Gray Hair, Don’t Care

With this funny, surprising novel, Booth (the Sterling Wives series) might just have written the definitive Gen-X romance. In addition to the ages of the protagonists—both in their 50s—and how glorious it is to see a woman celebrated as a silver fox, the novel stands out for consistently defying expectations. Lela Bennett is a lifelong romantic whose life was altered by her unrequited love for Donovan James, the thrice-divorced serial heartbreaker who inexplicably ghosted her in college. These complicated former BFFs meet-cute again at a Manhattan wedding 26 years after their initial estrangement—but it takes time for the reunion to stick. After Donovan flakes on her again, Lela reenvisions what she wants. Embracing her gray, she’s sexy, confident, and laser focused on starting her own makeup line. When Donovan and his daughter sign on to help launch the brand, romance is explicitly off the table, but attraction and friendship remain. Their circuitous path towards coupledom allows time for understanding and compassion to grow. Booth enriches the story with keen observations about aging, relationships, and pop culture. Her uncommonly humane approach is less interested in making Donovan grovel than it is in his emotional growth, and she swaps out miscommunication for sometimes terrifying candor. This second—and third—chance romance both entertains and inspires. (Self-published)