A cozy and atmospheric Christmas romance.
Seventeen-year-old Emma Sherman returns home from her Manhattan boarding school for the holidays and faces her estranged childhood best friend, Aiden Cooper-Gallo.
Aiden and Emma, inseparable since kindergarten, grew up in the quaint town of Briar Glen, six hours by train from New York City. Emma dreamed of traveling and one day, over their traditional peppermint hot chocolates at local cafe Cup o’ Jo, she excitedly announced her interest in Easton Academy, a prestigious boarding school on the Upper East Side. Aiden didn’t get a chance to tell Emma about his feelings for her before she left in June, without even saying goodbye. In the intervening six months, their contact has been limited to cursory texts—“One-word replies. Thumbs-up emojis”—but now Emma is returning for Christmas with Sam, her new boyfriend from school, who matches her academic drive. Neither boy knows anything about the other, and tensions rise as the three are inevitably thrown together. Being in Brian Glen brings out Sam’s overbearing and snobbish big-city ways, and forces Emma and Aiden to stop avoiding uncomfortable conversations. The chapters move backward and forward in time, allowing readers to understand the teens’ decadelong friendship. The small-town festivities form an enchanting backdrop for the unfolding of love triangle and boy-next-door romance tropes. The story is peppered with charm, humor, a dog with a big personality, and plenty of sweetness (that never crosses over into being saccharine). The leads present white.
A cozy and atmospheric Christmas romance. (Romance. 12-17)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9798225003241
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
A promising premise that’s lacking in spice.
A fall romance with a New England backdrop.
Autumn leaves aren’t the only stunning thing to hit the town of Briar Glen—so has good-looking new boy Jack Harper, and Lucy Kane is enamored with both. Her new crush is the perfect thing to take her mind off the fact that Java Junction, part of a global chain, is opening across the street from Cup o’ Jo, Lucy’s mother’s coffee shop, where they take pride in baking everything from scratch and avoiding artificial ingredients. But there’s more than coincidence in the timing of the arrivals of both Jack and Java Junction: The Harper family moved to Briar Glen specifically to open this franchise location, which will bring competition that threatens Cup o’ Jo. This scenario has the makings of a perfect autumnal adversaries-to-lovers romance, but the writing lacks charm and chemistry. Jack seems to be completely enamored with Lucy, but her character isn’t sufficiently developed to warrant his attention. Lucy’s friends are continually supportive of her but have few distinguishing characteristics, and the story is weakened by confusing timelines and repetitive elements. The resolution relies upon successes that come too easily and do not feel earned. Major characters are cued white.
A promising premise that’s lacking in spice. (Romance. 12-16)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781339030753
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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