An uneven rom-com that offers readers a match not made in heaven.
Two warring matchmakers vie to make one another fall in love in this debut romance.
The key to finding the perfect match is written in the stars—at least according to Olivia Huang Christenson, the newly appointed Chief Executive of Love. Her family has shaped their decades-old matchmaking business, Lunar Love, around using the Chinese zodiac to make compatible pairings. Ever since her Pó Po—whose matchmaking success rate sits astronomically high—left the company to her, Liv has made it her mission to carry on the family tradition. Taking on the role of Head Matchmaker is easier said than done, however, especially with realtors knocking on the door of their Chinatown office and the company's income sinking. On top of that, Liv’s own love life is practically nonexistent…that is, until a fateful run-in with a handsome cocktail-bun thief at Lucky Monkey Bakery. Like her, Bennett O'Brien is mixed race with Chinese heritage, and just as Liv begins to imagine a future with him, she discovers that he’s the creator of a new, numbers-based matchmaking app called ZodiaCupid. Not only does Bennett’s app threaten to put Lunar Love out of business, he’s also a Rat—the most incompatible sign to her Horse. When they end up featured on the same podcast, Liv challenges Bennett to a contest: She says Lunar Love can help him find true love faster than ZodiaCupid can find a match for her, with the ultimate prize of social media exposure and guaranteed new clients. Can Liv put aside her beliefs about incompatibility and algorithms in time to realize that opposites do, in fact, attract? Jessen’s debut excels at explaining the history of the Chinese zodiac and throwing in fun matchmaking tidbits (did you know Rembrandt was born during the Year of the Horse?), but, unfortunately, the romance falls flat. Liv is often unkind and paranoid toward Bennett, and the sweet, cozy moments of their courtship are overshadowed by her constant scheming to sabotage his company.
An uneven rom-com that offers readers a match not made in heaven.Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-538-71025-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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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