Make You Mine

Beckett (Sultry with a Twist) begins her Dumont Bachelors series with this pleasant story of a riverboat captain and the pastry chef who captures his heart. Marc Dumont has been attracted to Allie Mauvais since their high school years in tiny Cedar Bayou, La. Trouble is, after a Dumont man left Allie’s voodoo-priestess great-great-grandmother at the altar, she cursed the whole family to be unlucky in love. When Marc’s regular pastry chef gets ill immediately before a scheduled voyage, Marc hurriedly hires Allie to sub in the kitchen. Strange episodes ensue, and everyone thinks it’s Allie’s fault—or the curse’s. Still, Marc can’t stay away from her. While the story gets a bit annoying when everyone’s assuming Allie can fry them with her supposed voodoo magic, overall this is a solid tale that portends a likeable series. (May)