Tim Farrington

Falling in love a second time is a trip through treacherous waters—you might be able to remember where the river’s most dangerous rocks are from the first time around, but that’s no guarantee you won’t hit them again. For the title character of Tim Farrington’s The Monk Downstairs, it’s only more complex for being on the rebound from God. Mike, based on ex-monk Farrington himself, is a shy, disillusioned refugee from the cloistered world who takes an apartment and a burger-flipping job after losing his faith. His landlady, Rebecca, is a lonely single mother made wary by divorce. The two share an immediate attraction, but the flowers of romance bloom slowly when both partners have been scratched by other thorns. Farrington handles this hesitant courtship with skill, spinning a tale of grownup romance and redemption that’s pleasantly reminiscent of The Accidental Tourist. Ruminator Books, 1648 Grand Ave., St. Paul, (651) 699-0587, http://www.ruminator.com