Issued

Strangers tie the knot in this unconvincing interracial military romance from Wynters (Hearts Unleashed). Jim Stephens, a “hottie with an attitude problem,” lives for his career as a Navy SEAL, but an injury and an investigation into his latest mission keep him from being cleared for duty. He’ll do anything to save his job, even if that means joining a spouse-matching program and blindly entering into an arranged marriage at his CO’s recommendation. The program matches him with Taya Maverick, a civilian looking to distance herself from her mysterious and tumultuous past. Jim swore he would never love again, but his scorching chemistry with Taya from their first meeting on their wedding day threatens his attempts to stay detached. As they grow closer, it becomes increasingly impossible to keep secrets, and they both must face their pasts before history catches up with them. Though the sex scenes are electric, the love story develops in fits and starts without giving the emotions room to grow, and the flimsy justification for the arranged marriage plot will have skeptical readers struggling to suspend their disbelief. Diehard fans of arranged marriage romances will be able to overlook these flaws, but others will be disappointed. (June)