Fiancé by Friday

In the sizzling third Weekday Brides contemporary (after Married by Monday and Wife by Wednesday), Bybee takes an elegant titled lady, a dark emotionally guarded hero, a menacing stalker, and a cast of distinctive characters mixing it all up into an unusual courtship tale full of danger and sexual tension. After securing a new client for Alliance, a matchmaking service for the wealthy, socialite Lady Gwen Harrison returns to her state-of-the-art monitored home to once again unsuccessfully flirt with her bodyguard, Neil MacBain. Former Marine Neil is not immune to the ravishing Gwen, but haunting recurring nightmares of military mission gone awry and a reluctance to mix pleasure with business lead him to suppress his feelings. Inexplicable security breaches, electrocuted neighbors, dead birds, and an implausible suicide propel Neil to whisk Gwen away from a revenge-seeking stalker, and the closeness of the on-the-run, off-the-grid adventure sparks passionate lovemaking. While the pace lags mid-novel, it regains momentum, and the intriguing characters add emotional depth, ensuring readers will race to the perfectly fitting finish. Agent: Jane Dystel, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (Aug.)