by Shana Galen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 5, 2014
Bonde, Jane Bonde, has trained from a young age to be the best spy England’s supersecret Barbican group has to offer. On an...
Despite her success as a spy, Jane Bonde is still beholden to strict social mores, so when her spymaster uncle pressures her to marry enigmatic Dominic Griffyn, she's totally conflicted.
Bonde, Jane Bonde, has trained from a young age to be the best spy England’s supersecret Barbican group has to offer. On an intellectual level, she understands her uncle’s desire to see her married, since it’s difficult to navigate society as a single young lady. However, to be ordered to marry a man she’s never met gets Jane’s back up. Then, when she meets the darkly handsome Griffyn, she finds him wildly attractive, which is a wholly unwelcome distraction, since she's trying to vanquish the evil villain Foncé, who's sworn to destroy the Barbican group and bring England to its knees. At first, Griffyn is against marrying her, too, but everything about him is a mystery, and if there’s one thing Jane can’t resist, it’s a puzzle. Of course, the fact that his kisses drive her crazy doesn’t help, and then there’s the way he steps up to every challenge; better than some men trained for years to control the chaos and danger of her field. For his part, unsavory events from Griffyn’s childhood mire him in guilt and feelings of unworthiness, and he has convinced himself he will never marry. But the exquisite and exceptional Jane may be just the woman to treat his psychological wounds, if they can defeat the maniacal Foncé and forge a future together. Galen pens a delightful, entertaining James Bond homage in her newest spy-based Regency romance; from the very first 007-inspired chase scene, we're hooked by the adventure and physical jeopardy, and we keep reading for the emotional risks and high-stakes love story unfolding between Jane and Griffyn. The fun, ebullient spy-driven plot is gratifyingly over-the-top in a Bond-movie way, while the romantic arc remains authentic and affecting.Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4022-9173-9
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014
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by Shana Galen
by Colleen Hoover ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 2, 2016
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...
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Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.
At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
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SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
by Robinne Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 13, 2017
A fascinating, thought-provoking, genre-bending romantic read.
When Solène Marchand takes her 12-year-old daughter to a concert by the hottest boy band on the planet, she doesn't expect to fall in love with one of the singers.
Middle-aged art gallery owner Solène hasn’t dated since her divorce, but when her ex-husband buys their daughter and a group of her friends tickets to Vegas and a backstage concert experience, then backs out at the last minute, she steps in as escort. The five guys in the wildly popular English boy band August Moon appeal to women of all ages, but Hayes, the brains behind the group’s success, flirts with Solène at the concert meet and greet, invites them to a party after the show, then pursues her once she gets back to Los Angeles. He’s only 20 and he’s incredibly famous; his attention is flattering and heady. The two fall into an affair that’s supposed to be light and easy, but before long they can’t ignore their intense emotional attachment. Solène is hesitant to tell her daughter, but when she procrastinates, Isabelle learns about it through an online tabloid, which damages their relationship and leaves Solène open to censure from her ex. Then, once the affair goes viral, she experiences the darker side of Hayes’ fan base. What started out as a jaunty adventure turns into an emotionally fraught journey, and Solène must decide what she’s willing to risk for her happiness and what she won’t risk for her daughter’s. Actress Lee, who appeared in Fifty Shades Darker, debuts with a beautifully written novel that explores sex, love, romance, and fantasy in moving, insightful ways while also examining a woman’s struggle with aging and sexism, with a nod at the tension between celebrity and privacy.
A fascinating, thought-provoking, genre-bending romantic read.Pub Date: June 13, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-12590-3
Page Count: 384
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: April 3, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
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