May 16, 2022
Mansell (And Now You’re Back) offers a pleasant, offbeat tale of love and family. When adult foster siblings reunite to meet—and investigate—their father figure’s much younger Russian girlfriend, Olga, they’re forced to confront their own relationship woes. Good girl Amber Nicholls and playboy Lachlan McCarthy have been secretly pining for each other since meeting as troubled teens, but fear of rejection (Amber) and of ruining the family dynamic (Lachlan) keeps them from acting on their feelings. Though some readers will be turned off by the taboo of former foster siblings dating, Mansell does a good job making them a couple to root for. Meanwhile their foster brother, Raffaele Wright, learns the unexpected truth behind his ex-girlfriend’s angry outbursts, the reason for their breakup. And, instead of the nefarious gold digger the trio were expecting, laid-back Olga charms and her astuteness proves beneficial to all as they navigate complex interpersonal dynamics. Even family friend Benji gets a chance at romance as he works on overcoming his shyness. These inventive, intertwining love stories will have readers hooked. Agent: Jennifer Unter, Unter Agency.