cover image How to Save a Life

How to Save a Life

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke. Lake Union, $14.95 trade paper (344p) ISBN 978-1-5420-0509-8

One day in Oceanside, Calif., Dominic “Dom” Suarez, the hero of this engrossing paranormal suspense novel from Fenton and Steinke (The Two Lila Bennetts), bumps into his ex-fiancée, Mia, for whom he has been pining since they broke up nine years before. He asks her out, and they go one evening to the San Diego County Fair. While they ride the Zipper, the door to their car opens, and Mia falls to her death. The next morning, Dom awakes, and, as in the movie Groundhog Day, finds the prior day repeating itself. On this second June 11, Dom has the same conversation with his roommate, passes the same homeless man, and so on, until once again Mia dies. As the same day recurs, Dom becomes desperate to manufacture one that doesn’t end with Mia’s death. He even travels to Chicago, where Mia was living, to find out why Mia moved back to San Diego. Readers will cheer Dom’s efforts all the way to the unexpected ending. Romance fans will also have fun. Agent: Elisabeth Weed, Book Group. (July)