No offense A novel

No sooner has Molly settled into her job as Little Bridge Island, Florida's children's services librarian than her world turns upside down. Someone leaves a newborn in her library's bathroom. While Molly is immediately concerned about the baby's mother, Sheriff John Hartwell is quick to declare the abandonment a criminal act. Though Molly thinks John should be focusing on a series of thefts and acts of vandalism around town, a sore spot for the new sheriff, it's not long before sparks, instead of barbs, are flying between them. As John, struggling with single parenthood, attempts to overcome his personal barriers and connect with newly un-engaged Molly, Molly finds herself unable to stay out of the interconnected mysteries unfolding in Little Bridge. Longtime fans of Cabot may find this second Little Bridge Island book (No Judgment, 2019) less engrossing than her Heather Wells mysteries and the romance less alluring than those in her Boy books. But for readers in the market for a quick, fun read--and especially for librarians who will appreciate the in-jokes--Cabot, reliably, delivers.

Though Cabot's prose is characteristically lively in her second Little Bridge Island novel (after No Judgements), the cookie-cutter characters and anticlimactic mystery make this a rare stumble. Molly Montgomery is all too aware that she's been "turning into a cliché of a spinster librarian" ever since her move to the idyllic town of Little Bridge. But her mundane life takes a sharp turn when she discovers an infant abandoned in a library bathroom stall. Sheriff John Hartwell is called to the scene--and is instantly smitten with Molly. When the library is vandalized, the distinct graffiti style leads John to believe the case may be connected to Dylan Dakota, an elusive criminal who is notorious for breaking and entering. Though Molly is determined give her input on the mystery, she and John can't see eye to eye on any aspect of the investigation--but their debates on the case only fuel the fire growing between them. Cabot's characters are winsome but predictable, and the hasty plot leaves little room for either satisfying mystery or romantic depth. Still, the charming small-town setting and cheerful tone will please Cabot's die-hard fans. Agent: Laura Langlie, Laura Langlie Literary. (Aug.)

After a failed engagement, children's librarian Molly Montgomery moves from Colorado to Florida's Little Bridge Island to serve as the town librarian, taking a side gig at the Lazy Parrot Inn to make ends meet. John Hartwell has returned to his island home to fill the role of sheriff, uprooting his teenage daughter in the process. When Molly finds an abandoned baby in the library bathroom and John is called in to investigate, sparks fly as the two disagree on every conceivable point of what could have possibly happened. Discovering the child's mother in a trashed room of the new library, John believes he has the clues he needs to catch the culprit and advises Molly to let him handle the case alone. But Molly, a longtime fan of true crime podcasts, is determined to sleuth out the mystery herself. As their paths continue to cross, their differing opinions create a tense situation that also heightens the brewing chemistry between them. VERDICT Cabot returns to the "Little Bridge Island" series with another engaging read (after No Judgment). Rom-com fans looking to extend the beach-reading season should find this their next go-to read.--Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati, Blue Ash