Sweet Southern Trouble

April 10, 2017
An untidy story line and characters who verge on caricature hamper the disappointing fourth Harmony Homecomings contemporary (after Sweet Southern Bad Boy). Short, athletic kindergarten teacher Marabelle Fairchild is tasked with convincing hunky football coach Nick Frasier to persuade his team to offer themselves at a fund-raising auction. Marabelle, who has rebelled against her toxic wealthy parents, needs job security, and Nick needs a “wholesome” female companion to soothe the football-team owner’s concerns. Convoluted logic leads to Nick and Marabelle’s faux engagement, with conflicts including Nick’s troubled romantic past and Marabelle’s conviction that she’s sexually incompetent. Surrounding this are incompletely realized subplots and an unfortunate number of supporting characters who are either unconvincingly quirky or cartoonish. Only Beau “Tinker Bell” Quinton, Nick’s self-appointed matchmaker, really shines. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency.

April 15, 2017

Charged with the responsibility of inducing NFL coach Nick Frasier, the uncle of one of her kindergartners, to help out with the school's fundraiser, teaching assistant (and high school tennis coach) Marabelle Fairchild is shocked when her facetious idea of holding a bachelor auction is embraced. Now she has to prevail upon Nick to talk his friends and teammates into participating. Nick resists, but Marabelle intrigues him, and when they end up in a fake engagement, thanks to an impulsive remark, their relationship takes a predictable but not always comfortable turn. Likable protagonists keep the plot on track, while a diverse cast of supporting characters add complications of their own. VERDICT Laugh-out-loud humor and stellar sensuality add up to a lively Southern treasure. Summers (Sweet Southern Bad Boy) lives in North Carolina.

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