Southern Star

Humphrey and Camillo weave a predictable tale of love in the Bahamas in this skimpy contemporary. Marilee Shaw inherits her father's yacht, the Southern Star, and the crushing debt that goes along with it. Desperate to keep the Star, Marilee agrees to honor one last cruise that her father booked. To do that, she needs a captain, and the only one available is Gary Pritchard, a former lover she refused to marry. Gary agrees to pilot the Southern Star on one condition: Marilee must make the trip with him. Marilee can't deny her attraction to Gary, but she's determined not to get involved with him again. Other problems plague the would-be couple, including some tourists with a secret agenda. Lackluster prose and Marilee's erratic emotions ultimately sink this short tale before it ever sets sail. (Mar.)