A satisfying continuation that offers appealing characters and plenty of risqué action.
A provocative proposition leads to a tantalizing relationship in the third novel of Wild’s (Into the Fire, 2016, etc.) romance series.
Intelligent and accomplished Olivia Bridge is eager to build an independent life in New York City. After leaving her father’s private investment firm, she joined forces with her brothers, Cameron and Darren, to open a chain of fitness centers called Bridge Fitness. Her keen eye for detail helps her in developing the company’s aesthetics, and she works closely with their architect on the design. When she discovers that a design element has been changed at the request of Will Donovan, a real estate developer who’s financing the project, she’s angry and challenges his decision. Intrigued, Will invites her to dinner, where he offers her an unlimited design budget in exchange for a sexual fling. Although shocked by his offer, Olivia finds herself drawn to the dangerously sexy Will. Their resulting affair catches the eye of Will’s roommate, Ian Savo; soon, Olivia becomes the object of their mutual desire. What begins as a passionate frolic turns serious as the characters confront a series of personal and professional crises and realize that their feelings run deeper than they expected. Wild’s sexy, fun sequel successfully balances the characters and storylines introduced in On My Knees (2014) and Into the Fire with an engaging, fast-paced plot that centers on Olivia and the men who grow to love her. The key to the romance’s success is the sizzling chemistry between the three leads; their scenes are erotic and unexpectedly tender, giving their polyamorous relationship a solid layer of emotional depth. Characters from earlier books also figure prominently in this narrative, which should satisfy fans as well as newcomers to the series: Olivia’s brothers, Cameron and Darren, and their wives, Maya and Vanessa, are key supporting players, as is Will’s colleague, Jia Sumner, a successful businesswoman facing a scandal that threatens her career.
A satisfying continuation that offers appealing characters and plenty of risqué action.Pub Date: Nov. 22, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-943893-09-6
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Waterhouse Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an...
True love flares between two people, but they find that circumstances always impede it.
On a winter day in London, Laurie spots Jack from her bus home and he sparks a feeling in her so deep that she spends the next year searching for him. Her roommate and best friend, Sarah, is the perfect wing-woman but ultimately—and unknowingly—ends the search by finding Jack and falling for him herself. Laurie’s hasty decision not to tell Sarah is the second painful missed opportunity (after not getting off the bus), but Sarah’s happiness is so important to Laurie that she dedicates ample energy into retraining her heart not to love Jack. Laurie is misguided, but her effort and loyalty spring from a true heart, and she considers her project mostly successful. Perhaps she would have total success, but the fact of the matter is that Jack feels the same deep connection to Laurie. His reasons for not acting on them are less admirable: He likes Sarah and she’s the total package; why would he give that up just because every time he and Laurie have enough time together (and just enough alcohol) they nearly fall into each other’s arms? Laurie finally begins to move on, creating a mostly satisfying life for herself, whereas Jack’s inability to be genuine tortures him and turns him into an ever bigger jerk. Patriarchy—it hurts men, too! There’s no question where the book is going, but the pacing is just right, the tone warm, and the characters sympathetic, even when making dumb decisions.
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an emotional, satisfying read.Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57468-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
An excellent debut that combines wit, humor, and emotional intensity.
A woman refuses to be with her soul mate, but life intervenes, making her choice harder and more heartbreaking.
Josh meets Kristen with a bang, literally, when she slams on her brakes and he runs into her. There's minimal damage, so she disappears. Minutes later they discover that their best friends are engaged to each other and they were slated to meet that day at the fire station where Brandon and Josh work. Josh is immediately smitten, but Kristen has a boyfriend, Tyler, who’s deployed overseas. Counting down the days until he gets home for good, Kristen adamantly puts Josh in the friend zone, refusing to acknowledge their growing closeness and her spiking attraction. Then Tyler reenlists, effectively breaking up with her. Kristen and Josh sleep together, but she slams the door on his hope for a real relationship, telling him it will never be more than a friends-with-benefits situation. Josh thinks Kristen is mourning the end of her relationship with Tyler, but really, Kristen realizes Josh is her perfect match. Unfortunately she also knows Josh wants children, which would be nearly impossible for them due to her malfunctioning reproductive system. The two reach a painful impasse, but when tragedy strikes, they find themselves reevaluating their relationship. Josh knows he’ll never be happy without Kristen, but he’ll have to think outside the box to convince her to take a chance on them. Jimenez tackles a myriad of issues in her debut and hits each one with depth and sensitivity. Kristen’s take-no-prisoners attitude is smart and sassy and perfectly balanced by Josh’s easygoing resourcefulness, though at times her lack of transparency while jerking him around makes her seem more immature than self-sacrificing.
An excellent debut that combines wit, humor, and emotional intensity.Pub Date: July 9, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5387-1560-4
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
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