Holiday in the Hamptons

August 7, 2017
The effects of emotional child abuse are at the heart of this flimsy second-chances love story, the fifth installment in Morgan’s From Manhattan with Love contemporary series (after New York, Actually). When Felicity “Fliss” Knight, a rambunctious and emotionally closed-off professional dogwalker, gets a call that her grandmother is in the hospital, she hightails it to the Hamptons to take care of her. Fliss hopes to avoid an awkward encounter with her ex-husband, Seth Carlyle (whom she left after three months of marriage and hasn’t seen in 10 years), but winds up practically living next door to him. Seth, a veterinarian, knows Fliss is closed off, but he’s determined to finally break down her barriers and get answers he feels are long over-
due. Fliss hides her emotions as a defense mechanism stemming from her father’s emotional abuse of her as a child, but she’s still undeniably attracted to the handsome, patient vet, and her feelings prove difficult to contain. Although initially understandable, readers will tire of Fliss’s stoicism; it’s not clear what Seth saw in her the first time or why he’s interested in a do-over. Agent: Susan Ginsburg, Writers House. (Sept.

August 1, 2017

Felicity Knight adores New York City and the successful dog-walking business she runs with her twin sister, Harriet, until her ex-husband, veterinarian Seth Carlyle, whom she hasn't seen in ten years, temporarily fills in at the clinic they use. Fliss refuses to run into him, so when her grandmother calls saying she needs help after her surgery, Fliss loads up the car and heads for the Hamptons--and safety. But Seth lives and practices in the Hamptons, not the city. When Fliss almost hits a dog that turns out to be Seth's, she impulsively tells him she's sensible Harriet, setting the stage for a comedy of errors that is as hilarious as it is romantic. VERDICT Sweet, sexy, and funny, this addictive tale exudes seaside charm and canine affection and delightfully keeps its promise of a happy ending. Morgan (New York, Actually) lives near London, England.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.