Happy Ending

A slow-burning love story keeps the pages turning in this cute contemporary from Liese (Once Smitten, Twice Shy). Bookseller Thea Meyer and Michelin star chef Alex Bruscato become instant best friends when they discover that their ex-spouses are now in a relationship with each other. After impulsively suggesting to the couple that, they too, have a long romantic history, Thea and Alex quickly realize their compatibility isn’t hard to fake. Thea enjoys the food Alex cooks her and bonds with his six-year-old daughter, Mia, while Alex takes Thea’s book recommendations and falls in love with her dog, Argos. They spend more time together than apart as Thea works up the courage to present her plan to purchase her bookstore and Alex develops a cookbook. When Mia’s mom asks Alex and Thea to join a summer family vacation, it prompts them to consider whether fake dating and friendship could lead to something more. By toggling between the early days of their relationship and that romantic turning point, Liese does an excellent job maintaining tension and building a solid, trusting, and believable connection between the pair. Friends-to-lovers fans won’t want to miss this. Agent: Samantha Fabien, Root Literary. (Apr.)