Meet Me in Paradise

The Caribbean island of Saba provides the beachy backdrop for Hubscher’s beautiful debut, a poignant, emotionally authentic story of sisterly bonds and unexpected love. Marin Cole’s younger sister, Sadie, a globe-trotting photojournalist, returns from an assignment looking tired and suggests a restorative sisters’ weekend on an island paradise. Marin, who’s been overly cautious since the death of their mother 12 years ago, reluctantly agrees, unaware that Sadie has an ulterior motive for the trip: get Marin out of her comfort zone. Sadie pretends to miss their flight, sending Marin off on the adventure without her, having already enlisted the help of Lucas Tsai, owner of the resort they’re booked into, to help uptight Marin find the fun by coaxing her into exploring the island. Lucas, who’s reeling from the recent death of his father, agrees to Sadie’s plan—but he never expected to fall for Marin. Sadie, meanwhile, struggles with health issues she’s keeping secret from her sister. The title suggests a breezy island rom-com, but Hubscher doesn’t shy from heavy topics, resulting in a story that is as likely to elicit tears as laughter. This is sure to tug at readers’ heartstrings. [em]Agent: Sharon Pelletier, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Mar.) [/em]