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.

Book Summary

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?