Love at First Spite

A scheme for revenge against a cheating ex takes an unexpected turn in Collins’s snarky but warmhearted debut. Seattle interior designer Dani Porter dumped her fiancé, Sam, when she learned he cheated on her with the perky real estate agent who sold him what was supposed to be their first home as a married couple. Now, Dani’s cooked up the perfect revenge. With help from her eccentric landlady and her cousin (and “partner in crime”) Mia, Dani buys the plot next-door to her former dream house and plans to block Sam’s views by building a “spite house” she’ll rent to tourists. Dani’s search for an architect leads to an uneasy partnership with prickly Wyatt Montego, described as “like a handsome ogre who is forced to work with the local villagers, but ends up scaring them half to death.” Despite her early misgivings, the project progresses steadily and Dani finds her opinion of Wyatt improving. But can romance born in the midst of revenge against an old lover possibly work long-term? For readers, the answer will be obvious, but Dani and Wyatt keep the story both surprising and entertaining. Collins is sure to win some fans with this one. Agent: Kimberley Cameron, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc. (Jan.)