Open Season

This delightful book is one of Linda Howard's best-an impressive accolade considering her incredible ability to tell a story.

Daisy Minor wakes up on the morning of her 34th birthday and decides its time for a makeover. She wants a husband and family and decides that her mousy librarian look has to change. So does living with her mother and aunt-she needs her own place. With those goals in mind, she goes to the town's gay man with idea he can help her with finding the right style.

Before she can implement her plan, though, she runs afoul of the town sheriff, Jack Russo, who decides that teasing Miss Daisy is the highlight of his life. The former SWAT team member has no intention of falling for her-until he keeps running into her at the local nightclubs and realizes how bright a light she is. Daisy decides he's okay to try on until she finds a man with whom she can settle down. But what neither of them realize at first is that Daisy was an unwitting witness to a murder-and the killer is trying to eliminate her as a threat. Can Jack keep her safe while she tries to shed her good girl persona.

While the book dealt with some dark issues, including white slavery, the overall tone was light and in some places laugh out loud funny. I loved Daisy-starchy and upright as she was, she was also non-judgmental, compassionate -and she took great care of her golden retriever puppy, Midas. Jack Russo was simply luscious. Protective, loving, and keenly aware of everything that affects his woman, he is the epitome of an alpha male-but he has met his match in his Miss Daisy.

The story is well written and captivating, and while the sex scenes are hot, they are not as explicit as some scenes in today's books. The humor is delightful and this is overall one of the best books by an incredible author.

Open Season by Linda Howard is a funny, romantic mystery about a librarian who, on her thirty-fourth birthday, decided that her life needed a drastic change. She was no longer content living a sheltered and lonely existence. Daisy Minor knew that to achieve the type of change she wanted, she’d have to revamp her entire image and move out, of her mother’s house. Shock and gossip was going to rumble throughout her town. How could it not? It wasn’t every day that a small southern town, plain librarian transformed herself into to a bar-hopping sexy party-girl. Oh well, she’d just have to let the tongues wag.

Daisy Minor was surprised to discover that after her makeover, men were not only finding her attractive, but also desirable. For the first time in Daisy’s life, she wasn’t the wallflower, but the center of attention. Daisy found though, that wherever she went, trouble and the chief of police, Jack Russo, seemed to follow. Although, Daisy was unrealistically naive for a thirty-four-year-old woman, she was strong, opinionated, and stubborn. She was also able to stand her ground against the alpha-male, chief of police, Jack Russo, which made every scene with the two of them hysterically funny.

On one of Daisy’s bar hopping expeditions, she unintentionally witnessed a crime being committed. The boss of that crime operation didn’t know exactly how much Daisy had seen, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. His men had botched the crime operation leaving him with a lot of loose ends to clean up. He would have to eliminate them one by one – including Daisy Minor.

Open Season is an unrealistic and somewhat predictable story, but the budding romance and witty dialogue between Daisy and Jack Russo, more than made up for it. The book does carry a serious sub-plot but touches upon it so lightly that it doesn’t damper the story’s humor.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, humorous mystery. I found the book enjoyable and very funny.

This is one of my favourite Linda Howard books. It was written when she was writing humorous romantic suspense books. It has her trademark irreverent, smart-ass dialogue, great plot, wonderfully written hero and heroine and an excellent cast of supporting characters and villains. Her depictions of native southern attitudes and mores are also well done. As a transplanted Canadian who lived in the south for a number of years, it brings back fond memories.

I liked the cultural clash and ensuing amusing sniping between the polite southern heroine and brash northern hero. It was interesting to see how the romance evolved between two people who thought they had nothing in common. As well, the heroine was appealing, as she took control of her life and grew into the person she wanted to be.

This was an amusing book, but Linda Howard still managed to convey the suffering brought about by human trafficking, date rape and date rape drugs. Her choice of villains highlighted the banality of some of those involved in those activities and the indifference privileged, seemingly respectable citizens have towards those harmed, viewing their victims as commodities and sources of income. As well, Howard was able to inject excellent advice on how to minimize the potential for being a date rape victim, in the scene where the heroine is warned about what to do or not do when in a public place, such as a bar or anywhere where she might be offered a drink. Readers will be entertained by the book while simultaneously being educated about a serious subject.

This book has sex and profanity, so the easily offended should avoid it. I think it was a great book, not quite as good as 'Mr. Perfect', but still very good. I recommend it to anyone who likes Howard's lighter romantic suspense books.

