Once in a Blue Moon

The 10th outing in Sala’s Blessings, Georgia series (after The Way Back to You) is less interested in delivering a fresh romance than in placidly checking in with the vast cast of familiar locals. Ostensibly, the heroine is Cathy Terry, who divorces her criminal husband, takes a $30 million settlement, and runs, ending up in Blessings on a whim. When she sprains an ankle during a morning run, farmer Duke Talbot happens to be passing by and stops to helps her. Duke’s movie-star looks and white-knight complex make him a well-suited caretaker for Cathy’s wounded heart and protector from the ex who wants her dead. The plot may technically qualify as romantic suspense, but there’s virtually no tension, and the repetitive, expositional dialogue and abundant backstories of passing townsfolk drag down the pace. Diehard series fans will appreciate this outing, but the uninitiated should not start here. Agent: Meredith Bernstein, Meredith Bernstein Literary. (Sept.)