Right Beside You

August 26, 2019
Set in Northern Ohio, this soft single-dad romance focuses on taking a chance on love after loss and despite miscommunications. Felicia Hawkins is a successful woman who works hard at her job coordinating workshops and training sessions for executives. She has a deep relationship with her elderly grandmother and her parents, and also has a longtime crush on her friend Richard Grimes, a widowed single father to teen girls who handles IT and administrative tasks at her company. In the years since the death of Richard’s wife, Richard and Felicia have been dancing around each other without any idea that their romantic feelings are mutual. Felicia thinks that she’s lost her chance with Richard—thanks to hearing that he’s been tapped for a transfer and seeing him around town with Regina, an old flame—and Richard believes that Felicia couldn’t ever want him. As Christmas approaches, the magic of the season leads them to search their hearts and reach out to each other at last. There’s no overt focus on religion, but the occasional mentions of faith and overall vibe will be deeply familiar to congregants of black American churches. Poor pacing and a rushed romantic resolution mar this otherwise tender and appealing romance. Agent: Andrew Stuart, Stuart Agency.

October 1, 2019

Felicia Hawkins has her life in order with a successful career and a wealth of family and friends to fill out her independent lifestyle. Yet with the holidays looming, she feels more alone than ever, spending her days pining away for her coworker, a widowed single father. Richard Grimes is endlessly busy chasing around his twin teenage daughters but still finds time to cherish his friendship with Felicia. In a plot full of twists, miscommunications, and misunderstandings, the two eventually face the conundrum: Is taking their relationship a step further work the risk? VERDICT Monroe ("God" series) presents a tender, charming holiday romance that addresses serious issues such as loneliness, single parenting, and being attracted to a coworker. Perfect for fans of heartwarming holiday reads à la Fern Michaels and ReShonda Tate Billingsley.--Jacqueline Rammer, Lakeview Community Lib., Random Lake, WI

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2019
Coworkers Felicia Hawkins and Richard Grimes have always considered themselves best friends, but after years of deepening companionship, they secretly both want more. As a widower, Richard must consider his family and children, and Felicia worries about breaking their bond by exposing her heart's truth. Missed chances and misunderstandings occur in the nebulous space between friendship and romance. When new opportunities arise that would take their careers in different directions, they need to weigh the risk of true love and decide if it is too late for their happily-ever-after. Written in a heartfelt rom-com style, Right Beside You is an easy holiday read about finding love that has been there all along. While Monroe focuses on Felicia and Richard's tender skirting of their mutual longing, she balances it nicely with family life and relationships as well as male-female friendships that are central to the characters' emotional development. Readers will be warmed by the uplifting message that life is too short to miss something as wonderful as finding true love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)