Fancy Meeting You Here

Tieu (The Donut Trap) shines in this angsty tale of love that endures. Florist Elise Ngo’s best friends are all pairing up and marrying—leaving her wondering if she’ll ever have her own happy ending. It’s at her friend Rebecca’s high-profile wedding that she finally meets Rebecca’s prickly and quiet brother, Ben Yu, who’s working for the Yu matriarch’s reelection campaign for the California state legislature. When Ben hires Elise’s struggling business to provide floral arrangements for a campaign event, their chemistry sparks a passionate affair. They set out to keep their relationship on the down-low—but with Mrs. Yu’s political rivals scouring for a dirt, her campaign becomes embroiled in scandal and Ben and Elise’s romance lands uncomfortably in the spotlight. Tieu’s tumultuous but believable plot combines heat and heart, bolstered by a diverse cast readers will want to spend more time with. The close friendship between Elise and Rebecca is an especially nice touch. Tieu should win some new fans with this one. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary. (Nov.)