A satisfying period romance that’s sure to delight.
An enemies-to-lovers Regency romance in which love wins out over legacies.
Eighteen-year-old Blythe Rowley has no interest in seeing “certified man-child” Briggs Goswick—not since the cruel prank he perpetrated four years earlier that landed her in a literal pigsty. But his celebrated return to Mistlethrush Hall, his family’s home, forces them into close proximity. Briggs is heir to his late father’s estate as well as the debts from his gambling habit and keeping of a mistress. He’ll most likely lose the property, but he’s hoping to marry well and spare his mother and brother from learning of his father’s exploits. Blythe’s family has never been as wealthy as their relatives, and she’s hoping to turn her passion for beekeeping into an apiary business to help with much-needed repairs of the family home. Blythe and Briggs’ first encounters are charged and rocky, but as they keep getting thrown together, they realize they could help each other out: Blythe agrees to help Briggs woo the cold, wealthy Sabrina Dixon, and in turn, Briggs will help connect Blythe with potential business investors. Both try to squash their burgeoning feelings, which leads to great pining, bubbly dialogue, and palpable chemistry. The momentum builds to a gratifying ending. Characters present white.
A satisfying period romance that’s sure to delight. (content note) (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781649375414
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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