Can’t Hold Back

Bell’s second Returning Home novel (after Hold On Tight) continues to pay homage to military servicemembers in this contemporary Cyrano story. Physical therapist Alia Drake’s life is defined by helping others. She thrives on being needed and jumps at the chance to help anybody, even if it means sacrificing her own desires. Veteran Nate Riordan was attracted to Alia the moment he met her, but to his dismay, she quickly passed him off to her beautiful younger sister, Becca, who suffers from low self-esteem around her learning disability. Alia helps Becca correspond with Nate when he’s deployed to Afghanistan, and her own feelings become evident in her writing. When Nate admits his growing love for his correspondent, the two women confess that Alia’s been writing letters under Becca’s name, and he ceases all communication with them. Years later, an injured Nick becomes Alia’s patient, and they’re both forced to face what might have been. This sweet story is full of physical and emotional healing, and it sets up several possibilities for future books in the series. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Oct.)