Not How I Pictured It

This addictive contemporary romance from Lefler (Reasonable Adults) follows Ness Larkin, the former teen star of Ocean Views, an angsty show in the style of The OC. After her manager father absconded with all of her money, Ness fled Hollywood, reinventing herself as a Toronto property owner and manager. When the offer comes to reprise her role on the teen drama, however, Ness surprises the world by accepting. Reuniting with her former costars is both fun (gabbing with sassy friends Coco and Ian) and excruciating (dealing with her bitter former bestie Libby Kim and her first love turned movie star, Hayes Beaumont). When the cast’s boat trip to the filming location is interrupted by a storm, they wind up stranded on a deserted island once owned by a porn kingpin (with the kinky castle to prove it). Drama erupts between the ill-prepared actors as relationship traumas are laid bare—and, eventually, satisfyingly resolved. Lefler’s plotting is pure fun, like a reality show in novel form—especially when it becomes clear that this detour may have been no accident. Romance fans will fall in love with Ness and her insecurities and hate the designated villains (including the last person readers will suspect). This is a pleasure. (May)