Sweet Southern Trouble

An untidy story line and characters who verge on caricature hamper the disappointing fourth Harmony Homecomings contemporary (after Sweet Southern Bad Boy). Short, athletic kindergarten teacher Marabelle Fairchild is tasked with convincing hunky football coach Nick Frasier to persuade his team to offer themselves at a fund-raising auction. Marabelle, who has rebelled against her toxic wealthy parents, needs job security, and Nick needs a “wholesome” female companion to soothe the football-team owner’s concerns. Convoluted logic leads to Nick and Marabelle’s faux engagement, with conflicts including Nick’s troubled romantic past and Marabelle’s conviction that she’s sexually incompetent. Surrounding this are incompletely realized subplots and an unfortunate number of supporting characters who are either unconvincingly quirky or cartoonish. Only Beau “Tinker Bell” Quinton, Nick’s self-appointed matchmaker, really shines. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (May)