The Southern Charmer

A career-driven woman and her best friend’s ex-fiancé discover an unlikely attraction in Maynard’s gentle final Blossom Branch romance (after One Sweet Southern Summer). It’s been 18 months since Jason Brightman left Cate Penland at the altar. Now Jason’s back in Atlanta, Ga., and Cate’s best friend, Gabby Nolan, is annoyed to discover that she finds him just as attractive as ever. When the pair run into each other at a coffee shop, Jason asks Gabby out, and she feels the time may finally be right to act on the feelings she’s long kept secret. She fears, however, that their different class backgrounds will get in the way of a true relationship: Gabby grew up poor in a single-parent home, while Jason’s family is extremely wealthy. Though Gabby is impressed with Jason’s kindness toward her mother when they visit her to help pick out a Christmas tree, she refuses to commit to a relationship, insisting that they instead stay friends with benefits. But Jason’s convinced they’re soulmates, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make her see it too. The conflict is minimal, but the authentic characters—and their sizzling chemistry—keep the pages turning. This is a worthy finale. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Jan.)