A well-developed love story that will make readers eager for a happily-ever-after.
In Saville’s romance novel, a movie star falls for a woman who’s working her way up the corporate ladder.
After giving yet another bad performance while filming a movie, Jake Laurent calls Kat Green, his friend and former pandemic bedmate, in a panic, asking her to come visit him on location in Denmark. Even though the two haven’t spoken in months, and it’s been at least a year since they were in each other’s presence, Kat, a busy executive at New York City–based PathMobile, finds a way to get to Copenhagen. Kat has her eye on the company’s chief operating officer position, which will be open soon, but she’s unfortunately lacking in international experience. A trip to Denmark would not only let her see Jake, but also highlight her skills at her company’s Denmark office. However, almost as soon as Jake arrives at the apartment they’re sharing, Kat finds herself completely distracted by him. To avoid drama from paparazzi following Jake around, and so Kat won’t be seen as unprofessional, the two come up with rules for their time together. The overall idea behind them is simple: “Whenever we can,” Kat says, “we should try to separate” while in public. At the same time, though, their physical attraction is more powerful than ever. In Saville’s contemporary romance, several familiar romance tropes collide to form an offbeat love story that will keep genre fans turning pages. The story starts out with the two main characters already in a relationship of sorts, and the author does a good job of catching readers up on their shared past, adding in vivid memories from their time together and effectively comparing past moments to their present interactions. Both Jake and Kat come off as authentic, and their worries and concerns regarding their work, their passions, and their relationships with others and each other ring true throughout. What makes this novel truly shine, though, is how the two work together to help each other realize their goals, frequently talking through problems to find solutions.
A well-developed love story that will make readers eager for a happily-ever-after.Pub Date: March 11, 2025
ISBN: 9781647428464
Page Count: 280
Publisher: She Writes Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025
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
PERSPECTIVES
A deliciously dramatic look at how one woman’s past influences her future.
A happily engaged woman is pulled back to her hometown—and her first love—when tragedy strikes.
Billie Wright is living her dream, running a thriving fertility clinic in New York City and engaged to a wonderful trauma surgeon named Dean. Her happily-ever-after meant giving up her life in Wisconsin, where she left behind many friends as well as her high school sweetheart, Mick. Although they’d been deeply in love, when Billie’s ambition pulled her away from home and toward the city, Mick couldn’t handle either the distance or her busy schedule. Billie has finally moved on from that heartbreak—but then she receives a phone call from Mick, the first communication between them in years. Her best friend, Erin, died in a car accident, leaving behind an 11-year-old daughter, Phoebe. Now Billie must return home to help sort Erin’s affairs and provide some kind of comfort to Phoebe while grieving the loss of her best friend. Of course, being back home also means being in close contact with Mick. Their feelings for each other may not have ever gone away, and their proximity leads to big decisions for Billie. Can she ever reconcile her current life in Manhattan with her past in Wisconsin? And which one will be her future? Giffin knows how to do drama, and she ratchets up the stakes with every page as she continues to reveal new obstacles for Billie. The ending wraps up quite neatly, but the nostalgia-filled ride is full of twists and turns that will keep readers flipping the pages.
A deliciously dramatic look at how one woman’s past influences her future.Pub Date: July 7, 2026
ISBN: 9780593600320
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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