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. 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. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral.

Hoover’s ( November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.Īt 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. No bones about it, readers of this charmer are in for a real treat. Bestselling novelist Rosoff ( Picture Me Gone, 2015, etc.) unleashes a lighthearted tale that explores the angst of new adulthood, digging up delightful insights about life, love, and the unconditional friendship (and genius) of dogs. The owner of the neighborhood French bakery meets Jonathan with similar kindness, the likes of which he does not often find at home, as Julie is far more interested in her celadon wedding dress and earth-inspired hors d’oeuvres. When Jonathan believes one of his dogs may be suffering general malaise, he brings his four-legged friend to the local vet, who patiently tolerates his neurosis. No wonder Jonathan’s dogs are questioning the meaning of it all. His major client, an office supply company, is sucking his soul dry by killing his most creative ideas and demanding marketing concepts more along the lines of “Giant sale on pens!” And Jonathan’s girlfriend, Julie, is a vapid, though benign, holdover from college who suggests that the couple get married for a live-stream edition of the wedding magazine she works for. Jonathan could be evicted from his shady sublet with just a day’s notice.

But all is not what it appears at first glance. He’s got a cozy apartment in the desirable East Village, a beautiful, successful girlfriend, and a copywriting job at an ad agency. To anyone looking at Jonathan’s new life, it would seem to be off to a great start. A generally agreeable fellow, he takes in his brother’s two dogs for a few months while he's away on business. Or maybe it’s just him.įresh out of college, Jonathan Trefoil does what a lot of adventurous young people do-he moves to New York City. Jonathan’s dogs are having an existential crisis.

Jonathan unleashed by meg rosoff