An intoxicating romance with a strong lead.
The new CEO of a winery seeks to prove herself to her co-owner brother but fears her carefully crafted professionalism may crumble after she has a one-night stand with a new employee.
Since 34-year-old Margot Noble inherited half of her uncle Stan’s winery three years ago, she has been determined to prove her worth in the family business. After overhearing her brother, Elliot, say she didn't deserve her share of Noble Family Vineyards, she quit her marketing job and headed to Napa with a mission. With Elliot’s decadelong experience as a winemaker, Margot must work extra hard on the business side to prove her worth. Still, her competence as CEO doesn’t prevent Elliot from making decisions without her, like when he hires a new employee for the tasting room without consulting Margot first. Desperately in need of a vacation and a drink after confronting Elliot, Margot finds solace at The Barrel, her best friend Sydney’s bar. There, Sydney dares Margot to strike up a conversation with a handsome younger man. His name is Luke Williams, and he's a former software engineer who’s only temporarily in Napa to help his friend Avery get over a nasty breakup. One thing leads to another, and Margot and Luke spend a passionate night (and morning!) together. At work the next day, Margot is more than content to daydream about her memories with Luke…until he walks into her office as the winery’s new hire. Suddenly, Margot and Luke must navigate a relationship where Margot is Luke’s boss—a position she doesn’t have the luxury to jeopardize—while they try to deny feelings for one another that prove stronger than any wine. Guillory’s latest romance is bursting with mouthwatering sexual tension and desire: “But now he had to work under Margot Noble, while all the time thinking about what it had been like to be literally under Margot Noble.” Despite plenty of moments overrun with miscommunication, Margot is a powerful protagonist, and her dedication to her career, despite the numerous challenges, is absolutely refreshing.
An intoxicating romance with a strong lead.Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-10088-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
Readers will devour this swoonworthy romance in one sitting.
Two talented chess players challenge each other on and off the board in bestselling author Hazelwood’s YA debut.
Eighteen-year-old Mallory Greenleaf is no longer interested in chess, not since her hypercompetitive dad left—the game calls up painful memories. But she grudgingly agrees to play in a charity tournament as a favor to best friend Easton Peña. After she unexpectedly beats current world champion Nolan Sawyer, she’s offered a fellowship that will prepare her to play professionally. Even though Mallory doesn’t want to play anymore, she needs the money that winning would provide; she’s delayed college to support her family, since her mother is chronically ill with rheumatoid arthritis and is unable to work regularly. The more time she spends with Nolan, the more Mallory comes to like and respect him—and the more time she spends playing chess, the more she remembers how much she loved it. But when she learns that Nolan has been keeping a big secret from her, she isn’t sure if she’ll be able to move past it to build a relationship with him. Filled with the author’s signature humor, well-developed characters, and realistic conflicts, plus the fully realized setting of competitive chess, this captivating romance will delight teen readers as well as Hazelwood’s adult fans. Mallory and Nolan are both cued white; there is some racial diversity among the supporting cast. Mallory and Easton are queer.
Readers will devour this swoonworthy romance in one sitting. (author’s note) (Romance. 14-adult)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780593619919
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
PROFILES
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
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