Misbehaving in Merritt (Crossroads, Book 1)

Audrey Evans learns not to trust anyone early on, courtesy of a childhood spent in a trailer park with a drug-addicted, alcoholic mother and no father in sight. Even so she works her way through college and lands a job as a sideline announcer for ESPN. When a boyfriend with a temper validates her fears, she’s forced to change careers and moves to Merritt, Alabama to pursue a new life in sports photography. Dr. Max Buchanan, only child of wealthy, doting parents, has always lived in the lap of luxury. An ill-timed comment to one board member gets the plastic surgeon fired from a prestigious medical facility and lands him in Merritt looking for a new place to practice. Although intrigued by Audrey, he wonders if she’ll make good wife material for him.

Readers will adore this story! Set in a small southern town with a string-pulling, busybody cast of characters barging in to “fix” things for Audrey and Max, it’s got tons of football analogies and humorous moments, snarky and snappy dialogue, character tagging (Pyrex Princesses were pure genius), and putting people in their places. The writing isn’t as clean as it could be, and the situation with Audrey’s “injury”, although mentioned in passing, falls a little flat, as did the elements of conflict.  But the chemistry between Audrey and Max is electric and heated from their first meeting, promising plenty of fireworks…and doesn’t disappoint. This will provide hours of page-turning entertainment for any lover of romance combined with a little humor. Pick this one up if you get the chance!

Clarice Silvers