Deborah Grace-Staley, Only You

Only You

Deborah Grace-Staley

Echelon, 2004, $11.99, 215 pp.

ISBN: 159080340X

Dr. Josie Allen feels good about returning to her hometown of Angel Ridge to serve as the head librarian. As she adjusts to her duties, Josie struggles to make her on-line catalogue system that she developed for her thesis work. Josie has other problems as Mrs. McKay, her benefactor who paid for her graduate work in exchange for her coming home to replace the retiring librarian, places behavioral demands on her. Worse, Mrs. McKay's son banker Martin wants to court Josie as his only social equal.

General handyman Cole Craig has liked Josie since he first saw her attending the local schools. He did nothing then, but hopes to date her because he still desires Josie. To his surprise, Josie agrees to go out with him. As they date and begin falling in love, Mrs. McKay warns Josie that she stay away from the Craig blue collar losers as they are beneath their social strata if she wants to keep her job. Perhaps the legendary angel that allegedly protected the Craigs when Indians attacked in the mid eighteenth century will reappear to help this couple make it. Josie will not wait as she has backbone to take care of herself though Cole tries to intercede.

This is a strong small-town romance starring two terrific protagonists, a host of wonderfully eccentric locals, and a fire exhaling town matriarch. The fun story line focuses on whether two individuals seemingly from different educational backgrounds can make it. Though a late twist involving Cole takes somewhat away from the plot, fans will treasure this deep character study.

Harriet Klausner