An entrancing, magical, and well-plotted slow-burn romance.
An innkeeper’s daughter swears allegiance to the brooding young man who saved her life.
Bria Angarsold, 17, has grown up at Three Corners Inn under Grimsvold’s twin moons. Her outgoing, talkative, and confident personality is a boon when serving travelers but doesn’t protect her when Surat Confederacy marauders attack, killing her family and hauling blond, light-skinned Bria away in a horse-drawn cart, along with the few other survivors. Titus, whose Corthan name and Dhakaran appearance (broad shoulders, amber eyes, and red-brown hair) signal his mixed heritage, kills their captors. Bria begs him to let her travel with him, becoming his shield maiden while trying to tease out his mission and history. Both fight their slow-burn attraction. The pair inhabit an intricately crafted world in which each person has a “single magical Gift,” or power, which they generally keep secret; using it extracts a toll, risking Gift-starvation. Readers may wish for a map to help them envision the world’s physical layout. In this fantasy-diverse world, the Suratians commonly have “deep brown skin and hair the color of charcoal,” while many Grimsvolders have light blond hair. First-person narrator Bria helps Titus learn to trust, and his worldliness feeds her desire to venture beyond Grimsvold. She gradually develops a broader understanding of cultures including her own. Gentler scenes, like a satisfying makeover for a grand ball, temper the violent confrontations, and the spice level holds at a simmer, not a boil.
An entrancing, magical, and well-plotted slow-burn romance. (Fantasy romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
ISBN: 9780063244207
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart.
A surprise inheritance thrusts a small-town Nebraska teen into Manhattan’s elite society—and the orbit of a boy who’s determined to prove she doesn’t belong.
Julia Lowell’s life changes overnight when the 80-something man they know as Lou leaves his fortune to her family instead of his New York City relatives. Lou, who lived in a fishing cabin, was a regular customer of the Lowells’ small grocery store and became a family friend. To inherit, they must live in his Upper West Side home for at least six months, and Julia and her twin brother must attend Gardenwood Academy, a Gossip Girl–esque private school. Julia struggles to navigate her rude, privileged classmates—like Damion Rutledge. Unbeknownst to her, Lou—whose real name was Remington—was Damion’s beloved great-uncle. When a teacher assigns Damion to be Julia’s math tutor, he seizes the opportunity to search Uncle Remi’s house, which he believes is his by right, for evidence of the Lowells’ deceit. But as suspicion gives way to genuine feelings, Julia and Damion, who are cued white, question their assumptions about one another. Painter delivers her signature blend of banter, slow-burn chemistry, and emotionally grounded characters. Told in the leads’ alternating points of view, the familiar enemies-to-lovers setup is complicated by Damion’s secret and Julia’s past heartbreak. While the story follows a predictable path and resolution, the central relationship feels earned and heartfelt.
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart. (soundtrack) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9798347100217
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
