Night After Night

What! has no one read the 4th book in the mini-series [or as I call it "the saga" of Russell Braddock's HAPPILY EVER AFTER CO. - Marriage Broker extraordinaire. Russell Braddock has moved himself and Co. to California [from Chicago] where he is visited by his daughter, Noelle, [now pregnant]. This is the story of Maggie O'Connor, 19, from Chicago [big newspaper write-up] following the shooting of her brother, Brian some years ago. She has enlisted the help of Russ Braddock to find her a position as a schoolteacher as she has no desire to get married. The lose of loved ones is too traumatic. Maggie is sent to Shasta Falls, California through the auspesses of Father Joe. She is met by Sheriff Dennis Riordain and taken to the boarding house of Mrs. Eleanor Blake. She is soon introduced to the other boarders and regaled with the warning not to bother Alex Coburn, a questionable gentleman. He has the possession of Mrs. Blake's original bedroom and her husband's library. Maggie fell in love with the library and wished to explore it. On her walk she spies two boys up to mischief and follows them to the stable only to run into dark clad, dangerous man with a gun. When she sees two young boys come out of the darkness she knows she must defend them from the gun pointed at them. Oh, does this start a lot of fun and misunderstanding. Coburn wants nothing to do with anyone around Shasta Falls and he is good at keeping people at arms length. The folks admire Maggie for giving Coburn a bit of sass and not backing off. Even when he offers to take her to his bed. She soon has a standing offer to have dinner with the Sheriff and his wife, June, every thursday. June has no use for Coburn having been insulted by him at a first dinner. Well, Maggie soon learns to get along with Coburn for the use of the library and brings about a change in his attitude. There is a lot of humorous dialogue and Maggie is so dumb she is believable. Someone is stalking her. She knows it is one of her boys. In this set-up Maggie learns one of Coburn's biggest secrets as he finds out about hers. Their "love affair" is a bit hokey but I guess it works. The story is lively and very interesting to rate a Definitely Recommended for an enjoyable read. [#5 coming up if I can find it].