Forces of Nature

Hodges’s warm-hearted and entertaining romance balances the hero and heroine’s opposing perspectives as sparks fly. Feisty Crystal Hughes is determined to carry on her family’s farming legacy; they had the first African-American-owned farm in Duval, N.C., on land their ancestors worked as sharecroppers. When megacorp Welco tries repeatedly to buy Crystal’s land, she demands to meet with heartless CEO Douglas Wellington III and tell him to back off. It’s mutual lust at first sight, but Douglas also has family obligations: his father’s dying wish was for Welco to build a business park on Hughes’ land. Crystal and Douglas’s attraction leads to romance and a trusting truce—but Welco’s board won’t stand for that, and a longtime Wellington/Hughes feud soon comes to light. The story is a little predictable, but hot sex, some delightful humor, a dollop of mystery, and engaging characters make this a book readers will love. Agent: Sha-Shana Crichton, Crichton & Associates. (May 7)