What this quick read lacks in depth it makes up for in entertainment, with a subtle message to appease more mature readers.
Debut author Gaertner boldly enters the mind of a boy-obsessed teenager in this fun YA romance.
In the summer between her junior and senior years of high school, Krista begins her first job at a flower shop while yearning for a summer romance. She has her eye on Jeff Wellington, a handsome golfer and sailor with a bad reputation; it’s the eternal allure of the bad boy to the good girl. As their relationship develops, Krista alternately worries about his controlling behavior and rumors about the dangerous risks he takes, although she justifies or overlooks his actions. At the same time, she tries to ignore her attraction to handsome, older Mario, son of the flower shop’s owner. Despite his sophistication, kindness and obvious interest in her, Krista suspects he’s hiding a secret. The advice of talented but bizarre floral designer Cheyenne adds to Krista’s confusion, while her parents’ distant behavior hints at problems at home. Rife with teenage angst, this quick read accurately portrays a teenager who analyzes everything but glosses over what’s revealing or unpleasant. Although relatively levelheaded, Krista allows her fantasies to overshadow reality; if she wishes hard enough, maybe it will be true. The few adult characters are one-dimensional stereotypes—just the way teenagers prefer. Real-life adults will appreciate the fact that this novel contains only a few innocent kisses and not even the suggestion of drugs or alcohol; it’s also completely free of vampires, werewolves and any paranormal elements—a rarity among today’s YA offerings. Readers who enjoy joining a friend in examining every nuance of a conversation or interaction will adore Gaertner’s novel; others, however, may find it wearing. Either way, the whiplash-inducing surprise ending suggests a sequel may be on the horizon.
What this quick read lacks in depth it makes up for in entertainment, with a subtle message to appease more mature readers.Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2013
ISBN: 978-1475966466
Page Count: 154
Publisher: iUniverse
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Two hot people confronting their trauma, making passionate love, and solving violent crimes! ’Nuff said.
A heartbroken man lusts after his therapist while seeking revenge on a drug kingpin and his enforcer.
Mitch Haskell’s wife, Angela, died two years ago of an apparent suicide, but Mitch has always believed the scene was staged. Certainly, she would never have willingly left their young son, Andrew, behind. Consumed with a thirst for vengeance, Mitch—a former Marine and undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration and currently a police detective—is struggling with alcohol dependency and uncontrolled rage. Andrew is living with his in-laws, who are making not-so-subtle suggestions that they might apply for permanent guardianship if Mitch can’t get it together. So his boss and best friend, John Bowie, mandates that he go into therapy, which puts him in the path of sexy Dr. Dylan Reede. Within a few days, Mitch makes a connection between two new murders and the death of his former partner; finds a big clue that points to the truth about Angela’s death; goes undercover as a homeless man; takes on a vicious drug cartel; and obnoxiously bullies Dylan with a charm offensive that leads them inevitably to bed. While Mitch seems to lean into the stereotype of the ex-soldier/cop with deeply buried trauma who believes that the ends justify the means—at least in law enforcement—Dylan offers the strength and sweetness to help him start breaking down his walls, allowing herself to be vulnerable in turn. Is passionate sex enough to ground a relationship and a family for the long term? For these characters, and the breakneck speed of this thriller, it’s as good a foundation as any.
Two hot people confronting their trauma, making passionate love, and solving violent crimes! ’Nuff said.Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781538743027
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
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
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