Haven Arizona is much like most of the towns created out of nothing with a large ranch, saloon/bordello, one room schoolhouse, mercantile store, bank, blacksmith and jail. The town survives by catering to the needs of the limited number of residents of the town. There are usually few secrets in a small town but with the arrival of Sam O'Ballivan the rumor mill will be buzzing. Sam arrives just in time to take over the task of schoolteacher to the ragtag group of oft-times rowdy children, who are at the moment standing over a well where they've got the current teacher literally hanging by his heels. His work cut out for him he starts by touching base with the ringleader's sister, Maddie Chancelor, the local postmistress/clerk at the mercantile. Needless to say that did not lead to an auspicious beginning but there were definitely sparks. But Maddie was immediately suspicious of this man claiming to be a schoolteacher whose presence was something far more rough and dangerous. Maddie and her brother Terran have managed to establish a life for themselves here in Haven but as events unfold she begins to realize how tenuous that existence is. There is great evil and poverty in Haven and it is affecting the lives of many townspeople. Little do they know that Sam is actually there to ferret out those responsible for a rash of deadly robberies and it seems the culprits may actually be 'locals'. So very quickly the question is who can you trust and as the story unfolds that list seems to be shrinking. The chemistry between Maddie and Sam is undeniable but neither is really free to act on it. However even with the best of intentions their relationship grows through friendship and trust -- now can it blossom into love?

Fans of Linda Lael Miller, and I count myself as one, will really enjoy her most recent story about frontier life. As usual there is a wonderful group of characters who will tug at your heartstrings, others that will earn your ire and still others that will surprise you. Miller's characters are always multi-dimensional and the people you will meet in Haven Arizona have their share of flaws but they rarely do something truly out of character. That's what keeps you coming back for more. Fans of the Shotgun series featuring the McKettrick clan will enjoy meeting Sam, Maddie and the boys. In fact there could be some good stories to come from some of the supporting cast of characters in particular Terran, Ben and little Violet. So if you've enjoyed The Vow and Fletchers Woman put this book on your reading list.