April 3, 2017
Riley starts her Everland, Georgia contemporary series with an enjoyable bit of fluff. Pepper Knight grew up in rural Maine, but she has her sights set on being a successful lawyer in New York City, and no irresistible small-town vet will get in her way. A summer serving as a judicial clerk in Everland was just supposed to be one stop on the road to a stable, responsible life. When the judge gives her job to someone else, Everland becomes a dead end. Local vet Rhett Valentine offers Pepper a job as a dog walker to help her get back on her feet, even though Pepper is terrified of dogs. The attraction between Pepper and Rhett is instant, and they also like each other enough to be good friends, filling this contemporary romance with jokes, lighthearted moments, and tender lovemaking. Rhett wants to explore their relationship but is skittish about the town’s well-meaning gossips finding out. Pepper still plans to leave at the end of the summer and prefers to keep their fling a secret. Thanks to friendly townspeople, crotchety Scrabble players at the dog park, and an irrepressible younger sister, even city dwellers will see the appeal of falling in love while stranded in a small Southern coastal town. Agent: Emily Kim, Prospect.