RETURN MATCH

Without a nifty mystery plot to crystallize the sugar, Cadell's comedy-romances can often seem like cut-rate Catherine Cookson or contemporary Barbara Cartland--and that's the effect in this wispy tale of a tart kid sister who grows up and finally wins the adoration of her dashing foster-brother. Nigel Pressley returns from his job in Brazil to find that his plucky mum has moved into a hopeless little London-suburb house, and that his foster-sister, orphan Rona, is now grown-up, gorgeous, and smart (she's a top-drawer legal secretary). Before Rona and Nigel can embrace, however, they must quarrel and storm about--and certain side issues must be resolved: there's the matter of notorious Maria Montallen, who once stole Rona's fianc‚ and is now back in town, man-hunting; there's mother-in-law tension in the home of some nice neighbors; there's a possible rip-off going on in town with the sale of some unspoiled land to a crass real-estate developer; and there's that very good but very loud brass band that rehearses twice a day next door to Nigel's stoical mum. Some mildly engaging characters, a few smiles--but this time around the ever-pleasant Cadell is more cloying than charming.