Wrapped Up in You (Heartbreaker Bay #8)

Shalvis’s faintly Christmassy eighth Heartbreaker Bay contemporary (following Playing for Keeps) comes complete with a light kiss of mystery, a healthy dose of romance, and the comfort of familiar characters. To say that Ivy Snow has issues with her family is an understatement. She’s the daughter of an absentee father and lounge singer mother; her childhood was spent moving faster than she could settle in, usually dodging the police. Now she owns a food truck in the Cow Hollow district of San Francisco, and she’s determined to put down roots. Kel O’Donnell is a cowboy cop from Idaho, visiting his family (and revisiting his youth) in San Francisco while on a mandated break from work. He’s fighting nightmares until he meets Ivy. Her fiercely independent and prickly nature distracts him from his self-reflection and piques his chivalrous instincts. The development of non-romantic relationships alongside the romance adds delightful layers to a familiar tale, even if there’s only a scant nod to the holiday festivities. Readers will enjoy this return to the small-town-in-the-big-city atmosphere that Shalvis has honed to perfection. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Oct.)