Malibu summer

Two widowers find solace with each other in Gill's heartfelt and funny debut. PhD candidate Ivy Bauer and her husband, Will, have just begun planning their family when Will is killed in a biking accident. After struggling through the funeral proceedings, Ivy, who'd been researching soil, puts her scientific work on hold and accepts a summer position working as a private gardener in Malibu. Conrad Reed, a wealthy Hollywood writer and producer, is grappling with what to do with his life after the death of his beloved actor wife and adjusting to parenting his four-year-old stepson, Hudson. Hiring Ivy to be his gardener was supposed to ease Conrad's mind and take a few things off his plate, but the overly opinionated Ivy immediately does quite the contrary, challenging his every decision. The two collide and sparks fly in more ways than one--and once Ivy starts to form a bond with Hudson, Conrad begins to open up to her, rekindling emotions both Ivy and Conrad believed they'd never have again. Though the romance itself feels a bit rushed and underdeveloped, with the characters flip-flopping between conflict and crushing, its easy to fall for the colorful cast, and the exploration of grief rings true. Gill is off to a good start. Agent: Alice Martell, Martell Agency. (May)

Ivy Bauer, soil scientist and hopeful inventor, is abruptly widowed and left adrift, unable to concentrate on her groundbreaking work. Her best friend Makayla persuades Ivy to take a sabbatical and swap Northern California for Malibu to live in the guest house of Mak's boss, TV producer Conrad Reed, for a change of scenery and garden design work. Ivy, encouraged by the backer of her venture to take as much time as she needs to regroup, moves onto Conrad's estate and straight into his grief. Conrad's starlet wife, Dawn, recently died in a horrible auto accident, leaving behind her precocious young son, Hudson. Ivy is charmed by Hudson, but Conrad? Not so much. Ivy and Conrad are complete opposites, but sparks still begin to fly as their nearness turns into concerned caring despite their differences. However, contrived subplots and simplistic resolutions, along with an overly mature four-year-old, overshadow the story, including an enlightening angle on environmental issues. VERDICT Gill's (Leadership Reckoning) first foray into fiction doesn't quite come together, despite likable protagonists.--Nicole J. Suarez