It has been awhile since I have read something by Linda Howard but I am glad I took the time with OPEN SEASON. Hillsboro, Alabama could be another Mayberry, a small community with 9,000 plus citizens who, for the most part, like to know everyone's business. It starts with a prologue that introduces a darker element and is necessary to read. It will help you to understand what is occurring at the underbelly of this fine town.

You are also introduced to Daisy Minor- a plain, mousy, boring librarian who is celebrating her 34th birthday. And today is the day she has an epiphany about her life. She is tired of being single and living at home. She wants a relationship with a man, marriage and babies. In that order. And she doesn't want to wait too long for this to happen.

Little does she know that her widowed mom and aunt were patiently waiting for her to get some smarts. With their gentle push, she gets some assistance for a total makeover from top to bottom. She also finds a home to rent and acquires the courage to go dancing and meet men. At the same time she meets Chief of Police and uber-alpha Jack Russo. Before 'the change' Daisy reminds him of his elderly aunt from his childhood. He is mildly intrigued and likes to push her buttons. After 'the change' he tells himself is getting involved because she is so naive with trouble following her from the get-go.

What Daisy doesn't understand is that she has inadvertently witnessed a murder. Ms. Howard has managed to take a dark theme and mix it with a contemporary romance and suspenseful edge at the same time. At 310 pages it is a quick read. And the chemistry between Jack and Daisy is very good.

It is not hard to figure out what is going on but I enjoyed that the author didn't dumb-down the heroine. I liked Daisy. There was a one secondary character that I would have liked some closure with. And the ending with the bad guys might have been tidied up a little too neatly. But I still enjoyed OPEN SEASON and would recommend it to anyone who likes a strong romance with some sassiness and suspense on the side.

I checked this out at our local library without doing more than reading the blurb...it sounded cute and I was in a rush. Then it book started just a little slow, but once I got into the characters it was a lot of fun. Her stereotypes admit they are such and then proceed to entertain you with their antics.

I found myself laughing aloud often because I could visualize the scenes and the thought processes that lead to them. Her male lead was protective but not overbearing and macho to the point of wanting to strangle him. Her female lead was a hoot; and her depiction of small town southern America wasn't too far from reality (if the town is under 5,000). I've lived in places like it and seen the manners and gossip first hand. Good Job!

I really enjoyed this book and will look for others of hers.

This book, while I found it a bit predictable, was still pretty good. I loved the heroines transition and how she found herself. It had decent amount of suspense.

one thing that did bother me was when our 34 year old virgin gave up her v card. that's a big deal, and when it occurred it was downplayed. he just plunged in and she had an orgasm during sex. Ha. I'm sorry but that sh_t hurts. It just didn't feel realistic and I prefer the hero to be a bit more gentle and loving when de-virginization goes on. he didn't even address the issue. there was no mention to pain bleeding etc. It just felt unrealistic.

overall it was a decent read. I'll still read more of this writers work in the future.

Lighter fare for Linda Howard. The cynical sheriff and the naive librarian. Funny, sexy, and sweet. A total beach read.

Best of all--funny!! Laughed out loud in several places. Daisy is a trip. The scene when she was buying condoms!! I loved watching her come into her own in the small busy-body Southern town. I loved her puppy dog, too, and even her family. Of course, I loved Jack's protective and amusing interactions with Daisy. The book could have been longer, with even more of that.

The mystery itself was only moderately intriguing. The crime--murder and sex trafficking--was a downer. Those parts were not funny or sweet at all. I didn't care for the ending, when one of the villains knocks on a certain door.

A few sexy, earthy love scenes.

This book reminds me of the Stephanie Plum series, especially One For The Money.

Ok, I admit it, although I come off as intellectual and high brow, I read popular fiction and trashy books every once in a while. Just don't tell my peers, ok? Ha ha ha ... I picked this up sometime during my neverending quest for entertainment during the workday, as I had joined the Books On Tape revolution 10 years ago with my first office job. This was a good story, albiet a little unbelievable.

Daisy Minor wakes up on the morning of her 34th birthday in a fit of depression. She's a small town, startchy old maid librarian, who lives with her elderly widowed mother and aunt, and she's not getting any younger. She decides that she wants to find a man, get married and have babies before it's too late. Thanks to her mother, aunt, and sassy gay man friend, she makes herself over and starts hitting the scene looking for a man. Unknown to her, the new chief of police, Jack, who likes coming in and razzing her at every turn, has his eyes on her for more than just a sparring partner. And since their first meeting they can't stand each other, they will inevitably get together and live happily ever after.

Daisy's bumbling antics are along the lines of Bridget Jones and Cathy from the comics, happily attempting new things, sometimes stepping in one disaster after another, and drowning in one neurosis after another. It speaks to all of us, trying to put on a brave face and trying to be one of the crowd when we're really scared to death. So Daisy has mass appeal, we're rooting for the underdog a la Cinderella.

