Digging Up Love

Blumberg’s charming debut combines true love, delicious cookies, and dinosaurs. Alisha Blake loves to bake, but the road to opening a bakery of her own has been anything but sweet. Having been raised by her grandparents after her father left, she feels obligated to put her dreams aside to take care of them. As she finally musters up the courage to announce her plans to move to Chicago, dinosaur bones are unearthed in her grandparents’ backyard. The discovery brings paleontologist Quentin Harris, who hopes to bury the memory of his ex-fiancé under his passion for his work. When Quentin and Alisha meet, the attraction is instant, but as their feelings grow, so does the news of the excavation, and the media circus puts their budding romance to the test. Both contend with emotional issues as well: Alisha struggles to feel worthy and brave, while Quentin longs for certainty and commitment, and both must face their families’ shadows before finding solace in each other. Blumberg gives apt consideration to the themes of the importance of family, obligation, individuality, and freedom. Romance fans will adore the well drawn love story between these funny and lovable dinosaur lovers. Agent: Rachel Brooks, Bookends Literary. (Dec.)