Unexpectedly Yours

With this sweet but overstuffed contemporary, Chilove returns to the wealthy Black Florida community first featured in A Lakeside Reunion. Black family-owned cosmetic companies Noir and Olina Chenault have a long-standing feud. When Noir gets into a financial bind, Carrah Andrews, heir to the company and its lead research and development chemist, is her family’s last hope to save the business either through new product development or through a lucrative marriage to her cheating and manipulative ex. But Carrah has a different dream: she’s always wanted to be a writer and has just landed her first book deal, a fact she hasn’t disclosed to her disapproving family. She needs a good entertainment lawyer to help negotiate her contract and turns to longtime family rival Chris Chenault. Still reeling from the death of the Chenault matriarch, Chris is in a sticky professional situation and unsure he can trust Carrah—but he can’t deny his attraction to her. As they work together, they both realize that their family feud has kept them from seeing how much they have in common. The scenic backdrop of the fictional Florida Shores adds charm, but Chilove devotes perhaps too much time to the history and affluence of the area, somewhat sidelining the romance. Still, fans of book one will find plenty to enjoy. (Dec.)