Why not 5 stars? There is a backstory under this one which is a little unbelievable, and they worked a little too hard to interlock her with the seemy underbelly of their small town. Even in small towns, date rape drugs are no doubt a problem. But an underground sex trade railroad? It happens, but I would be more apt to believe something like that would be through the bigger cities. Then again, if they're doing it right they're trafficing them through the smaller towns and law enforcement never finds them. There is a little twist, as the sassy gay man friend is actually a federal agent deep undercover. And Daisy sees something she shouldn't have in the parking lot of a bar and that's how she gets connected to the sex trade ring. It's a little unbelievable, but that's ok. It's light entertainment not heavy epics.

On the morning of her thirty-fourth birthday, Daisy Minor resolves to turn a new leaf. Sick of being alone and never having been on a date for years, she decides that a new makeover is just what she needs. So after a complete "overhaul", she braves the night and walks into a club. Surprised and exhilarated by the attention she gets, she decides that it's definitely open season for finding a man. But when she unwittingly sees something and becomes the target of a murderer, she is left with no choice but to accept the protection of the one man she finds most infuriating - the local town's chief of police who is oh so sexy and very single.

An ex-SWAT, Jack Russo knows how naïve the mousy librarian turned party-girl is. At first, he thought he'd just keep an eye on her seeing as he was doing undercover work at the club she visits anyway. But as his attraction grows, he decides he'll just pursue her himself and this is when all hell breaks loose - in the most fun way!

Jack and Daisy together are simply hysterical! The verbal spats and battle of wits are some of the funniest I've read. Daisy is such a charming heroine - naïve in some ways, but utterly clever in some. Her desperate attempt to join the dating scene provides much amusement, and the way she tries to brush off Jack's attention is just delightful. And Jack knows exactly how to make her squirm (in the most amusing ways). I enjoyed how he teased her and the way Daisy let him get the better of her was fun to read. I tell you, sparks truly fly each time they meet. And I swear that you will never look at colored condoms in the same way after you've read this book. That scene was so well-depicted that I was laughing out loud.

OPEN SEASON is my fourth Linda Howard book to date and I can't wait to read her others. I am surprised that this only averaged 3.5 stars, but since I have already read it, I wouldn't even bother reading the reviews. I must say though that I expected more mystery because of what was written on the back cover, therefore I was surprised to find myself laughing so much. But, hey, I'm not complaining. After all, what better way to spend a lazy afternoon than with a really enjoyable book with such fun characters?

I checked this out at our local library without doing more than reading the blurb...it sounded cute and I was in a rush. Then it book started just a little slow, but once I got into the characters it was a lot of fun. Her stereotypes admit they are such and then proceed to entertain you with their antics.

I found myself laughing aloud often because I could visualize the scenes and the thought processes that lead to them. Her male lead was protective but not overbearing and macho to the point of wanting to strangle him. Her female lead was a hoot; and her depiction of small town southern America wasn't too far from reality (if the town is under 5,000). I've lived in places like it and seen the manners and gossip first hand. Good Job!

I really enjoyed this book and will look for others of hers.

This book, while I found it a bit predictable, was still pretty good. I loved the heroines transition and how she found herself. It had decent amount of suspense.

one thing that did bother me was when our 34 year old virgin gave up her v card. that's a big deal, and when it occurred it was downplayed. he just plunged in and she had an orgasm during sex. Ha. I'm sorry but that sh_t hurts. It just didn't feel realistic and I prefer the hero to be a bit more gentle and loving when de-virginization goes on. he didn't even address the issue. there was no mention to pain bleeding etc. It just felt unrealistic.

overall it was a decent read. I'll still read more of this writers work in the future.

Lighter fare for Linda Howard. The cynical sheriff and the naive librarian. Funny, sexy, and sweet. A total beach read.

Best of all--funny!! Laughed out loud in several places. Daisy is a trip. The scene when she was buying condoms!! I loved watching her come into her own in the small busy-body Southern town. I loved her puppy dog, too, and even her family. Of course, I loved Jack's protective and amusing interactions with Daisy. The book could have been longer, with even more of that.

The mystery itself was only moderately intriguing. The crime--murder and sex trafficking--was a downer. Those parts were not funny or sweet at all. I didn't care for the ending, when one of the villains knocks on a certain door.

A few sexy, earthy love scenes.

This book reminds me of the Stephanie Plum series, especially One For The Money.

