by J.B. Curry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 23, 2021
A torrid, atmospheric fantasy that satisfies on all fronts.
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A detective with strange powers takes on a client whose touch is deadly in this romantic fantasy.
The year is 1933, and Mark Van Ryn is Chicago’s only albino private eye. But his most unusual feature is his ability to melt into and travel within shadows. His reputation for solving supernatural crimes brings Elizaveta Karlova to his doorstep. She hires him to dig up dirt on five wealthy men, one of whom she plans to marry. Mark tries to decline the case, but Eliza insists. She doesn’t tell him that she’s a Lamia, possessing a scent that ensnares men and a touch, if she chooses, that can kill. No sooner does Eliza leave than one of Gabriel “Scarface” Camonte’s thugs arrives. The mobster hires Mark to find out what’s dissolving his men from the inside out. Later, Mark tries to inform Eliza that he’s quit her case, but she won’t accept his decision. She uses her cursed scent to tame the detective, ensuring that he becomes obsessed with her. Mark crashes a party at which Eliza hopes to woo her potential husbands, including Lionel Duke of Duke Chemical. Does the industrial waste created by his company have anything to do with mobsters dying near sinks and drainage systems? In Curry’s series opener, a Chicago between world wars provides a moody backdrop for superpowered individuals to fight crime and enjoy steamy sex. Mark is like a “Greek statue come to life,” and he isn’t above using his shadow powers to spy on Eliza. “Wouldn’t you like to touch me?” she asks, knowing he’s somehow watching her undress. Duke is thoroughly villainous in saying, “War will never be over.” A tentacled monstrosity grants the narrative horror bona fides, and a rooftop tryst fulfills the inevitable Batman homage. The author’s secondary characters shine, including Frasier Robinson, Mark’s Black best friend. In one scene, Eliza shakes his hand and causes an “audible gasp” from White partygoers. But stealing the show is the sustained, high-resolution carnality of the protagonists. Rabbits seem lazy compared to Mark and Eliza, giving this entertaining tale a striking erotic polish.
A torrid, atmospheric fantasy that satisfies on all fronts.Pub Date: Jan. 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73279-002-5
Page Count: 470
Publisher: Arcanic Media LLC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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PERSPECTIVES
by Colleen Hoover ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
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New York Times Bestseller
The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother.
Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. But now they’re co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. (For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.) Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. But even though she’s divorced, Lily isn’t exactly free. Behind Ryle’s veneer of civility are his jealousy and resentment. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Meanwhile, Atlas’ mother returns with shocking news. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself.
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-668-00122-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
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SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
by Lynn Painter ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2024
Not worth the RSVP.
Two people who scorn love fall for each other while teaming up to help others escape doomed relationships.
When Sophie Steinbeck finds out that her fiance, Stuart, is cheating on her before their wedding, she knows calling it off is the right thing to do. But her dad is employed by Stuart’s father, and Sophie is convinced the boss is just cruel enough to fire her dad out of spite. The solution comes in the form of Max Parks, a wedding objector for hire—he shows up at the chapel and publicly accuses Stuart of infidelity. A drunken celebration following Sophie’s non-wedding leads to a connection between her and Max, and when they decide to team up to help other wronged brides and grooms, sparks begin to fly between them. But with Sophie having just gone through a disastrous engagement, and Max still reeling from a heart-shattering breakup, neither one wants a relationship…right? Painter builds a foundation for entertaining rom-com antics, but none of the pieces hold together. Much of the dialogue, especially the banter between Max and Sophie, is more cringey than humorous. The wedding objector plot—by far the most striking aspect of the novel—moves to the background as the book shifts to a flimsy fake-dating scenario, and since neither Max nor Sophie really needs the money, there’s little urgency to their finding new ceremonies to foil. In fact, there’s little tension at all. Even when Max’s ex-girlfriend reappears toward the end of the novel, it does little to add conflict. Readers who enjoy their rom-coms with a lot of spice won’t be disappointed, but it’s not enough to support an otherwise weak entry in the genre.
Not worth the RSVP.Pub Date: March 12, 2024
ISBN: 9780593638019
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
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