"A Touch of Whimsy Makes This a Delight"

Ten years ago the world looked bright for Kitty Feathers she was about to be crowned Miss Easy as a prelude to competing in the title of Miss Arizona. Her eye was not on the title so much as the scholarship that went along with it, until disaster struck. The target of malicious gossip, she was stripped of both title and crown and under a veil of unfounded accusations, and what she perceived as a devastating betrayal she ran -- as far away from Easy, Arizona as she could get.

With the sudden death of her mother, Kate (as she now wished to be called) returned home to settle the estate as quickly as possible. An unexpected meeting with Max Connors, her high school sweetheart whom she blamed for starting the ugly rumors leaves her with mixed emotions and a resurgence of the attraction she once felt for him.

All of a sudden the past doesn't seem so open and shut anymore as conflicting stories abound and long held secrets and lies start surfacing. Prodded on by a 'haunted' teacup Kate is able to piece together the past with an aim to embrace the future with the man she knew now, she never stopped loving.

*** Bleser combines great characters, real life believable situations and a touch of whimsy into a story that reaches out and grabbed me from the very first line. I've had the book for some time and am now kicking myself for not getting to it sooner. Kate was developed beautifully and most women who read this will empathize with the plight she faced from peer pressure and malicious gossip. Max is all that a young woman could ask for in a man, handsome, filling a pair of jeans admirably well, combined with a heart of gold with his compassion for children and animals -- I fell a bit in love myself. The touch of whimsy with her mother haunting her teacup was delightful and combined with the strength of some sparkling crisp prose I had no trouble in finishing this in one enjoyable sitting. Ultimately this is a truly lovely read that I have no trouble recommending for an enjoyable afternoon of pleasure.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO -- Reviewers International Organization

Reviewed by Marilyn Rondeau
Posted July 18, 2006

Summary

Kate Feathers had it all. As representative of her hometown of Easy in the Miss Arizona State Pageant, the future held unlimited possibilities. Then it all came crashing down. The victim of malicious rumors, Kate was stripped of her crown, her scholarship, and her future. She left town in shame, running as far east of Easy as possible. Ten years later, Kate returns home to settle her mother's estate. She thought she was immune to the small-town gossip and rumors she'd left behind, but an unexpected meeting with Max Connors, the high-school sweetheart she blames for starting the ugly rumors, uncovers secrets and lies that are as painful now as they were then. Kate simply wants to get her mother's affairs in order so she can return to New York, but her growing attraction to Max—and a series of inscrutable messages from a haunted teacup—will force her to face her worst fears once and for all. And this time, running is not an option.