An engrossing romance with fully imagined characters.
Ronan’s troubled past follows him to Santa Cruz, where he meets artistic and complicated Shiloh, the two finding comfort, confidence, and a growing romance.
In this third entry in the Lost Boys trilogy, Ronan Wentz leaves small-town Wisconsin—and a trail of darkness—behind him. At just 18, he’s spent 10 years in foster care; his mother, a victim of domestic abuse, and his violent father are dead. Summoned by his long-lost uncle, Ronan vows to finish high school in California. Seventeen-year-old Shiloh Barrera, who was raised by Bibi, her maternal great-grandmother, avoids her mother, with whom she has a strained relationship. Ronan works hard to escape his nightmarish past, but violence dogs him. Shiloh throws herself into her work and her passion, jewelry making, to prove her worth to the mother who didn’t want her. Through high school and beyond, the pair face setbacks that test their relationship. Tattooed Ronan is a bad boy with a pure heart, a compelling romantic lead. Shiloh is independent and motivated, yet believably—and relatably—vulnerable and insecure. Their romance is deep and emotional, and readers will connect with their growing love. Bibi is a delightful, endearing character whose presence is a highlight and anchor of the narrative. The satisfying ending is sure to please series fans. Shiloh’s “unknown father’s DNA” makes her lighter-skinned than her Black mother. Ronan presents white.
An engrossing romance with fully imagined characters. (playlist, content warning, author’s note with resources) (Romance. 16-adult)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
ISBN: 9781464243387
Page Count: 413
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.
A single mom winds up fake dating an incredibly wealthy man in her hometown.
Dolly Brick is back in her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to help her dad and disabled brother manage their house and family business. As a 39-year-old single mother with multiple jobs—which now include working at the Brick Fish House—Dolly is always busy. When her mom left their family years ago, Dolly took over caring for her siblings and father and never really stopped. When she runs into Stewart Whitfield after making a shrimp delivery to his family’s mansion, she doesn’t think they could be more different. She’s had to figure out how to do everything by herself, and he can’t even change a tire. That’s why Stewart’s proposal that she pretend to be his girlfriend feels so unbelievable—but it comes with a hefty check that she desperately needs for home repairs. So she becomes the fake girlfriend of Stewart Whitfield (as in, the Whitfields her town is named after; his real fiancée just dumped him and it’s a bad time for him to be single) and experiences what it’s like to walk into fancy buildings through the front door instead of the service entrance. More than the boats and helicopter and expensive dinners, though, Dolly is impressed by what a kind man Stewart is—and how it feels to let someone else take care of her for a change. Soon, their relationship starts to feel more real than fake. Monaghan creates an impossibly winning story with a charming, lovable heroine. Dolly is capable, hardworking, and will do anything for the people she loves. She and Stewart both possess real flaws, and while their relationship begins with one of the most beloved rom-com tropes, their challenges feel like realistic adult obstacles rather than easily solved miscommunications. It’s also refreshing that, even though Dolly must learn to allow other people to help her, she never views her caretaking responsibilities as burdens. She deeply loves her family, and that love carries through the entire story.
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9780593853979
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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