Sweet, but frustrating.
An upbeat Christmas romance from the author of Chef’s Choice (2023) and Chef’s Kiss (2022).
Out of work and out of money, TV writer Eli Ward heads home to Florida for the first time since transitioning. When his mom sends him out to buy more booze for a holiday party, Eli bumps into Nick Wu—his childhood best friend and high-school sweetheart. Nick is divorced, the father of a little girl, and as gorgeous as ever. What begins as an effort to revive their friendship turns into something…a lot more complicated. While the happily-ever-after is a given, these old flames face some challenges as they try to figure out if they have a future together. Surprisingly, Nick’s sudden realization that he’s not straight after all is not any kind of impediment. He accepts it without a struggle, and both his ex-wife and his father are equally at ease with this revelation. There’s no reason why queer romances have to be more realistic than hetero romances, but this aspect of the novel feels especially fantastic juxtaposed with Alexander’s occasional reminders that this story takes place in the “Don’t Say Gay” state. Also, while misunderstandings and miscommunication are genre staples, they feel contrived here, especially since Eli and Nick insist over and over again that they know each other better than anyone else does—despite not having seen each other in more than 20 years. This book’s most grating flaw, though, is the repeated assertion that both Eli and Nick are hilarious. They are not hilarious, and this is doubly problematic given that Eli is a comedy writer and standup comic. The only character who's actually funny is Eli’s friend Margo (who bears a strong resemblance to the divine Bridget Everett of the HBO series Somebody Somewhere). Having said all this, it’s only fair to mention that the sex scenes are pretty hot.
Sweet, but frustrating.Pub Date: Dec. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781668021965
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Emily Bestler/Atria
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2023
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
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.
Best friends confront feelings for each other when they take a honeymoon trip together.
Francesca Gardiner and George Saint James have always been best friends—just like Jo and Laurie from Little Women, which they both love. Frankie has a big, complicated family and George was the boy next door who’d moved in with his eccentric grandmother. Their friendship survived childhood, awkward teenage years, and living together as young adults without ever venturing into the romantic—well, except for one kiss, but they don’t talk about that. When Frankie gets engaged to an older professor named Nate, George isn’t happy and a huge fight ensues. Despite his misgivings, George shows up to be her best man, but Nate leaves Frankie right before the wedding with only a cryptic letter. Devastated, Frankie goes to a friend’s house to recuperate, but her honeymoon is already planned and paid for—so she decides to travel to Tofino, a picturesque town on the coast of Vancouver Island, with George taking Nate’s place. Frankie wants to fix her friendship with George, but now that they’re in a romantic suite in a beautiful location, things are more complicated than ever. She’d always thought a relationship would be a bad idea, but she’s slowly beginning to realize they’ll never be able to go back to being kids. Maybe the only way forward involves forging a new kind of relationship. Fortune, the author of romances like This Summer Will Be Different (2024), returns with another love story full of longing and intense angst. The many allusions to Little Women are charming, and Frankie is a delightfully headstrong, feisty character. She and George have explosive chemistry, and Fortune manages to make the “will-they-or-won’t-they” nature of their relationship feel like life-or-death stakes.
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9780593953242
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2026
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