i wanted to recommend indian hawthorn (raphiolepis indica) but, the more i think about it, the less inclined i am to do so. they can be very pretty in flower but i have yet to see one that did not have leaf spot(much like red-tip photinias).
for something different and unusual, maybe texas ranger (leucophyllum frutescens). there is one growing in a large planter at a vet's office in my area and i like the grayish foliage (semi-evergreen). it naturally grows in arid regions but should do o.k. here in a well-drained site.
this might not be what you want if you are looking for something with a more formal appearance but they can be pruned or sheared to shape.
this link lists cultivars that i am not familiar with but may have better attributes for form and flowering than the species.

Here is a link that might be useful: texas ranger

I have seen some nice abelia shrubs I would try in full sun.

heres a link to see Abelia "Edward Goucher"

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=A930

Here is a link that might be useful: abelia

A few more ideas:

We have some sasanquas in full sun, in a dry spot that got to be very large (15 ft.) that bloom faithfully every fall. there are smaller varieties and you can prune them to any size. I think that Yuletide falls within your size parameters and is nicely upright. Snowflurry is gorgeous and gets a wispy rounded shape.

August beauty gardenia would probably work as well but is a lot more fussy (the smell is worth it!). I have seen some English roseum rhododendrons out in the middle of fields nearby that are about the right size and are gorgeous in the spring. Soil prep for drainage would probably be critical.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think we are going plant shopping tomorrow. There's no telling what we will end up bringing home.