by Elissa Sussman ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 12, 2022
A slow-burn romance full of passion, yearning, and behind-the-scenes Hollywood details.
A journalist and a troubled movie star reconnect after a fateful interview 10 years ago.
When journalist Chani Horowitz nabs an interview with actor Gabe Parker, she doesn’t know it’s going to be her big break. She's jealous that her former MFA classmates are succeeding in the literary world while she’s writing celebrity puff pieces. Gabe may be her No. 1 celebrity crush and the next James Bond, but she doesn’t expect much—that is, until she meets him and they have an instant connection. The interview turns into an invitation to a movie premiere and a party at his house. Her piece on him goes viral, finally earning her fame and a steady career—but right after it comes out, Gabe marries his co-star, and Chani’s left feeling heartbroken and foolish. Ten years later, Chani has the kind of career she could’ve only dreamed about back then. People are clamoring for her next essay collection, but she can’t help feeling like she’s only successful because of Gabe and the fact that everyone wonders if she slept with him during their interview all those years ago. Now, she’s asked to reteam with him for another interview. They’ve both changed—Gabe is divorced and newly sober after nearly throwing away his whole career, and Chani is divorced and unsure about her writing. With 10 years of missteps, learning, and maturity behind them, could this be their chance for a filmworthy happily-ever-after? In her adult debut, Sussman creates a story that’s thrilling wish fulfillment with a dash of wistful melancholy. Chani’s conflict between getting a good story and getting to know Gabe is understandable, and Gabe feels like a real person even though he’s one of the biggest stars in the world. The conversations between Chani and Gabe sparkle with all the charm of The Philadelphia Story, the movie the two of them initially bond over. And although the romance is top-notch, Chani’s struggle to believe in herself and pursue the kind of writing she cares about is touching, too. From LA to New York to Gabe’s cozy hometown in Montana, Gabe and Chani’s love story is a delight to read.
A slow-burn romance full of passion, yearning, and behind-the-scenes Hollywood details.Pub Date: April 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35732-3
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Dell
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
by Elissa Sussman ; illustrated by Arielle Jovellanos
BOOK REVIEW
by Colleen Hoover ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
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New York Times Bestseller
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
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SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
by Peyton Corinne ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 2025
Deeply moving and emotional.
A hockey player falls in love with his tutor.
Matt “Freddy” Fredderic is the life of the party at Waterfell University. He’s a starter on the hockey team and can have any girl on campus—but he’s also in danger of failing out if he can’t improve his grades in math and biology. His ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia make him eligible for university tutoring services, and Ro Shariff is his newly assigned tutor. Ro had a crush on Freddy freshman year but convinced herself that she’s over it now, in her senior year. She’s been in an on-again, off-again relationship with a guy named Tyler for the past two years, but he’s manipulative, borderline abusive, and probably cheating on her. Ro is desperate for love and affection and still suffers from bouts of intense homesickness. She and Freddy develop a tentative friendship even though they couldn’t be more different on the surface—he’s a popular, gregarious athlete to her quiet, introverted academic. Ro sees beyond Freddy’s persona as a dumb jock, while he recognizes that she feels lonely and like an outsider. When Freddy swoops in to rescue Ro after an ugly disagreement with Tyler, the two admit that their feelings for each other are more romantic than friendly. Corinne’s second novel is an emotional powerhouse. Ro and Freddy share everything with each other: fears of not being good enough for their friends, details of their harmful previous romantic relationships, and the deep feelings of grief related to illness and loss of parents. They have to learn to trust themselves and each other in the midst of the pressures that come with transitioning from college to adulthood. Their evolution from friends to lovers is a classic slow burn, and it makes for an angsty and deeply affecting read.
Deeply moving and emotional.Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781668068489
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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