An uneven but intriguing melodrama with a surprising villain.
This first installment of debut author Vonn’s historical Kill Devill series offers a tale of political and financial scheming, violence, murder, romance, and a bit of mysticism.
It’s 1667, and there are evil forces at work on the island of Barbados. The sailing ship Angeline has entered the harbor in Carlisle Bay, Bridgetown. Onboard are brothers Thomas and Richard Dewe, who’ve crossed the Atlantic to help their older sibling, John, run the Tallywhoa Plantation, home of the family’s sugarcane enterprise. Because their ship is two days early, the brothers check in with garrison commander Col. Duncan McKenzie to send word to John that they’ve arrived and need transport. McKenzie sends his most trusted officer, Giles Freeman, to ride out to Tallywhoa. While introducing readers to Giles, a pivotal character in the ensemble cast, Vonn reveals the first of the isle’s many secrets: “On the island only the Colonel’s wife, Elizabeth, knew he was the Colonel’s son.” On his way to the plantation, Giles discovers an enormous wild hog feasting on human remains. The body is that of Esmerelda Conn, the beautiful, pregnant daughter of the owners of another sugar plantation. So begins a twisty murder mystery with danger at every turn. Readers will need to pay close attention to keep track of all the players and their hidden backstories. The society they inhabit is a simmering caldron of European gentry, African slaves, and indentured servants, and it features strong female characters. The narrative does contain graphic, brutal rape scenes, however, which are especially difficult to read, and the descriptions of the island’s reprehensible slavery practices are also deeply disturbing. The prose does offer some light, humorous passages, as well, but it’s too often grammatically careless: “Smiling at her as a gentleman should she did a slight curtsy and headed for the bar.”
An uneven but intriguing melodrama with a surprising villain.Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-73400-571-4
Page Count: 449
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2020
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
A book begging to be read on the beach, with the sun warming the sand and salt in the air: pure escapism.
Three woman who join together to rent a large space along the beach in Los Angeles for their stores—a gift shop, a bakery, and a bookstore—become fast friends as they each experience the highs, and lows, of love.
Bree is a friendly but standoffish bookstore owner who keeps everyone she knows at arm’s length, from guys she meets in bars to her friends. Mikki is a settled-in-her-routines divorced mother of two, happily a mom, gift-shop owner, and co-parent with her ex-husband, Perry. And Ashley is a young, very-much-in-love bakery owner specializing in muffins who devotes herself to giving back to the community through a nonprofit that helps community members develop skills and find jobs. When the women meet drooling over a boardwalk storefront that none of them can afford on her own, a plan is hatched to divide the space in three, and a friendship—and business partnership—is born. An impromptu celebration on the beach at sunset with champagne becomes a weekly touchpoint to their lives as they learn more about each other and themselves. Their friendship blossoms as they help each other, offering support, hard truths, and loving backup. Author Mallery has created a delightful story of friendship between three women that also offers a variety of love stories as they fall in love, make mistakes, and figure out how to be the best—albeit still flawed—versions of themselves. The men are similarly flawed and human. While the story comes down clearly on the side of all-encompassing love, Mallery has struck a careful balance: There is just enough sex to be spicy, just enough swearing to be naughty, and just enough heartbreak to avoid being cloying.
A book begging to be read on the beach, with the sun warming the sand and salt in the air: pure escapism.Pub Date: May 31, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-778-38608-7
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2022
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