A historical romance that never quite lives up to its promise.
A strong-willed new governess bowls over a stern naval captain.
Georgina Rowe gets lucky when she’s invited to become a student at Miss Prentice’s School for Girls. As a penniless orphan whose stepfather wants nothing to do with her, receiving quality training as a governess is the best option available to her in Regency England. Unfortunately, her quick temper and strong opinions have kept her from being hired just yet. That changes when Captain Harry Kincaid, suddenly in need of a governess after his sister dumps three children and a dog on his doorstep, is too desperate to ask many questions before hiring her. And that’s for the best because, as he discovers when she arrives at his house, his life of strict discipline and punctuality is the absolute opposite of Georgie’s. But since she needs his reference to launch her career and he needs her help so he can focus on his high-pressure job with the Admiralty, they both do their best to get along. Harry is soon dismayed to find that he can’t stop thinking about Georgie’s fiery red hair and bold personality, as he is horrified to imagine taking advantage of the help. And though Georgie initially thinks Harry is pompous and “nine-tenths dislikable,” after seeing how much he cares for his family, she realizes there’s more to him than she first assumed. The concept of Heath’s new Miss Prentice’s Protegees series is intriguing, but the first book doesn’t live up to the high standard set by her Merriwell Sisters books. Though there are many bright moments, especially with Georgie’s young charges, and Georgie and Harry have good chemistry, the plot is often bogged down by interior monologues. Once the slow burn between the two finally starts smoldering, the story gains some momentum, but not enough to justify an unexpectedly abrupt ending. Fans may still enjoy this one, especially those who like a military hero, and the premise is intriguing enough to look forward to future volumes (presumably) devoted to the adventures of Georgie’s three protégé friends, but it’s not Heath’s strongest.
A historical romance that never quite lives up to its promise.Pub Date: May 28, 2024
ISBN: 9781250896070
Page Count: 384
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.
Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.
Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781538704431
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.
A travel writer has one last shot at reconnecting with the best friend she just might be in love with.
Poppy and Alex couldn't be more different. She loves wearing bright colors while he prefers khakis and a T-shirt. She likes just about everything while he’s a bit more discerning. And yet, their opposites-attract friendship works because they love each other…in a totally platonic way. Probably. Even though they have their own separate lives (Poppy lives in New York City and is a travel writer with a popular Instagram account; Alex is a high school teacher in their tiny Ohio hometown), they still manage to get together each summer for one fabulous vacation. They grow closer every year, but Poppy doesn’t let herself linger on her feelings for Alex—she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship or the way she can be fully herself with him. They continue to date other people, even bringing their serious partners on their summer vacations…but then, after a falling-out, they stop speaking. When Poppy finds herself facing a serious bout of ennui, unhappy with her glamorous job and the life she’s been dreaming of forever, she thinks back to the last time she was truly happy: her last vacation with Alex. And so, though they haven’t spoken in two years, she asks him to take another vacation with her. She’s determined to bridge the gap that’s formed between them and become best friends again, but to do that, she’ll have to be honest with Alex—and herself—about her true feelings. In chapters that jump around in time, Henry shows readers the progression (and dissolution) of Poppy and Alex’s friendship. Their slow-burn love story hits on beloved romance tropes (such as there unexpectedly being only one bed on the reconciliation trip Poppy plans) while still feeling entirely fresh. Henry’s biggest strength is in the sparkling, often laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue, particularly the banter-filled conversations between Poppy and Alex. But there’s depth to the story, too—Poppy’s feeling of dissatisfaction with a life that should be making her happy as well as her unresolved feelings toward the difficult parts of her childhood make her a sympathetic and relatable character. The end result is a story that pays homage to classic romantic comedies while having a point of view all its own.
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.Pub Date: May 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0675-8
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
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