Waiting on You

Higgins revisits Manningsport, N.Y., and its large, sometimes confusing cast of characters in her satisfying third Blue Heron title (after The Perfect Match). Colleen O'Rourke runs a tavern with her twin brother, Connor, where she manages to be a matchmaker for everyone but herself. She's not prepared to see Lucas Campbell when he suddenly reappears, as he's the match who not only got away but also stomped so hard on her heart that it's still bruised. Lucas still carries a torch for Colleen, but youthful drama led to obligations that kept him away from her for 10 years. When Lucas is pulled back home by a family emergency, he and Colleen feel the old sparks immediately roar into flame, but the years apart have created wariness in each of them. Colleen's feelings of abandonment and Lucas's unstable early years offer compelling character traits that keep the pages turning despite a thin plot. Agent: Maria Carvainis, Maria Carvainis Agency. (Apr.)