Ok, I admit it, although I come off as intellectual and high brow, I read popular fiction and trashy books every once in a while. Just don't tell my peers, ok? Ha ha ha ... I picked this up sometime during my neverending quest for entertainment during the workday, as I had joined the Books On Tape revolution 10 years ago with my first office job. This was a good story, albiet a little unbelievable.

Daisy Minor wakes up on the morning of her 34th birthday in a fit of depression. She's a small town, startchy old maid librarian, who lives with her elderly widowed mother and aunt, and she's not getting any younger. She decides that she wants to find a man, get married and have babies before it's too late. Thanks to her mother, aunt, and sassy gay man friend, she makes herself over and starts hitting the scene looking for a man. Unknown to her, the new chief of police, Jack, who likes coming in and razzing her at every turn, has his eyes on her for more than just a sparring partner. And since their first meeting they can't stand each other, they will inevitably get together and live happily ever after.

Daisy's bumbling antics are along the lines of Bridget Jones and Cathy from the comics, happily attempting new things, sometimes stepping in one disaster after another, and drowning in one neurosis after another. It speaks to all of us, trying to put on a brave face and trying to be one of the crowd when we're really scared to death. So Daisy has mass appeal, we're rooting for the underdog a la Cinderella.

Why not 5 stars? There is a backstory under this one which is a little unbelievable, and they worked a little too hard to interlock her with the seemy underbelly of their small town. Even in small towns, date rape drugs are no doubt a problem. But an underground sex trade railroad? It happens, but I would be more apt to believe something like that would be through the bigger cities. Then again, if they're doing it right they're trafficing them through the smaller towns and law enforcement never finds them. There is a little twist, as the sassy gay man friend is actually a federal agent deep undercover. And Daisy sees something she shouldn't have in the parking lot of a bar and that's how she gets connected to the sex trade ring. It's a little unbelievable, but that's ok. It's light entertainment not heavy epics.

On the morning of her thirty-fourth birthday, Daisy Minor decided to face reality. She was bored and her life was boring. She was a plain, small-town librarian who hadn't been on a date in years. She still lived with her mother and aunt, both widowed. Her closet was filled with plain and unattractive clothes. Most of her friends were married with families and Daisy always wanted a husband and children. She would never achieve this goal if she didn't make some major changes. So with the help of a friend, she commits to a complete makeover, looks for an apartment and decides to go "man-hunting". She encounters one problem though and his name is Jack Russo. He isn't her type but he shows up everywhere she does! Jack Russo held his position as Chief of Police in Hillsboro, Alabama for the past three years. Recently divorced and tired of the stress caused by his SWAT team job with the NYPD, he decided to move to Hillsboro after his great-aunt Bessie passed away and willed Jack her old Victorian home. Jack spent many summers as a child with Aunt Bessie and he was delighted to have the opportunity to live and work in Hillsboro. He loved the area and was always in a good mood when he left the town's library. Librarian Daisy Minor was a lot of fun. When he sparred with her, she didn't back down. In that respect, she reminded him of his Aunt Bessie. Daisy was mousy and plain but she had a great smile and beautiful skin and if she ever let her hair down he knew she would be dynamite. Jack liked Daisy and when her life was threatened, he pulled out all the stops to protect her. Little did he know at the time he was falling in love with her. Once again Linda Howard has written a novel containing just the right mix of romance/comedy/suspense. Jack, of course, is another of Linda's alpha-male characters and Daisy is the perfect match for him. She is intelligent and sassy and a bit naive. Her naivety in this story works well because it provides the source for many hilarious scenes. The relationship between Jack and Daisy is modern and intimately sizzles. On a more serious note, the author provides some invaluable information about date-rape drugs. I thoroughly enjoyed Linda's "Open Season" and I suspect she may have plans for a sequel since there seemed to be a few loose ends.

In this slow-starting mystery/romance, 34-year-old Daisy Minor is the stereotypical small-town librarian. She is plain, boring, and lives with both her aunt and mother. But Daisy wants more for herself; she wants marriage, a family, and a slightly more exciting life. But she also realizes that none of the former happen to 30+, mousy brown-haired librarians with stodgy wardrobes. Suddenly--with thoughts of a makeover--Daisy enlists the help and support of both of the women in her life...who in turn reach out to the gay and fashion-conscious Todd Lawrence. Soon, a gorgeous, blonde-haired bombshell is born. Daisy feels ready to take on the world to find the man of her dreams...and begins by hitting the hottest bar in her Alabama one-horse town solo. But how can she possibly "spread" the word of her availability? At every turn the horribly rude Chief Jack Russo seemed to lurk...thwarting her plans, each and every time. He even turns up at Daisy's nightclub debut....and that was the night that the tide turned. He kissed her, and she realized soon thereafter that perhaps she need not "spread" the word after all.

