Thank You, Next

Insecurity proves the greatest obstacle to love in this heartwarming rom-com from Christopher (Hot Under His Collar). Divorce attorney Alex Turner has never believed in marriage—but seeing a woman beaming with her most recent ex on Say Yes to the Dress still sparks some insecurities, especially when it leads her to notice a pattern. Her exes always seem to settle down with whoever they date next after ending their relationship with Alex. This realization launches Alex on a mission to understand what it is about her that inspires men to move on to real commitments. Alex’s friend Will Harkness has loved Alex since they were teenagers, but she’s the granddaughter of his beloved ex-stepmother, and he worries that if he acts on his feelings, he’ll risk losing the one person who truly feels like family. Alex similarly ignores her own feelings for Will: he was the source of Alex’s first romantic rejection and her pride dictates they’ll never get together. But as Alex takes a series of trips down memory lane, each involving a heart-to-heart with an ex, she slowly realizes that her fear of rejection is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Alex’s genuine growth makes for a rewarding tale of self-discovery. Readers will be charmed. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary. (June)