Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes

Naigle offers a passable Southern romance with little substance to follow Sweet Tea and Secrets. Studious Carolanne Baxter is back in her hometown of Adams Grove, Va., and has gone into law practice with an old school chum, Connor Buckham. An old friend predicts a love connection between Carolanne and Connor; they try to keep their relationship professional, but given that they not only work together but live in adjoining apartments, their paths cross frequently. As their romance develops, Connor helps Carolanne repair her relationship with her father, who has been accused of murder. Frustratingly, Naigle offers no challenges to either the lovers or the reader. Carolanne and Connor’s inner thoughts are presented in italics, Carolanne is so boring that there’s no good reason for Connor to pursue her, and the real murderer’s identity is easy to guess, reducing the dramatic tension to zero. (July)