Enchanted August

Children's book publisher turned literary agent Bowen bases her smartly crafted beach read debut on the bestselling 1922 novel Enchanted April. The result is an updated vacation and travel treat that's a paean to coastal Maine and island living, and a treatise on loving the one you're with. At the castle-like Hopewell Cottage on aptly named Little Lost Island, Maine, a month-long rental is shared by disaffected Brooklyn friends Lottie and Rose; surly Beverly, whose lover left him filthy rich but inconsolably lonely; and indie film ing%C3%A9nue Caroline, who wants to escape the memory of an Oscar night embarrassment. Robert, the lute-playing owner of the cottage, chooses the disparate foursome with a listing guided by his own "Rule of Robert's Sign"%E2%80%94that "those who most needed it would see it"%E2%80%94yet secretly hopes the rental will finally lead him to someone with whom he can share both his home and life. The stew of characters is delicious from the start, with Caroline and Beverly finding comfort in one another, Lottie rediscovering her family when lawyer husband Jon and preschooler Ethan reluctantly join her, Rose and writer husband Fred finding that love and family are worth fighting for, and Robert finally getting to tear up the rules. Bowen crafts an old-fashioned love story with humor and heart as well as a lush setting, quirky characters, and a well-paced narrative. (June)