When Somebody Loves You

A skimpy framing device does little to support Jump’s inconsistent first Southern Belle Book Club contemporary. Elizabeth Palmer got tired of playing it safe, quit her mind-numbing job as a bookkeeper in Trenton, N.J., and kicked off her brand-new career as a journalist. Her first assignment is to drive to small-town Georgia to interview reclusive rancher Hunter McCoy about his breeding operation at Silver Spur. Scarred by his fiancée’s tragic death and consumed with rebuilding the ranch to its former glory, Hunter cannot relinquish the burden of guilt or let himself enjoy anything. While Hunter’s reticence is understandable, nothing explains why Elizabeth should put in the effort to get past his walls. She’s stubborn and determined to make her dream career work, but her attraction to Hunter seems to mostly be about wanting to be part of a close-knit family like his. The book club ladies and Hunter’s sister, Amberlee, are only introduced for long enough to set the stage for future titles in the series. The ranch is vividly drawn and Hunter’s love for his horses shine through, but that’s the only enjoyable part of this lackluster romance. [em]Agent: Maureen Walters, Curtis Brown Ltd. (Oct.) [/em]