Paradise Cove

A heartbroken doctor flees big-city life only to find that matters of the heart are just as complicated in quaint little Moonflower Bay in Holiday’s appealing second Matchmaker Bay romance (after Mermaid Inn). Toronto doctor Nora Walsh hopes a self-imposed two-year stint as a small-town general practitioner will ease her heartbreak over a failed relationship and clear her head. She strikes up a fast, flirtatious friendship with handsome local carpenter Jake Ramsey, a divorcé whose son, Jude, died a year earlier and whose ongoing grief has earned him a reputation as a hermit. Nora and Jake’s attraction soon turns physical, leading to passionate sex scenes and confusion about how to label their evolving relationship. The progression of both their feelings and their fears is natural and credible, and Holiday balances heart-tugging romance with low-stakes medical drama and breezy exchanges between the endearing townsfolk. This light, pleasant story is perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber and Doc Martin. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary. (Aug.)