Built: Saints of Denver

Crownover begins a new series with the same old, same old. Inked-up reformed bad boy? Check. Uptight love interest? Check. Takes place in Denver, Colo.? Check. Steamy sex? Double check. Of course, fans won’t mind, because Crownover delivers on promises, even if the same promises have been kept, and kept, and kept over the span of several novels. Yes, characters like Zebulon Fuller and Sayer Cole are predictable, but they’re likable. He’s an ex-con construction business owner whose tattoos fascinate self-contained lawyer Sayer. She wants to lick them, but resists—because, well, it’s just not her style. From the moment they meet, Zeb embraces the powerful vibe between them. She feels it too, but rather than succumb, she hires him to renovate her Victorian home. When he needs her lawyering skills, she finally lets down her guard and stuff gets real. Crownover’s fans will find this hits all the expected buttons. Agent: Stacey Donaghy, Donaghy Literary Group. (Jan.)