"Delightful blend of mystery and romance."

Writing an advice column is not what Shelby Simon dreamed of doing when she was a child, but still "Ms. Simon Says" affords her a very comfortable life and a certain amount of celebrity. Things change suddenly, however, when newspapers across the country start receiving letter bombs - all addressed to Shelby. While through the years not everybody has agreed with what Ms. Simon has had to say, surely her advice hasn't angered somebody enough they'd want to kill her, has it?

Unwilling to risk her life and the lives of her coworkers, Shelby's bosses put her column on hold and she's sent into hiding. Hunky cop Mick Callahan is assigned to get her out of town and to her family's secluded country home. Delivering her safely to Heart Lake, Mick finds himself intrigued by Shelby and unable to leave her alone and unprotected. Soon the two are exploring their mutual attraction. When people involved in the investigation of her case start turning up dead, Mick wonders if he will be able to keep Shelby safe.

Mystery takes a backseat to romance here. At times, I had the feeling that even the characters forgot that Shelby was in danger, but it was a fun read nonetheless. Even the secondary characters of Shelby's family were well developed enough that you wished you knew more about them. Imagine my delight when I saw there was a preview at the end for Ms. McBride's next book, featuring Shelby's sister.

Reviewed by Tish Glasson
Courtesy Old Book Barn Gazette
Posted February 16, 2004