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She might not be a household name (yet), but Hannah Bonam-Young is one of the best contemporary romance authors working right now. She writes about complex issues and sticky subjects, softening them through the lens of beloved romance tropes and charming characters, without ever making the reader feel like they’re being manipulated or lectured. I knew it as soon as I read Out On A Limb, which is why I was thrilled to read her earlier book Next Of Kin (originally independently published, now re-released and sent to me for review by HQ Books/Harlequin Australia).
Next Of Kin follows Chloe in her endeavour to foster, then officially adopt, her infant biological sister. Their mother is experiencing severe substance abuse issues, and Chloe can provide a more safe and stable home. Child Protective Services agrees, mostly, except that Chloe’s finances aren’t quite secure as a freelancer – so, under a new program called TeamUp, another foster parent in a similar circumstance moves in with her, teamwork making the dream work and all. And, seeing as this is a romance novel, I’m sure you can guess where Chloe and her new ‘teammate’ Warren end up…
Yes, the Next Of Kin conceit is a bit of a stretch. I don’t know much about the Canadian foster care system, but I feel like two young, single, first-time guardians would have a bit more oversight than the occasional phone check-in with their social workers? Probably someone to tell them that making out in the kitchen and walking around half-naked after showers isn’t a great idea?
The pacing is also a little bit jerky, with the initial hook-up seeming to come a bit out of the blue, but not disastrously so.
Despite these quibbles, and the heavy-ish subject matter, Next Of Kin makes for delightfully easy reading. Kudos to Bonam-Young for working with people with lived experience of foster care and Deafness to ensure that all characters were represented fairly and accurately, while maintaining that romance sparkle.
Read Next Of Kin on audiobook via Libro.fm here. (affiliate link)
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