A dream job with a prestigious fashion house leads to an unexpected and life-changing affair in this debut novel.
For Gwendolyn Mallory, the position of publicity and marketing executive at Prada is a major step forward in her career. Although she faces a lengthy commute from her home in Darling Cove on the North Fork of Long Island, it is the fresh start she needs after her husband, Dan, walked out on her. On her first day on the job, she learns she will share an office with the brand manager, Andrew Morgan. The classically handsome former model parlayed his knowledge of the fashion world into a successful career at Prada; however, he has been emotionally inaccessible since the death of his wife, Cate. Although chagrined at the prospect of sharing an office, Morgan is drawn to Mallory, and the attraction is mutual. While she brings out feelings Morgan left dormant in the wake of Cate’s death, he is reluctant to date a colleague. When a business trip ends with a night of passion, both realize this is their second chance at love. But their burgeoning romance is put to the ultimate test when they face an overseas assignment and a serious health scare. The opener of Garland’s Darling Cove series is a fun and sexy romp through the world of high fashion that boasts appealing characters and an engaging and dynamic romance. Mallory and Morgan are likable protagonists whose initial spark leads to a passionate bond neither was expecting. The author builds their relationship carefully, establishing their connection through spirited workplace banter and scenes of quiet thoughtfulness, notably Morgan’s decision to rearrange his office for Mallory. They operate in a world of style and luxury, and Garland deftly captures the energy and glamour of their fast-paced careers with settings as varied as New York, Los Angeles, and Milan. Garland also introduces the hamlet of Darling Cove and Mallory’s extended family, including her brother, Greg, and sister, Skye. They emerge as significant supporting characters whose back stories could form the basis of future installments.
A strong start to a promising new romance series.Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-974287-71-0
Page Count: 268
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Categories: ROMANCE | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Did you like this book?
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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. 23, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
Categories: GENERAL ROMANCE | ROMANCE | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Did you like this book?
An unlucky woman finally gets lucky in love on an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii.
From getting her hand stuck in a claw machine at age 6 to losing her job, Olive Torres has never felt that luck was on her side. But her fortune changes when she scores a free vacation after her identical twin sister and new brother-in-law get food poisoning at their wedding buffet and are too sick to go on their honeymoon. The only catch is that she’ll have to share the honeymoon suite with her least favorite person—Ethan Thomas, the brother of the groom. To make matters worse, Olive’s new boss and Ethan’s ex-girlfriend show up in Hawaii, forcing them both to pretend to be newlyweds so they don’t blow their cover, as their all-inclusive vacation package is nontransferable and in her sister’s name. Plus, Ethan really wants to save face in front of his ex. The story is told almost exclusively from Olive’s point of view, filtering all communication through her cynical lens until Ethan can win her over (and finally have his say in the epilogue). To get to the happily-ever-after, Ethan doesn’t have to prove to Olive that he can be a better man, only that he was never the jerk she thought he was—for instance, when she thought he was judging her for eating cheese curds, maybe he was actually thinking of asking her out. Blending witty banter with healthy adult communication, the fake newlyweds have real chemistry as they talk it out over snorkeling trips, couples massages, and a few too many tropical drinks to get to the truth—that they’re crazy about each other.
Heartfelt and funny, this enemies-to-lovers romance shows that the best things in life are all-inclusive and nontransferable as well as free.Pub Date: May 14, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5011-2803-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
Categories: GENERAL ROMANCE | ROMANCE
Did you like this book?
© Copyright 2022 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
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.
