Heart of Glass

Jacquelyn (Change of Heart) continues her contemporary Fostering Love series, set in Oregon and California, with an uneven but enjoyable interracial romance. Trevor, an African-American who was fostered by and then adopted into the multiethnic Harris family, feels his anguish over the active duty death of his younger brother, Henry, turn to astonishment and anger when he discovers that Henry secretly fathered a daughter. When Trevor travels to California to meet the girl’s mother, Morgan Riley, who’s white, he finds that she was also in the foster care system and was briefly fostered by his own family. While open to letting Henry’s family meet young Etta, Morgan fears they may try to take her child away. The protagonists recognize their instant, mutual chemistry, declare each other off limits, and then throw that all aside and fall into bed the second time they meet. Aside from Morgan’s reluctance to accept help, the biggest source of conflict comes from Trevor’s mother, who develops an inexplicable dislike of Morgan, forcing Trevor to choose between the woman who raised him and the woman he loves. Etta is adorable, and the extended family provides moments of comic relief, helping to bolster the stilted story. Agent: Marisa Corvisiero, Corvisiero Literary. (July)