by Mary Balogh ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 16, 2024
A slow-paced Regency romance that reflects on bodily diversity and inclusivity.
Two people living on the periphery of their families take center stage in each other’s life.
Continuing her Ravenswood series, Balogh puts the focus on Ben Ellis, the widowed, illegitimate older brother of the Earl of Stratton, and Lady Jennifer Arden, the mobility-impaired sister of the earl’s new brother-in-law, the Duke of Wilby. Introduced in the previous novels in the series, the protagonists have already been established as kind, family-oriented people who keep their dissatisfactions buried. Ben wants to provide a loving mother to his young daughter even as he hides his childhood grief over losing his own mother. Conscious of his outsider status, he has also accepted that his marital aspirations must be lower than those of his aristocratic family. When he notices Lady Jennifer Arden struggle to walk with crutches, he intends only to assist her in gaining more independence of movement. Yet their stilted acquaintance morphs into a deeper understanding of each other, and sexual desire starts to disturb the resignation they had both felt about their socially prescribed limitations. Their un-courtship progresses over passages of Lady Jennifer acquiring new mobility aids tailored to her body’s abilities, culminating in a moving dance scene. The incorporation of a differently abled protagonist into the love plot without a savior narrative or magical transformation makes for a welcome departure from the genre’s tradition of pairing romance with normative bodies. On the other hand, the narrative is bogged down by a great deal of detail about numerous minor characters and an uncharacteristically clumsy info dump about Ben’s past. Balogh's power in dramatizing the inner life, with meditations on the complexity of human emotions and connections, compensates for this weakness to some extent.
A slow-paced Regency romance that reflects on bodily diversity and inclusivity.Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2024
ISBN: 9780593638385
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2023
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by Abby Jimenez ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 2, 2024
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.
Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.
Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781538704431
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
by Emily Henry ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 23, 2024
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.
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New York Times Bestseller
A recently dumped librarian finds herself fake dating her polar opposite.
When Daphne Vincent’s fiance, Peter, dumps her, she’s shocked—but the worst part is that he’s leaving her for his gorgeous best friend, Petra, the woman he’d always told Daphne not to worry about. Now Daphne has to move out of Peter’s home and restart her life in the small Michigan town where she’d moved to be with him. Salvation comes in the form of Miles Nowak, Petra’s ex—he has a tiny spare room in his apartment, and he understands what it’s like to wallow in heartbreak. Daphne feels lucky to have her dream job as a children’s librarian, but other than that, she feels adrift and friendless in Waning Bay—and then she and Miles get invitations to Peter and Petra’s wedding. In a momentary lapse of judgment, Daphne not only says she’ll attend the wedding, but tells Peter she’s dating Miles. It would be the perfect way to show Peter and Petra that they’ve moved on…if only it were true. In the grand tradition of fake-dating romances, Daphne and Miles pretend to be in love, getting to know each other while having various adventures and misadventures. Daphne quickly learns that although she’d dismissed Miles as a pothead with a lack of direction, he’s actually a good time—and a loyal friend. But Daphne knows she needs to get out of Waning Bay, so this fake relationship can’t lead anywhere…can it? Reliable bestseller Henry has written another surefire hit that manages to be dramatic, sexy, and fun. Miles and Daphne have chemistry that leaps off the page, and their will-they-or-won’t-they energy propels the story to its satisfying conclusion. Daphne is an immensely likable character, one whose past realistically informs her current relationships. The world of Waning Bay is charmingly quirky, and Daphne’s co-workers at the library are endearing. As always, Henry’s biggest strength is the sharp, often hilarious dialogue that makes the story a joy to read.
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593441282
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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