LOVE IS FOR THE BIRDS

In Prettyman’s novel, a romance haltingly develops in the aftermath of a severe storm on the Gulf Coast.

After her mother’s death, Teddy (short for Theodora) leaves Houston to manage the deceased woman’s candy store in the small Gulf community of Bird Isle—but, like much of the island after the recent “storm of the century,” Sweet Somethings is now only a pile of rubble. Enter Jack, a “George Strait lookalike” and the owner of a chain of barbecue restaurants. He’s helpful but lonely; his wife, Angela, died five years ago. Jack’s interested in Teddy, but she isn’t looking for love. She has a boyfriend in Houston and a stray dog named Pickles for companionship. Teddy also has financial problems but doesn’t want pity or help. Teddy’s island friends—Walt, a surfer; café owner Dot; and Barb, who rehabilitates animals—are pro-Jack, but Teddy has trust issues. It doesn’t help that all of Jack’s food trucks are plastered with Angela’s name. As their relationship tenuously evolves, Teddy catches Jack in a lie that jeopardizes their intimacy. Throughout the narrative, Prettyman switches back and forth between the viewpoints of Jack and Teddy, with mixed results. Teddy embodies both turmoil and growth; overcoming excessive pride, she learns to provide help to others and accept help herself. Jack, however, doesn’t change or ever experience doubt about Teddy, making him a less compelling character. The book has the easy flow of a summer read and is full of humorous elements, like the overly laid-back Walt nearly becoming a gator’s meal, Jack’s country-boy colloquialisms, and a small-town populace that keeps track of Teddy’s every move. The story is light on tragedy; no casualties from the storm are mentioned, and the deaths of Teddy’s mother and Angela don’t receive in-depth treatment. Thorny issues get neatly resolved (a teen girl quickly accepts her newfound father), and nearly everyone ends up with someone to love, delivering that cozy feeling familiar to readers of the romance genre.

Light, breezy, and comforting as a block of fudge.