Playing for Keeps

Bellefleur (Truly, Madly, Deeply) pairs a pop star and a quarterback in this delightful, ripped-from-the-headlines contemporary. When publicist Poppy Peterson’s client, quarterback Cash Curran, aims a cheeky tweet at superstar musician Lyric Adair, Poppy’s convinced he’s lost his mind. She’s shocked when the public pickup line works and Lyric’s high-profile publicist, Rosaline Sinclair, reaches out to set up a meeting between the two celebs. Sparks soon fly between Lyric and Cash—and between Poppy and Rosaline as the women work to wrangle their rebellious clients. Then a deepfake scandal whipped up by someone from Lyric’s past threatens to tear both couples apart. Readers will quickly fall for all four leads. Cash is a lovable goofball with a heart of gold and Lyric is his perfect foil, but it’s Poppy and Rosaline who generate the most steam. Readers will find it extremely satisfying to witness the women move from strained professionalism to red-hot romance. Bellefleur also adds depth to the narrative by probing into Poppy’s past struggles with alcohol and Rosaline’s imposter syndrome. This charms. (Jan.)