A quick, easy read that falls short of expectations.
Greco’s (Dreams, 2010) second novel features a young woman in pursuit of answers to a family mystery.
Angelica grows up in the beautiful Swiss Alps but dreams of exotic travel and adventure. Her interest is especially piqued by a family story about a golden tie clip, an heirloom treasured by her grandfather for unknown reasons and passed down through the generations as a good luck charm. Regardless of her family’s concern for her safety, Angelica becomes a travel guide in Greece to temper her craving for excitement. Despite several romantic interests, she marries Mark, a young man from her past who travels to Athens to win her hand in marriage. The young couple travel extensively, start a family and eventually decide to immigrate to the United States. In the spirit of adventure, they take a cross-country road trip before settling in California. Angelica, still curious about the golden tie clip, makes contact with relatives who settled in America, in hopes of reuniting her far-flung family as a means of uncovering the mystery. Greco’s simple story, while ambitious in scope, can often strain the bounds of credulity. There’s very little conflict or suspense in the narrative, as the pieces of Angelica’s life fall into place in a string of happy coincidences. Angelica shows potential to be a strong protagonist and Mark appears to be a smart, determined young man, but the book fails to provide a true exploration of the characters’ motivations and emotions. In the interest of moving the plot along, the narrative skips over what could have been interesting scenes, such as Angelica’s introduction to Mark and their blossoming romance. Similarly, the story of the golden tie clip is introduced in the beginning yet seems to be an afterthought for most of the novel. The book focuses on Angelica’s travels, ignoring the budding mystery surrounding the jewel.
A quick, easy read that falls short of expectations.Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2012
ISBN: 978-1462073528
Page Count: 176
Publisher: iUniverse
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.
A single mom winds up fake dating an incredibly wealthy man in her hometown.
Dolly Brick is back in her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to help her dad and disabled brother manage their house and family business. As a 39-year-old single mother with multiple jobs—which now include working at the Brick Fish House—Dolly is always busy. When her mom left their family years ago, Dolly took over caring for her siblings and father and never really stopped. When she runs into Stewart Whitfield after making a shrimp delivery to his family’s mansion, she doesn’t think they could be more different. She’s had to figure out how to do everything by herself, and he can’t even change a tire. That’s why Stewart’s proposal that she pretend to be his girlfriend feels so unbelievable—but it comes with a hefty check that she desperately needs for home repairs. So she becomes the fake girlfriend of Stewart Whitfield (as in, the Whitfields her town is named after; his real fiancée just dumped him and it’s a bad time for him to be single) and experiences what it’s like to walk into fancy buildings through the front door instead of the service entrance. More than the boats and helicopter and expensive dinners, though, Dolly is impressed by what a kind man Stewart is—and how it feels to let someone else take care of her for a change. Soon, their relationship starts to feel more real than fake. Monaghan creates an impossibly winning story with a charming, lovable heroine. Dolly is capable, hardworking, and will do anything for the people she loves. She and Stewart both possess real flaws, and while their relationship begins with one of the most beloved rom-com tropes, their challenges feel like realistic adult obstacles rather than easily solved miscommunications. It’s also refreshing that, even though Dolly must learn to allow other people to help her, she never views her caretaking responsibilities as burdens. She deeply loves her family, and that love carries through the entire story.
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9780593853979
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
A deliciously dramatic look at how one woman’s past influences her future.
A happily engaged woman is pulled back to her hometown—and her first love—when tragedy strikes.
Billie Wright is living her dream, running a thriving fertility clinic in New York City and engaged to a wonderful trauma surgeon named Dean. Her happily-ever-after meant giving up her life in Wisconsin, where she left behind many friends as well as her high school sweetheart, Mick. Although they’d been deeply in love, when Billie’s ambition pulled her away from home and toward the city, Mick couldn’t handle either the distance or her busy schedule. Billie has finally moved on from that heartbreak—but then she receives a phone call from Mick, the first communication between them in years. Her best friend, Erin, died in a car accident, leaving behind an 11-year-old daughter, Phoebe. Now Billie must return home to help sort Erin’s affairs and provide some kind of comfort to Phoebe while grieving the loss of her best friend. Of course, being back home also means being in close contact with Mick. Their feelings for each other may not have ever gone away, and their proximity leads to big decisions for Billie. Can she ever reconcile her current life in Manhattan with her past in Wisconsin? And which one will be her future? Giffin knows how to do drama, and she ratchets up the stakes with every page as she continues to reveal new obstacles for Billie. The ending wraps up quite neatly, but the nostalgia-filled ride is full of twists and turns that will keep readers flipping the pages.
A deliciously dramatic look at how one woman’s past influences her future.Pub Date: July 7, 2026
ISBN: 9780593600320
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
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