Jilted

Lovers get a second chance at happy- ever-after in this appealing romance set in “back-of-beyond” Hope Junction, Western Australia. Once upon a time, Ellie Hughes left local golden boy Flynn Quartermaine at the altar. Ten years later, she puts her career as a soap-opera star on hold to return home and help out her elderly godmother, Matilda, who’s recovering from a broken ankle. Ellie and Flynn don’t want to stir up old feelings, but the attraction is still there, and they can’t avoid each other forever. With tabloid reporters in hot pursuit, a local woman scheming to replace Ellie in Flynn’s heart, and emotional revelations from Matilda, everything depends on the onetime lovers being brave enough to face their fears—and their feelings for each other. Readers will embrace Johns’s believable characters and charming smalltown setting in this warm-hearted romance. Agent: Helen Breitweiser, Cornerstone Literary Agency. (Oct.)