A complex tale of forbidden passion that’s likely to engage genre fans.
Warren’s erotic romance novel about a college sophomore and a mysterious professor explores themes of identity and agency.
Anne Hill, a scholarship student at Tanglewood University, struggles financially and is convinced by her roommate, Daisy, to go to a local high-end bar in Tanglewood City to make money by flirting with wealthy men. Anne meets a man named Will, who’s captivated by her. He buys her an expensive drink and propositions her for an hour of her time in exchange for money. Despite her initial hesitation, Anne agrees to go with him to his hotel suite for $1,000. Their interaction is intense, with Will displaying a dominant demeanor; they have sex, and Anne’s inexperience surprises Will, who asks her, “Why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?” Later, she finds out that Will Stratford is, in fact, a comparative literature professor at her school. As Anne and Will have further encounters, their relationship becomes more complex; Anne is drawn to Will’s confidence, and he feels conflicted by his feelings for her as he deals with his own personal struggles. The author contrasts Anne’s difficult childhood and financial difficulties with his troubled history involving a mysterious and possibly dangerous group known as the Shakespeare Society. The tension between Anne and Will reaches a peak when they must decide whether their relationship can be more than just transactional. Over the course of the novel, Warren shows notable skill at character development; Anne’s need for financial stability clashes with her growing attachment to a man she barely knows, and he grapples with his need for control. Anne’s growth from an insecure student to a confident, self-assured person is compelling, and the author ably articulates her protagonist’s turmoil through first-person narration, making her relatable and sympathetic. The story occasionally lingers a bit too long on such ruminations, however, which can slow the pace, and the subplot involving the Shakespeare Society, while intriguing, feels somewhat underexplored. Nonetheless, fans of romance and dark academic settings will likely enjoy this steamy story.
A complex tale of forbidden passion that’s likely to engage genre fans.Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9798884343320
Page Count: 364
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother.
Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. But now they’re co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. (For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.) Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. But even though she’s divorced, Lily isn’t exactly free. Behind Ryle’s veneer of civility are his jealousy and resentment. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Meanwhile, Atlas’ mother returns with shocking news. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself.
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-668-00122-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.
After being released from prison, a young woman tries to reconnect with her 5-year-old daughter despite having killed the girl’s father.
Kenna didn’t even know she was pregnant until after she was sent to prison for murdering her boyfriend, Scotty. When her baby girl, Diem, was born, she was forced to give custody to Scotty’s parents. Now that she’s been released, Kenna is intent on getting to know her daughter, but Scotty’s parents won’t give her a chance to tell them what really happened the night their son died. Instead, they file a restraining order preventing Kenna from so much as introducing herself to Diem. Handsome, self-assured Ledger, who was Scotty’s best friend, is another key adult in Diem’s life. He’s helping her grandparents raise her, and he too blames Kenna for Scotty’s death. Even so, there’s something about her that haunts him. Kenna feels the pull, too, and seems to be seeking Ledger out despite his judgmental behavior. As Ledger gets to know Kenna and acknowledges his attraction to her, he begins to wonder if maybe he and Scotty’s parents have judged her unfairly. Even so, Ledger is afraid that if he surrenders to his feelings, Scotty’s parents will kick him out of Diem’s life. As Kenna and Ledger continue to mourn for Scotty, they also grieve the future they cannot have with each other. Told alternatively from Kenna’s and Ledger’s perspectives, the story explores the myriad ways in which snap judgments based on partial information can derail people’s lives. Built on a foundation of death and grief, this story has an undercurrent of sadness. As usual, however, the author has created compelling characters who are magnetic and sympathetic enough to pull readers in. In addition to grief, the novel also deftly explores complex issues such as guilt, self-doubt, redemption, and forgiveness.
With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.Pub Date: Jan. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5420-2560-7
Page Count: 335
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
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