A thought-provoking and satisfying romance for readers who love happy endings.
Sparks fly as two friends searching for peace and stability find each other in Coney’s debut romance novel.
Twenty-two-year-old Grace Allen is in her final year as an English major in college when she walks into a tattoo shop in search of adornment for her ribs. Though she chickens out, she does meet Samuel Callaghan, known as Cal, the tattoo parlor owner and a caring, gentle giant who later intervenes when Grace is accosted by a sleazy guy at a party. Cal and Grace become friends, slowly unveiling their past trauma to each other and inserting themselves into each other’s lives. Four years earlier, Grace was assaulted, and she has been trying to rebuild and cope with her anxiety ever since. Cal grew up with an alcoholic mother and is now acting as a father figure for his little sister, Maddie. The author alternates narrative perspectives between Cal and Grace, exploring their emotions as they begin to feel more for each other than just friendship, making the story well paced and exciting. It’s an archetypical friends-to-lovers romance, but the familiarity of the trope does not mean Coney falls into cliche; instead, through misunderstandings and the complexities of human emotions, the story has the reader yearning for happiness for both of the main characters, who help each other to grow and change while gaining greater independence in their lives. In particular, Coney’s depiction of Grace’s growing confidence—gained through teaching ballet and writing her own children’s book for a college class—makes for a compelling journey, reassuring the character (and any reader who has experienced similar trauma) “that the soil [she has] been planted in is fertile enough to make [her] bloom under any circumstances.” This novel may be a romance at heart, but it is as much about moving on from adversity—without pretending it can be forgotten—as it is a love story.
A thought-provoking and satisfying romance for readers who love happy endings.Pub Date: Dec. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9798987758342
Page Count: 480
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Oct. 29, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...
Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.
At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.
Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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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