Pickleballers

Long’s delightful debut delves into the world of pickleball. After Seattle artist Meg Bloomberg’s dentist husband leaves her a breakup note on the back of a Home Depot receipt, her best friend, Annie, insists a depressed Meg join her pickleball league as an excuse to get out of the house. A chance meeting with handsome Ethan Fine leaves Meg smitten, but she assumes they won’t cross paths again—until it turns out that Ethan’s company has been hired to transform Meg’s local pickleball courts into a nature reserve. The two playfully clash both on and off the court, but when Meg suspects Ethan may be cheating in a local pickleball contest with a fat cash prize, she questions the budding relationship. This spirited and well-plotted rom-com sparkles, with supporting characters (especially Annie and the multitude of pickleball players named Dave) who feel impressively three-dimensional. Readers won’t have to be fans of the sport to appreciate this charming love story—but Long’s irresistible descriptions of gameplay may inspire newcomers to take to the court themselves. Agent: Liz Rudnick, Gillian MacKenzie Agency. (Nov.)