More steamy than dreamy. Do yourself a favor and skip to the good parts.
Brooke Casterley is barely holding it together, working two jobs and caring for her aging grandmother. Caleb Blackstone, on the other hand, has everything he could want—money, women, and power. Why does all his success feel so hollow? Could it be that Brooke is what his life is missing?
Brooke works in Boston as an interior design assistant and commutes daily from tiny Blackstone Island, where she lived with her grandmother until her grandmother took a fall and landed temporarily in a therapy facility. She works as a cater waitress in her spare time, as much for the distraction from her tragic past as for the extra money. Caleb's family is enormously wealthy so he's never really wanted for anything that money could buy. He's gorgeous, so he's never needed to pursue women. He's a good businessman, and taking over Blackstone Global Enterprises from his father has kept him busy. But it all feels a little hollow. Until he meets Brooke. He briefly cruises her at Starbucks and then she winds up being a waitress at a charity cocktail event he's attending. When a creepy party patron gets hands-y with her, Brooke breaks his nose and runs away after speaking briefly to Caleb on her way out like a suburban Cinderella. Using all the tools at his disposal, Caleb finds out where she works and sends flowers and then pursues her by hiring her to redecorate his apartment. Brooke's past has convinced her that she's unworthy of romantic love, so it's up to the billionaire playboy to convince her otherwise. Overall, Brooke is an easy heroine to root for. Caleb's romantic stalking, on the other hand, seems more creepy than swoon-inducing. The sex scenes are pretty hot though.
More steamy than dreamy. Do yourself a favor and skip to the good parts.Pub Date: Nov. 15, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5039-3963-9
Page Count: 316
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Review Posted Online: Sept. 6, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2016
Classic Macomber, which will please fans and keep them coming back for more.
Jo Marie Rose continues to harbor struggling guests in her Cedar Cove inn while she works through her own grief.
After learning of her husband’s death in Afghanistan, Jo Marie bought a B&B in Cedar Cove and christened it The Inn at Rose Harbor. Settling into the charming community, becoming a first-class baker, and opening her home and her heart to guests have contributed to her own healing process, and she always feels especially connected to guests who are working through their own issues. She believes that the inn and the town offer sanctuary to anyone who needs it and is gratified when visitors seem buoyed by them. It’s spring in Cedar Cove, and guests to the inn include Annie, a young woman who has recently broken off her flawed engagement, and Mary, who is fighting cancer and wants a last glimpse of Seattle and some important people who live there, including George, the only man she ever loved. As for Jo Marie, she has a few concerns this season, including the ornery handyman she works with and some difficult news regarding the husband she still mourns. Each woman will find strength and refuge in facing painful aspects of their pasts, and romance is in the air for Annie from the least expected direction. Mary faces an uncertain future but is heartened by some long-hoped-for reconciliations. And Jo Marie still finds peace in her home and business, even if her personal life lacks resolution. In the second of Macomber’s Rose Harbor series, readers will find the emotionally impactful storylines and sweet, redemptive character arcs for which the author is famous.
Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-345-52893-3
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
Hoover is one of the freshest voices in new-adult fiction, and her latest resonates with true emotion, unforgettable...
Sydney and Ridge make beautiful music together in a love triangle written by Hoover (Losing Hope, 2013, etc.), with a link to a digital soundtrack by American Idol contestant Griffin Peterson.
Hoover is a master at writing scenes from dual perspectives. While music student Sydney is watching her neighbor Ridge play guitar on his balcony across the courtyard, Ridge is watching Sydney’s boyfriend, Hunter, secretly make out with her best friend on her balcony. The two begin a songwriting partnership that grows into something more once Sydney dumps Hunter and decides to crash with Ridge and his two roommates while she gets back on her feet. She finds out after the fact that Ridge already has a long-distance girlfriend, Maggie—and that he's deaf. Ridge’s deafness doesn’t impede their relationship or their music. In fact, it creates opportunities for sexy nonverbal communication and witty text messages: Ridge tenderly washes off a message he wrote on Sydney’s hand in ink, and when Sydney adds a few too many e’s to the word “squee” in her text, Ridge replies, “If those letters really make up a sound, I am so, so glad I can’t hear it.” While they fight their mutual attraction, their hope that “maybe someday” they can be together playfully comes out in their music. Peterson’s eight original songs flesh out Sydney’s lyrics with a good mix of moody musical styles: “Living a Lie” has the drama of a Coldplay piano ballad, while the chorus of “Maybe Someday” marches to the rhythm of the Lumineers. But Ridge’s lingering feelings for Maggie cause heartache for all three of them. Independent Maggie never complains about Ridge’s friendship with Sydney, and it's hard to even want Ridge to leave Maggie when she reveals her devastating secret. But Ridge can’t hide his feelings for Sydney long—and they face their dilemma with refreshing emotional honesty.
Hoover is one of the freshest voices in new-adult fiction, and her latest resonates with true emotion, unforgettable characters and just the right amount of sexual tension.Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4767-5316-4
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: May 6, 2014
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