It’s in His Kiss

Shalvis’s command of contemporary romance is once again on display in book 10 of her Lucky Harbor series (after Once in a Lifetime). Familiar characters make occasional appearances without dominating the story, and the books, set in Washington State, can be read in any order. Becca Thorpe arrives in charming Lucky Harbor with two suitcases and her keyboard; she’s fleeing her dependent brother (who’s a better concert pianist that she is) and looking for a new beginning. She lands a job scheduling outings for a charter boat company run by three hunky guys—but one of the owners is Sam Brody, her onetime lover. Mixing business and pleasure is a no-no for Sam, but emotions don’t always follow the rules. Sam also runs into family troubles when his ne’er-do-well dad shows up looking for another handout. Shalvis combines humor, sparkling repartee, believable characters, and highly sensual sex scenes to make this book work on every level. (Sept.)