All seems fine until one evening when the mayor himself calls Chief Russo to run a check on a license plate...and offers a bogus explanation for the request. The plates in question belongs to none other than Daisy herself, and the Chief smells a rat. Surveillance and the mayor's wife soon reveal a much darker plot than even the Chief had ever imagined. And it soon becomes quite clear that the only loose end remaining is Daisy herself.......

With a serviceable plot and steamy sex scenes, if readers can move beyond the slow beginning and the sometimes unbelievably dated verbage of the main character, they are in for a treat. Does this tale send one on a hunt for all Linda Howard novels? Not really...but it does make one curious.

DYB

I liked this short, easy story by Linda Howard. Thirty-four year old, librarian, Daisy is on the hunt for a husband and has decided that she will make changes in her appearance and personal life to make sure that she accomplishes her goal. With friends and loved ones lending a helping hand, she has decided to start going to clubs to meet people. From the beginning, we see Chief Jack Russo (a big time city cop, who has semi-retired and become the Chief of Police in this small town) bully his way into Daisy's life and heart. And for a minute, Daisy did reminded me a lot of Blair in "Drop Dead Gorgeous", because she seems to be adding up Chief Russo's transgressions on a long list to be used against him at a later date. Anyway, while Daisy attempts to navigate the dating scene she sees something she shouldn't, and although she doesn't realize it, someone else does. However,it is my opinion that romance is secondary to the plot in the story. The other storyline is more interesting and creative. I won't tell you the plot, I will only tell you that for a small town a lot is going on. Corruption, human trafficking, undercover agents, drugs (GHB), and a list of other crimes that make this small town seem like the big city.

The criticisms that I have about this story is simple, some of the storylines were not developed. Although we saw the romance bloom between Daisy and Jack, her fire dies down midway through and is overshadowed by other people. There were also other characters, like Todd or the Mayor's wife, who could have been enhanced. But I guess for a short, fast paced novel (although some considered it from the reviews slow in the beginning)you can't strengthen each storyline, and as long as the integrity of the story remains strong, it is ok.

Dacinda(Daisy) Ann Minor, a character who can only exist in a little southern town, is the archetypal small town spinster librarian. But this particular old fashioned, next thing to a virgin, wants to get married and have babies. On her thirty fourth birthday, she decides to do something about it, and that's where the fun starts. She gets a makeover, moves out of her mother's house, witnesses a murder (unintentionally), buys a puppy, and starts something up with the town's hunky sheriff, who is far from a "good" ole boy. Now the romance in this book is more of the slam-bam-thanks and lets get married-ma'am variety than a Grand Romance, and the action is very secondary. What drives this story forward is Daisy, and then eventually Jack, and how Daisy's evolution changes them both. This is a very fast paced book- everything takes place in less than a month, but it's definitely worth reading if you enjoy a character-driven plot and laughing.

Open Season - Linda Howard is one of my favorite authors. This story to me was a little different than her usual writing style. I found myself smiling and even laughing outright while reading the antics of Ms. Daisy Miner. This is a heroine you can't help but adore!
Meet Ms. Daisy Miner, the librarian in a small town. She's in her late thirties, lives with her mom and aunt, dresses like an old maid, and is pretty much considered "on the shelf" in her mind and in the town's mind too. Daisy has finally decided that instead of giving up, she is going after what she wants, and what she wants is a man, and not just any man, but the marrying kind. Daisy is on the hunt for a husband! First Daisy has to figure out how to accomplish this. She realizes that first she needs to change her image, her "old fashioned" clothes are not going to cut it. With the advice of her mom and aunt, Daisy obtains the help of a friend who helps to whip her into shape in terms of her hair, makeup and clothes. Now, the hunt and the fun begins. Daisy decides that if you want to meet a man you have to go where the men will be, and that's the neighborhood bars and dance clubs. Now throw into this mix, tough ex city cop Chief Russo who is now the small time sheriff in this town. These two keep bumping into each other in town and the results are hilarious. All of Chief Russo's city experience has not prepared him for the small town innocence of Daisy. The dialogue is witty, and you can't help but fall in love with Daisy's innocence, and Chief Russo's interaction with her. I do not want to give this story away, but it truly is a cute fun novel that will keep you chuckling until the end. I would highly recommend.

