It Happened on Love Street

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.

Leaving New York City behind for a job in a Georgia small town, lawyer Pepper Knight moves next door to veterinarian Rhett Valentine. Narration alternates between Greyson Ash, who takes on the predominately female chapters, and Douglas Berger, who takes the male point of view. When Pepper loses her job working for a judge before it even begins, she ends up as a dog walker, despite her fear of dogs. The transitions between narrators are seamless. The listener hardly notices the switch in voices. Berger provides a subtle Southern accent for the people of the town, particularly Rhett. Together, Ash and Berger provide enjoyable listening as Pepper and Rhett fall in love. S.B. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine