The Scandalous Mrs. Wilson (Fraser Springs)

Widow Jo Wilson tries to keep her late husband’s bathhouse afloat amid malicious rumors that her establishment is a brothel. Owen Sterling travels to Fraser Springs to find out the truth. The last thing he expects is to be attracted to Mrs. Wilson. However, when the town’s temperance movement rallies against Jo,  a more dangerous incident forces them  to make tough decisions between career and emotion. 

Readers looking for action right from the first page might deem this story a slow starter. If the author is looking to  give readers a feel for what Fraser Springs was – a town whose only attraction is the hot springs – then she has succeeded in doing so. The romantic tension between Jo and Owen is not felt until after a few chapters. Developing the setting as its own character needs good wordsmithing to keep the readers engaged. This book had a couple of dips, though not enough to warrant the reader putting it down. Fortunately, the story’s pace quickens and the tension between the characters and the high stakes of their situation will have readers desperately hoping that Jo and Owen will get their happily ever after. Despite the dips, "The Scandalous Mrs. Wilson" is a good read, and proves very exciting  in the end.

M.P. Ceja