Daisy Minor, 34-year old librarian in the small town of Hillsboro, Alabama, is bored with her chaste, unexciting life. She hasn�t had a date in years, and is still living with her mother and aunt. She decides that if she�s ever going to meet a man and start a family, she needs to make some major changes in her appearance and lifestyle. She starts by looking for a home to rent and finds a small house in town, although not the best neighborhood. Then she gets her hair restyled and becomes a sassy blonde, buys some alluring new outfits and goes out dancing. She accidentally sets off a brawl in the bar, and is dragged away from danger by Jack Russo, the manly, tough-talking big city cop who has become the town�s new chief of police.
Daisy seems to feel nothing but irritation whenever she is near Chief Russo, but he keeps popping up when she least expects him and sparks fly whenever they�re together. He rescued her again after her second visit to the dance hall, when she witnessed some men dragging someone out to his truck. Chief Russo soon determines that Daisy is in danger because she had witnessed a murder (although she didn�t know it at the time). He whisks her to the safety of a motel, where she succumbs to the passion that has been building between them.
The murderous plot involves smuggling of young girls who are sold to the sex-slave trade, and Daisy is able to help reveal the murderers by identifying the men she had seen in the dance hall parking lot. Daisy and Jack are both placed in some dangerous situations, but the ending is rather predictable. Evil murderers are foiled, girl gets boy, and lives happily ever after. The murder plot is rather contrived and not particularly interesting, but the romance is fun and provocative.

What a fun, refreshing book! It's my second Linda Howard book, and in only two days. When something's good, you tend to get quickly addicted!

I loved Daisy: her innocence, her transformation, and her intelligence. Police chief Jack Russo, who looks like he "eats rocks" is sexy, dedicated, raw, and relentless in his teasing pursuit of the wholesome Miss Daisy. And of course, I loved the condom scene and was literally laughing out loud.

Daisy, in her naive state, witnesses a murder and becomes a target for a truly disturbed bucketful of sleazeballs. Jack is intelligent enough to sense the danger and goes out of his way to protect her from the evil while gently shoving his way into Daisy's heart.

I have already noticed (and appreciate!) Linda Howard's tendency toward making her heroes/heroines slightly "less than perfect" in their looks and personalities. It makes them all the more credible and charming on the page, and you're even happier for them when they come out on top!

Great, and at least a four-star read. My only complaint is that it was so good that I read it too fast! I gave an extra star to make up for the reviewer who rated the quality of the store's delivery service rather than the book...but this one almost deserves the full five anyway!

This book reads like a modern-day Cinderella story, combining mystery with healthy doses of humour and witty exchanges. Daisy Minor wakes on the morning of her 34th birthday to the realisation that she's on the verge of becoming an old maid. After being a prim and proper librarian dressed in dowdy clothes for too long, she decides it's time to find herself a husband and start a family before it's too late. So she undergoes a makeover, dresses for attention and hits the local nightclub scene.
Meanwhile, there seems to be a local trade in people smuggling being undertaken by the more enterprising criminals around town. Added to that, and possibly even related to it, is a sudden spree of women becoming victims of date-rape drugs. This becomes immediately relevant to the recently bloomed Daisy.
Fortunately, although much to Daisy's great chagrin, she has captured the attention of the local police chief who takes it upon himself to act as Daisy's protector. Moments of hilarity ensue as she is embarrassed by his overt advances that he delights in - and so did I just quietly. The condom scenes where particular favourites of mine.
I would class this as a thriller-lite novel with strong romantic comedy overtones. It is a particularly enjoyable book to read when you just want to sit back and relax whilst taking in some light entertainment. This one fits the bill to a tee.

Daisy Minor wakes up on her thirty-fourth birthday and realizes she is going nowhere fast. She lives at home with her mother and aunt. Her job consists of being the head librarian in a southern, one-horse town. It has been so long since her last date she doesn't even want to remember it. It's now or never, do something about her life or forever be stuck in the same situation.
Daisy set out with a vengeance to completely remake herself. She wants a husband and family. Somewhere, some place, there has to be a man for her. Even though Daisy is a bright girl, she can't even figure how to correctly apply basic make up or dress like a woman under sixty. Her mother comes to the rescue and set her up with Todd, a gay man who used to be on Broadway and now owns an antique store. Todd recognizes potential and completely supervises Daisy's make over from makeup, hair, clothes, to her newly rented home. He encourages Daisy to hit the nightclubs and meet men.
Life would be nice if everything went accordingly to Daisy's plan. Well, whoever said life was fair was lying. Daisy manages to attract the attention of Jack Russo, chief of police. He's big, all man, and a former member of the SWAT teams in Chicago and New York. While he seems to get pleasure out of stirring up Daisy, she gets nothing but irritation. That is until the sparks ignite.
I gave Open Season a four. Don't get me wrong, the book is great, but it doesn't blend the romance and mystery as well as Ms. Howard's previous novel. You will laugh and love the main characters, Daisy and Jack. I will never be able to hear the words "mauve" and "puce" without thinking of this book again. There are a lot of comical moments that set this book apart from others. However, while there is suspense and a great "surround and capture the bad guys" scene, it is almost as if the suspense is added in at the last moment or in small dosages to continue the story line. This could have been a fabulous romance or a fascinating suspense novel, putting the two together just made it a great book.
My biggest gripe about this book is it only took about three hours to read. Now I have to wait another six months or year for the next book by Ms. Howard. Ms. Howard, please start writing faster. I love your books and hated waiting for the next one!

