The Stranger: The Heroes of Heyday (Harlequin Superromance No. 1266)

Tyler Balfour is a journalist. Three years ago, he blew the lid on a group of co-ed prostitutes referred to as the Heyday Eight. The story won him a Pulitzer Prize as well as the hate of most of the citizens of the city of Heyday. His biological father passed away and left a third of his property in Heyday to each of his three sons. Tyler isn't close with his brothers. They all had different mothers. Tyler didn't even know that Anderson McClintock was his father until after his mother passed away and his stepfather told him. Tyler decides to return to Heyday to see if he can dig up anything else related to the Heyday Eight story. Mallory Rackham is a book store owner. Three years ago, Tyler Balfour's story on the Heyday Eight destroyed her life. The family diner her mother owned had been the meeting place for the Eight, and Mallory's ex-husband had been one of the Eight's customers. One of the town's looney residents had burned down her family cafe. Her sister, Mindy had attempted suicide, and her mother was now in a coma caused by a stroke. Mallory had good reason to hate Tyler. He'd pretended to be her friend before, but she wouldn't fall for it this time. Dilday Merle, a professor at the university is being blackmailed and has asked for Tyler's help with finding the extortionist. Even though the professor didn't have anything to do with the Heyday Eight, his career is in jeopardy if these allegations become known. Tyler returned to the eccentric city of Heyday knowing that the people of the town blame him for ruining their town. He had research to do for his book on the Heyday Eight, and he's agreed to help expose the blackmailer. Mallory is also a victim of the blackmailer. However, she does have something to hide, and if Tyler's writing a book about the Heyday Eight, then she definitely doesn't want her family secret exposed. She's still hurt that Tyler used her friendship and her family's café to get information about the Heyday Eight. THE STRANGER is one of the books in Kathleen O'Brien's Heroes of Heyday series. I love the idea of the entire city having a circus theme, and it seems the citizens of Heyday are just as eccentric as their city. Tyler Balfour and his brothers may not have grown up together, but their affection was obvious with the way they backed each other up in any situation. Mallory is a truly amazing character. After everything she lost in the Heyday Eight exposure, she still cares deeply for the city and the residents. All of her anger and bitterness is directed toward Tyler. She spends most of her time and energy doing things for others and not enough taking care of herself. The blackmailer remained a mystery until the end of the book. I thought I had it figured out several times and still wasn't able to figure it out until it was spelled out for me. THE STRANGER is full of wacky characters in an even nuttier city and was a pleasure to read. Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies