Sultry with a Twist

Beckett’s delightful debut is a sweet mix of lighthearted romance and down-home charm. She draws spunky Mae-June July Augustine (who sensibly goes by June) and heart-of-gold Luke Gallagher with a guileless energy that turns sappy stereotypes into genuinely endearing people. Ambitious June is heck-bent on making her own way in the world; the last thing she wants is to reconnect with her childhood sweetheart, Luke, and her estranged tough-love grandmother, Prudence Foster. June is all set for the opening night of her tony Austin, Tex., cocktail lounge when she learns her liquor license is held up pending clearance of a bench warrant issued by a conniving judge from her hometown, Sultry Springs. Eight years’ scrimping and planning teeters on a brink she can only overcome by serving a monthlong community service sentence alongside Luke, while living with her grandmother. The result is a likely hit with aw-shucks romance fans. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, the Seymour Agency. (Oct.)