Your New Best Friend

Jane Austen's Emma made a habit of meddling in other people's lives, but Melanie Abbott has turned it into a cottage industry. As "modern American royalty" living in Abbott's Bay, Massachusetts, a town founded by her ancestor, Melanie Abbott feels it's her right-even her duty-to employ her uncanny knack for knowing exactly what everyone needs to improve their lives. She eagerly shares her wisdom and insight with her friends and neighbors . . . whether they ask for it or not. If only Conn Garvey,...