Last Chance Hero

The power of gossip and the triumph of battling personal demons share center stage with suspense and arson in this unbalanced visit to the small town of Last Chance, S.C. (last seen in Last Chance Family). Miriam Randall comes into Sabina Grey’s antique shop to deliver the prophecy that Sabina’s soulmate won’t appear until Sabina’s little sister, Lucy, gets married. The community responds by pushing Lucy’s boyfriend, fire chief Ross Gardiner, to pop the question. But when the house Ross buys for them burns down, Lucy finds herself with cold feet and an undeniable attraction to arson investigator Zack Bailey. Meanwhile, Sabina starts dating wealthy Layton Webster, whom she wronged in high school, to distract herself (and the townspeople) from her own obvious lust for Ross. Late events maneuver everything toward working out, but they feel strange and forced. There’s more angst than the setting can support, and it’s hard to feel good for Sabina and Ross without imagining the awkward family politics that would result from marrying your sister’s ex-fiancé. Agent: Elaine P. English. (July)