Over-the-top antics obstruct an otherwise engaging examination of desire and justice.
A young woman will stop at nothing to get what she wants in Carrasquillo’s twisted tale of love and murder.
Elyse Santiago is a beautiful young woman with a traumatic past. Having killed the man who sexually abused her by feeding him toxic sap from the manchineel plant when she was 12 years old, Elyse now shares her ongoing fascination with all things botanical with her devoted base of Instagram followers. Her best friend, Stella, whose abusive husband died of a heart attack and left her a wealthy widow, throws a house party and introduces her to Ben Deluca, a talent acquisition lawyer who sees showbiz stardom in Elyse’s future. The spark between them is immediate and undeniable, but there’s one thing standing in the way of a future together: Ana, Ben’s cruel wife. Ana’s wealthy father (who may remind readers of predatory movie exec Harvey Weinstein) also happens to be Ben’s boss; he finances the lavish lifestyle to which the unhappy couple have become accustomed. Every time Ben tries to leave their marriage for good, Ana threatens to ruin his life—or the lives of those he cares about. When Elyse decides to take matters into her own hands, she embraces her inner nature: “Nature is brutal, isn’t it? It’s impolite. It takes what it wants, and it doesn’t ask permission. Given the option to shrink or thrive, it will choose to thrive no matter the cost.” At first, everything seems to be going according to plan—Ben is made partner at his law firm, and Elyse wraps up loose ends from her past—until one major hiccup occurs that could derail the new life that Elyse is attempting to set up for herself and Ben.
Heavy-handed symbolism (present from the very first line) drives home the connection between Elyse and her beloved killer plants: “See this beauty? It may seem innocent, but this invasive species is a killer.” Whatever sympathy Elyse garners from her horrific childhood experiences with both sexual and physical abuse quickly evaporates when it becomes clear that her first instinct when faced with any sort of inconvenience is murder. Smooth dialogue and a brisk pace keep the action moving along nicely—there are many twists and turns packed into the narrative. The depictions of spousal physical abuse are quite graphic, and there is a trigger warning included at the beginning of the book. Carrasquillo’s choice to reverse the typical abusive gender dynamics within Ben’s marriage is a clever one that sheds light on an often ignored problem. Unfortunately, Ana tends to come across as more of a cartoon villain than a fully fleshed out person: “You don’t know what it means to have your life ruined yet. I haven’t even gotten started,” she heckles him from the edge of the bed. “You will pray for the piece of shit life you had before you met me.” Ben, meanwhile, bumbles along, trying to do the right thing…until he doesn’t. There is never much of a sense of “true love” between the lawyer and the murderer. Instead, readers are simply left with a sense that Ben better not upset Elyse—or she’s likely to resort to her favorite solution.
Over-the-top antics obstruct an otherwise engaging examination of desire and justice.Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2024
ISBN: 9798350931365
Page Count: 318
Publisher: BookBaby
Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2023
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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