A charming novel that examines the complexities of female relationships, both platonic and romantic.
When Beth, a 28-year-old demisexual virgin, decides it’s high time to take control of her sex life and see what all the fuss is about, she turns to Serena, her bisexual best friend, for guidance.
It’s clear from the opening pages of Pilcher’s debut novel that, though Beth and Serena are best friends, roommates, and generally attached at the hip, they could not be more different from one another. Beth is a socially awkward people-pleaser who struggles to feel like she fits in both at work and with her friends. Serena, on the other hand, oozes self-confidence in day-to-day life and on the dating scene. When Beth decides she finally wants to cash in her v-card, Serena is more than happy to help her out on her sexual odyssey. But what begins as a lighthearted comedy of errors ranging from speed dating to hiring an escort soon throws both the women’s worlds and their longstanding platonic friendship into disarray. A crush from Beth’s work begins to show interest in a way she wasn’t expecting and Serena’s casual hookup asks to be more than just friends with benefits. While the writing is messy at times, its messiness effectively reflects the state of Beth and Serena’s lives as they navigate the strains on their friendship as well as their individual romantic endeavors. Pilcher manages to capture what it feels like to be adrift and unsure of what comes next on the cusp of 30 in a way readers of all ages will find easy to relate to. The end result is a charming spin on the coming-of-age novel that examines the nuances of sexuality, modern dating, and, perhaps most importantly, female friendship.
A charming novel that examines the complexities of female relationships, both platonic and romantic.Pub Date: April 15, 2025
ISBN: 9780063412101
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.
A struggling writer finds an unexpected muse when a mysterious man shows up at her cabin.
Petra Rose used to pump out a bestselling book every six months, but then the adaptation happened—that is, the disastrous film adaptation of her most famous book. The movie changed the book’s storyline so egregiously that fans couldn’t forgive her, and the ensuing harassment sent Petra into hiding and gave her a serious case of writer’s block. Petra’s one hope is her solo writing retreat at a remote cabin, where she can escape the distractions of real life and focus on her next book, a story about a woman having an affair with a cop. When officer Nathaniel Saint shows up at her cabin door, inspiration comes flooding back. Much like the character from Petra’s book, Saint is married, and he’s willing to be Petra’s muse, helping her get into her characters’ heads. Petra’s book is practically writing itself, but is the game she’s playing a little too dangerous? Does she know when to stop—and, more importantly, is Saint willing to stop? Hoover is no stranger to controversial movie adaptations and internet backlash, but she clarifies in a note to readers that she’s “just a writer writing about a writer” and that no further connections to her own life are contained in these pages—which is a good thing, because the book takes some horrifying twists and turns. Petra finds herself inexplicably attracted to Saint, even as she describes him as “such an asshole,” and her feelings for him veer between love and hate. The novel serves as a meta commentary on the dark romance genre—as Petra puts it, “Even though, as readers, we wouldn’t want to live out some of the fantasies we read about, it doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy reading those things.”
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781662539374
Page Count: -
Publisher: Montlake
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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