The Forbidden Billionaire

Scott’s clichéd erotic contemporary fails to live up to the promise of No Ordinary Billionaire. Jared Sinclair, a billionaire architect and developer, has somehow managed to convince himself that he caused the deaths of his college girlfriend and best friend, even though he was clearly not at fault. Since then he’s walled himself off from relationships, until Mara Ross wanders into his life and draws his lusty attention. At Jared’s suggestion, and with his capital, the young woman gives up her unprofitable business and opens a specialty foods store. She tries to compartmentalize their growing romance, but Jared is obviously in it for the long haul. In another hackneyed moment, Mara overhears a snippet of conversation and breaks the record for quickly jumping to the wrong conclusion. Banalities like this result in a purely generic story. Agent: Michelle Johnson, Inklings Literary Agency. (Aug.)