Dating by the Book

Set in a small town in Indiana, this smart and snappy contemporary romance is marred by a painfully self-involved narrator. Maddie Hanson owns the beloved bookstore in her small Indiana hometown of Orion, and her first novel, written as Claire Kincaid, is about to be published. However, dimming all this success is the fact that her fiancé, Peter, recently left her at the altar. Maddie misses him—though it’s not clear why, as they had textbook irreconcilable differences—but other potential romances surround her. A significant one is blogger Silver Fox: Maddie (as Claire) sends him a nasty note after he gives her book a tepid review, but the emails they go on to exchange make Maddie rethink her whole life. For all Maddie talks about loving the bookstore, she often treats running it as a chore, and even her writing career seems like an afterthought compared to finding her romantic hero. She snubs her roommate’s freelancing as not a “real job,” turns down offers of help despite supposedly cherishing Orion’s community, and is generally self-centered and unlikable. As frustrating as it is to watch Maddie’s obliviousness, though, the suspense will keep readers engaged as they wait to see whether she finally comes to appreciate everything she’s taken for granted. Agent: Jane Dystel, Dystel & Goderich Literary. (July)