This flirty romance fails to leave a lingering impression.
A crash course in learning how to flirt leads to real feelings for two women.
Avery Jensen thinks that when people look at her, they see someone too fearful to try anything new; she never knows how to make a strong impression on anyone she has even the slightest romantic interest in. There’s no way Avery will be able to break out of her comfort zone without help, but luckily for her, she’s just met someone who can teach her how to put her best foot forward—and even flirt a little, while she’s at it. Taylor Cameron has a reputation for being a love-’em-and-leave-’em type, and it’s well earned. In fact, right before she runs into Avery, Taylor made a bet with a friend that she can make it to Labor Day without sleeping with anyone. Offering to give Avery flirting lessons is the perfect way for Taylor to keep herself too distracted to end up in bed with someone she wouldn’t be able to commit to anyway. The only problem is that Avery has to practice flirting with other people, and as their lessons continue, Taylor soon realizes that she has a crush on the very woman she thought she could keep at a distance, while Avery’s attraction to Taylor only deepens as the weeks go on. Guillory’s latest marks the first romance she’s written for two female characters, and while the premise is frankly irresistible—there’s a reason courtship lessons have become such a tried-and-true trope in the genre—the surrounding components don’t come together. Alternating points of view within chapters would be less confusing if Avery and Taylor had unique perspectives, but they’re not written distinctly enough until well into the book. Also, there isn’t enough space devoted to a deeper exploration of what an exclusive relationship would mean for both parties—especially Taylor, whose commitment-phobia is a defining trait—making for a resolution that doesn’t feel as satisfying as it could have.
This flirty romance fails to leave a lingering impression.Pub Date: April 8, 2025
ISBN: 9780593100905
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.
A single mom winds up fake dating an incredibly wealthy man in her hometown.
Dolly Brick is back in her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to help her dad and disabled brother manage their house and family business. As a 39-year-old single mother with multiple jobs—which now include working at the Brick Fish House—Dolly is always busy. When her mom left their family years ago, Dolly took over caring for her siblings and father and never really stopped. When she runs into Stewart Whitfield after making a shrimp delivery to his family’s mansion, she doesn’t think they could be more different. She’s had to figure out how to do everything by herself, and he can’t even change a tire. That’s why Stewart’s proposal that she pretend to be his girlfriend feels so unbelievable—but it comes with a hefty check that she desperately needs for home repairs. So she becomes the fake girlfriend of Stewart Whitfield (as in, the Whitfields her town is named after; his real fiancée just dumped him and it’s a bad time for him to be single) and experiences what it’s like to walk into fancy buildings through the front door instead of the service entrance. More than the boats and helicopter and expensive dinners, though, Dolly is impressed by what a kind man Stewart is—and how it feels to let someone else take care of her for a change. Soon, their relationship starts to feel more real than fake. Monaghan creates an impossibly winning story with a charming, lovable heroine. Dolly is capable, hardworking, and will do anything for the people she loves. She and Stewart both possess real flaws, and while their relationship begins with one of the most beloved rom-com tropes, their challenges feel like realistic adult obstacles rather than easily solved miscommunications. It’s also refreshing that, even though Dolly must learn to allow other people to help her, she never views her caretaking responsibilities as burdens. She deeply loves her family, and that love carries through the entire story.
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9780593853979
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
A deliciously dramatic look at how one woman’s past influences her future.
A happily engaged woman is pulled back to her hometown—and her first love—when tragedy strikes.
Billie Wright is living her dream, running a thriving fertility clinic in New York City and engaged to a wonderful trauma surgeon named Dean. Her happily-ever-after meant giving up her life in Wisconsin, where she left behind many friends as well as her high school sweetheart, Mick. Although they’d been deeply in love, when Billie’s ambition pulled her away from home and toward the city, Mick couldn’t handle either the distance or her busy schedule. Billie has finally moved on from that heartbreak—but then she receives a phone call from Mick, the first communication between them in years. Her best friend, Erin, died in a car accident, leaving behind an 11-year-old daughter, Phoebe. Now Billie must return home to help sort Erin’s affairs and provide some kind of comfort to Phoebe while grieving the loss of her best friend. Of course, being back home also means being in close contact with Mick. Their feelings for each other may not have ever gone away, and their proximity leads to big decisions for Billie. Can she ever reconcile her current life in Manhattan with her past in Wisconsin? And which one will be her future? Giffin knows how to do drama, and she ratchets up the stakes with every page as she continues to reveal new obstacles for Billie. The ending wraps up quite neatly, but the nostalgia-filled ride is full of twists and turns that will keep readers flipping the pages.
A deliciously dramatic look at how one woman’s past influences her future.Pub Date: July 7, 2026
ISBN: 9780593600320
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
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