Irresistible

Mallery is at her addictive best in the charming second installment of her Buchanan family saga (after Delicious ), focusing on emotionally disconnected elder sibling Walker. Returning to his Seattle home after 15 years with the Marines, Walker holds a number of secrets behind his handsome eyes—including the loss of his first love to breast cancer—and has already sworn off women when he offers to help his pretty neighbor Elissa Towers change a tire. Single mom to five-year-old Zoe, Elissa has also sworn off dating, despite her daughter's desperation for a father and her own unfulfilled sexual needs, but is drawn to Walker's strength and stoicism. Dedicated entirely to raising Zoe, Elissa plans to keep her involvement with Walker strictly imaginary ("Only thirteen more years... Then I can have sex again"), but thanks to prying family and neighbors, the two are pushed together. Soon, they're playing therapist for each other, salving old wounds and sparking love between them. Though short on conflict, the bestselling author crafts vivid characters and a winning story about the risk and joy of second love, studded with warm, alluring sex scenes. (July)