Cover story

Lacey (Stars Collide) departs from the typical Hollywood romance in this spicy sapphic outing. A-list actor Natalie Keane understandably increases security when the man who stalked and kidnapped her eight years ago is released from prison. Hoping to "make headlines for happy reasons instead of traumatic ones," however, she requests that her new bodyguard, Taylor Vaughn, pose as her girlfriend. Lacey brings the heat between these two career-focused women, and given their palpable chemistry from the start, it's no surprise when they fall in love in earnest. Still, Natalie's PTSD from the kidnapping and Taylor's parents' dependence on her career to support them financially mean both women have a hard time accepting and embracing their feelings for each other. While the dialogue often feels stilted ("Therapy made a huge difference in my life, and I get enthusiastic about it," Taylor says to Natalie, "but that doesn't give me the right to be preachy") and renders the characters somewhat two-dimensional, the steamy sex scenes, Hollywood glamor, and high-stakes intrigue keep the pages turning. Lacey's fans should snap this up. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (Mar.)