The Paris Match

Clayborn (The Art of Disappearing) whisks readers to Paris in this steamy slow-burn ideal for armchair travelers. Physician Layla Bailey lives out of a suitcase while subbing for vacationing doctors across the U.S. She likes the work because the weeks-long assignments are a distraction from her recently ended marriage. Then the wedding of her ex-sister-in-law, Emily MacKenzie, brings her to Paris, where Layla spent her own honeymoon. She’s determined to be pleasant and mature with her former in-laws, but this proves difficult when her ex shows up with a new girlfriend, and the best man, Griffin, accuses her of encouraging Emily’s cold feet. Scarred on the inside and outside by a traumatic fire, Griffin lives like a hermit in Upstate New York and only left his home to support his best friend. He’s determined to see the wedding go through and recruits Layla to help fix things between the couple. Clayborn gives both protagonists impressive emotional depth as they work through past heartbreaks and discover unexpected new love. A whirlwind tour through the city of lights—the wedding party cruises down the Seine, explores Montmartre, and takes in Musée Rodin—only enhances the romance. Add in a well-earned happy ending, and this is sure to charm. (Apr.)