The Cottage on Pelican Bay

Bestseller Jackson’s underwhelming seventh Catalina Cove contemporary (after The House on Blueberry Lane) sees recently heartbroken Zara meet alluring stranger Saint at a hotel bar. Saint, for his part, has been avoiding romantic entanglements since his ex-girlfriend rejected his marriage proposal. Zara and Saint share an intense connection that leads to a one-night stand, after which they agree to part ways without exchanging information. Two years later, they’re surprised to reunite on Catalina Cove at a cookout held by Zara’s brother, who happens to be Saint’s boss. Sparks fly, and they share another passionate night. The pair are thrown together yet again at a mutual friend’s engagement party, where the whole party sees them kissing. Though Zara is unperturbed by the resulting gossip, Saint is eager to protect their reputations and proposes they fake a relationship. Real feelings soon follow, but will they be brave enough to take a risk on love? The setup is familiar and there’s not much emotional depth to the central love story. Stilted prose doesn’t help (“The way he was staring at her had certain parts of her inwardly quivering, while warm blood rushed through every vein in her body”). Series fans will appreciate the return to this scenic locale, but others need not apply. Agent: Pattie Steele-Perkins, Steele-Perkins Literary. (Aug.)