A Little Love

In the fifth No Greater Love contemporary, Prowse (Clover’s Child) introduces a nontraditional heroine, Pru Plum, the 66-year-old co-owner of London’s successful Plum Patisserie. Spinster cousins Pru and Milly planned and struggled for decades before they saved up enough to open their bakery. Pru has also been a surrogate mother for her dead brother’s daughter, Bobby. At Bobby’s engagement party to charming William, Pru meets William’s uncle, MP Christopher Heritage, and is instantly smitten. As their relationship begins, tragedy strikes, and fate introduces a devastated Pru to a needy, pregnant young woman. Pru, wanting to pay forward some of the kindness that others have shown her, reaches out to the woman and takes her in. The romance takes a backseat to Pru grappling with some hard truths and learning to trust herself. The bakery tips sprinkled around the story are interesting, but they feel mostly like padding. (Feb.)