A lively romance that lacks fully developed characters.
A high school graduate learns harsh truths about her family and her first love in this debut novel.
Eighteen years old and ready to break free of her small Colorado town of Nederland, bookish aspiring physician Seryna lets loose at a party late in her senior year. She is nearly raped by her platonic friend Rutty until a handsome and mysterious stranger rescues her, then vanishes without a trace. Seryna loses her virginity to him at another party before learning his name, Kieran, and why he’s conveniently there every time she’s in trouble. A physics student–turned–FBI agent, 25-year-old Kieran is investigating certain residents of Nederland—including Seryna’s father and estranged older brother—for their part in manufacturing and distributing Grandma’s Apple Pie, a flavorful moonshine that may be laced with ingredients that lead its partakers to dangerous acts. Immediately smitten with the attractive older man, Seryna is eager to sleep with Kieran again and the two begin a courtship full of fancy dinners, elegant hotels, and kinky sex, all of which open her eyes to a different way of life. As the date of her first day of college in Boulder grows closer and Kieran makes major progress in his investigation, Seryna’s best friend, Alex, is the victim of a tragic car accident and the protagonist edges closer to mortal danger. Larsen intends to continue Seryna’s story: The novel ends with a startling cliffhanger. The author delivers a solid concept for a romance and plenty of action. But Seryna sometimes appears less like a real teenager and more like an adult woman who occasionally goes to high school parties. Though at 18 she’s of legal age, her relationship with a 25-year-old man who’s far more experienced in sex and life is disturbing rather than sensual. No one seems to question why a young woman who’s only recently had her first drink almost immediately wants to marry her new boyfriend. Additionally, the first love and small-town crime plots don’t mesh well, resulting in alternating chapters that feel as if they’re from two different books instead of a single, cohesive story.
A lively romance that lacks fully developed characters.Pub Date: May 27, 2020
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 319
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...
Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.
At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother.
Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. But now they’re co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. (For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.) Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. But even though she’s divorced, Lily isn’t exactly free. Behind Ryle’s veneer of civility are his jealousy and resentment. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Meanwhile, Atlas’ mother returns with shocking news. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself.
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-668-00122-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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