The warmth of steady family ties complements the heat of intense sexual chemistry.
Two lifelong friends learn to see each other in a new light when forced to pursue a common goal.
Once betrothed to Yash Raje, heir apparent of the aristocratic Indian American Raje family, and beloved by his sprawling clan, Naina Kohli has become persona non grata since she and Yash split up, acknowledging that the engagement had been a convenient sham. So when she finds out that the benefactor of her microfinance foundation wants her to work with Vansh Raje, Yash’s youngest sibling, Naina is distraught: Not only does this development make it impossible for her to put some much-needed distance between herself and the Rajes, but it also forces her to hitch her wagon to the pampered prince who has, to her knowledge, never demonstrated a capacity for dedication or commitment. In his mid-20s, Vansh is relentlessly charming; coasting along easily on the strength of his looks and wealth, he has traveled the world working on do-gooder projects. He is extremely earnest about his latest and cares enough about Naina to be frustrated that she often underestimates his sincerity. But when circumstances force them to acknowledge each other’s best qualities and become freshly aware of their own flaws, sparks begin to fly. Naina must now decide if she wants a real relationship with a different Raje brother altogether. The fourth and final installment in Dev’s series of Jane Austen adaptations brims with humor, wit, and pathos. Naina, originally christened Knightlina, is modeled on Emma’s steadfast Mr. Knightley, while Vansh shares Emma’s compassion and tendency to make unfortunate errors in judgment. Dev’s attention to detail—from descriptions of Naina’s Bollywood-inspired attire to her mother’s turns of phrase as she negotiates with English—brings every character to life and inspires instant empathy. While descriptions of the Rajes’ family dynamics are consistently entertaining, their eventual change of heart toward Naina feels somewhat abrupt.
The warmth of steady family ties complements the heat of intense sexual chemistry.Pub Date: May 17, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-305184-3
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A book about revenge that’s more punishing than purposeful.
A woman from a matriarchal society kidnaps a prince from a neighboring kingdom, planning to force him into marriage.
Five hundred years ago, the wife of the abusive king of Amarra prayed to her goddess for mercy; in return, the goddess granted every woman in the country the ability to rule over men. Amarra’s queens have governed with vengeance ever since, creating a fiercely violent matriarchy. Now, 21-year-old Olerra Corasene, a gifted military strategist and powerful general, is competing with her cunning and devious cousin, Glenaerys, to be the next queen. Since Glen is trying to secure the throne by currying favor with the wealthy nobles, Olerra decides on a different tactic, the time-honored Amarran tradition of kidnapping a husband. Her target is a good-looking younger prince from the neighboring country of Brutus, but she accidentally and unknowingly nabs Sanos, the king’s eldest son and heir to the throne. She drags Sanos back to Amarra, where he’s treated with all the contempt for men that is normal in her society: He’s dressed as a sexual plaything, forced to shave his beard and body hair, leashed and restrained for bad behavior. Olerra can’t understand Sanos’ objections to this treatment, and the ensuing power struggle makes up most of the plot. Marketed as romantasy, Levenseller’s first adult novel falls flat as both romance and fantasy. There is little connection or chemistry between Olerra and Sanos, and since both are more caricature than character, neither experiences the kind of growth that creates challenging or interesting romantic relationships. In addition, the worldbuilding is paper thin. Amarra is a world built on reverse misogyny, but the motifs, imagery, and scenes often read more like a brainstormed list (a penis guillotine!) than a fully realized attempt to say something meaningful about women’s rage.
A book about revenge that’s more punishing than purposeful.Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781250379375
Page Count: 368
Publisher: FEIWEL
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Bailey hits it out of the park with her latest spicy romance.
Two ambitious athletes plus one fake-dating arrangement—what could go wrong?
Though it’s only his first season for the Boston Bearcats hockey team, Robbie Corrigan has a well-established reputation as a playboy. He’s got major skills on the ice, and he’s also much more likely to love ’em and leave ’em than he is to build any long, meaningful relationships. Naturally, he’s just met the one woman who seems completely resistant to his charm: Skylar Page, a Boston University softball pitcher. When they meet over a friendly Saturday morning baseball game, Robbie instantly makes a poor impression by bragging to his teammates about his latest conquest within Skylar’s hearing. He thinks she’s gorgeous, though, and when he sets his sights on her, he’s surprised that she doesn’t seem to know it. Despite her initial distaste for Robbie, Skylar grudgingly confesses that she could use his help. If they pretend to date, maybe her current crush—her brother’s best friend—will finally sit up and take notice of her in a romantic way. The timing is less than ideal, since Robbie will have to team up with Skylar in the Page family’s latest wilderness competition, but it turns out that Robbie’s willingness to play fake boyfriend stems from some very real feelings. He wants to prove to her that he’s a changed man, and redeeming himself in her eyes starts with making sure she knows that she can really trust him. The latest addition to Bailey’s Big Shots series is a sexy, feel-good romance brimming over with the author’s trademark humor and dirty talk. While Skylar and Robbie’s dynamic doesn’t quite reach the level of enemies-to-lovers—he’s so head-over-heels for her that there’s no room for any real mean-spiritedness—their playful snark doubles as a welcome dash of foreplay in the lead-up to some seriously steamy scenes. Robbie’s efforts to show Skylar that he’s turned over a new leaf also result in some of the book’s best moments, emphasizing his commitment to becoming the type of man he knows she deserves.
Bailey hits it out of the park with her latest spicy romance.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780063380837
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
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