Greeting-card sentimentality and a jumbled plot undermine Greenwood’s otherwise ambitious novel.
In Greenwood’s debut novel, an American trapped in a loveless marriage travels to Vietnam to meet an intriguing woman he met online.
Jack Kendall is born in 1964, just after the start of the war in Vietnam, and grows up obsessively tracking the trajectory of the conflict and equally obsessed with this mysterious, far-off nation. That fascination never wanes, even into adulthood, and his heart aches whenever he thinks about the nuns and orphans who disappeared during Operation Babylift, a colossal evacuation of children from South Vietnam to the United States. Despite his success as a technology sales professional, he is profoundly unhappy in his marriage to Silvia, a monstrously selfish woman addicted to drugs, alcohol, and intemperate spending sprees. While surveying online dating profiles, he meets Linh Ngo, a 24-year-old woman—he’s 46 at the time—in Vietnam having struggles of her own, both financial and marital. They enjoy a brief online friendship, Jack sends her some money, and they then lose touch; two years later they reconnect, and Jack resolves to visit Vietnam and meet this woman he believes he can fall in love with. Greenwood chronicles Jack’s relationship with Linh Ngo, one that is rhapsodically romantic but doomed from the start. Meanwhile, Jack invests in a water company and contemplates a permanent move to Vietnam. The author intelligently articulates the indelibly destructive imprint the war left on Vietnam, in particular the suspicions the Vietnamese maintain about not only Americans, but foreign involvement in their affairs in general. At one point, Jack is arrested for “unacceptable public behavior,” which essentially means exploiting a Vietnamese woman’s vulnerability.
However, despite the plot’s brevity, the novel still feels unfocused, as it’s splintered into too many incongruent subplots. Jack battles a “slimly underhanded group of lawyers and bankers” with ties to the criminal underworld in China and Japan as well as a child-trafficking ring led by a former military adviser to the North Vietnamese. Next thing you know, he’s desperately trying to find those nuns involved in Operation Babylift. Subplots like these seem gratuitously grafted onto the main storyline—Jack’s love of Linh Ngo, for example. Also, Jack’s infatuation with Vietnam never fully makes sense—he doesn’t seem all that knowledgeable about the nation or its history, nor does he try to learn the language. One can’t help but wonder if his love of Vietnam is closer to a fetish, an exotic counterpoint to his generally dreary life in America. Still, the principal failing of the book is the author’s writing style, which lacks emotional heft despite being clearly designed to pluck the reader’s heartstrings. Jack’s self-musings seem to be written for a teenage readership: “Should I hug her? Kiss her? Shake her hand? I don’t know! I just need to let it happen.” This overcharged earnestness makes it difficult for one to take seriously Jack’s entry into a torrid and illicit international affair. Greeting-card sentimentality and a jumbled plot undermine Greenwood’s otherwise ambitious novel.Pub Date: Nov. 30, 2022
ISBN: 9781638299998
Page Count: 270
Publisher: Austin Macauley
Review Posted Online: Dec. 30, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A breezy, zany, immortal love story.
A vampire with amnesia embarks on a road trip with a witch struggling to control her powers.
Grizelda Watson used to be known for her wild pranks, but, at more than 400 years old, the witch is reinventing herself. Going by just Zelda now, she teaches yoga on the California coast and tries not to use her magic. Vampire Peter Elliott awoke with no idea who he is other than what his ID says, a bag full of cash, a journal, and an urge to visit California. When the pair meet, instant attraction sizzles. Ominous letters arrive for Peter beckoning him to Indiana to complete a job (doing what, he has no clue), and it just so happens to coincide with Zelda’s idea to get out of town for a bit; lately, if she doesn’t use her elemental magic every day, it goes awry, so she decides some experimentation—away from her house and business—is in order. They decide to make pit stops along their trip to the Midwest at the wonderfully random places mentioned in Peter’s journal in hopes of jogging his memory. Silliness abounds on the pair’s journey as they discover truths about themselves and deepen their connection with each other. Zelda’s first-person narration is often hilarious and gives the story loads of charm. Peter’s characterization is less developed both due to his amnesia and because readers only get his perspective in small snippets (mostly flashbacks), but he’s still lovable, particularly in the deliciously spicy scenes that magnify his appeal. Emotions throughout aren’t particularly deep and some plot points are more enjoyable when just taken at face value rather than questioned, but readers who are looking for an easy, funny romance with a paranormal bent will be pleased.
A breezy, zany, immortal love story.Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9780593819913
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.
A recently dumped librarian finds herself fake dating her polar opposite.
When Daphne Vincent’s fiance, Peter, dumps her, she’s shocked—but the worst part is that he’s leaving her for his gorgeous best friend, Petra, the woman he’d always told Daphne not to worry about. Now Daphne has to move out of Peter’s home and restart her life in the small Michigan town where she’d moved to be with him. Salvation comes in the form of Miles Nowak, Petra’s ex—he has a tiny spare room in his apartment, and he understands what it’s like to wallow in heartbreak. Daphne feels lucky to have her dream job as a children’s librarian, but other than that, she feels adrift and friendless in Waning Bay—and then she and Miles get invitations to Peter and Petra’s wedding. In a momentary lapse of judgment, Daphne not only says she’ll attend the wedding, but tells Peter she’s dating Miles. It would be the perfect way to show Peter and Petra that they’ve moved on…if only it were true. In the grand tradition of fake-dating romances, Daphne and Miles pretend to be in love, getting to know each other while having various adventures and misadventures. Daphne quickly learns that although she’d dismissed Miles as a pothead with a lack of direction, he’s actually a good time—and a loyal friend. But Daphne knows she needs to get out of Waning Bay, so this fake relationship can’t lead anywhere…can it? Reliable bestseller Henry has written another surefire hit that manages to be dramatic, sexy, and fun. Miles and Daphne have chemistry that leaps off the page, and their will-they-or-won’t-they energy propels the story to its satisfying conclusion. Daphne is an immensely likable character, one whose past realistically informs her current relationships. The world of Waning Bay is charmingly quirky, and Daphne’s co-workers at the library are endearing. As always, Henry’s biggest strength is the sharp, often hilarious dialogue that makes the story a joy to read.
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593441282
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
BOOK TO SCREEN
SEEN & HEARD
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