Fangirl Down

Bestseller Bailey (Same Time Next Year) hits a hole-in-one with this charming golf-themed rom-com. Josephine Doyle, a perennially cheerful golf instructor and pro shop owner in Florida, is a superfan of surly pro golfer Wells Whitaker. Though he was once the hottest player on the tour, Wells’s game has been headed south for two years, but Josephine still believes he’ll turn it around (in his estimation, she might be “the last person on planet Earth pulling for him”). After she wins a contest for lunch with Wells, she’s ecstatic—until Wells quits the tour and stands her up. When a hurricane hits Palm Beach, Josephine’s shop is badly damaged—and both insurance for the shop and health coverage for her type 1 diabetes have lapsed. A remorseful Wells offers to give her the money to repair the shop, but Josephine insists on earning it as his caddie. As they work together, their explosive attraction becomes undeniable and Wells gets his swing back. Bailey does a convincing job of showing how the power of love transforms Wells from golf’s bad boy to satisfied partner who’s as concerned with Josephine’s blood sugar level as she is. Wells and Josephine are characters readers will embrace, especially fans of the grumpy/sunshine trope. This one’s a keeper. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary. (Feb.)