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SLEEPING WITH THE FRENEMY

A heartwarming contemporary romance that delivers both humor and heat.

After having had an on-again, off-again secret relationship for years, one couple must decide whether they’re ready to commit to each other in public.

Former firefighter Leo Vega was in search of a new purpose long before he sustained an injury that changed everything for him, but the recovery process has caused him to rethink his priorities in both life and love. His secret recurring fling with Sofi Santana, his sister Kamilah’s best friend, has cooled off in recent years, especially in the wake of a long trip she took to Europe. Now that Sofi is back in town for Kamilah’s wedding, her heightened proximity is a strong reminder of all the reasons Leo first fell for her way back when, and it’s clear that their mutual attraction is still going strong. For her part, Sofi is determined to make a fresh start, hardly looking to revisit the past, but when one thing leads to another and she and Leo unexpectedly end up as roommates, their close quarters reintroduce the buried feelings they’ve always had. If that weren’t enough, Leo’s grandfather Papo Vega is back to his old matchmaking tricks, and he and Sofi’s grandmother team up to ensure that yet another of his descendants gets their happy ending. The biggest strength of Caña’s Vega Family Love Stories trilogy has always been the element of community, and readers who have been eagerly waiting for Leo’s turn to shine won’t be disappointed by this conclusion. The couple comes preloaded with years of complicated history, but their story would have benefited from more moments set in the present to give the third-act conflict more emotional weight. With an ensemble this big, the emphasis falls more on the family dynamics rather than the romantic narrative, but the book offers everything longtime fans of the Vega clan could want.

A heartwarming contemporary romance that delivers both humor and heat.

Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2024

ISBN: 9780778305460

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024

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IT STARTS WITH US

Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.

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The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother.

Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. But now they’re co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. (For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.) Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. But even though she’s divorced, Lily isn’t exactly free. Behind Ryle’s veneer of civility are his jealousy and resentment. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Meanwhile, Atlas’ mother returns with shocking news. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself.

Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.

Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-668-00122-6

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022

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IT ENDS WITH US

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...

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Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.

At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016

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