An energetic romance that would make Nora Ephron proud.
Cyrano de Bergerac meets classic rom-com banter in this contemporary romp about the highs and lows of modern dating.
Miles Ibrahim is possibly at the lowest point in his life: His engagement is over, his ex-fiancee announced a surprise pregnancy, he’s forced to crash on a friend’s couch, and his freelancing gig of playing ghostwriter for online dating profiles is in jeopardy. To add insult to injury, Miles now has competition for the free day-old biscotti and large window seat at one of his favorite cafes in New York. Miles’ cafe interloper is Zoey Abot, recent transplant from California. Though both Miles and Zoey get off on the wrong foot, they have way more in common than they realize. They’re affected by the loss of trust from loved ones. They are firmly in the camp of “starving artist” as they scrounge and scrimp to afford rent and food in the Big Apple. They’re also both secretly wooing one another as dating profile ghostwriters for other people. Both Miles and Zoey are complex and lively characters who sizzle and spark when together, and getting to know their adorable family members is an added, heartwarming bonus. Miles’ parents are a Muslim and Jewish couple, and they adore their son to bits. Meanwhile, Zoey is still dealing with abandonment issues from her parents, who met in the Philippines while doing disaster relief; thankfully, she has a lovely best friend who is also her grandma. At times, the romantic pacing gets bogged down in the details of Miles' and Zoey’s larger social circles, like Zoey’s definitely racist boss, Clifford, and the persnickety boyfriend of Miles’ best friend. For those feeling the lack of romantic comedies on the screen, this book will undoubtedly scratch that itch with its excellent banter, secret personas, and slow-burn attraction between a hero and heroine vying for a table big enough to put down their laptops.
An energetic romance that would make Nora Ephron proud.Pub Date: May 26, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4967-3065-7
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Kensington
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
Two hot people confronting their trauma, making passionate love, and solving violent crimes! ’Nuff said.
A heartbroken man lusts after his therapist while seeking revenge on a drug kingpin and his enforcer.
Mitch Haskell’s wife, Angela, died two years ago of an apparent suicide, but Mitch has always believed the scene was staged. Certainly, she would never have willingly left their young son, Andrew, behind. Consumed with a thirst for vengeance, Mitch—a former Marine and undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration and currently a police detective—is struggling with alcohol dependency and uncontrolled rage. Andrew is living with his in-laws, who are making not-so-subtle suggestions that they might apply for permanent guardianship if Mitch can’t get it together. So his boss and best friend, John Bowie, mandates that he go into therapy, which puts him in the path of sexy Dr. Dylan Reede. Within a few days, Mitch makes a connection between two new murders and the death of his former partner; finds a big clue that points to the truth about Angela’s death; goes undercover as a homeless man; takes on a vicious drug cartel; and obnoxiously bullies Dylan with a charm offensive that leads them inevitably to bed. While Mitch seems to lean into the stereotype of the ex-soldier/cop with deeply buried trauma who believes that the ends justify the means—at least in law enforcement—Dylan offers the strength and sweetness to help him start breaking down his walls, allowing herself to be vulnerable in turn. Is passionate sex enough to ground a relationship and a family for the long term? For these characters, and the breakneck speed of this thriller, it’s as good a foundation as any.
Two hot people confronting their trauma, making passionate love, and solving violent crimes! ’Nuff said.Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781538743027
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
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
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