Regretting You

Betrayals, secrets, and shifting family loyalties keep the pages turning in this excellent contemporary from Hoover (All Your Perfects). Morgan Grant’s relationship with her 16-year-old daughter, Clara, is precarious. Clara, weary of her mother’s overprotective tendencies, relies on her Aunt Jenny as a confidant. When both Jenny and Morgan’s husband, Chris, die in a car crash, things become even more strained between the mother and daughter, as a confused and grieving Morgan contends with the discovery of a betrayal by Chris while trying to prevent Clara from learning the truth about her father and fighting feelings for Jenny’s baby daddy. Flashbacks to Morgan as a teenager reveal parallels between her and her daughter, adding depth to their relationship. Hoover expertly conveys complex character dynamics while avoiding sappiness and finding room for insight and love in the midst of tragedy. Though there is a romance, the real love story here is between Morgan and Clara. This is Hoover at her very best. [em]Agent: Jane Dystel, Dystel & Goderich Agency. (Dec.) [/em]