When Joss Met Matt

Cahill’s sweet contemporary romance debut traces the seven-year friendship-with-benefits between Jocelyn Kiel and Matt Lehrer, from their first meeting in college to the present day. The narrative begins with Joss preparing to confess to Matt that she’s developed romantic feelings for him, then brings readers up to speed on their relationship—and their failed romances with other partners—via episodic flashbacks. The format removes most of the potential tension from the question of what will happen between the pair, but there’s delight in seeing their intimacy develop in ways that readers will recognize, even if the characters themselves are slower to understand. Occasion­ally Joss and Matt come across as painfully judgmental jerks in their dealings with other lovers, particularly those who don’t fit their narrow definition of normal, but mostly they and their relationship are as sweet and light as the “sorbet sex” they enjoy together. Readers looking for a cozy, predictable rendezvous will be contented. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency. (Mar.)