Busted

This third installment in Walker’s Barnes Brothers series (after Razed) is a second chance at love for Trey Barnes, an author and single father who’s still mourning the death of his wife after almost six years. When he meets sultry librarian Ressa Bliss, he’s startled by the stirrings of long-buried emotions. Ressa, not realizing that Trey is a world-famous writer, quickly falls for the mysterious, tormented man and his adorable son. Though they try to resist the mutual attraction, all bets are off when Ressa and Trey run into each other at a conference, and soon they’re building a fragile new relationship. But they both have secrets—Trey’s double life, Ressa’s dark past—that threaten to ruin the happiness they’ve found. Walker delivers a solidly satisfying romance, with tangible chemistry between the leads, a healthy dose of steamy sex, and a sweetly sentimental theme of family running throughout. Minor subplots left over from the first two books allow for a current of continuity, while still letting this one stand on its own. The interracial aspect of their romance (he’s white, she’s black) is treated with welcome casualness, leaving the focus squarely on the characters’ undeniable love. Agent: Irene Goodman, Irene Goodman Literary Agency. (May)