Love Buzz

A chance encounter derails the meticulously planned life of Serena Khan, heroine of Tubati-Alexander’s charming debut. At 30, Seattle accountant Serena is right where her Indian immigrant mother would have wanted her to be: stable (but bored) in both her job and her relationship. While begrudgingly attending her cousin’s destination bachelorette party in New Orleans, Serena meets fellow Seattleite Julian, in town for a friend’s birthday, at a bar and feels an instant connection—but both of their parties get out of hand, separating them before they can exchange either numbers or last names. Serena can’t stop thinking about Julian even after returning home, however, and recruits her best friend, Clarence, to help find him. Along the way, Serena questions her life choices, realizing that she’s been chasing security instead of happiness and that she must let go of her mother’s expectations. Endearing side characters that readers won’t get enough of round out this moving tale of embracing life’s imperfections. Tubati-Alexander will win plenty of fans with this. Agent: Elizabeth Weed, Book Group. (May)