cover image A Sure Thing

A Sure Thing

Marie Harte. Sourcebooks Casablanca, $7.99 mass market (352p) ISBN 978-1-4926-3185-9

In this enjoyable series launch set in present-day Seattle, Harte (Roadside Assistance) creates attractive and likable protagonists with serious professional lives who are drawn to each other by both their sexual compatibility and the genuine caring they witness in each other. Practical, organized psychologist Ava Rosenthal has a list of desired qualities for her future mate, and brawny, bossy Landon Donnigan doesn’t meet them, but the chemistry between them threatens to mess up her carefully laid plains. After a knee wound forces Landon to retire from the Marines, he struggles to adjust to civilian life, especially since his role as a caring older brother demands his constant vigilance over his three struggling siblings. After the two protagonists meet at the local gym, Ava signs up for a self-defense class for women that Landon teaches (mostly to benefit his younger sister). Landon’s drawn to Ava’s perky independence, and she’s hooked by his cocky humor and self-confidence. Decent people, playful banter, and steamy sex scenes add up to a satisfying romance. Introducing numerous supporting characters looking for love, Harte lays the groundwork for future books in the series. [em](Nov.) [/em]