Brown-Eyed Girl

Kleypas satisfyingly concludes her Texas-based Travis Brothers quartet (after Smooth Talking Stranger) with this sweet contemporary. Avery Crosslin may be a wedding planner, but she certainly doesn’t believe in happily ever after; having been jilted at the altar, she’s glad to simply oversee others’ nuptials and keep her own heart locked safely away. When she mistakenly thinks wealthy Joe Travis is the photographer, rather than a guest, at one of the weddings she’s working on, she tries to resist falling for the handsome man. But Joe isn’t prone to giving up anything he wants, and he most definitely wants Avery. She’s a lovably flawed heroine and he’s a complex, appealing, and forthright hero. While this fun tale stands on its own, the author also provides satisfying glimpses of the happily paired-off protagonists of the earlier books in the series. Agent: Mel Berger, William Morris Endeavor. (Aug.)