YA author Sellet’s adult debut (after By the Book) attempts to raise the curtain on the world of over-the-top lifestyle influencers through comedic pratfalls but both the humor and the romance fall flat. Libby Lane, a sometimes waitress and aspiring writer living in Oahu, maintains an online persona named Lillibet, a vapid, rich influencer offering meaningless meditative clichés and silly skin care tips. When Lillibet is approached by semi-famous Hildy Johnson, a young professional from a media dynasty family, with an offer to expand Lillibet’s brand, Libby and friends scramble to make Libby’s life appear to match the one she posts online and keep Hildy from learning the truth. Their scheme is complicated by Libby’s attraction to Hildy’s travel companion, wildlife photographer Jefferson, who’s introduced as Hildy’s boyfriend. Unbeknownst to Libby, however, the relationship between Jefferson and Hildy is a ruse designed to lend Hildy credibility. The result is that everyone is lying to everyone else, leaving readers with no one to root for. Jefferson feels particularly one-dimensional, making it hard to see him as a romantic hero. The slapstick comedy attempts to emulate classic screwball romances, but without an emotional core to keep things grounded, this disappoints. Agent: Bridget Smith, JABberwocky Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

A flirtatious collision between an Olympic athlete and a summer intern ignites Mazarura’s fun and wholesome debut. Overachieving recent college grad Olivia Nkomo lands an internship with the Olympic Organizing Commission at the summer games in Athens, which she hopes she’ll be able to turn into a full-time dream job by the end of the season. Meanwhile, dreamboat British track star Zeke Moyo is determined to metal, but he’s thrown off his practice regimen by his recent, very public breakup with a fellow Olympian, which keeps making headlines. When Olivia and Zeke literally bump into each on the first day of training, an undeniable chemistry forms between them. But in the pressure cooker of the games, with both of their dreams on the line, can they make a relationship work? Olivia and Zeke’s romance is ridiculously cute and their mutual crushing lightens up the stress of whether they’ll achieve their professional goals. Mazarura is a writer to watch. Agent: Allison Hunter and Natalie Edwards, Trellis Literary Management. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

Patel (Isha, Unscripted) makes computer coding sexy in this winning enemies-to-lovers romance. Washington State computer programmer Bhanu is looking forward to a quiet vacation in Hawaii, away from work stress and her office nemesis, Sunny. As it happens, Sunny is also in Hawaii for a friend’s wedding. When Bhanu stumbles upon Sunny and witnesses his toxic ex-girlfriend cruelly berating him, her sense of justice forces her to step in, pretending to be Sunny’s new girlfriend to get the woman to go away. To keep up the ruse, she’ll have to attend all of the wedding festivities at Sunny’s side. Patel builds some serious sexual tension as the duo’s barbed banter turns increasingly flirtatious. With well-meaning yet meddlesome relatives conspiring to push these two together, their fake relationship soon turns very real. The supporting cast of Indian aunties charms, and the saltiness between the protagonists loses none of its oomph when it turns into sweetness. Readers will cheer for these two to find their well-deserved happily ever after. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

Gamez puts a saucy twist on the fake-dating trope in her fun and flirty debut. Librarian Marcela Ortiz, 27, has harbored feelings for her friend Ben since college, when they briefly dated. When Ben announces his engagement to his girlfriend and Marcela’s ex-friend, Alice, Marcela realizes she needs to finally put her feelings to rest. Her solution appears the night of the couple’s engagement party in Theo Young, Ben’s hot NFL player older brother. Marcela prevents disaster when she stops a drunk Theo from confessing his own long-held feelings for Alice and, when the pair leave together, it sparks a rumor they’re dating. Marcela and Theo agree to go along with it, hoping to conceal their real feelings from both bride and groom. Fake dating leads to authentic chemistry and they agree to rebound with each other. As feelings change and grow, however, the lines of their situationship start to blur and the love quadrangle demands to be untangled. Marcela and Theo’s emotional journey to overcome past baggage and messy family dynamics adds depth to this swoony read. Marcela is the sole narrator, leaving Theo feeling a bit less developed by comparison, but he’s still a worthy hero. Readers will enjoy the ride. Agent: Samantha Fabian, Root Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

Ottoni’s fast-paced debut follows a Brazilian game designer who must jump through hoops to land her dream job, including fake dating her attractive roommate. Sol Carvalho is eager to get ahead in her career, even if it means relocating to Denmark. To land a promotion, she must prove to her boss that she’s willing to put down roots in Copenhagen by finding a stable living situation and starting a serious relationship with a Dane. The solution to both problems comes when she matches with burly Erik Storn on a dating app. Erik has a spare room for rent, but he’s been burned before by getting involved with a roommate. Making a pact to let no real feelings develop, the pair agree to fake date. But when they’re in close proximity 24/7, how long can their resolve last? Ottoni has a light and humorous touch with the fake-dating shenanigans, but the romantic development between Sol and Erik feels a bit rushed, making their connection marginally less convincing. Still, this lighthearted contemporary should scratch the itch for die-hard fans of the fake relationship trope. Agent: Ginger Clark, Ginger Clark Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

