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
With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.
After being released from prison, a young woman tries to reconnect with her 5-year-old daughter despite having killed the girl’s father.
Kenna didn’t even know she was pregnant until after she was sent to prison for murdering her boyfriend, Scotty. When her baby girl, Diem, was born, she was forced to give custody to Scotty’s parents. Now that she’s been released, Kenna is intent on getting to know her daughter, but Scotty’s parents won’t give her a chance to tell them what really happened the night their son died. Instead, they file a restraining order preventing Kenna from so much as introducing herself to Diem. Handsome, self-assured Ledger, who was Scotty’s best friend, is another key adult in Diem’s life. He’s helping her grandparents raise her, and he too blames Kenna for Scotty’s death. Even so, there’s something about her that haunts him. Kenna feels the pull, too, and seems to be seeking Ledger out despite his judgmental behavior. As Ledger gets to know Kenna and acknowledges his attraction to her, he begins to wonder if maybe he and Scotty’s parents have judged her unfairly. Even so, Ledger is afraid that if he surrenders to his feelings, Scotty’s parents will kick him out of Diem’s life. As Kenna and Ledger continue to mourn for Scotty, they also grieve the future they cannot have with each other. Told alternatively from Kenna’s and Ledger’s perspectives, the story explores the myriad ways in which snap judgments based on partial information can derail people’s lives. Built on a foundation of death and grief, this story has an undercurrent of sadness. As usual, however, the author has created compelling characters who are magnetic and sympathetic enough to pull readers in. In addition to grief, the novel also deftly explores complex issues such as guilt, self-doubt, redemption, and forgiveness.
With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.Pub Date: Jan. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5420-2560-7
Page Count: 335
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
If you like your romance the darker the better, this one is for you.
A young mother returns to the gothic manor of her childhood to dust off the family secrets and face her old flame.
Maven Blackthorn hasn’t been home since her mom died under suspicious circumstances 12 years ago, but the death of her grandmother, Lorinda, forces her return to Solstice, Vermont. Maven’s daughter, Beatrix, has never seen where her mother grew up, but she quickly learns the Blackthorns have a reputation for witchcraft, largely fueled by a centuries-long feud with the powerful Croft family, whose heir apparent, Ronan, was Maven’s forbidden teenage love and “worst nightmare.” Maven hopes to bid farewell to her grandmother and visit with her aunts without running into Ronan, but he proves hard to avoid. Maven’s hatred for Ronan runs deep and she believes the feeling is mutual. From Ronan’s perspective, it’s clear their painful unraveling was full of misunderstandings. When Lorinda’s body goes missing from the funeral home, Maven is forced to accept Ronan’s help in discovering what happened. While Maven dives into her family history and the many unfortunate events befalling Blackthorn women, Ronan is forever in her ear, seducing her back to him. The push and pull of their romance feels immature, which isn’t helped by the first-person present narration. At times, it’s easy to forget Maven and Ronan aren’t still teenagers, until the erotica is punched up a thousand percent in the final third. Controlling lines from Ronan like “Don’t test my patience, woman” might read better if his perspective were explored more, though fans of Geissinger’s dark erotica, including Brutal Vows (2025), may not be fazed. Maven’s perspective dominates, and though her investigation into family lore and increasing paranoia are the most compelling arc, the million and one ways in which she threatens Ronan with physical violence—“What I really want to do is tie you to a tree, disembowel you with my bare hands, feed your guts to the wolves, and cut off your head”—is a bit one-note. Trigger warnings abound.
If you like your romance the darker the better, this one is for you.Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781250379139
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Bramble Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
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