A haunting romance that gives a whole new meaning to ghosting.
In Catanzarite’s novel, a woman who has lost her fiancé must decide how far she’s willing to go to save both of their souls.
Victoria, who goes by Veka, is a veterinary technician who has always believed in the power of love. When a man named Brady brings his sister’s dog into the clinic where she works, their connection is instant. They exchange numbers, sparking a whirlwind romance. Despite being opposites in many ways, they fall hard for each other, eventually become engaged, and share all the joy and messiness of building a life together. Then, the unthinkable happens: Brady is killed in a tragic incident, leaving Veka devastated. In the midst of her grieving, she’s stunned when Brady appears as a ghost in her dreams. She’s grateful to have him back in some form, but Veka soon learns his return comes with a terrifying catch—he needs her to vouch for him with the “black box,” an all-knowing entity responsible for deciding whether Brady (and possibly Veka as well) deserves to spend eternity in hell. (“They’re a powerful being who holds the line, you might say, between two realms.”) Caught between protecting the man she loves and confronting the mistakes he made in life, Veka is forced into difficult conversations with Brady and his brother, Doug, with whom he had a contentious relationship. As lifelong secrets are revealed, shaking her perception of reality, Veka must learn to trust herself and stand on her own. With engaging, easy-to-read prose, Catanzarite delivers a unique story with surprises at every turn. The pacing is pleasingly brisk, but the plot requires a fair amount of suspension of disbelief. Brady is frequently described as being a bad and dangerous person, but little evidence of this behavior is shown until after his death, which makes the characterization difficult to believe. Still, while the novel doesn’t follow the typical formula for romance, readers who enjoy insta-love, complex characters, and paranormal elements will find much to enjoy here.
A haunting romance that gives a whole new meaning to ghosting.Pub Date: June 16, 2026
ISBN: 9798991276139
Page Count: 302
Publisher: Forster Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 29, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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