Ten Beach Road

The lives of three unlikely strangers converge when Malcolm Dyer disappears with their bank accounts after running a Ponzi scheme in Wax's ninth novel, a fervent tale about overcoming obstacles. After losing the limelight to her more charismatic husband on their home-repair television show, Avery Lawford loses the marriage as well; meanwhile, classy Nicole Grant has lost her successful matchmaking business; and empty-nester Madeline Singer's husband was fired six months ago as a result of investing in Dyer's funds and has rarely left the couch since. The only asset these three have left is a third share each in Dyer's dilapidated Florida Gulf Coast mansion. And together, with the help of Chase Hardin, an irritating but hunky contractor who Avery knew in her youth, they spend the summer getting the estate ready to sell. The sexual magnetism between the bickering Chase and Avery, and a secret that Nicole keeps from her newfound friends, add dramatic tension to Wax's (Magnolia Wednesdays) formulaic plot, showcasing three women who rise above their shattered realities with grace, determination, and a little elbow grease. (May)