Driving Heat

Byron Carter is a bus driver with a loud, rowdy family and blue-collar roots, seemingly a mismatch for the elegant, high-status Cynthia Hall. She is counseling his niece, Leah, a troubled youth one misstep from prison time. Byron and Cynthia share a common attraction but little else, and Cynthia is as repelled by his brashness as he is by her apparent snobbiness. The development of their relationship is predictably tempestuous with the expected factors%E2%80%94baby-mama drama, class conflicts, and her devotion to her work%E2%80%94 throwing up roadblocks. Without a spectacular plot to shore it up, this tale is a tired romance clich%C3%A9, additionally hampered by poor characterization and stiff, stilted dialogue. This new release from Day (Secret Silver Nights) is unfortunately one to miss. Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary (Mar.)