A lively but uneven romance.
A male escort finds himself falling in love with a client in this debut novel.
David Henderson is in his 50s, wealthy, and retired from a successful consulting career. And now, thanks to a compliment from a former lover that she’d “pay for sex this good,” he’s a companion for hire on New York’s Upper East Side. David’s duties range from accompanying the rich octogenarian Victoria around town to various glamorous benefits and parties to indulging the BDSM fantasies of slightly unhinged younger women, like Lauren. He enjoys his work, collects his money, and moves on—until Janet Saunders hires him for the evening. She’s smart, independent, and has a penchant for sexy Christian Louboutin high heels, which she keeps on during their lovemaking escapades. Conversation flows as freely as expensive liquor, and the duo’s sexual chemistry is fierce. David is instantly smitten, and the two become close as their paid encounters become more frequent. He even accompanies Janet on a business trip to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, a second “date” with Lauren—who has already praised David’s attributes via Twitter—has deadly results and he finds his future with Janet in serious jeopardy. At 152 pages, Harrison’s book is short and action-packed, and contains an excellent plot twist at the end of Chapter 1. Sadly, the author often skips over captivating topics like how David has maintained his privacy and sense of self as a sex worker, and why exactly he finds Janet so intriguing over all his other clients. Instead, Harrison pens copious sex scenes that are not only repetitive (the author seems unaware that lovemaking styles vary by individual; not every woman expresses ecstasy by screaming), but also use immature terms like “lovely boobs.” Most troubling, Harrison equates a love for kink with a penchant for hard drugs, possessive behavior, and a disrespect for one’s privacy on social media—all featured in the character of Lauren, who from beginning to end seems too cartoonish to be real.
A lively but uneven romance.Pub Date: April 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-64437-272-2
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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