Sheriff Leigh Mitchell gives in to a sudden and very uncharacteristic impulse when she agrees to ride the Ferris wheel with a complete stranger. There was just something about Will Scott that begged further investigation — he was a dark and mysterious temptation she just couldn’t resist. After the ride is over he asks her to join him for a beer and again Leigh finds herself unable to say no. Then Will asks her to dance — and what a dance it is. It leaves the whole town buzzing and wondering what got into their smart and sensible sheriff. Leigh knows exactly what’s gotten into her — she’s thirty years old, stuck in a rut and tired of proving herself as just as capable at her job as a man. It’s time for a change and the arrival of Will Scott might just be enough to nudge her toward her new path in her stagnant life…
Newcomer Susan Crandall has written a rich, character driven story in Back Roads. The immediate attraction between Leigh and Will is palpable and wonderfully sustained throughout the story. It might seem that Crandall keeps readers in the dark about Will’s past for a few too many chapters, but once his secrets are revealed, it becomes very clear that his silence was to protect the woman he loves. Back Roads is an accomplished and very satisfying first novel. Add Susan Crandall to your list of authors to watch.