Positively Pippa

Hegger (Nobody’s Princess) invites readers into the delightfully quirky small town of Ghost Falls, Utah, in the warmly sincere first book of a contemporary romance series. Pippa Turner was a media darling, thanks to her makeover show, until a vengeful ex sabotaged her career. Now she has run back home in disgrace, the most hated woman in America. Back in Ghost Falls are her very complicated family—including her diva grandmother, Phi—and Matt, her high school crush, who feels beholden to Phi. Matt’s family situation is as complex as Pippa’s, and their separate struggles hamper their sizzling and sensually fun fling. What begins as a simple second-chance romance quickly transforms into a beautiful, frank examination of love, family dynamics, and following one’s dreams. Hegger’s unflinching, candid portrayal of interpersonal and generational communication elevates the story to the sublime. Shunning clichés and contrived circumstances, she uses realistic, relatable situations to create a world that readers will want to visit time and again. Agent: Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Associates. (June)