Next of Kin

I picked up this book solely based on my love for one of Bonam-Young's previous books (Out On A Limb). With this new book, right off the bat, I was pleasantly surprised by Next of Kin's unique plot - two adult siblings doing all they can to become guardians of their much younger siblings which forces them to share a house to meet the Children's Aid Society's requirements. 

The first part of the book, the will-they-won't-they was fun, and the book had its sweet moments (perhaps a bit too saccharine for me). It has a few fun tropes (grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity) and the inclusion of Deaf characters and ASL! But then it went from 'zero to gooey love professing' with not enough time for me to understand their bond. Perhaps my expectations were high because I absolutely loved the relationship progression (and the humour/banter) in Out on a Limb. 

There's a lot going on in this book (childhood trauma, complicated family dynamics, addiction, abandonment ..) - perhaps a bit too much? But one thing that stood out for me was how Bonam-Young didn't villainize the birth mom for her struggles and the grace that Chloe and her birth mom showed each other was amazing. 

A little underwhelming but still a good read, I enjoyed how Next of Kin addresses important social issues and will give readers lots of topics to discuss.

Final Thoughts:

Loved - the grace shown between Chloe and her birth mother

Liked - the premise and inclusivity of Deaf characters/ASL

Didn't Like - the pacing and Insta-Love

Nope - cutsie dialogue and cringey/creepy pet name for Chloe 

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Hannah Bonam-Young

Genre: Romance, Canadian

Series: 1st in Next series

Type and Source: Trade paperback from public library

Publisher:Del

First Published: February 6, 2024 

Read: Oct 11 - 14, 2024

Book Description from GoodReads: Two bickering strangers trying to foster their younger siblings team up to create a stable home, but the chemistry between them threatens to undo their plans.

When people-pleasing Chloe learns that her birth mother has unexpectedly had another baby, she doesn’t hesitate to become a next-of-kin guardian. But when she fails to pass Child Protective Services’ financial evaluation, she is faced with a see her baby sister placed in foster care or participate in CPS’s new initiative, where two prospective guardians join households to qualify.

Enter Warren, a surly mechanic’s apprentice attempting to get custody of his deaf fifteen-year-old brother. From the moment Warren drives up thirty minutes late, blasting music out of his car, Chloe is convinced that this is a very bad idea. The two immediately clash but eventually agree to live together for the sake of their younger siblings.

As their lives intertwine, and Chloe adjusts to caring for her newborn sister, she begins to see a new, softer side of Warren. In fact, they’re far more similar than she could have imagined. What started as forced begins to feel natural—and far less lonely. Chemistry soon intensifies beyond what either of them can stand, but is their mutual attraction worth risking everything they’ve fought for?