An often exhilarating read for those who love uncovering the dark secrets of suburbia.
In Smoak’s (Temptation, 2015, etc.) novel, a suburban woman follows her mysterious husband’s strict rules until a handsome neighbor gives her reason to escape.
Adeline Bell is the 30-year-old spouse of an enigmatic, unnamed man who’s only home on weekends. During the week, she’s free to do as she pleases—as long as she doesn’t spend too much time outside of the house and continues to take her medication, per her husband’s directives. The monotony of her days is momentarily lifted once a week when she jogs by a handsome gardener, who mows the same lawn at the same time, every Thursday morning. Everything changes one day when she accidentally trips in front of him, and they finally meet. His name is Ben Jones, and he’s eager to help her when it’s clear that she’s sprained her ankle. They soon engage in a hesitant yet passionate relationship, and he eventually finds out about her husband and the dark, secretive life that he and Adeline keep. Ben discovers that Adeline’s spouse is rarely around, that he emotionally and physically abuses her when he is, and that they both keep many secrets. Ben and Adeline devise a plan to catch her husband in the act of hurting her, so that they can turn him in to the police, she can file for divorce, and the new couple can pursue their relationship in peace. But Ben slowly finds that the situation is more complicated than he thought. Readers will be immediately drawn to Adeline, a smart, convincing protagonist; they’ll likely root for her from the start and hope she finds a better life for herself—one that includes the incredibly likable Ben. The unexpected twists and turns that follow seem to lead Adeline further and further away from this possibility, though, and the ending leaves both her (and readers) in a place that’s unimaginable at the start. A number of minor plot points are confusing, including a restaurant confrontation, some unexplained notes, and a memory lapse. But overall, Smoak has written a dark, twisted thriller that’s ultimately a satisfying page-turner.
An often exhilarating read for those who love uncovering the dark secrets of suburbia.Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-985450-06-6
Page Count: 344
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
