An unusual and winning read about a little-discussed topic.
A woman comes to her first love with an unusual proposition in this romantic comedy.
Gemma Jacobs is running out of time to make her dream come true. The 32-year-old social media manager for a popular self-help guru always wanted a child of her own. But a cheating husband, a divorce, and a diagnosis of stage 4 endometriosis have significantly impeded the process. Enter Josh Lewenthal, a handsome comic artist whom Gemma’s known her whole life. Not only did Josh grow up in the same small town outside New York City, he also was Gemma’s brother’s best friend—and the one whom she lost her virginity to as a teenager. At Gemma’s family’s annual New Year’s Eve party, she proposes that Josh donate his sperm so she can finally conceive via in vitro fertilization. Though Josh resists at first, he quickly comes around and asks to be involved in the child’s life, as his father and only family member is dying. As Josh and Gemma start spending more time together, the chemistry they had as teens surfaces. At the same time, Gemma’s boss, the handsome and charismatic Ian Fortune, begins pursuing her with full knowledge she’s undergoing IVF. Will Josh stay a donor and co-parent or become something much more? And will Gemma be able to get pregnant? Romance author Ready gives Gemma rich and complex motivations for wanting a baby. The author also creates a vibrant cast of characters, especially the protagonist’s fertility support group, whose members range from a tough-talking attorney and a wealthy socialite to an optimistic hippie, all united in their desire for children. Josh is an ideal contemporary romance hero: devoted to his dad, more of a creative genius than Gemma originally thought, fully supportive of her decision to have a baby with his sperm, and with a body that includes “rock hard abs.” The details of reproductive challenges and medical interventions are explicit and not for the faint of heart but can provide information and comfort to those who are curious or have experienced fertility struggles themselves.
An unusual and winning read about a little-discussed topic.Pub Date: Jan. 25, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-954007-22-2
Page Count: 318
Publisher: W.W. Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.
Best friends confront feelings for each other when they take a honeymoon trip together.
Francesca Gardiner and George Saint James have always been best friends—just like Jo and Laurie from Little Women, which they both love. Frankie has a big, complicated family and George was the boy next door who’d moved in with his eccentric grandmother. Their friendship survived childhood, awkward teenage years, and living together as young adults without ever venturing into the romantic—well, except for one kiss, but they don’t talk about that. When Frankie gets engaged to an older professor named Nate, George isn’t happy and a huge fight ensues. Despite his misgivings, George shows up to be her best man, but Nate leaves Frankie right before the wedding with only a cryptic letter. Devastated, Frankie goes to a friend’s house to recuperate, but her honeymoon is already planned and paid for—so she decides to travel to Tofino, a picturesque town on the coast of Vancouver Island, with George taking Nate’s place. Frankie wants to fix her friendship with George, but now that they’re in a romantic suite in a beautiful location, things are more complicated than ever. She’d always thought a relationship would be a bad idea, but she’s slowly beginning to realize they’ll never be able to go back to being kids. Maybe the only way forward involves forging a new kind of relationship. Fortune, the author of romances like This Summer Will Be Different (2024), returns with another love story full of longing and intense angst. The many allusions to Little Women are charming, and Frankie is a delightfully headstrong, feisty character. She and George have explosive chemistry, and Fortune manages to make the “will-they-or-won’t-they” nature of their relationship feel like life-or-death stakes.
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9780593953242
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2026
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