And Now, Back to You is book two in BK Borison’s Heartstrings series of retro-fabulous romances which are reminiscent of Nora Ephron’s romcoms. This one is just as gorgeous as First-Time Caller and continues with more of the Baltimore radio and TV world.

Delilah Stewart is televisual gold. She’s effervescent, effusive, smiley and gorgeous, and chooses to be optimistic. She was brought up by her grandfather who is now, sadly, sliding into dementia. She works at her local TV station as the weather anchor, but her boss Keith gives her more and more fluff pieces, often with costumes or other accessories that make her look ridiculous – all in the name of fun, of course.

Jackson Clark presents the weather forecasts at the radio station across the road and he and Delilah have been having low-key bickerfests on Post-it notes in the carpark, for years. They both think they don’t like the other, but there a fascination there, all the same. Jackson is the Eeyore in this pair. He’s anxious and serious, living a constrained life that is planned and regimented. He has been guardian of his younger twin sisters for years, ever since their mother gave them up, but now the mom is back on the scene, stirring up trouble and disturbing their organised life.

Jackson and Delilah’s employers send them off together to report on an upcoming super snow storm, running shared bulletins across both TV and radio. Jackson has stage fright and anxiety attacks when he is on screen, so even with Delilah’s bubbly enthusiasm, their on-air pairings are excruciating. Delilah isn’t sure if this is a set up by Keith to tank her career, or whether it is a genuine initiative to build cohesion and audience for both the TV and radio stations. It’s quickly obvious that Keith is sabotaging their trip; for instance, he cancels Delilah’s room booking so she has to share with Jackson, which sets up a lovely ‘only one bed’ trope, complete with pillow mountain and lots of awkward cosiness. As the storm gets closer, so do Delilah and Jackson, but everything is complicated by Keith’s sabotage.

There’s a lot of depth here, At its heart, And Now, Back to You is about the long-term effect of parental abandonment. Jackson’s conversations with his mother are heart-breaking as she dismisses his pain and undermines his decisions, and I felt so much dread when she expresses interest in the twins.

Delilah has poured herself into her job to maintain the status quo with her grandfather, accepting what her boss dishes out, even though it’s increasingly intrusive and humiliating. Delilah believes, or hopes, that by sucking it up and not complaining she will keep her job and eventually wear down the antagonism of the awful Keith.

The run up to the snow storm is filled with intimate moments as Delilah and Jackson get to know each other. Once it’s over and they return to Baltimore, the pace increases as they manage their complicated home lives and Delilah’s work situation. That they make it to a happily-ever-after is so satisfying!

Quibbles? Minor characters feel under-used at times but I was enchanted by Delilah’s clumsy charm and Jackson’s disciplined duty. BK Borison navigates the ground between their warmth and chemistry and the grit of their situations. And Now, Back to You is definitely one for my DIK shelf!