On the morning of her thirty-fourth birthday, Daisy Minor decided to face reality. She was bored and her life was boring. She was a plain, small-town librarian who hadn't been on a date in years. She still lived with her mother and aunt, both widowed. Her closet was filled with plain and unattractive clothes. Most of her friends were married with families and Daisy always wanted a husband and children. She would never achieve this goal if she didn't make some major changes. So with the help of a friend, she commits to a complete makeover, looks for an apartment and decides to go "man-hunting". She encounters one problem though and his name is Jack Russo. He isn't her type but he shows up everywhere she does! Jack Russo held his position as Chief of Police in Hillsboro, Alabama for the past three years. Recently divorced and tired of the stress caused by his SWAT team job with the NYPD, he decided to move to Hillsboro after his great-aunt Bessie passed away and willed Jack her old Victorian home. Jack spent many summers as a child with Aunt Bessie and he was delighted to have the opportunity to live and work in Hillsboro. He loved the area and was always in a good mood when he left the town's library. Librarian Daisy Minor was a lot of fun. When he sparred with her, she didn't back down. In that respect, she reminded him of his Aunt Bessie. Daisy was mousy and plain but she had a great smile and beautiful skin and if she ever let her hair down he knew she would be dynamite. Jack liked Daisy and when her life was threatened, he pulled out all the stops to protect her. Little did he know at the time he was falling in love with her. Once again Linda Howard has written a novel containing just the right mix of romance/comedy/suspense. Jack, of course, is another of Linda's alpha-male characters and Daisy is the perfect match for him. She is intelligent and sassy and a bit naive. Her naivety in this story works well because it provides the source for many hilarious scenes. The relationship between Jack and Daisy is modern and intimately sizzles. On a more serious note, the author provides some invaluable information about date-rape drugs. I thoroughly enjoyed Linda's "Open Season" and I suspect she may have plans for a sequel since there seemed to be a few loose ends.

Another winner from Ms. Howard! Hilarious outlook on a woman turned 34 and living with her mother and aunt with no life. I was in tears reading this gem. Funny, funny, funny is about what sums this up! Right on caliber with her infamous novel 'Mr. Perfect', the right mix of humor, tension and romance to make this one another favorite for me...
It's not much of a thriller like her others, but what it lacks in suspense, it more than makes up for in pure humor and romance. Although, I don't think Ms. Howard intended it to be suspenseful anyway.
Daisy Minor just woke up on her 34th birthday with an epiphany. She needs a man. Living with her mother and aunt for her entire life didn't leave her much in the romance department. She was going to change this...and a whole lot more, given the right little touches of course. Like a new wardrobe...how about some flattering makeup for starters? Maybe she'd even go as far as turning her mousy plain brown hair into something sexy? Would this attract a man? She needed to go one step farther...barhopping...yup, that'll do it. Not to mention she'd NEVER stepped foot into one, but she was about to change all that...it was open season on manhunting...the only thing she doesn't expect is to be caught up in some murder she'd unwittingly witnessed. Why couldn't she just have a normal life?
Chief of Police Jack Russo just wanted some relaxing work after transfering from SWAT in NYPD to this tiny town that more resembled Mayberry in Alabama when some uptight spinster librarian decides to go off the deep end suddenly and change her life by barhopping and dancing with rowdy guys.
He does not need to complications derived from this. Now the niave woman has witnessed a murder and someone wants her dead! Sworn to protect and serve, Jack takes on the job, but lets the old fashioned Miss Priss gone Mayberry Lolita know where he stands...at least he tries to.
Hysterical and so much fun, this one is a sure keeper! Daisy will have you in tears! She is so much fun and so different that the usual heroine, that I wish I knew her personally. The things she does and gets into will make you laugh for days!
Jack was equally as much fun and thinks its funny to push her buttons and make her blush. Tons of witty dialog and many sexy moments, this is a winner!!! Keep up the wonderful work Ms Howard!
Tracy Talley~@

