Only You-Deborah Grace Staley

Only You
Deborah Grace Staley
Bell Bridges, May 2009, $14.95
www.bellbridgebooks.com
ISBN: 9780982175637

Angel Ridge, Tennessee with fewer than five hundred residents is a town in which everyone knows one another especially their place in a two class society as the rich founding families dominate the supporting masses. Not part of the elite, Josie Allen left Angel Ridge for seven years obtaining various degrees in Library Science, but has come home to be Director of the town’s library. The society ladies expect Josie to remain within her upper class origins and getting the program she created for the library working so that the Internet interface with the library collection is bug free.

Nobody including Josie expected her to become involved with handyman Cole Craig, son of one of the founding family. He was her childhood protector and had a crush on her before she left town. He fixes a busted pipe at her home that flooded her kitchen. Despite the townsfolk disapproval of the professional librarian and the handyman dating with the help of matchmaking Dixie Ferguson, owner of Ferguson's Diner and the opposition of high society who threatens Josie’s employment if she fails to break up with Cole, Josie does what she thinks is right for her.

Anyone seeking a sweet old fashioned contemporary regional romance will enjoy Only You. There are two stars who find something special in their relationship while the townsfolk mostly stand in their way. Cole is an interesting silent hero (think of a modern day Gary Cooper) who takes the handyman jobs he does because he likes fixing things and that trait proves handy in winning Josie. This is a sweet tale of love could not care less what color collar you wear.

Harriet Klausner