Forever With You

Populated with empathetic characters but light on plot, Curtis’s breezy debut offers a heartbreaker a second chance with his high school sweetheart. Leyna Milan has a taxing but fulfilling job revitalizing her late grandfather’s restaurant, but her life is turned upside down when her ex, Jay Wynter, swoops back into small-town Sapphire Springs, N.Y., after 18 years away to take over his family’s winery. Now Leyna and Jay are forced to work together as they gear up for the town’s summer festival. Though savvy businesswoman Leyna and dashing but undemanding Jay are characters readers will want to root for, Curtis never provides enough conflict to give readers the chance. The will-they-won’t-they question is answered before the halfway point, and minor challenges—including a jealous love interest and a media fiasco—get resolved equally quickly. Though not a page-turner, Curtis’s sweet, summery romance will please readers looking for something light. Agent: Stacey Graham, Red Sofa Literary. (Nov.)