A moving, triumphant celebration of love.
In Grayhall’s novel, an American woman and an Englishwoman fight to rekindle their relationship when their home countries won’t recognize them as a couple.
It’s 1981, and Lauren, who has an office job at the North London Council, and Jo, an environmental attorney,meet by chance in a Central London pub and form an instant romantic connection. Lauren, who’s English, has never been with a woman before, and Jo,who’s American, is struggling in a relationship with a closeted girlfriend back in the States. After the pair take two whirlwind trips to visit each other in their home countries, Jo becomes intimidated by the obstacles she sees standing in their way and breaks it off, leaving Lauren devastated. More than 20 years later, Lauren, now living in Paris, makes plans with her volatile girlfriend, Delphine, to visit the San Francisco area. They stay with Jo, with whom Lauren has remained in touch, and her girlfriend, Brenda. Despite the years that have passed, Lauren and Jo find that there’s still a spark. After leaving their respective bad relationships, the two women decide to commit to a life together, and Lauren moves to America. However, since the United States still doesn’t legally recognize same-sex couples, the women face numerous obstacles preventing them from immigrating, keeping their jobs, and building a life together. Grayhall presents a poignant, emotionally satisfying story of a couple fighting for a second chance at love despite a legal framework that’s set against them. Some of the characters’ discussions of political issues tend to feel didactic: “I’ve never been straight. That’s why this is so hard. We don’t have the same rights as other citizens of our countries.” However, by the time such conversations get going, Jo and Lauren’s relationship is well developed enough that it isn’t too distracting. The author does an excellent job depicting the political environment of post 9/11 America, always understanding that political strife is best depicted by filtering it through her main characters’ personal lives. Throughout, Jo and Lauren’s compelling story make them easy to root for.
A moving, triumphant celebration of love.Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9781647429126
Page Count: 296
Publisher: She Writes Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 21, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
