cover image Out of Practice

Out of Practice

Carsen Taite. Bold Strokes, $16.95 trade paper (240p) ISBN 978-1-63555-359-8

Taite (It Should Be a Crime) combines legal and relationship drama to create this realistic and deeply enjoyable lesbian romance. After Abby Keane’s partners at her law firm force the cynical workaholic to take a vacation, she books a stay at a Mexican resort. Wedding blogger Roxanne Daly is headed to the same resort on assignment from Best Day Ever magazine, and on the way back to her seat on the flight there, she trips and falls into Abby’s lap. When the women realize they’re headed to the same place, their explosive chemistry turns into a several-day fling. But when both return to Austin, Tex., Roxanne’s new TV job pits her against one of Abby’s clients, a childhood friend fighting to save a wedding-dress empire. The reliably engaging Taite neatly balances romance and red-hot passion with a plausible legal story line, well-drawn characters, and pitch-perfect pacing that culminates in the requisite heartfelt happily-ever-after. Taite will land new fans with this winning tale. (Feb.)