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ONE NIGHT

Unflinching in its acceptance of bad behavior by likable characters, Dickey’s latest will thrill his fans.

A chance encounter leads to one night of passion—and spiritual redemption—between strangers.

Down on her luck and two months behind on her rent, Jackie needs to make money fast, before she’s evicted from her apartment. Approaching a well-dressed man while he’s pumping gas seems like a good idea. Maybe she can convince him the box in her hands truly contains a laptop; maybe she can convince him it’s worth $700. But she hadn’t counted on the man from Orange County being not only wealthy, but also charming. Soon she’s sold the box for $2,000 and discovered that she really doesn’t want to con this man. Although he drives away, sleet, sirens and a traffic snarl give both of them time to reconsider. Jackie uses his business card to call and invite the man to meet her at a local diner. Set against a newscast in the background—a woman has killed her three children, and a businessman has been found beaten, likely the victim of a home invasion—their conversation turns very personal indeed. Continually distracted by the newscast, the man from Orange County is reluctant to return to his unfaithful wife, who he has discovered is visiting sex clubs. Neglected by her current, rather deadbeat boyfriend, Jackie needs something or someone to help her deflect the memories of a daughter lost years ago to a Christmas-tree fire. Seeking solace in each other’s arms at an upscale hotel, the pair succumbs to a brief, raw, passionate affair. Dickey (A Wanted Woman, 2014, etc.) creates an erotic tale of acceptance and forgiveness marred by clunky phrasing and coarse attitudes toward women.

Unflinching in its acceptance of bad behavior by likable characters, Dickey’s latest will thrill his fans.

Pub Date: April 21, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-525-95485-9

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015

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ONE DAY IN DECEMBER

Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an...

True love flares between two people, but they find that circumstances always impede it.

On a winter day in London, Laurie spots Jack from her bus home and he sparks a feeling in her so deep that she spends the next year searching for him. Her roommate and best friend, Sarah, is the perfect wing-woman but ultimately—and unknowingly—ends the search by finding Jack and falling for him herself. Laurie’s hasty decision not to tell Sarah is the second painful missed opportunity (after not getting off the bus), but Sarah’s happiness is so important to Laurie that she dedicates ample energy into retraining her heart not to love Jack. Laurie is misguided, but her effort and loyalty spring from a true heart, and she considers her project mostly successful. Perhaps she would have total success, but the fact of the matter is that Jack feels the same deep connection to Laurie. His reasons for not acting on them are less admirable: He likes Sarah and she’s the total package; why would he give that up just because every time he and Laurie have enough time together (and just enough alcohol) they nearly fall into each other’s arms? Laurie finally begins to move on, creating a mostly satisfying life for herself, whereas Jack’s inability to be genuine tortures him and turns him into an ever bigger jerk. Patriarchy—it hurts men, too! There’s no question where the book is going, but the pacing is just right, the tone warm, and the characters sympathetic, even when making dumb decisions.

Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an emotional, satisfying read.

Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018

ISBN: 978-0-525-57468-2

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Crown

Review Posted Online: July 30, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018

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IT ENDS WITH US

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...

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Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.

At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016

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