Not Quite Over You

In Mallery’s middling fourth Happily Inc. contemporary (after Why Not Tonight), a poor but fiercely independent innovator goes into business with her wealthy high school sweetheart, but their differences in status and power make it hard to believe in their rekindled love. Drew Lovato is the heir to California First Savings and Loan. He’s spent 12 years regretting his breakup with Silver Tesdal; when he went off to college, he left her alone, pregnant, and broke. Drew signed away his parental rights, and Silver placed their daughter for adoption. When Silver is turned down for a business loan from his family’s bank, Drew sees the perfect opportunity to become a part of her life again, and conspires to buy into Silver’s portable bar-for-hire business. Silver isn’t quite ready to let him back in—or to reveal that she’s still in touch with their daughter. Entitled, immature Drew uses his wealth and position to manipulate Silver into taking him on as a business partner, and then imagines her stripping for him while they’re in a meeting. Steamy sexual attraction can’t compensate for the nagging certainty that Silver could do so much better. Agent: Annelise Robey, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Oct.)