This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Hope Spencer, an attitude packed journalist from LA, is sent to the small town of Gospel, Idaho to find the scoop that will help resuscitate her career. With a gift of rubbing people up the wrong way, and secrets she has no intention of divulging to anyone, Hope soon clashes with the ruggedly, handsome sheriff that most women of the town are after, but none seem to be able to catch. Sheriff Dylan Taber has a young son and his own reasons for keeping his private life to himself. Not an easy task in a gossip-filled small town where there is very little to do apart from eat, drink, and take part in the betting pool on the injuries of naive trekkers visiting the nearby Sawtooth Mountains each year.
This absorbing book showing the obvious differences in their upbringings, not so obvious ones of their pasts, and the causes that keep the mutually attracted couple to be understandably sceptical of the other’s intentions. Sheriff Taber although intrigued by the blond Californian, as she takes her daily jog through the small town in her lycra shorts, passing locals wearing faded jeans and the only diner anyone dare eat in, is determined not to be anything more than the elected official that keeps everything running to order.
Each fiercely independent, and neither looking for romance, both have their different agendas, but do not expect to become embroiled in each other’s lives in the way that they do. Unfortunately, their pasts catch up with them, and the mayhem that follows threatens to destroy any hope they probably had to ever be together.
This is the first Rachel Gibson book I’ve read, but it will definitely not be the last. She draws you in to the story as soon as you start reading. I could see the beauty of the scenery, hear the raucous music and feel Hope’s revulsion at some of her neighbours’ habits and their idea of what speciality food should be enjoyed at a barbeque. Most of all I could understand Hope’s attraction to the tall, broad-shouldered, Sheriff, and could not put the book down until the very end.
Rating: 10/10