A charming tale for romance lovers who enjoy a lyrical game of cat and mouse.
An Italian pop opera star’s world gets upended when he meets an American singer in this third installment of a romance series.
Nico Biviano has years of fame and a notable “player” reputation under his belt at the outset of Irish’s tale. As a beloved opera star from Pisa, Italy, he enjoyed international stardom until he surprised his fan base by joining the pop opera group Bel Homme. Now, “Bel Homme was number one in the world, and he was proud to be a part of it all.” His career move was motivated in part by the opportunity to meet more attractive female fans. But Nico has not been able to focus on this aspect of the job ever since he met Gina Madonni, a singer/songwriter from America, at a band mate’s wedding. Though Gina is caught in the clutches of a controlling manager named Scott, the two singers experience an undeniable attraction. When Bel Homme hires Gina to be the opening act for its tour, she finally sees the possibility for her big breakout—and a chance to spend countless hours with Nico. But instead of immediately doting on her like other men, Nico provides endless pointers and criticisms for each of Gina’s performances, which makes her question his intentions. Is it possible for Nico to leave behind his checkered dating history to be the man she needs him to be? Can they figure out how to be together when they’re from different countries? And finally, can Nico make peace with her wish to never have children? The novel offers a delicate balance of tenderness and conflict for two individuals attempting to resist an irresistible love. Romance connoisseurs will delight in the story’s classic elements of sexuality, emotional satisfaction, and inner turmoil. Irish effectively builds the tension between Nico and Gina while creating impeccable moments for its release. Although the plot lacks some key background information and occasionally becomes distracting during a few tangents, the author skillfully develops the main characters while prioritizing a sensuous pull for readers.
A charming tale for romance lovers who enjoy a lyrical game of cat and mouse.Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2022
ISBN: 9781942627043
Page Count: 408
Publisher: Enoch Publications
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.
A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.
Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ (Wilder, 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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