Saved By The Sheriff by Carol Preflatish

Story: 7
Presentation: 6
Total: 13
Publisher: Secret Cravings
Contemporary Romance
To Purchase

Blurb: New York City writer, Jaime Wilson wants the Assistant Editor job at Real Mystery Magazine. In order to get it, she has to write a kick-ass story, and what could be better than a 30-year old unsolved murder in a small town.
When Jaime visits Royal, Indiana to investigate, she soon finds that someone in the town doesn't want the mystery solved and she becomes a target. After an arrest for trespassing and an attempt on her life, Sheriff Ben Hunter lets her stay at his place where he can keep an eye on her while she continues to work on her story.
She didn't count on falling in love with the sheriff and he didn't think he would have to work so hard to keep her safe. Finally, when she finishes her story, she has to make her choice whether to stay with Ben or go back to New York.

Review: Jaime Wilson is a girl with ambition, desperate to achieve the assistant editor post on her magazine, and therefore goes on a journey to solve the ultimate mystery, in order to prove herself worthy of the job. Travels to a country town in Indiana, where she meets the town’s eligible bachelor, who also just happens to be the sheriff. She finds herself in danger from the people who are trying to stop her solving the mystery, and he saves her. As a result she falls in love with him and drops everything to be with him. Almost from the first page, you know where the story is going, and what is going to happen, so you continue reading to find out what is different.

The difference here is that the author tries hard to build threat and suspense into the novel, which adds interest, and to be honest is what kept me reading, when otherwise I might have given up.  However it is very stereotypical and judgmental of women, and small towns, and I found this uncomfortable. It also jumps very quickly from them being in a normal scene, to the couple ending up in bed together, and this felt forced, as though the author wasn’t quite sure how to build the romance further. Whilst it isn’t erotic content, it is very descriptive about the bedroom scenes, and may go too far for some readers.

It’s easy to read – I finished it in a day, but there are quite a few typos in it which is a real shame.
Would I recommend it – if I knew someone who wanted to read a predictable romantic story, wouldn’t be put off by the descriptive content (I wouldn’t give it to an elderly aunt) and with a little bit of suspense built in, then yes.