The Devil Wears Black

Shen’s latest contemporary (after Playing with Fire) sparkles with wit and chemistry. Maddie Goldbloom, a people-pleasing wedding dress designer, loves her life in New York City. She’s got a tiny apartment across from her best friend, a dog she’s only mostly allergic to, and a promising new relationship. She’s definitely over her billionaire ex-boyfriend, Chase Black, who threw her into a tailspin when he cheated on her six months ago. But when Chase appears at her door to tell her that his father is dying and that he told his family he was engaged in an impulsive attempt to lift everyone’s spirits, “Martyr Maddie” reluctantly agrees to pose as his fiancé at a weekend-long family event. Unsurprisingly, one weekend becomes more—and now that Maddie’s not working so hard to be the perfect girlfriend she thought Chase wanted and instead allowing him to see her feisty self, the pair are surprised to find how well they work together. A subplot about who will run Chase’s family company drives some of the action forward, but Shen takes care to prioritize her characters’ feelings as they grow into a new relationship simply by being themselves. This is a treat. Agent: Kimberly Brower, Brower Literary. (Mar.)