Underdeveloped characters and wooden dialogue prevent this contemporary romance from seizing readers’ attention.
In Ramos’ romance novel, a young woman struggles to save her flailing boutique while navigating an increasingly complex relationship with the business owner next door.
Having escaped her hypercritical mother and an underwhelming life in Ohio, 35-year-old Bella Roberts loves everything about her current home in Coronado, California. She is the proud owner of Carpe Diem, a trendy clothing store that, for her, represents all the freedom she ever wanted in her life. She spends a good deal of her free time hanging out (and occasionally attempting meditation) with her best friend, Amber. Life is pretty good, overall, until Bella’s accountant, Mr. Douglas, informs her that her business is in serious financial trouble. She’ll have to bring in more customers to turn things around. With the help of two college-student employees, Bella launches an online contest to drive traffic to the store’s website and social-media accounts, with an aim to drum up more business. As Bella attempts to save her beloved store, she becomes increasingly close to Jack, the 40-year-old owner of Jack’s Brews and BBQs, the restaurant next door; his tumultuous relationship with his fiancée, Chelsea, seems to be irretrievably broken. Jack opens up to Bella about his troubles, including his difficult time in the military, but the messiness of their respective lives seems to keep them from pursuing a romance. Later, Bella befriends Eli, a handsome doctor whom she introduces to her hard-to-impress parents. However, her growing feelings for him are complicated by her lingering thoughts of Jack. Along the way, Bella learns of a betrayal that threatens everything she’s worked for. She finally realizes that the only that she’s going to make it is if she takes control of her dreams, her finances, and her heart.
Bella is a driven and optimistic protagonist whose positive attitude means that she never falls too far when life trips her up. Ramos also does a great job of showing how Bella’s naïveté has consequences, as when a secret involving her struggling company is revealed. However, even when the characters have deeper conversations, including one in which Jack discusses his ex-fiancée’s affair, they seem to merely supply a dry recitation of the facts of their lives without expressing much emotion about them. The dialogue is largely stilted, and that stiffness carries over to the awkward third-person narration: “Bella frequently skipped breakfast, and being a thoughtful person, Amber always brought her a juice to help get her morning started on the right foot. Not always loving the juice, she appreciated Amber’s kindness and even started to look forward to the juice of the day.” There are several uncomfortable moments when Jack’s argumentative fiancée is referred to in narration as “the Dragon Lady.” This term, which is derived from an offensive stereotype, is one that’s likely to offend readers. Although Bella’s personal transformation journey is admirable, it ultimately lacks the momentum that’s necessary to keep readers engaged throughout the novel.
Underdeveloped characters and wooden dialogue prevent this contemporary romance from seizing readers’ attention.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.
A recently dumped librarian finds herself fake dating her polar opposite.
When Daphne Vincent’s fiance, Peter, dumps her, she’s shocked—but the worst part is that he’s leaving her for his gorgeous best friend, Petra, the woman he’d always told Daphne not to worry about. Now Daphne has to move out of Peter’s home and restart her life in the small Michigan town where she’d moved to be with him. Salvation comes in the form of Miles Nowak, Petra’s ex—he has a tiny spare room in his apartment, and he understands what it’s like to wallow in heartbreak. Daphne feels lucky to have her dream job as a children’s librarian, but other than that, she feels adrift and friendless in Waning Bay—and then she and Miles get invitations to Peter and Petra’s wedding. In a momentary lapse of judgment, Daphne not only says she’ll attend the wedding, but tells Peter she’s dating Miles. It would be the perfect way to show Peter and Petra that they’ve moved on…if only it were true. In the grand tradition of fake-dating romances, Daphne and Miles pretend to be in love, getting to know each other while having various adventures and misadventures. Daphne quickly learns that although she’d dismissed Miles as a pothead with a lack of direction, he’s actually a good time—and a loyal friend. But Daphne knows she needs to get out of Waning Bay, so this fake relationship can’t lead anywhere…can it? Reliable bestseller Henry has written another surefire hit that manages to be dramatic, sexy, and fun. Miles and Daphne have chemistry that leaps off the page, and their will-they-or-won’t-they energy propels the story to its satisfying conclusion. Daphne is an immensely likable character, one whose past realistically informs her current relationships. The world of Waning Bay is charmingly quirky, and Daphne’s co-workers at the library are endearing. As always, Henry’s biggest strength is the sharp, often hilarious dialogue that makes the story a joy to read.
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593441282
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
BOOK TO SCREEN
SEEN & HEARD
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
