The Playboy’s “I Do” Deal

Pammi (The Surprise Bollywood Baby) ties well-worn romance tropes—billionaires, virgins, marriages of convenience, and dastardly villains—into a formulaic package that nevertheless has charm to spare. After salacious rumors damage Indian American Dev Kohli’s business, the wealthy playboy needs to rehabilitate his image. White PR maven Clare Roberts hopes to help, though neither of them can forget the single night they once shared—especially not Clare, as it was her first time. Dev’s difficult childhood has left him unwilling to get close to anyone, and he’s determined to keep his distance from Clare both personally and professionally. Meanwhile, Clare juggles running her business with hiding out from the Mafia goons her father put on her trail when he offered her as collateral for his debts. When henchmen follow Clare from London to São Paulo, she stows away on Dev’s yacht to escape, forcing her and Dev back together. They soon realize that a marriage of convenience could solve both their problems—but what happens when it also leads to love? Though the plot is predictable, Pammi invests her characters with human foibles that will endear them to readers, and the details of Indian American culture add depth and authenticity to the love story. Readers will be pleased with this sweet, sexy escape from reality. (June)