Harlequin Historical #237: The Sugarman

Rafe Sugarman was a friend of Ulyssus S. Grant, also a Mississippi boy who ran with the boys in blue.Mississippi considered him a "traitor", remember this was the Civil War.Rafe came to Quinn County in 1870, looking for a place to stay and work and he meets The Shawl Lady, Serena Quinn.Serena just stares at the big bear of a male. She has never seen such a magnificent male before. His very maleness disturbs her. [must have been some pheromones]Rafe knows that Serena is dangerous to his peace of mind and stays away from her. Rafe sees Con Quinn and gets a chance to work the Chickapee Bend farm.Daddy Quinn wants his daughter married, Serena is considered an old maid at 24, and she has no plans to marry. The man she might have married [he was considered safe] has fallen in love with someone else.We meet Arlen Sears, Quinn's lawman,a bully and troublemaker -- Esme Quinn, Con's daughter in law, Little Joab who runs errands for Serena.Uncle Peter and Aunt Pete work for Con, Aunt Pete, who helped raise Serena is the only one who knows her secret.The story unfolds with a few well kept secrets, wonderful characters that live and breathe and a plot that is so easy to get into. And it keeps getting better as Serena and Rafe fight their attraction while holding onto their secrets.A most delightful story with a questionable seduction [can she really react that way] An inevitable mix of emotions and strong feelings and a wonderful conclusion. Very hard to put down.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED --M? -- definitely one of the keepers!

Serena Quinn had wrapped herself up in her slim defenses, letting no one get close, lest her secret be discovered. But now a stranger had come to town. A big and powerful bear of a man who made her want to turn tail and run while she still had the will to turn away from his honey kisses. Since his return from Mississippi, Rafe Sugarman had wanted only two things out of life: to put down roots and to forget his past. And Miss Serena Quinn was just the woman to make it happen, if she would only forget the past and give in to the sweet storm of desire that raged between them. from the back cover