This sparkling debut marks Lepe as a writer to watch when it comes to modern rom-coms.
A Massachusetts guidance counselor who runs an anonymous Instagram account and a history teacher searching for a fresh start find camaraderie—and more.
School counselor Lucy Galindo has several secrets. The first is that she’s living with anxiety and chronic depression, making frequent visits to an abandoned space behind the gym she calls “the cry closet.” The second is that, under the name @TheMissGuidedCounselor, she runs a successful Instagram account that displays the confidence and self-assurance she lacks in her personal life. Aldrich Fletcher is Harview High School’s new history teacher, and things are not going well; within minutes of his arrival at school, Lucy spills a very hot cup of tea directly on his crotch. More unfortunate things happen whenever Lucy is around, but Fletcher takes comfort in interacting online with @TheMissGuidedCounselor; for some reason, she knows just what it’s like to be in his shoes and always offers the best advice. But virtual and real life soon collide as Fletcher figures out that the anonymous poster is Lucy, who in turn wonders whether she can trust someone with her secrets. Lucy and Fletcher’s slow-burn romance provides an inviting mix of tropes. The portrayal of Lucy’s depression is powerful and intimate, tapping in to the relatable experience of finding a community and a voice online when reality feels out of control. Lepe’s carefully crafted note at the beginning gently warns readers that there will be depictions of mental health issues, microaggressions, and other sensitive content, all of which she handles with nuance and care. Her novel nails the balance between romantic comedy and authentic, tough experiences. The charming cast of characters, another bonus, includes Brodie, the Scottish physical education teacher who deserves a sequel of his own.
This sparkling debut marks Lepe as a writer to watch when it comes to modern rom-coms.Pub Date: March 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781538739341
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
A surprisingly sensual sports romance.
A collegiate diver and swimmer secretly pursue kink together, and risk falling in love along the way.
Scarlett Vandermeer is struggling. Despite a successful recovery from the injury that almost ended her Stanford diving career, she hasn’t been able to get her head together, and it’s affecting her performance. Plus, she’s trying to stay focused on getting into medical school. A relationship would be out of the question. By comparison, Lukas Blomqvist is a swimming idol, a record-breaker who wins medals as easily as breathing, and Scarlett has long been convinced he would never look in her direction—until one fateful night when a mutual friend lets slip that they have something unexpected in common: Scarlett likes to be submissive in the bedroom, while Lukas prefers to take a dominant approach. Now, they both know a big secret about each other, and it’s something neither of them can stop thinking about. It’s Lukas who suggests they have a fling—purely physical, just to take the edge off, so Scarlett can get out of her own head and stop overthinking her dives. Initially, their arrangement is easy to stick to, but the more time they spend together, the more Scarlett starts to realize that what she feels for Lukas is more than physical attraction. Complicating the situation is the fact that Scarlett’s friend Penelope Ross used to go out with Lukas, and the longer Scarlett keeps mum about her true feelings for him, the more difficult it is to keep the situation hidden from another person she really cares about. While Scarlett and Lukas’ relationship does begin as a physical one, their deeper psychological connection takes a little too long to emerge amid all the other storylines, resulting in a somewhat rushed resolution. However, Hazelwood’s latest is proof of the depth and maturity that has emerged in her writing over the years, and it highlights her embrace of sexier, more emotional elements than were present in her original STEMinist rom-coms.
A surprisingly sensual sports romance.Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780593641057
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2025
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
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
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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