Hot Asset

In this playful romance, first in the 21 Wall Street series, a financial whiz meets his match in the form of the driven Securities and Exchange Commission agent who’s investigating him for alleged insider trading. If Lara McKenzie can prove investment broker Ian Bradley guilty, it’s her ticket to her dream posting in the FBI’s white-collar crime division. Even Ian’s smoldering good looks and repeated professions of innocence can’t sway her from doing her job, though a lack of evidence makes everyone wonder whether she’s wasting her time. Meanwhile, Ian would rather Lara’s attention move from his spreadsheets to his bedsheets. As the potential conflict of interest turns into mutual interest and finally compounded interest, the two would-be lovers must figure out who was responsible for siccing the SEC on Ian in the first place. Layne (Runaway Groom) populates her world of high-stakes finance with charismatic characters, and the fast-paced story works well with the simmering sexual tension between the leads and the conflict between personal desire and professional ambition. It’s easy to root for this couple. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (May)