A fun bit of escapism with four equally sweet romances.
Four couples find love during the holidays in this romance novella collection.
In Lucky Fall, 22-year-old Michigander Sarah Faulk, a restaurant manager who has spent most of her life raising her now-adult siblings after her parents’ deaths, receives a surprise gift from her best friend, Cristine: tickets to see her favorite band in Dublin. This is the city where Sarah’s parents met and fell in love. As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, Sarah retraces her parents’ romance and falls in love herself, both with Dublin and with the band’s PR manager, Bash. The Fourth of July is the central holiday of Pawsitively Perfect, as a chance encounter between veterinarian Leigh and military veteran James (involving her large dog, Pogo, and a bowl of badly made potato salad) leads to a friends-to-lovers relationship as the two team up to plan a canine-friendly outdoor fundraiser. Can Leigh shake off the residual hurt from her cheating ex-boyfriend? Next, Leigh’s colorful office manager, Rosalie, gets her own story in All Thanks to You when she meets handsome cat person Jonah Keene at an animal shelter Halloween party. He turns out to be her troubled teenage sister’s English teacher—and he causes her to question her own fear of commitment, set in place by perpetually warring parents. In the final novella, Beaver Creek Resort, single mother Claire Donahue reluctantly goes on a pre-Christmas trip with her young daughter, Tessa, and sister, Sydney, and forges an unexpected, strong connection with ski instructor Blake. Johnson tells each tale from the leading woman’s point of view (all except Lucky Fall employ the first person). The four female protagonists are fully formed before meeting their heroes, with a diverse range of experiences featuring the common threads of fulfilling jobs and rich relationships with friends and family. Each story has appropriately festive touches, from Guinness in Irish pubs to cute Halloween costumes and romantic Christmas surprises. Though one particular detail is confusing (two tales contain characters named Jonah who seem to be different people), the collection is a fast, enjoyable read.
A fun bit of escapism with four equally sweet romances.Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73595-569-8
Page Count: 204
Publisher: Lore and Lyre
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A touching story of love and grief ends in an epic battle of good versus evil.
Roberts’ latest may move you to tears, or joy, or dread, or all three.
Every summer, John and Cora Fox visit Cora’s mother, Lucy Lannigan, in Redbud Hollow, Kentucky, leaving their children, 12-year-old Thea and 10-year-old Rem, for a two-week taste of heaven. The children love Grammie Lucy far more than John’s snooty family, which looks down on Cora. Lucy, a healer with deep Appalachian roots, loves animals, cooks the best meals, plays musical instruments, and makes soap and candles for her thriving business. Thea—who’s inherited the psychic abilities passed down through the women of Lucy’s family—has vivid magical dreams, one of which becomes a living nightmare when a psychopath robs and murders John and Cora as Thea watches helplessly. Thea’s description of the killer and her ability to see him in real time help the skeptical police catch Ray Riggs, who goes to prison for life. Although Thea and Rem go on to have a wonderful childhood with Grammie, Thea constantly wages a mental battle with Riggs, who tries to use his own psychic abilities to get into her mind. Over the years, Thea uses her imagination to become a game designer while the more business-minded Rem helps manage her career. Thea eventually builds a house near Lucy, where a newly arrived neighbor is her teen crush, singer-songwriter Tyler Brennan. Tyler has his own issues and is protective of his young son but slowly builds a loving relationship with Thea, whose silence about her abilities leads to a devastating misunderstanding. At first Thea tries to keep Riggs locked out of her mind. As her powers grow, she torments him. Finally, she realizes that she must win this battle and destroy him if she’s ever to have peace.
A touching story of love and grief ends in an epic battle of good versus evil.Pub Date: May 21, 2024
ISBN: 9781250289698
Page Count: 432
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024
This captivating, deeply emotional, and incredibly sexy romance is a balm for the soul.
A blossoming romance infringes on a successful businesswoman's professional aspirations, making her reevaluate her priorities.
At an exclusive party, talent manager Hendrix Barry has an instant connection with billionaire tech mogul Maverick Bell. When he learns that she’s navigating her mother’s Alzheimer's diagnosis, he relates to what she’s going through, having had similar experiences with his grandfather. Maverick makes Hendrix feel seen and understood like no one else, but he’s the recent ex-boyfriend of a woman Hendrix is going into business with as she works toward her goal of executive producing a television show. She tries to set boundaries that would keep him as a friend despite their obvious mutual attraction, but when he expresses interest in her venture capital fund focusing on Black women–led businesses, it leads to spending more time together, and the lines of friendship, business, and pleasure become tangled and blurred. Ryan excels at crafting thoughtful, mature characters who have to manage complicated situations with care and grace. Maverick’s dogged pursuit of Hendrix and the delicious ways he woos her using his wealth and persistence frame him as a determined, headstrong hero. Paired with a weaker heroine, he could have been overbearing, but Hendrix is his perfect match, equally as strong-willed and tenacious. They bring out each other’s softer, more vulnerable sides as well, and both have compassionate hearts. The spicy romance is the core of this satisfying story, but the novel doesn’t shy away from—and is made richer for the inclusion of—hardships like caring for an aging parent and confronting racism in the world of business. The tale also highlights the importance of community and the value of supportive, platonic love through the wonderful cast of side characters.
This captivating, deeply emotional, and incredibly sexy romance is a balm for the soul.Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781538706855
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
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