A sweet, surprisingly emotional romance you won’t be able to put down.
When two exes fake a new relationship, it turns into a second chance for both of them.
Denzel Carter is used to being underestimated by his family. He knows what they see in him—someone who’s commitment-phobic—and the truth is that their criticisms aren’t entirely unfounded. But when his father, the chief executive of their family’s successful event-planning company, announces his retirement, Denz adds his name to the group of people interested in taking over. He can try to convince his family he’s serious about winning the position, but his dating history isn’t a good recommendation for his ability to make a commitment—which is why he makes up a fake boyfriend on the spot. Finding someone to play the part is easier said than done, though, especially after Denz’s first choice bails on him. With nowhere else to turn, Denz reaches out to the last person he wants to fake date: a man with whom he was once in a very real relationship. Braylon Adams isn’t just any ex; he’s the man who moved away from Atlanta and left Denz picking up the pieces of his own heart. Now he’s back in town, and he and Denz just ran into each other in a coffee shop. For Braylon, pretending to pair up with Denz again isn’t completely selfless, but he figures that since they both have ulterior motives, it should be easy to keep this fake-dating situation all business, right? Wrong. As the two men play-act at public displays of affection and send each other increasingly flirty texts, Denz begins to forget how easy it was for Braylon to break his heart the first time, and how it could happen again if he’s not careful. YA writer Winters’ adult debut is a deeply romantic story wrapped up in a conceit that speaks to the complicated history between its characters, with rich flashbacks sprinkled throughout. While we’re privy only to Denz’s inner thoughts, not Braylon’s, his journey toward rediscovering long-buried feelings is fun, messy, and tender.
A sweet, surprisingly emotional romance you won’t be able to put down.Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781250326249
Page Count: 336
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
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
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.
Best friends confront feelings for each other when they take a honeymoon trip together.
Francesca Gardiner and George Saint James have always been best friends—just like Jo and Laurie from Little Women, which they both love. Frankie has a big, complicated family and George was the boy next door who’d moved in with his eccentric grandmother. Their friendship survived childhood, awkward teenage years, and living together as young adults without ever venturing into the romantic—well, except for one kiss, but they don’t talk about that. When Frankie gets engaged to an older professor named Nate, George isn’t happy and a huge fight ensues. Despite his misgivings, George shows up to be her best man, but Nate leaves Frankie right before the wedding with only a cryptic letter. Devastated, Frankie goes to a friend’s house to recuperate, but her honeymoon is already planned and paid for—so she decides to travel to Tofino, a picturesque town on the coast of Vancouver Island, with George taking Nate’s place. Frankie wants to fix her friendship with George, but now that they’re in a romantic suite in a beautiful location, things are more complicated than ever. She’d always thought a relationship would be a bad idea, but she’s slowly beginning to realize they’ll never be able to go back to being kids. Maybe the only way forward involves forging a new kind of relationship. Fortune, the author of romances like This Summer Will Be Different (2024), returns with another love story full of longing and intense angst. The many allusions to Little Women are charming, and Frankie is a delightfully headstrong, feisty character. She and George have explosive chemistry, and Fortune manages to make the “will-they-or-won’t-they” nature of their relationship feel like life-or-death stakes.
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9780593953242
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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