Every Perfect Gift

Love’s Hickory Ridge series concludes with this novel, a finale that falls a bit flat. That’s not to say readers won’t stick with this tale set in post–Civil War Tennessee that includes characters from Love’s earlier books. This time Sophie Robillard Caldwell, adopted by the Caldwells in a previous novel, returns to Hickory Ridge to prove that an outcast raised in the orphanage can revive the town’s defunct newspaper. Her first interview is with Ethan Heyward, manager of Blue Smoke, a luxury resort soon to open up the mountain. Sparks ensue, but both are burdened by mysteries in their pasts. Each faces a crisis when their pasts catch up, and threats to life and livelihood must be dealt with before they can think about building a present together. The trilogy ender is certainly a gift to readers, but less than perfect, with character motivations that fall short. Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary Agency. (Dec.)