A historical tale that will most appeal to romance fans for who enjoy a slow-burn approach.
In Hatfield’s (Dally, 2017, etc.) World War II–set romance, an injured soldier and a Japanese-American woman headed for an internment camp conspire to save her family farm—and each other.
It’s May 1942, and U.S. Army Capt. Rock Laroux, 28, has been languishing at a Portland, Oregon, veteran’s hospital with a mystery illness after surviving a plane crash. After his doctor tells him that he doesn’t have long to live, Rock wants nothing more than to go back to the nearby farm that his late parents left him. He almost makes it there before he collapses, unconscious, at the back door of a neighboring farmhouse belonging to the Nishimuras; there, he’s discovered by their 20-something daughter, Kamiko Jane (nicknamed “Miko”). However, she’s due to report to at an assembly center for evacuation to an internment camp, and her family members have already left. But instead, she decides to nurse Rock back to health, which makes her a fugitive; she also worries about leaving the unoccupied farm behind. Rock is grateful for her help in his recovery and, due in part to his growing romantic feelings, he arranges to buy the Nishimura farm temporarily; a family friend also recommends that Miko and Rock marry, in order to keep her from having to go to the camp. Miko, who adores Rock, convinces herself that despite anything he says, he’s just doing her a favor and will want an annulment when her family comes home. As a result, the marriage goes unconsummated. Rock gets another chance to prove himself when a villainous traveling salesman arrives at the farm. Hatfield is a prolific writer of romances, among other works, and she effectively keeps things moving while also rooting her story in engaging historical and cultural details. Her addition of a slang-dishing neighbor kid as a character also provides some occasional comic relief. However, by making Miko’s neighbors unfailingly supportive, the book sugarcoats the reality of how many Japanese-Americans were actually treated in this era. Also, Miko’s conflict—her belief that Rock won’t want to stay married, despite him saying such things as, “I’m not pretending” and “I couldn’t be more pleased or happy to marry you”—is one-note and contrived; Rock rightly calls it a “ridiculous farce.”
A historical tale that will most appeal to romance fans for who enjoy a slow-burn approach.Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9980988-1-4
Page Count: 318
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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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