Cinematic prose thoughtfully highlights hard-hitting challenges.
Two teenagers face challenges during their senior year at Rhode Island’s prestigious Castle Hill Academy.
At 15, wealthy Orion Mercer’s future in his family’s manufacturing business seems predetermined; British Orion, whose mum is white and father is Nigerian, is expected to follow the path laid out for him, whether he wants it or not. Meanwhile, white-presenting Harper Bennett, who’s never known her father, grew up with her struggling single mom and little half brother. She believes Castle Hill is the key to an elite college and a brighter future. When their paths cross, Harper is immediately smitten by the “exceptionally handsome and witty” Orion, but she knows she doesn’t belong among the “beautiful Richies.” Harper is desperate to win a prestigious science competition with a large cash prize; Orion hopes the entry deadline passes before his parents notice and pressure him about it. As tensions at home rise over Harper’s mom’s drinking, Harper struggles even more with fitting in socially. Meanwhile, Orion rediscovers his passion for piano, and his ADHD grows increasingly difficult to manage. The two keep being pulled back together, offering mutual support through their challenges. This well-crafted, emotionally intense novel told in the leads’ first-person voices doesn’t shy away from complex topics. Scott’s well-rounded characters will draw readers in. This sequel revisits the events of the first book but can be enjoyed as a stand-alone.
Cinematic prose thoughtfully highlights hard-hitting challenges. (content warning, resources) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464272813
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A thrilling romance that could use more even pacing.
For the second time in her life, Leo must choose between her family and true love.
Nineteen-year-old Princess Leonie Kolburg’s royal family is bankrupt. In order to salvage the fortune they accrued before humans fled the frozen Earth 170 years ago, Leonie’s father is forcing her to participate in the Valg Season, an elaborate set of matchmaking events held to facilitate the marriages of rich and royal teens. Leo grudgingly joins in even though she has other ideas: She’s invented a water filtration system that, if patented, could provide a steady income—that is if Leo’s calculating Aunt Freja, the Captain of the ship hosting the festivities, stops blocking her at every turn. Just as Leo is about to give up hope, her long-lost love, Elliot, suddenly appears onboard three years after Leo’s family forced her to break off their engagement. Donne (Brightly Burning, 2018) returns to space, this time examining the fascinatingly twisted world of the rich and famous. Leo and her peers are nuanced, deeply felt, and diverse in terms of sexuality but not race, which may be a function of the realities of wealth and power. The plot is fast paced although somewhat uneven: Most of the action resolves in the last quarter of the book, which makes the resolutions to drawn-out conflicts feel rushed.
A thrilling romance that could use more even pacing. (Science fiction. 16-adult)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-328-94894-6
Page Count: 400
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship.
A battered girl and an injured rugby star spark up an ill-advised romance at an Irish secondary school.
Beautiful, waiflike, 15-year-old Shannon has lived her entire life in Ballylaggin. Alternately bullied at school and beaten by her ne’er-do-well father, she’s hopeful for a fresh start at Tommen, a private school. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who has a hair-trigger temper and a severe groin injury, is used to Dublin’s elite-level rugby but, since his family’s move to County Cork, is now stuck captaining Tommen’s middling team. When Johnny angrily kicks a ball and knocks Shannon unconscious (“a soft female groan came from her lips”), a tentative relationship is born. As the two grow closer, Johnny’s past and Shannon’s present become serious obstacles to their budding love, threatening Shannon’s safety. Shannon’s portrayal feels infantilized (“I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm”), while Johnny comes across as borderline obsessive (“I knew I shouldn’t be touching her, but how the hell could I not?”). Uneven pacing and choppy sentences lead to a sudden climax and an unsatisfyingly abrupt ending. Repetitive descriptions, abundant and misogynistic dialogue (Johnny, to his best friend: “who’s the bitch with a vagina now?”), and graphic violence also weigh down this lengthy tome (considerably trimmed down from its original, self-published length). The cast of lively, well-developed supporting characters, especially Johnny’s best friend and Shannon’s protective older brother, is a bright spot. Major characters read white.
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship. (author’s note, pronunciations, glossary, song moments, playlists) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781728299945
Page Count: 626
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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