The Rom-Com Agenda

Leah Keegan can do it all—retail, housekeeping, even pizza delivery. Though it’s easy to find odd jobs in the small town of Willow Cove, none of them has earned her enough to start fresh following the death of her foster mother. When she encounters a group of women trying to make over their friend Eli after a failed proposal left him in a funk, it seems Leah’s diverse skill set might be just the ticket to transforming him into meet-cute material. Can Leah turn Eli into a rom-com Romeo without falling for him herself? Denker’s (“Welcome to Marsden” series) newest contemporary romance is not as upbeat as the name suggests. Though it has the requisite heartwarming ending, the relationships and dialogue fall flat. Some instances are even off-putting, such as referring to a former foster child as “the orphan” in a manner that attempts to be playful. Though narrator Erika Schindele gives an engaging performance, inconsistent pacing and personalities result in a lackluster listening experience.