A minute-by-minute account with no detail left out—but still less is here than meets the eye.
Breathless, talky, class-conscious romance from the British author of Jemima J (2000).
Libby Mason is an up-and-coming London publicist who touts minor celebrities like comedian Tony Baloney and TV perky-person Amanda Baker. Her job is interesting but it doesn’t pay well, and Libby dreams of marrying a wealthy Mr. Right—especially since she just broke up with a Mr. Wrong. Enter Nick, a handsome but scruffy writer whose politics are decidedly Labour. Libby, a knee-jerk Tory, finds Nick’s leftish leanings faintly appalling, not to mention his penchant for hanging around in pubs, or the fact that he’s on the dole, or that his unpublished novel has been rejected more than once. More than twice. But Nick is very sexy, and if he’s not be Mr. Right, he’s certainly Mr. Maybe—and is ready for a fling, starting with a slippery bathtub seduction scene. Libby is thrilled to discover that Nick wrote the oral sex chapter in the book of love—and that his other amatory skills make her toes curl with erotic delight. But she can’t possibly marry a poor man, can she? Of course not. And Nick’s made it clear he’s not looking for a real relationship. Libby sheds a few obligatory tears and moves on to Ed, a filthy-rich investment banker who’s happy to buy her whatever ultraexpensive designer outfit she fancies and take her out to posh places in his fabulous Porsche. How unfortunate that so much food gets stuck in his rather unattractive mustache. And that he’s so disappointing in bed, panting and humping in a dogged sort of way. But he is so very rich . . . . Will shamelessly materialistic Libby marry dull but devoted Ed? Will her loyal girlfriends ever stop squealing over it all? Will Nick ever sell his novel for an advance big enough to make Libby happy?
A minute-by-minute account with no detail left out—but still less is here than meets the eye.Pub Date: June 5, 2001
ISBN: 0-7679-0519-9
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Broadway
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2001
Hoover is one of the freshest voices in new-adult fiction, and her latest resonates with true emotion, unforgettable...
Sydney and Ridge make beautiful music together in a love triangle written by Hoover (Losing Hope, 2013, etc.), with a link to a digital soundtrack by American Idol contestant Griffin Peterson.
Hoover is a master at writing scenes from dual perspectives. While music student Sydney is watching her neighbor Ridge play guitar on his balcony across the courtyard, Ridge is watching Sydney’s boyfriend, Hunter, secretly make out with her best friend on her balcony. The two begin a songwriting partnership that grows into something more once Sydney dumps Hunter and decides to crash with Ridge and his two roommates while she gets back on her feet. She finds out after the fact that Ridge already has a long-distance girlfriend, Maggie—and that he's deaf. Ridge’s deafness doesn’t impede their relationship or their music. In fact, it creates opportunities for sexy nonverbal communication and witty text messages: Ridge tenderly washes off a message he wrote on Sydney’s hand in ink, and when Sydney adds a few too many e’s to the word “squee” in her text, Ridge replies, “If those letters really make up a sound, I am so, so glad I can’t hear it.” While they fight their mutual attraction, their hope that “maybe someday” they can be together playfully comes out in their music. Peterson’s eight original songs flesh out Sydney’s lyrics with a good mix of moody musical styles: “Living a Lie” has the drama of a Coldplay piano ballad, while the chorus of “Maybe Someday” marches to the rhythm of the Lumineers. But Ridge’s lingering feelings for Maggie cause heartache for all three of them. Independent Maggie never complains about Ridge’s friendship with Sydney, and it's hard to even want Ridge to leave Maggie when she reveals her devastating secret. But Ridge can’t hide his feelings for Sydney long—and they face their dilemma with refreshing emotional honesty.
Hoover is one of the freshest voices in new-adult fiction, and her latest resonates with true emotion, unforgettable characters and just the right amount of sexual tension.Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4767-5316-4
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: May 6, 2014
Another heartwarming seasonal Macomber tale, which fans will find as bright and cozy as a blazing fire on Christmas Eve.
Friendly Julia Padden can’t stand her grumpy neighbor, Cain Maddox, but when her best friend goads her to kill him with kindness for the Christmas season, both their lives begin to change for the better—until he discovers she’s chronicling the experiment on a blog.
Julia’s life isn’t perfect, but she has a job at Macy’s that pays her bills while she’s looking for a marketing position. She also volunteers at her church and at the Boys and Girls Club, which helps her stay in the holiday mood even when she can’t get back to visit her family because of her hectic retail schedule. She tries hard to keep a positive attitude, so perhaps that’s why her neighbor across the hall in her apartment building is so vexing. He seems to go out of his way to be unpleasant. But when she’s complaining about the man, her best friend challenges her to be even kinder, in the true spirit of the season—and encourages her to use the experience as blog fodder, since Julia is in the running for a corporate social media position and her success depends on her ability to create a successful audience. So she begins, 12 days before Christmas, but as the days pass, she discovers that her kind acts have softened not only Cain’s demeanor, but her heart as well—and created a huge blog following. The two become friends, and Julia learns how painful Cain’s life has been and exactly why he keeps himself at arm’s length. Just when it looks like they’ll be hanging stockings together, Cain discovers Julia’s blog—which pushes every abandonment and trust button he has. Time is running out, but Julia knows that a job and a blog are nothing compared to the forever happiness just beyond their grasp, and making it right will be the best Christmas gift ever, if she can just figure out how.
Another heartwarming seasonal Macomber tale, which fans will find as bright and cozy as a blazing fire on Christmas Eve.Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-553-39173-2
Page Count: 266
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
© 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.
