Choppy plot and multiple points of view, awkwardly handled.
Poet LaMon’s lackluster fiction debut tells us what it’s like to be young, black . . . and confused.
Nia Benson is ready to reinvent her life, starting with her resume. No more glorified receptionist gigs for her, not after being fired from TV commercial production firm Feinstein Films. Her boss may have been kind enough to call her an administrative assistant, but his obnoxious, incompetent niece called her “nigga girl” behind her back. Then Jonathan Feinstein did the unthinkable and let Nia go; she’s still angry, despite the check with enough zeros after the number to soothe anyone’s hurt feelings. Should she cash it, or sue him? Then there’s Jerome Carrington, her first love, who’s marrying somebody else. How much should she cry, and when, and why? Tune in tomorrow and segue to the unrelated story of Seth Jackson, musical entrepreneur and manager of ultracool bands that haven’t hit it big yet. Seth’s habit of hanging at the clubs distresses longtime love Lauren, who’s also upset because he can’t commit but can’t exactly let go, since she’s the niece of his business partner. Catching the bride’s bouquet at a wedding they attend, Lauren bursts into tears—but, hey, Seth is cool with that. Women have their mysterious ways, right? Life is a river, and he just lets it flow. Back to Nia, who’s been sending out resumes and hanging at poetry clubs with her tough-talking friend Grace. Lesbian poet Vaughan Gonzalez has the hots for her, but Nia’s not interested. She’s on her way to LA to a fabulous job in public relations, even though she has no experience and no credentials. Uh-oh: seems that Vaughan recommended her, and Grace (suddenly out of the closet) is piqued. But all’s well when Lauren and Nia meet at a Malibu beach house, and Seth meets Nia . . . and then . . . and then . . . .
Choppy plot and multiple points of view, awkwardly handled.Pub Date: July 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-345-44719-0
Page Count: 288
Publisher: One World/Random House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2002
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...
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
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
The heartfelt soap appears to be Hannah’s chosen romance niche, and she mines it skillfully. (First printing of 125,000)
Hannah’s sequel to On Mystic Lake (1999) is yet another tear-jerker set in northwest Washington State.
Perfect mother Mikaela (“Mike”) Campbell takes a hard fall off a horse, hits her head, and sinks into a coma. In order to help bring her out of it, perfect husband-doctor Liam sits at her bedside and begins to talk to her about their life together. He brings her favorite music, scented potpourri, and, to place across her inert body, sweaters that may smell like home. He also tries to keep life as normal as possible for their two kids: Bret, nine years old, and Jacey, Mike’s teenaged daughter by her previous husband. Going through Mike’s closet to find a prom dress for Jacey, Liam stumbles on souvenirs of her first marriage and a picture of her ex—not just any old, anonymous first husband, but Julian True, a gorgeous superstar actor, the hero of women’s fantasies all over America. Liam has always known that he got Mikaela on the rebound; she was honest about the fact that he was not the love of her life. But she is the love of his life, and when she doesn't respond to the sound of his voice, he contacts Julian in hopes that the actor can save Mikaela. Julian travels up to Last Bend, a cutesy town founded by Liam’s larger-than-life father and filled with homey shops like the Emperor’s New Clothes store and Zeke’s Feed and Seed. When Mike finally comes out of unconsciousness and into her family’s emotional upheaval, she apologizes to Liam and bids goodbye to Julian. Yes, she’s discovered that it’s that gentle guy who stays with you through years of cramps and decorating the Christmas tree who defines what love really is.
The heartfelt soap appears to be Hannah’s chosen romance niche, and she mines it skillfully. (First printing of 125,000)Pub Date: April 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-609-60592-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2007
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