Forget Me Not

A commitment-phobic wedding planner stars in Soto’s tender but bumpy debut. Plucky and ambitious Ama Torres will do whatever it takes to provide the perfect party for her clients, but after witnessing her mother marry and divorce 16 times, she no longer believes in lasting relationships for herself. When a big-time influencer couple choose her to plan their wedding, Ama is thrilled about the exposure—until she discovers that they’ve hired her former fling Elliot Bloom as their florist. The ensuing second chance romance between Ama and Elliot offers beguiling moments of both tension and tenderness, but Soto over-relies on some unconvincing cursing to convey their chemistry, especially in the many steamy scenes (“ ‘Fuck,’ she moans against me... ‘Oh fuck!’ ”). Hiccups with the nuptials add a whirlwind of drama to proceedings, but the secondary characters go frustratingly underdeveloped and, outside of the romance plot, the dialogue becomes superficial. Still, fans of the grumpy/sunshine trope will swoon over surly Elliot, who prefers plants to people but whose good heart shines through his crankiness, and Ama proves easy to root for as she learns to open her heart. It’s not perfect, but Soto shows promise. Agent: Gaia Banks, Sheil Land Assoc. (July)