One of These Nights

Castle’s third Harvest Cove contemporary (after Every Little Kiss), set in a fictional New England town, feels a little contrived, but series fans who have been rooting for these two characters to finally hook up will be happy. Park ranger Jason Evans suffers a broken leg while rescuing an abandoned dog. Art gallery owner Zoe Watson decides to show Jason that—despite three years of mutual pseudo-antagonism—she holds no malice against him. But when she shows up on his doorstep, the distraught park ranger asks her to be a shield against his overbearing mother. He figures, wrongly, that if his mother believes Zoe is his girlfriend and will take care of him, then she will cut her visit short. What harm can come from a bit of playacting? Unfortunately, the character development relies heavily on being familiar with these two from previous series installments, so newcomers might feel a bit perplexed. All the same, even first-timers can appreciate Castle’s skill with clever setups and good, clean, romantic fun. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Sept.)