Review: Only You by Deborah Grace Staley

From the publisher:

"A charming romance about the lives and loves of people in a small Tennessee town. In the tradition of Debbie Macomber. "Hey, ya'll. Dixie Ferguson here. I run Ferguson's Diner in Angel Ridge, Tennessee. Population three hundred forty-five. It's a picturesque town in the valley of the Little Tennessee River, established in 1785. In the early days, its first families--the McKays, the Wallaces, the Houstons, the Joneses, and, of course, the Craigs--staked their claims on hundreds of acres of the richest bottom land anyone had ever seen. After all the years I've spent behind the counter at Ferguson's, I could probably tell ya'll a story about near everyone in town. But we only have so much time, so I'll narrow it down to just two for now. This is a story about coming home. It's also a story about acceptin' folks for who they are. You could say it's a story about Josie Allen, a librarian, and Cole Craig, a handyman, but I say it's a story about finding love where you'd least expect to."

Product Details
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books (May 8, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0982175639
ISBN-13: 978-0982175637

Only You is book one in The Angel Ridge Series by Deborah Grace Staley. This is an old fashioned love story told in a heartwarming , down home manner. So, y'all just pull up a rocking chair, get yourself a nice glass of sweet tea and savor the telling. The story opens with Dixie Ferguson, owner of the local diner, welcoming the reader to the small town of Angel Ridge, Tennessee and telling what to expect from the book. Dixie is not just a storyteller, she's a matchmaker with a heart of gold.

There are so many wonderful characters in this delightful story; Josie, the hard working young librarian, Cole, the handsome as all-get-out local handyman, the overly bossy Mrs. McKay who is also head of the library committee and her obnoxious snob of a son, Martin. Martin thinks he's entitled to Josie's attention as does his mother just because their bank financed Josie's education and the fact that the McKays have lived in Angel Ridge for years. On the "right" side of town, mind you! Mrs. McKay seems to think this gives her the right to every minute of Josie's life. But Dixie and Josie's elderly neighbor, the slightly eccentric Miss Estelee think otherwise. And now y'all know Miss Estelee has seen a lot of goings on in Angel Ridge in all her years!

What might seem predictable at the beginning does hold a few surprises, not just for Josie, but the whole town. This is one sweet romance, almost nostalgic in a way you'll hate to see end. Only You is sheer escapism with a feel good story in a town you might wish you lived in. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. For the genre, I rate it a 4****.

You can visit the author at her website here.

A big thank you to Deb Smith at Belle Books for an advance copy of Only You.