Kate Evans has grown up in the small town of Sunshine, Idaho. After college, she comes back to teach school there. She has also come home to a very needy family. Kate has always taken care of everyone in her family, and after her mother's death, it's expected of her to continue to do so. Kate is your typical small-town girl; but she wants to break the mold. Although shy and a bit repressed, Kate wants more. She has dreams of attending graduate school; and to forge a path outside the monotony of her small town world. Kate wants a new life and be a new woman; if she can just find the right man to show her the way. After meeting back up with Griffin, Kate decides he will do nicely, and the chase is on.

Griffin Reid also grew in Sunshine; but escaped to the military to get out of the small town life. The big, tough, Special Ops soldier has seen it all and done it all. He's back in Sunshine for two reasons. One is to be a groomsman in the wedding of his sister Holly to his close friend Adam. The other reason is much more private. After being injured in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb, he is facing a long period of recuperation for his head trauma. Griffin's plan is to get through the wedding and healing time; and then to blow out of town once again. If only he didn't keep running into and battling wits with a certain sexy, charming little elementary school teacher. They keep being thrown together, and tiptoe around the attraction until all around good girl Kate makes a stand, and an offer Griffin can't refuse.

RUMOR HAS IT is an entertaining romp of a love story about two people finding love whether they want to or not; and is both sexy and humorous. As always in a story from author Jill Shalvis, the characters are well fleshed-out and believable. This is another great turn in the excellent Animal Magnetism series chronicling the lives and loves of some of the denizens of Sunshine, Idaho. This is a great story, and it is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy the read.