SOMEBODY TO LOVE – Kristan Higgins
HQN
ISBN: 978-0-373-77658-0
April 2012
Contemporary Romance

Mackerly, Rhode Island and Gideon's Cove, Maine – Present Day

Parker Welles comes from a dysfunctional family with a father who gives more affection to his pet python than he does to his daughter, and a mother who has been married four times, but still cannot find happiness.  Thirty-five-year-old Parker has just finished writing a popular series of children's books donating all proceeds to charity.  She has a five-year-old son, Nicky, and his father Ethan and new wife Lucy are her best friends.  She lives in the family mansion.

Parker is shocked when her wealthy stock broker father, Harry, arrives to tell her he has lost all of their money including Parker's and Nicky's trust funds.  He has been caught insider trading and is heading for jail; all his possessions must be liquidated to pay off the investors.  Parker is left with her checking account and a small house in Gideon's Cove she inherited from her aunt six years ago.  Parker has never liked the minions who travel with her father.  James Cahill, whom she disdainfully calls Thing One, is her father's lawyer.  He is told to go with Parker to claim her house in Gideon's Cove while Nicky goes on a three week vacation with Ethan and Lucy.  Parker refuses James's escort.

Six years ago, James hired on with Parker's dad, who treats him like a son.  When he is sent to see Parker's new baby in Harry's stead, he is stunned by Parker's beauty, but he soon discovers that Parker has only contempt for him and anyone associated with her father.

Parker leaves for the tiny town of Gideon 's Cove.  She hopes to quickly sell her house and return to Mackerly.  She finds the crumbling little house on the coast and discovers that her aunt had been a pack rat—the house is filled to overflowing with all kinds of junk.  Parker has descended a long way from a wealthy young heiress to this horror.  Will she accept James's help when he arrives? 

Parker's stories are about the sickenly sweet Holy Rollers, a group of little angels who keep her company.  She constantly converses with the imaginary Rollers, and hopes to come up with another idea for a book to help her bottom line.  She is lonely without her rambunctious son and her best friends.  Will she be able to find a place for herself in Gideon's Cove?  Will she finally give James a chance at friendship or something more?

Readers will be reunited with characters from Ms. Higgins's previous book, CATCH OF THE DAY, and will enjoy the new characters in SOMEBODY TO LOVE.  They will quickly turn the pages to find out how Parker's summer turns out as she shares laughter, some tears, and gets involved in a few amusing situations.  And because it is a Kristan Higgins book, there will be a cute little dog to complete the delightful tale.  James turns out to be a good guy who helps her with the house as she settles into a new life style and discovers her mettle. SOMEBODY TO LOVE is heart-warming, funny, poignant, and an over-all good story with a tender romance.  Another winner for this excellent story teller.

Marilyn Heyman