A lovingly written modern-day fairy tale with complex characters and a well-earned, satisfying ending.
New York Times–bestselling author James’ (A Christmas Miracle for the Doctor, 2018, etc.) latest is a second-chance romance between a rogue cowboy with an ailing parent and a hardworking small-town girl with artistic dreams.
Ty Donnelly has reluctantly returned to his hometown of Wishing River, Montana, after eight years of competing in rodeos and working as a ranch foreman. His father, Martin, is recovering from a stroke and unable to run the Donnelly ranch on his own—but neither father nor son has forgotten the conflict between them that drove Ty away. Meanwhile, Lainey toils away in the town diner, fulfilling a promise that she made to her late grandmother Tilly to keep the restaurant going. She also brings Martin dinner every night, and she finds her former crush on Ty rekindling. As Ty navigates his fraught relationships with his father and his former friends Dean and Cade, Lainey harbors a secret about a hefty loan that Martin granted her just before his stroke. She and Ty begin a tentative courtship built on attraction and respect, bonding over new ideas to put the ranch in the black once again. Eventually, Lainey confesses her dream to study art in Florence, Italy, which she’s deferred twice. But when she and Ty learn that their priorities may be very different, each must decide whether love really can conquer all. James builds a vibrant world in the fictional Montana town, featuring believable supporting characters, such as Lainey’s naturopath best friend, Hope Martin, and physician Dean, who naturally hate each other—sowing the seeds for a future book, no doubt. There are no wacky misunderstandings here, though; instead, Ty and Lainey must learn to be honest with each other—about everything from premarital sex to family relationships—before the predictable ending. Sick parent Martin seems to appear and disappear at the convenience of the plot, and the secondary conflicts seem overly numerous. That said, the dialogue is sharp, the setting is clear, and the protagonists are compelling throughout.
A lovingly written modern-day fairy tale with complex characters and a well-earned, satisfying ending.Pub Date: March 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-541-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: June 10, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.
A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.
Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ (Wilder, 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an...
True love flares between two people, but they find that circumstances always impede it.
On a winter day in London, Laurie spots Jack from her bus home and he sparks a feeling in her so deep that she spends the next year searching for him. Her roommate and best friend, Sarah, is the perfect wing-woman but ultimately—and unknowingly—ends the search by finding Jack and falling for him herself. Laurie’s hasty decision not to tell Sarah is the second painful missed opportunity (after not getting off the bus), but Sarah’s happiness is so important to Laurie that she dedicates ample energy into retraining her heart not to love Jack. Laurie is misguided, but her effort and loyalty spring from a true heart, and she considers her project mostly successful. Perhaps she would have total success, but the fact of the matter is that Jack feels the same deep connection to Laurie. His reasons for not acting on them are less admirable: He likes Sarah and she’s the total package; why would he give that up just because every time he and Laurie have enough time together (and just enough alcohol) they nearly fall into each other’s arms? Laurie finally begins to move on, creating a mostly satisfying life for herself, whereas Jack’s inability to be genuine tortures him and turns him into an ever bigger jerk. Patriarchy—it hurts men, too! There’s no question where the book is going, but the pacing is just right, the tone warm, and the characters sympathetic, even when making dumb decisions.
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an emotional, satisfying read.Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57468-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
