Escape Girl

Dayton’s moving final Tech-nically Love romance (after Scammer Girl) allows an estranged married couple to find their way back to each other. Intellectual property lawyer Emily Saturn left her husband, Bobby March, mere months after their San Francisco wedding. She couldn’t diagnose why she was miserable when he was so fun, smart, and caring, but she hoped relocating to New York would bring some clarity. Like Emily, the somewhat directionless Bobby, a programmer, has started over, moving to Chicago and trying to make himself into the man he thinks Emily deserves. Now, in an effort to win her back, he sends her virtual escape rooms recreating key moments in their relationship, which succeed in both softening Emily’s heart and allowing readers glimpses into the best days of their romance. The pair finally reconnect in person as Emily works a pro bono case taking down a software company that steals content from young creators. Dayton’s fans will be glad to see some series-long conflicts resolve, though it does make this outing less of a standalone than the ones that came before it and may put off new readers. The love story itself is stirring and emotional, and Emily and Bobby’s second chance feels well-earned. It’s a worthy finale. Agent: Janna Bonikowski, Knight Agency. (July)