Next book

A HOLLY JOLLY DIWALI

A warm, low-stakes story about the power of love and family obligations.

A Seattle woman finds herself on the journey of a lifetime.

Niki Randhawa has always tried to be a good daughter to her immigrant parents. She studied computer science and took a safe job as a data analyst rather than pursuing her passion for music. She’s 29 and living at home to save money, but her parents suspect that she’s stuck in a rut and even offer to play matchmaker in a gambit to push her into dating. After she's laid off due to budget cuts, Niki decides to stop playing it safe. She books a whirlwind trip to Mumbai for her best friend’s wedding and plans to travel afterward to Punjab to visit distant relatives. Even though her parents were both born in India, they were never able to take Niki or her sister there because of financial constraints. Sharp, observational prose highlights Niki’s attempts to reckon with her own stereotypes and internalized prejudices about India. At the wedding festivities, Niki meets London-based musician Sam Mukherji. He’s struggling with the weight of familial expectations and the dissolution of his band. They’re attracted to each other, but Niki knows that, since they live on different continents, a vacation fling is more realistic than a long-term relationship. Their romance is gentle, sweet, and underdeveloped. Lalli focuses on Niki’s journey to find herself, which means learning more about her culture, reevaluating her career, and deciding to please herself instead of her family.

A warm, low-stakes story about the power of love and family obligations.

Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593100-95-0

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Berkley

Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021

Awards & Accolades

Likes

  • Readers Vote
  • 262


Our Verdict

  • Our Verdict
  • GET IT


  • New York Times Bestseller

Next book

IT STARTS WITH US

Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.

Awards & Accolades

Likes

  • Readers Vote
  • 262


Our Verdict

  • Our Verdict
  • GET IT


  • New York Times Bestseller

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

Awards & Accolades

Likes

  • Readers Vote
  • 86


Our Verdict

  • Our Verdict
  • GET IT


  • IndieBound Bestseller

Next book

REMINDERS OF HIM

With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.

Awards & Accolades

Likes

  • Readers Vote
  • 86


Our Verdict

  • Our Verdict
  • GET IT


  • IndieBound Bestseller

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

Close Quickview