One Stormy Night

A raging storm sparks an unexpected romance in this flimsy love story from Sawyer (Always, Ella). Charlie Middleton has spent three years anticipating every need of her ungrateful boss, gorgeous tech genius Lachlan Hart, and she’s finally ready to break free. Unable to pin the busy Lachlan down, Charlie leaves without giving notice after learning that her aunt has died and willed her a cottage in Scotland’s Isle of Murdina. Lachlan can’t understand why his faithful assistant deserted him and, finding her shoes hard to fill, he goes on a mission to Scotland to get her back. When a storm strands the pair on the isle, their relationship becomes more pleasure than business—but Charlie fears workaholic Lachlan will be unable to make her a priority once they return to their real lives. The bones of Sawyer’s story are good, with a well-developed premise and a cute contrivance for bringing the couple together, but Lachlan’s transformation from uncaring boss to lovestruck suitor is too abrupt to be believed. Guilt justifies some of his changed behavior, but not his sudden, intense physical attraction to the assistant he’s seemingly never noticed before. Readers will love both halves of the couple but feel cheated by their rushed romance. [em]Agent: Jana Hanson, Metamorphosis Literary. (Apr.) [/em]