An action-packed, emotionally charged paranormal romance with dramatic, satisfying characters and an engaging, fast-paced...
It’s hard enough being the girlfriend of The Prince of Darkness, an emotionally distant vampire who is the inspiration for humanity’s greatest nightmare; but when Vlad Tepesh’s enemies try to get to him by coming after Leila, they may all have some shocking surprises in store.
After settling in Romania with her vampire prince, Leila begins to wonder if she will ever be satisfied with Vlad’s detached nature, despite their explosive sexual chemistry. When she misinterprets an anticipated public event as a prelude to a marriage proposal, he reminds her in no uncertain terms that his heart is not up for possession. Realizing she can never be truly happy in the inadequate relationship, Leila leaves. Returning to the circus community she formerly called home, Leila barely survives a firebomb that kills her best friend. She and her escort, Maximus, who carries a torch for her, decamp, trying to figure out who wants her dead. As they attempt to stay out of reach of her all-powerful ex, the two are abducted by henchmen of an unknown enemy. Leila, who possesses supernatural powers—including the ability to generate deadly electrical currents and read people’s minds—gains their freedom but is unable to bring them to safety. She psychically reaches out to Vlad, who rescues them and takes her back to his Romanian castle, where a number of surprising secrets are waiting for her. Having nearly lost her, Vlad reconsiders his position on love, but the path is not yet smooth for the lovers, nor is it safe. Whoever is out to get them has inside help from someone in Vlad’s closest, most trusted circle. This book is the second in Frost’s Night Prince trilogy, a taut, intriguing paranormal romantic suspense that keeps the pages turning from the very first paragraph. Vlad is an intense, sexy alpha male, and Leila’s a smart, unique heroine who can hold her own in a firefight (literally) while demanding an authentic relationship from a man most people flee from in fear.
An action-packed, emotionally charged paranormal romance with dramatic, satisfying characters and an engaging, fast-paced plot.Pub Date: March 26, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-207610-6
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 29, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2013
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
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
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