Highly recommended.
When a duke’s forgotten ward embroils herself in a scandal, the duke decides to deal with her himself. That’s easier said than done.
Alec Stuart is a “proud Scotsman and unwilling twenty-first Duke of Warnick,” having inherited the title unexpectedly after a long series of dukes died without issue. He prefers to avoid the aristocracy, staying in Scotland to tend his whiskey distillery and his lands, which is how it escapes his notice that he has inherited a spirited young ward along with the title. Alec doesn’t even know Miss Lillian Hargrove exists until his solicitor informs him that Miss Hargrove has gotten herself thoroughly ruined. When Alec arrives in London, the situation is worse than he thought. Out of sheer loneliness, Lily let herself be taken in by a conceited artist, who's promised to unveil a nude portrait of her in 10 days’ time. The ton is all agog, and Alec must call on friends to help him find an emergency husband for Lily before the painting is unveiled. He doesn’t think anyone is good enough for the beautiful Lily, not even himself. MacLean’s (The Rogue Not Taken, 2015, etc.) signature humor and ingenuity are in evidence throughout this novel, the second in her Scandal and Scoundrel series—such as the 17 dukes who die within a fortnight, causing Alec to inherit the title. She writes love scenes and romantic dialogue with audacity, which sometimes leads her to overwrite a bit, as when she paints Lily’s erstwhile lover as a ridiculously arrogant popinjay who is somehow a talented painter, a gifted actor, and the owner of a theater company—all while partying every night with the English nobility. Even with a few outrageous characters and a far-fetched plot, this novel is so enjoyable that the author can be forgiven for overdoing it here and there.
Highly recommended.Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-237942-9
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an...
True love flares between two people, but they find that circumstances always impede it.
On a winter day in London, Laurie spots Jack from her bus home and he sparks a feeling in her so deep that she spends the next year searching for him. Her roommate and best friend, Sarah, is the perfect wing-woman but ultimately—and unknowingly—ends the search by finding Jack and falling for him herself. Laurie’s hasty decision not to tell Sarah is the second painful missed opportunity (after not getting off the bus), but Sarah’s happiness is so important to Laurie that she dedicates ample energy into retraining her heart not to love Jack. Laurie is misguided, but her effort and loyalty spring from a true heart, and she considers her project mostly successful. Perhaps she would have total success, but the fact of the matter is that Jack feels the same deep connection to Laurie. His reasons for not acting on them are less admirable: He likes Sarah and she’s the total package; why would he give that up just because every time he and Laurie have enough time together (and just enough alcohol) they nearly fall into each other’s arms? Laurie finally begins to move on, creating a mostly satisfying life for herself, whereas Jack’s inability to be genuine tortures him and turns him into an ever bigger jerk. Patriarchy—it hurts men, too! There’s no question where the book is going, but the pacing is just right, the tone warm, and the characters sympathetic, even when making dumb decisions.
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an emotional, satisfying read.Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57468-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
With frank language and patient plotting, this gangly teen crush grows into a confident adult love affair.
Eleven years ago, he broke her heart. But he doesn’t know why she never forgave him.
Toggling between past and present, two love stories unfold simultaneously. In the first, Macy Sorensen meets and falls in love with the boy next door, Elliot Petropoulos, in the closet of her dad’s vacation home, where they hide out to discuss their favorite books. In the second, Macy is working as a doctor and engaged to a single father, and she hasn’t spoken to Elliot since their breakup. But a chance encounter forces her to confront the truth: what happened to make Macy stop speaking to Elliot? Ultimately, they’re separated not by time or physical remoteness but by emotional distance—Elliot and Macy always kept their relationship casual because they went to different schools. And as a teen, Macy has more to worry about than which girl Elliot is taking to the prom. After losing her mother at a young age, Macy is navigating her teenage years without a female role model, relying on the time-stamped notes her mother left in her father’s care for guidance. In the present day, Macy’s father is dead as well. She throws herself into her work and rarely comes up for air, not even to plan her upcoming wedding. Since Macy is still living with her fiance while grappling with her feelings for Elliot, the flashbacks offer steamy moments, tender revelations, and sweetly awkward confessions while Macy makes peace with her past and decides her future.
With frank language and patient plotting, this gangly teen crush grows into a confident adult love affair.Pub Date: April 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5011-2801-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
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