Wanted: Brooding Man, Tragic Past

Una has one dream: to fall in love with a tall, dark, and handsome man worthy of her favorite gothic novels. With the war over, men are in short supply—but a mysterious limp, a haunted gaze, and a tragic back story are pluses in her book, so the perfect husband must exist.

Then why does she keep thinking so much about Varrie Lumanar, once the best employee at Beldar's Books? With his overenthusiastic smile, bright yellow scarf, and cheerful demeanor, he's an insult to brooding manhood.

He als...