THE RASCAL

Author: Lisa Plumley ISBN: 0373294255 11/2006 HISTORICAL Publisher: HARLEQUIN
Time Period: Arizona Territory 1882

Grace Crabtree has no need of a man. Except Morrow Creek's reprobate saloon keeper, Jack Murphy, keeps getting in her way. She's bewildered as to why she can't stop thinking about his infuriatingly handsome face. So Grace will use her feminine charms to reform him-once she works out exactly what feminine charms are! Jack's determined to find Grace a husband who'll keep her under control. But looking around the town, no man seems quite worthy of this spiky, tempting, glorious woman. So maybe he'll just have to settle her hash himself...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Lisa Plumley is back with the last installment of her Morrow Creek Matchmakers trilogy titled, THE RASCAL. THE RASCAL was just a delight to read from beginning to end!

What fun it was to read suffragist Grace Crabtree and saloon owner Jack Murphy's love story! Plumley created two characters that were the complete opposite of each other and made them fall in love. I loved the quick and witty banter between them!

Since Jack moved to Morrow Creek, Grace is forever wearing her man boots and making life for him a living hell. She is all for equality for woman and feels she doesn't need a husband. All she wants to do is run her father's newspaper.

Jack came to Morrow Creek to escape a scandal. Now he owns a saloon and makes small talk with the townspeople. Nobody knows his past, and he plans on keeping it that way. The only problem he has now is Grace Crabtree, his upstairs tenant. If he could find her a suitable husband, she could move from the upstairs apartment and he could make the saloon into a boarding house.

Now the fun begins, because Jack soon realizes that the only man good enough to marry Grace is himself! Don't worry, because Grace soon realizes that Jack is definitely more than he appears to be, and his kisses can warm her even on the coldest winter day.

I have to say that my favorite scene in the book is when Grace and Jack went sledding. I never knew sledding could be so much "fun". There are many other scenes from this book that I just loved. THE RASCAL is a great book, filled with tenderness, love and some laughs, too.

Even if you haven't read any of the previous books in this series, THE RASCAL stands alone. It's even better if you have read them, because old friends and family come visiting! I definitely recommend reading this delightful romance!

Julie Kornhausl