24/7

Wallace (Date with Destiny) combines an engaging mystery, unusual locale, and touching romance in this page-turning vacation adventure. Finn Chamberlain is a travel writer who lives in San Francisco but calls nowhere home. Luisa Moreno is a new officer with the Mexican Federal police; she's determined to eradicate the vicious drug trafficking and corruption plaguing her country. When they two meet by chance in an airport bar, their sexual chemistry is undeniable, leading to a multi-hour affair that wasn't meant to last. But while on assignment with a lesbian tour group in Cancun, reticent Finn begins to blossom in the atmosphere of caring and acceptance, and she begins to feel a growing need for a real relationship with Luisa. Luisa, meanwhile, fears that her pursuit of a violent cartel boss means she can't afford to start a relationship with somebody who might get caught in the crossfire. Luisa's half of the story is one cop clich%C3%A9 after another, but Finn's is touching and authentic, and even when hundreds of miles separate the lovers, their chemistry is off the charts. This endearing novel is worth reading for Finn's tour group experience alone. (Mar.)