Love it when an author takes a story and has it explode
right in front of your eyes on the page. MOST ELIGIBLE
SHERIFF has a very scary subplot -- that of being stalked.
Cathy McDavid takes the stand that women can empower
themselves in many ways but when personal safety is at
risk there is safety in numbers. McDavid develops strong and
intelligent female characters who remain feminine. It is
this femininity that is a two way street. At times it
attracts the wrong attention. A smart woman has to be
proactive in her fight against becoming a victim.
Sounds like a simple solution -- especially for identical
twins -- switch places. Just for a short time which would
give each sister a chance to take care of some personal
matters.
Ruby's issue is one of security and personal danger. She has
a stalker that just isn't getting the message no matter what
legal steps she has taken to assure her safety.
Scarlett's mission seems rather less dire. She needs time
off from her work as a wrangler at the Gold Nugget Ranch to
try one more time with her on again off again relationship
with a boyfriend.
Ruby and Scarlett look alike but differ in many ways.
Ruby worked at a casino and Scarlett was a cowgirl so the
manner in which they dressed and groomed was decidedly
different. There hadn't been much time to teach Ruby
everything she needed to successfully slip into Scarlett's
boots but Ruby was smart and could think on her feet.
Of course one of the things Scarlett's neglected to mention
was the fact that she was currently seeing the town sheriff
Cliff -- even if she was still harboring feelings for her
ex.
You have to give her credit for trying but Ruby's attempt to
step into Scarlett's role as a wrangler started to unravel
pretty quick as Cliff noticed some significant changes to
the Scarlett he had come to know.
Scarlett and Cliff were definitely not in love but in a town
called Sweetheart dating was taken quite seriously with only
one end goal in sight.
This new Scarlett registered high on the sexy scale to Cliff
which he found interesting. And to prove his doubts were
correct -- it only took one kiss.
After investigating Ruby's story there was only one thing
Cliff could do and that was assure her safety while she was
in his town. That of course meant spending time with her and
the more time together the more their mutual attraction
grew.
Cliff and Ruby were able to portray the roles of a couple
better than he did with her sister Scarlett. You can't
pretend to have feelings when none are there -- but neither
can you hide the fact that there is a mutual attraction.
This of course was ridiculous since Ruby lived in Las Vegas
and Cliff in Sweetheart. But Cliff's feelings for Ruby were
becoming more complicated than just guarding her safety.
In many ways Ruby was less comfortable in her skin than
Scarlett but it was this vulnerability that made her more
attractive to Cliff. Cliff was beginning to see where Ruby
could play an important role in his life. But first things
first. The danger to Ruby was real and Cliff was concerned
that danger would follow her to his town. Her stalker came
from a well-connected family in the political and business
world. His father had and would continue to come to bat for
his son. Ruby had no one in her corner.
All that would change with her coming to Sweetheart. In this
small town they watched over their own and Ruby had just
become one of theirs.
MOST ELIGIBLE SHERIFF is an intriguing look into lengths we
would take to escape from evil. Cathy McDavid is very
forthright in her assessment that with every move comes a
level of danger. One of life's issues is trying to save
yourself without putting others in peril. Sometimes it
cannot be avoided. It was real and honest and showed the
respect McDavid has for her readers. All and all a gutsy
story about a scary plight tempered with several quirky
characters.
A Reason To Stay
Las Vegas casino manager Ruby McPhee needs to lay low while
the police deal with a stalker at work. So she's trading in
her high heels for cowboy boots and assuming her twin
sister's identity at the Gold Nugget Ranch. Ruby only plans
on staying in Sweetheart, Nevada, until the threat back home
has passed. But then she discovers a detail her sister
forgot to mention—the handsome sheriff she's dating.
It only takes a single kiss for Cliff Dempsey to realize the
woman in his arms is someone entirely different and
completely irresistible. To protect Ruby's secret, Cliff
maintains her ruse, but soon the lines between duty and
desire begin to blur. Ruby and Cliff know they have a once-
in-a-lifetime connection, but will they have a chance to let
their love grow?