The Sweetheart Bargain

In this heartwarming contemporary series opener, Jump (The Matchmaker’s Happy Ending) sends Boston animal therapist Olivia Linscott to Rescue Bay, Fla., in search of her past. The biological mother who abandoned her at birth has left her a lovely house—but it turns out to be entirely run-down. An injured dog provides the initial meet-grumpy with next-door neighbor Luke Winslow, a Coast Guard helicopter pilot whose career was cut short by an accident that killed his best friend; he’s none too friendly at first, but as Olivia and Luke work through their personal troubles, they feel—and fight—a growing attraction. Fortunately the Sweetheart Sisters, a group of bourbon-swilling, big-hearted seniors led by Luke’s grandmother Greta, are happy to encourage the couple toward a satisfying ending that neatly sets up the next book. Agent: Pamela Harty, Knight Agency. (Sept.)