The Seat Filler : A Novel

The movie star and the dog groomer are one kiss away from the perfect love story.

That's the hiccup in a warm and witty romance by the bestselling author of Roommaid. The meet-cute award goes to dog groomer Juliet Nolan.

It's one of Hollywood's biggest nights when she volunteers as a seat filler and winds up next to movie heartthrob Noah freaking Douglas.

Tongue tied and toes curling in her pink Converse, she pretends that she doesn't have a clue who he is.

It's the only way to keep from swooning. She's pretty and unpretentious, loves his dog, and is not a worshipping fan.

No way Noah's giving up on her, even if his affectionate pursuit comes with a bump: Juliet has a pathological fear of kissing and the disappointments that follow.

What odds does romance have without that momentous, stupendous, once-in-a-lifetime first smooch?

Patient, empathetic, and carrying personal burdens of his own, Noah suggests a remedy: they rehearse. The lessons begin. The guards come down. But there's another hitch they weren't betting on. As for that cue-the-orchestra-and-roll-credits happy ending?

It might take more than practice to make it perfect.