Picture Perfect Autumn

An up-and-coming Manhattan photographer finds inspiration from an aging recluse in this cozy contemporary from Noble (The Tiffany Girls). When 28-year-old Dani Campbell, a rising star of the art world, discovers some profoundly moving photographs at an antique barn, she becomes determined to track down the man who took them, hoping he’ll teach her how to capture the spark she feels is missing from her own work. Her search leads her to Lawrence Sinclair, who blames the dissolution of his family on his long-since abandoned art career and now lives alone in a ramshackle Rhode Island mansion. Dani becomes a temporary boarder in Lawrence’s crumbling home, cleaning and cooking in exchange for his reluctant tutelage. Improving her photography skills isn’t the only advantage to this setup: it also introduces her to Lawrence’s estranged grandson, Peter, a lawyer for the family business whose arrival at Lawrence’s house is complicated by past tensions and Peter’s unhappiness with the career path his mother has picked for him. Dani faces her own career choices, conflicted in her desire to succeed in the New York art world and the sense of belonging she’s found in small-town life. All three protagonists feel emotionally authentic and their search for happiness despite past mistakes rings true. The result is utterly heartwarming. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Sept.)