A steamy and action-packed, albeit flawed, thriller featuring a memorable hero.
This blend of espionage thriller, romance, and erotica chronicles the globe-trotting adventures of a beautiful Mossad agent and contract killer.
As Wladowsky’s debut novel begins, Leda—a “Jewess from Israel” and former Russian agent who is now working as an operative for the Israeli army—embarks on a treacherous mission to rescue her husband, Caleb, from a Russian prison. Caleb has been missing for six years, and Leda believes that the Russians abducted him in retaliation for her betrayal years earlier. Leaving her two sons behind, Leda uses her extensive network of contacts (many of whom are hopelessly in love with her) to gather information on Caleb’s whereabouts. Her travels take her from Venice to Switzerland to the Kamchatka Peninsula, and during her journey, she must remain vigilant of the countless Russian operatives sent to kill her. But her dangerous rescue mission leads her to an unforeseen discovery: love. She falls in love with a Croatian NATO general named Drazen and even has a marriage ceremony with him. Shortly after leaving Drazen, she sees her adoptive father, a billionaire named John Doe, and—inexplicably—begins a wildly hedonistic relationship with the much older man. This series opener’s pacing is brisk; the numerous action sequences are gripping; and the striking protagonist is indelible. But the novel has several flaws. The narrative loses momentum in the book’s second half, as the author focuses too much on personal minutiae (such as Drazen’s obsessively doubting his relationship with Leda) and the overtly sexual nature of the protagonist’s liaison with Doe, which becomes gratuitous in places. Additionally, some readers may find certain sexual scenes verging on repugnant, like Leda’s graphic relationship with her adoptive father. Lastly, the main plot thread—Leda’s attempt to save her husband—is all but forgotten by the story’s end. This will presumably be revisited in the sequel.
A steamy and action-packed, albeit flawed, thriller featuring a memorable hero.Pub Date: Nov. 9, 2021
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A wistfully nostalgic look at endings, beginnings, and loving the people who will always have your back.
Exes pretend they’re still together for the sake of their friends on their annual summer vacation.
Wyn Connor and Harriet Kilpatrick were the perfect couple—until Wyn dumped Harriet for reasons she still doesn’t fully understand. They’ve been part of the same boisterous friend group since college, and they know that their breakup will devastate the others and make things more than a little awkward. So they keep it a secret from their friends and families—in fact, Harriet barely even admits it to herself, focusing instead on her grueling hours as a surgical resident. She’s ready for a vacation at her happy place—the Maine cottage she and her friends visit every summer. But (surprise!) Wyn is there too, and he and Harriet have to share a (very romantic) room and a bed. Telling the truth about their breakup is out of the question, because the cottage is up for sale, and this is the group’s last hurrah. Determined to make sure everyone has the perfect last trip, Harriet and Wyn resolve to fake their relationship for the week. The problem with this plan, of course, is that Harriet still has major feelings for Wyn—feelings that only get stronger as they pretend to be blissfully in love. As always, Henry’s dialogue is sparkling and the banter between characters is snappy and hilarious. Wyn and Harriet’s relationship, shown both in the past and the present, feels achingly real. Their breakup, as well as their complicated relationships with their own families, adds a twinge of melancholy, as do the relatable growing pains of a group of friends whose lives are taking them in different directions.
A wistfully nostalgic look at endings, beginnings, and loving the people who will always have your back.Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9780593441275
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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
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