners and distractions skillfully enter the picture. Additional threads keep the protagonists busy, such as Brian’s desire to return to New York City and Sarah’s still having to work with Tyler. Each of the leads has some humanizing quirks—Brian loves the Star Wars saga and Sarah adores Zumba classes—but neither character feels particularly unique. Still, for fans of more adult romances, Dembowski ensures the intimate scenes hit their marks. The author believably conveys two people who ultimately care deeply about each other.
An engaging tale that shows how thin the line between love and hate really is.Pub Date: July 18, 2023
ISBN: 9781958231197
Page Count: 310
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Review Posted Online: June 27, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A book about revenge that’s more punishing than purposeful.
A woman from a matriarchal society kidnaps a prince from a neighboring kingdom, planning to force him into marriage.
Five hundred years ago, the wife of the abusive king of Amarra prayed to her goddess for mercy; in return, the goddess granted every woman in the country the ability to rule over men. Amarra’s queens have governed with vengeance ever since, creating a fiercely violent matriarchy. Now, 21-year-old Olerra Corasene, a gifted military strategist and powerful general, is competing with her cunning and devious cousin, Glenaerys, to be the next queen. Since Glen is trying to secure the throne by currying favor with the wealthy nobles, Olerra decides on a different tactic, the time-honored Amarran tradition of kidnapping a husband. Her target is a good-looking younger prince from the neighboring country of Brutus, but she accidentally and unknowingly nabs Sanos, the king’s eldest son and heir to the throne. She drags Sanos back to Amarra, where he’s treated with all the contempt for men that is normal in her society: He’s dressed as a sexual plaything, forced to shave his beard and body hair, leashed and restrained for bad behavior. Olerra can’t understand Sanos’ objections to this treatment, and the ensuing power struggle makes up most of the plot. Marketed as romantasy, Levenseller’s first adult novel falls flat as both romance and fantasy. There is little connection or chemistry between Olerra and Sanos, and since both are more caricature than character, neither experiences the kind of growth that creates challenging or interesting romantic relationships. In addition, the worldbuilding is paper thin. Amarra is a world built on reverse misogyny, but the motifs, imagery, and scenes often read more like a brainstormed list (a penis guillotine!) than a fully realized attempt to say something meaningful about women’s rage.
A book about revenge that’s more punishing than purposeful.Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781250379375
Page Count: 368
Publisher: FEIWEL
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Bailey hits it out of the park with her latest spicy romance.
Two ambitious athletes plus one fake-dating arrangement—what could go wrong?
Though it’s only his first season for the Boston Bearcats hockey team, Robbie Corrigan has a well-established reputation as a playboy. He’s got major skills on the ice, and he’s also much more likely to love ’em and leave ’em than he is to build any long, meaningful relationships. Naturally, he’s just met the one woman who seems completely resistant to his charm: Skylar Page, a Boston University softball pitcher. When they meet over a friendly Saturday morning baseball game, Robbie instantly makes a poor impression by bragging to his teammates about his latest conquest within Skylar’s hearing. He thinks she’s gorgeous, though, and when he sets his sights on her, he’s surprised that she doesn’t seem to know it. Despite her initial distaste for Robbie, Skylar grudgingly confesses that she could use his help. If they pretend to date, maybe her current crush—her brother’s best friend—will finally sit up and take notice of her in a romantic way. The timing is less than ideal, since Robbie will have to team up with Skylar in the Page family’s latest wilderness competition, but it turns out that Robbie’s willingness to play fake boyfriend stems from some very real feelings. He wants to prove to her that he’s a changed man, and redeeming himself in her eyes starts with making sure she knows that she can really trust him. The latest addition to Bailey’s Big Shots series is a sexy, feel-good romance brimming over with the author’s trademark humor and dirty talk. While Skylar and Robbie’s dynamic doesn’t quite reach the level of enemies-to-lovers—he’s so head-over-heels for her that there’s no room for any real mean-spiritedness—their playful snark doubles as a welcome dash of foreplay in the lead-up to some seriously steamy scenes. Robbie’s efforts to show Skylar that he’s turned over a new leaf also result in some of the book’s best moments, emphasizing his commitment to becoming the type of man he knows she deserves.
Bailey hits it out of the park with her latest spicy romance.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780063380837
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
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