My Kind of Trouble

Schwartz (The Christmas Crush) riffs on The Music Man in this entertaining rom-com. Huxter Harmony Hale makes her way to Brookville, Calif., hoping to pull off her biggest con yet in revenge against the town mayor, who made his fortune off an idea he stole from Harmony’s father. She pitches the town on a Coachella-style music festival that will never actually come to pass—but to make the scheme believable, she must secure the land that belongs to Brookville’s autistic librarian, Preston Jones. Preston is deeply committed both to caring for his nonspeaking younger sister and to keeping the library’s youth programs afloat in the face of challenges from conservative townsfolk. Though he enjoys a good romance novel, he has no time for love in his personal real life, and his impulse is to steer clear of the beautiful, curvaceous Harmony. When Harmony promises to help him save the youth programs, however, Preston rethinks his stance. Soon their tension breaks and steaminess ensues. Despite the delightfully devious heroine, Schwartz puts a refreshing emphasis on healthy communication, making the bond between her leads feel well-earned. Meanwhile, the well-handled representation of Preston’s autism and Harmony’s body positivity make this a breath of fresh air. Schwartz proves herself a worthy successor to Meredith Willson. Agent: Lee O’Brien, Looking Glass Literary. (Oct.)