Every Bit a Cowboy

When Carley Chapman's smarmy ex-husband, Paul, arrives in Creedence, Colo., hoping to win Carley back, Deputy Knox Garrison claims to be her fiancé to protect her from Paul's unrelenting advances. Knox has always had a crush on the pretty, blonde hairdresser, so pretending to be in love isn't much of a stretch. For her part, Carley appreciates Knox's protective streak and can't deny her attraction to the hunky cowboy, but her disastrous marriage made her swear off relationships. The pair have a natural ease with each other, and the line between real and pretend blurs as fake dates lead to steamy nights, regular dinners, and even pet adoption. Though the entire town comes together to cheer on their relationship, neither Carley nor Knox, who both wrestle with abandonment issues, wants to be the first to admit their true feelings. Marts does a fine job imbuing her protagonists with both tenderness and strength, and the matchmaking townsfolk are a hoot.