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LOVE SPELLS TROUBLE

A sweet if somewhat uneven summer romance.

Cayden Maya Jackson is a young witch in Houston, Texas, who’s caught between worlds.

Seventeen-year-old Cayden, who dreams of attending Howard University, helps out at Cayden’s Confections, her father’s bakery, and Lucky Paws, the animal rescue attached to her mother’s veterinary clinic. In a world where witches have lived in the open since 1919, Cayden’s mixed family—she has a witch mom and nonmagical dad—lives outside the exclusionary Coven House system her mother grew up in. Her maternal grandparents, members of the Dallas Coven, still believe in the “separate-from-and-better-than-you model.” After Cayden learns that gentrification has led to rent increases at her parents’ businesses, causing them serious money troubles, she decides to work more hours to help them save on staffing costs. She meets wealthy Khy Carter, a cute boy who’s adopting a dog from Lucky Paws, and after they spend a fun day together, Khy’s status as Coven royalty puts Cayden in the spotlight. Fake dating—because on principle she won’t really date someone as bougie as him—will bring much-needed customers to Cayden’s Confections and help Khy’s reputation following a very public breakup. But real feelings grow, and their different worlds start closing in on them. This well-paced, largely satisfying romance that explores social class features likeable Black characters, but the worldbuilding feels forced and clunky, undermining the attempt to create a whimsical, magical atmosphere.

A sweet if somewhat uneven summer romance. (Romance. 13-18)

Pub Date: July 8, 2025

ISBN: 9781547612963

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025

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FAKE SKATING

A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.

When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.

Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.

A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)

Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025

ISBN: 9781665921268

Page Count: 448

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025

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FALLING LIKE LEAVES

From the Bramble Falls series , Vol. 1

A delightfully autumnal small-town romance buoyed by strong characterization.

Ellis Mitchell has her whole life planned out.

Heading into senior year, Ellis plans to study hard and crush it at the journalism internship her media executive dad got her, paving the way for her acceptance to Columbia University. But then Ellis’ parents announce they’re separating—and that Ellis and her mom will be heading to Bramble Falls to stay with her aunt and cousin. Furious that her careful plans have been upended, Ellis struggles to settle into the small, charming Connecticut town even as everyone around her gears up for the annual Falling Leaves Festival. Ellis runs into Cooper Barnett—her long-ago summer friend from visits to Aunt Naomi and cousin Sloane—who’s grown up to be very handsome. But Cooper isn’t pleased to see Ellis; he’s cold and curt, and she has no idea why. Wilson’s YA debut is chock-full of charm. Readers will swoon at Cooper’s and Ellis’ developing feelings following their frosty reunion and sympathize with Ellis’ difficulties even as Bramble Falls grows on her. She must choose between small-town community ties and big-city ambitions—between what her dad wants for her and what she really wants. Ellis’ relationships with her mom, aunt, and cousin are lovely and aspirational. The depiction of Bramble Falls is evocative, and the book contains enough seasonal delights to satisfy even the most devoted pumpkin spice latte lover. Main characters are cued white.

A delightfully autumnal small-town romance buoyed by strong characterization. (Romance. 13-18)

Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025

ISBN: 9781665975209

Page Count: 352

Publisher: McElderry

Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025

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