First Comes Love

Fans of women’s fiction may appreciate Heyford’s low-key story about the difficulty of trusting in love later in life, but the romantic thread receives short shrift. When detective Alex Walker decides to move from Portland, Ore., to the quiet town of Newberry, he is surprised to find that Kerry O’Hearn, the defense attorney he couldn’t forget from a past case, has also recently moved there. She doesn’t remember him at first, but he has never forgotten her. Alex is happy being alone, and Kerry has had bad experiences dating police officers, so they keep their distance. Then Kerry’s 12-year-old daughter starts taking boxing lessons at the community center where Alex is a volunteer instructor, and the two adults are forced to spend more time together. Alex and Kerry frequently express their distaste for each other, but Heyford never tries to build the excitement of whether they will overcome that and end up together. There’s a heavy emphasis on the daily lives of a bachelor and a single mother; readers looking for a deep romantic experience or passionate love scenes will be disappointed. (June)