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THE HELLION'S WALTZ

From the Feminine Pursuits series , Vol. 3

A disarmingly sweet Regency romp.

Instantaneous attraction drives the latest romance from the author of The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows (2020) and The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics (2019).

Sophie Roseingrave and her family are forced to leave London when a dishonest business partner ruins her father’s piano shop and her dreams of becoming a concert pianist. In the mill city of Carrisford, Sophie encounters the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen. It’s immediately clear to Sophie that Maddie Crewe is up to no good, but she ultimately learns that Maddie is up to no good for a good cause. She and her fellow weavers have hatched an elaborate plan to get even with a local merchant who's been cheating them for years. This scheme is pure screwball comedy, and it sets the tone for a lighthearted story in which there are no barriers to love. Waite’s Regency England is placidly multicultural and liberal minded. The Roseingraves befriend a Black father and son. An Indian immigrant and a Jewish merchant seem to be close to an engagement by the end of the novel. Maddie shares a house with a polyamorous mélange. No one is the least bit perturbed by the idea of an affair between women. In fact, Sophie’s parents actively support her relationship with Maddie. Some romance fans may be dissatisfied by the speed and eagerness with which Sophie and Maddie become sexual partners, but others will likely be willing to trade the pleasures of the slow burn for heroines who experience neither confusion nor shame nor hesitancy in their intense mutual desire. This book is a bit lighter than the first two installments in the Feminine Pursuits series, but there are some tender moments that are truly affecting, and Waite’s prose is often quite striking. Consider, for example, this arresting image: “It gave Sophie a queer feeling in the core of her, as though she were trying to remember tomorrow night’s dream.”

A disarmingly sweet Regency romp.

Pub Date: June 15, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-06-293183-2

Page Count: 272

Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021

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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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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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