by Helena Hunting ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 27, 2019
A sexy story is undercut by a side character whose abusive behavior toward women is tolerated by both protagonists.
An independent PR consultant hired to fix the image of a highly dysfunctional family that runs a media conglomerate meets her match when a long-lost son reluctantly returns to the fold in Hunting's (Making Up, 2019, etc.) latest romance.
Lincoln Moorehead would rather use his Ivy League education to build sustainable communities in developing countries than work for his family’s media company, but when his father dies unexpectedly, he returns to New York, where he's talked into taking over as CEO. Only Wren, the PR consultant hired by Lincoln’s mother to keep his miscreant brother in line, keeps Linc’s interest. Wren is a straight shooter, witty, and very good at her job. In no time, Lincoln succumbs to a makeover and wardrobe refresh, as Wren drags him through the transition from building houses in the mountains of Guatemala to running meetings in the boardrooms of Manhattan. Wren has had it with the Moorehead family but hopes this gig will open doors to the funding she needs to start her own foundation. As Wren and Lincoln spend time together, their attraction grows undeniable. But family issues plague them, as Lincoln uncovers secrets about his parents that threaten to turn his family legacy into a pile of lies. Smart writing and snappy dialogue shine when Lincoln and Wren spar and circle around each other. Lincoln’s growing understanding of his family and his place within it is well done, but Wren’s troubled relationship with her mother is built on a simple misunderstanding that could have been solved with one quick conversation. The main problem is Armstrong, Wren’s charge and Lincoln’s “barbaric, vile, and demented” brother. This character is a “narcissistic egomaniac who abuses any shred of power he has,” especially over women, whom he serially harasses, demeans, and insults. It’s difficult to root for Wren’s success when it requires shielding men from the just consequences of their actions.
A sexy story is undercut by a side character whose abusive behavior toward women is tolerated by both protagonists.Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-18399-6
Page Count: 320
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
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by Christina Lauren ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 10, 2018
With frank language and patient plotting, this gangly teen crush grows into a confident adult love affair.
Eleven years ago, he broke her heart. But he doesn’t know why she never forgave him.
Toggling between past and present, two love stories unfold simultaneously. In the first, Macy Sorensen meets and falls in love with the boy next door, Elliot Petropoulos, in the closet of her dad’s vacation home, where they hide out to discuss their favorite books. In the second, Macy is working as a doctor and engaged to a single father, and she hasn’t spoken to Elliot since their breakup. But a chance encounter forces her to confront the truth: what happened to make Macy stop speaking to Elliot? Ultimately, they’re separated not by time or physical remoteness but by emotional distance—Elliot and Macy always kept their relationship casual because they went to different schools. And as a teen, Macy has more to worry about than which girl Elliot is taking to the prom. After losing her mother at a young age, Macy is navigating her teenage years without a female role model, relying on the time-stamped notes her mother left in her father’s care for guidance. In the present day, Macy’s father is dead as well. She throws herself into her work and rarely comes up for air, not even to plan her upcoming wedding. Since Macy is still living with her fiance while grappling with her feelings for Elliot, the flashbacks offer steamy moments, tender revelations, and sweetly awkward confessions while Macy makes peace with her past and decides her future.
With frank language and patient plotting, this gangly teen crush grows into a confident adult love affair.Pub Date: April 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5011-2801-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
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by Christina Lauren ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2019
Heartfelt and funny, this enemies-to-lovers romance shows that the best things in life are all-inclusive and nontransferable...
An unlucky woman finally gets lucky in love on an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii.
From getting her hand stuck in a claw machine at age 6 to losing her job, Olive Torres has never felt that luck was on her side. But her fortune changes when she scores a free vacation after her identical twin sister and new brother-in-law get food poisoning at their wedding buffet and are too sick to go on their honeymoon. The only catch is that she’ll have to share the honeymoon suite with her least favorite person—Ethan Thomas, the brother of the groom. To make matters worse, Olive’s new boss and Ethan’s ex-girlfriend show up in Hawaii, forcing them both to pretend to be newlyweds so they don’t blow their cover, as their all-inclusive vacation package is nontransferable and in her sister’s name. Plus, Ethan really wants to save face in front of his ex. The story is told almost exclusively from Olive’s point of view, filtering all communication through her cynical lens until Ethan can win her over (and finally have his say in the epilogue). To get to the happily-ever-after, Ethan doesn’t have to prove to Olive that he can be a better man, only that he was never the jerk she thought he was—for instance, when she thought he was judging her for eating cheese curds, maybe he was actually thinking of asking her out. Blending witty banter with healthy adult communication, the fake newlyweds have real chemistry as they talk it out over snorkeling trips, couples massages, and a few too many tropical drinks to get to the truth—that they’re crazy about each other.
Heartfelt and funny, this enemies-to-lovers romance shows that the best things in life are all-inclusive and nontransferable as well as free.Pub Date: May 14, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5011-2803-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
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