TRUST ME

It's not hard to figure out who's the villain in Craft's lightweight debut romance, as there's only one shady character in the sunny San Francisco depicted here. But Craft's full-bodied portrayals of entrepreneur Max Giordano and veterinarian Carly Martin more than compensate for the story's dearth of strong supporting characters. Max meets Carly when his grandfather Henry, whom he has never met, ends up in a coma after "falling down the stairs" in his mansion. If Henry dies, Carly stands to inherit the mansion and a great deal of money to start a foundation for animals. Max suspects Carly of attempted murder and the worst kind of feminine wiles, but as he gets to know her, he senses that her motives are far from malignant. In truth, her goodness stretches the bounds of belief. Not only does Carly put up with Max's constantly renewed suspicions that she tried to kill Henry, but she must also deal with the insecurities he's had since growing up in foster care. A few mildly surprising twists and tender scenes (such as when Max interacts with Carly's boisterous family) beef up this bare-bones plot, but anyone expecting more than a few sparks and a smidgen of suspense may be disappointed. (Nov.)