The Lonesome Young

It’s Romeo and Juliet with a Kentucky horse country twist when wealthy Victoria Whitfield and “tall, dark, and definitely dangerous” Mickey Rhodale fall for each other in this romantic drama from Connors, who writes adult fiction as Alesia Holliday and Alyssa Day. The feud between the gritty Rhodales and the well-to-do Whitfields dates back generations, and it’s still going strong. As the push and pull of the teenagers’ romance escalates, Connors complicates matters with lots of fighting, drug-dealing, problems with Victoria’s older sister, smalltown claustrophobia, and all-around contempt for the Rhodales among the locals. Told in chapters that alternate between Mickey’s gruff, hard-edged narration and Victoria’s more naïve and reticent prose, the novel leans heavily on stereotypical genre conventions, including fiery gazes and talk of “hard muscle,” cleavage, miles-long legs, and “lush parted lips.” Readers looking to sink into the vicarious pleasures of a very familiar “good girl meets bad boy” love affair should find it easy to do so; others may find it melodramatic and predictable. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (Apr.)