Putting a tongue-in-cheek twist on the enemies-to-lovers trope, Holton (The Secret Service of Tea and Treason) opens the Love’s Academic series on a gloriously madcap intellectual adventure tinged with a hint of whimsical fantasy. In 1890s England, socially awkward bluestocking Beth Pickering, a young professor of ornithology at Oxford, must cater to the whims of her male colleagues and the university’s wealthy donors. While on an expedition in Spain with Mrs. Hippolyta Quirm, a wealthy birding enthusiast, Beth runs afoul of handsome rogue Devon Lockley, an ornithologist from rival Cambridge University. The quarrelsome pair cross paths again when the International Ornithological Society launches a contest to name the International Birder of the Year—and sparks, and feathers, fly. Faced with scheming publicists, unscrupulous fellow bird lovers, and reality show levels of machination, the pair fly across countries via mechanized parasol to solve the mystery of a rare (and possibly mythological) bird, falling deep in love along the way. The charming supporting cast provides a zany counterpoint to what is ultimately a sweet, wholesome love story. Readers will find it an irresistible confection. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

Kay (Wild Things) offers a compassionate look at the coming-of-age of a late bloomer who isn’t sure she even wants to flower. Recovering from years of debilitating depression, Issy sticks to things that make her feel safe: her quiet seaside town in England, her mother’s flat, and the love of her life—her chinchilla, Abigail. Whenever Issy needs to create something to push away the dark feelings, Abigail is her muse, which explains the hundreds of sketches and sculptures of the critter that fill her apartment. This singular focus catches the eye of a local artist and hometown success story, who offers Issy a year working in London as one of her production assistants. Suddenly thrust into the vibrant, challenging world of the city, Issy realizes how much she doesn’t know—including how to get closer to her stunning actress roommate Robin, how to win over her brusque colleague Aubrey, how to take care of herself and Abigail, and how to make art that matters in the face of it all. The inevitable romance takes a back seat to Issy’s journey of self-discovery, but Kay’s characters are delightfully human, deeply flawed, and trying to do right by each other anyway. The result is an uplifting hug of a story. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

An Arizona woman celebrating a milestone birthday takes her daughter and granddaughter on a memorable vacation in the endearing latest from Matthews (Someone Else’s Bucket List). Bonnie Jenkins approaches her 70th birthday in deep mourning for her third husband, but she’s inspired by her neighbor’s photojournalist grandson, Owen, to mark the occasion by hiking Machu Picchu. Bonnie invites her daughter, Sandy, who is going through a tough divorce, and Sandy’s daughter, Heather, who just broke up with her clingy boyfriend, Shawn, to join her on the climb. Twenty-five-year-old Heather arrives in Peru first, where she meets and falls for a man who calls himself Romeo after she says her name is Juliet. When Sandy and Bonnie, with her husband’s urn in tow, get to Peru, Heather learns that Romeo is actually Owen, whom Bonnie invited to encourage Sandy to have a divorce recovery fling. The already tenuous relationship between the three women frays a little more, especially when Shawn arrives, having been invited by Sandy. Matthews authentically captures the intergenerational dynamics, making it all the sweeter as frank discussions and shared understanding heal some of the rifts between them as they trek on. Readers will have no trouble rooting for the Jenkins women to find their fresh starts. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

Bestseller Bailey brings her signature blend of heat and sweet to her delightful second Big Shots romance (after Fangirl Down). Graduate student Tallulah Aydin is having second thoughts about agreeing to be a live-in nanny for the tween daughter of Boston Bearcats hockey player Burgess Abraham, aka Sir Savage, after seeing some scary YouTube clips of him facing off against opponents on the ice. Tallulah, 11 years Burgess’s junior and traumatized by a past relationship, is trying to hide away from the world and, despite having accepted the job, feels a frisson of fear about living under the same roof as the formidable hockey player. She soon learns, however, that, underneath his intimidating appearance, Burgess is as gentle as a kitten with the people he cares about. Through bonding with him and his daughter, Lissa, she finds the courage to face the world. But when Burgess lashes out after a devastating injury, his outbursts cut Tallulah to the core—and may doom their relationship. Bailey creates flawed but endearing characters that readers will fall head over heels for. Her nimble plotting captivates from the first page, and a strong supporting cast—especially precocious Lissa and Tallulah’s friend Chloe, who seems poised to be the heroine of book three—add dimension to the romance. This is another winner from Bailey. (July)

Reviewed on 05/10/2024 | Details & Permalink

An American in London pairs with a seemingly respectable lady with a licentious secret in the captivating first Belvoir’s Library Regency from Vasti (the Halifax Hellions series). New Orleans native Peter Kent never expected to inherit a British dukedom, but now that he has, he’s determined to use the position to care for his recently discovered young half siblings. Kent faces some hurdles to becoming their guardian, however, due to his foreign status and outspoken views on abolition. Kent turns to his only ally, the esteemed Lady Selina Ravenscroft, to improve his standing in British society and find a suitable wife. Selina quickly realizes that she herself is the best candidate for the marriage of convenience—but she has a secret: she is the purveyor of a clandestine library of pornographic literature to enlighten and titillate her fellow society women. If the truth comes out, it could destroy both her and Kent’s reputations and snuff out their burgeoning mutual attraction. The plot feels fresh and exciting with tension and tenderness stemming from Selina’s dual identity and Kent’s dedication to his tween siblings. As hot as it is heartfelt, this will have historical romance fans hooked. Agent Jessica Alvarez, Bookends Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink