Meant to Be Mine

Perry (One More Night with You) captures the vulnerability and love between two deeply wounded characters with edgy, heartwarming storytelling in the first book of her Guilty Pleasures series. Feisty Sofia Mercer is back home in present-day Cape Cod, Mass., the new owner of an erotic boutique. It’s been 14 years since Burke Wolf and Sofia last saw each other, after she ended their convoluted symbiotic teenage relationship. When Sofia has a panic attack in front of Burke, his protective nature takes over, despite her refusing his assistance as she’s no longer the sickly girl he once knew. There’s no denying the sexual attraction between them, but painful memories and personal insecurities block their happiness. There may be too many flashbacks, but the glimpses of the past do make the couple’s newfound relationship more profound and satisfying. The introduction of strong female secondary characters each grappling with their own personal choices adds to the ambience of this story and ensures readers will be anxious for the next book. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (Sept.)