40 Souls to Keep

Drew (Great Restorations) sets her paranormal gay romantic thriller in 2005, when a man awakens without his memory in economically hard-hit southern Florida. All he knows is that the number “40” is tattooed on his arm and he has the power to heal. A kindly grandmother names him Jase and he cures her cancer. In 2012, social worker Lucas Jacobson is asked to transport wise little Macy Pearl to the hospital after her parents’ brutal murder. After a gaunt stranger keeps Macy from being kidnapped, Lucas and Macy join him in seeking refuge. The stranger is Jase, who believes Macy is the 40th and final person he must save to fulfill his mission on Earth. Drew maintains a high level of suspense as the men become lovers and determine who wants Macy and why, interspersing flashbacks to Jase’s seven years as a traveling healer. The only drawback is unsubtle social commentary about the economy, which sometimes distracts from the story. Agent: Saritza Hernandez, L. Perkins Agency. (Nov.)