Daisy Minor is tenacious to change her monotonous life and it's long time she decides to revamp with a makeover at an age of 34. She dresses up, goes to the Baffalo Club to attract amorous offers and invites... murder. Stumbling upon a murder, she becomes the prime target of local mayor Temple Nolan, who went on a foiled plan to silence Mitchell after his mistake in drugging a girl to death, is afraid that his syndicate will be exposed. His reputation will be shattered. But as always, there is a protector - and it manifests in the form of Chief Jack Russo, who with his protective instincts, makes Daisy feel secured. Love comes crashing on both of them in the midst of the arguments and sexy seductions.
OPEN SEASON as Linda Howard's eagerly-anticpated vehicle this year pales in comparison to her previous efforts (Mr. Perfect and ALL THE QUEEN'S MEN). No doubt she is one author who fuses sensuality and laughter in her antics on sexuality and the couple Jack and Daisy is one hot sizzling match. She brings in her contemporary novels with relevance to the society's problems like date rapes but without much insight. Daisy's transformation is indeed a parody and shrieking delight - the condom incident and scandal is a hoot and Jack is as usual a wry hero with strong sexual urges.
OPEN SEASON opens well but ended in a rush hour with a disappointing 300 pages. The suspense builds up and surprises after it enlightens on Todd's identity but enervates when all is revealed - with the rest all predictible and fast-forwarded. The story doesn't have a mystery element to bolster as in Mr. Perfect, and it loses its appeal with an anti-climax and simple storyline. All I can say is after her boisterous Mr. Perfect, OPEN SEASON seems like mild Miss Congeniality in comparison.

You don't see many librarians in romantic fiction. I've read my fair share and I have seen teachers, psychologists, real estate agents, spies, singers, actresses, reporters, tour guides, bodyguards, and waitresses as romantic interests, but I can't think of one with a librarian as the love interest. So, hooray for Daisy Minor! Sure, she starts out looking like a stereotype, but from the beginning, even while she's living with her mom, you can see she has an independent streak and knows her job. I LOVED that the way she met Jack Russo was when he came to the library to get his password to the virtual library. Howard paid attention to what librarians do now, and her librarian didn't have a card-catalog loving, computer hating character, which is the popular image of librarians. And when Daisy Minor decides to cut loose she really lets go. She let her hair down well before she took her clothes off, so I didn't feel like the scene was one of those sterotypical "he wakens her to a new way of life" moments. Daisy is a problem solver, too. Even when Jack's paranoia takes over, Daisy makes her own decisions. She's not free of stereotypes: she "would never park in the fire lane" but she's got personality, and I enjoyed her as a character.

Daisy aside, I have to give this four stars because there was a major mishap in logic. If the mayor was involved in criminal trade, why did he import a Chicago cop for his police chief? I know, suspend your disbelief, but this is really stretching it for me.

Beyond that, there seemed to be some loose ends. Why the weird ending with Jennifer and Sykes, who are both minor characters and barely know each other? What was Todd involved in that he refused to talk about? Were these supposed to be setups for other books?

This was my first Linda Howard book. I will definitely look at some of her other books, now that I've been introduced to her by a fine librarian.

On her thirty-fourth birthday, Daisy Minor has had enough. She's tired of being boring, ready to dance, date, fall in love, and get married. Of course she has no idea how to do any of those things, but she's ready for a makeover. She won't be a good girl any more, and knows she can't be a bad girl. What she can be, though, is a party girl--and she does intend to party.
Chief of police Jack Russo has noticed Daisy before, but when she turns into the blonde bombshell, he does more than notice. Especially since Daisy doesn't seem to have a clue how to behave in the dangerous world she lives in. Date rape and worse are possible even in small-town Alabama, and Daisy seems too innocent to survive. Of course taking care of Daisy is a pleasure in itself, even if she does get mad that he's getting in the way of her having a good time and finding the right man. One thing they both know, Jack can't be the right man.
With a suspense subplot involving kidnapped foreign women brought to America for sexual exploitation and murder, author Linda Howard has created a delightful blend of romance and plot. Someone in their small town will stop at nothing to protect their illegal enterprise, and Daisy finds herself in the crosshairs.
OPEN SEASON is a page-turning read. Jack and Daisy are believable and their romance seems human and gentle while maintaining a strong sexual attraction. I especially liked Howard's secondary characters including the slimy mayor Temple Nolan and especially the plotting criminal Glenn Sykes. With Sykes, in particular, Howard provides a fine (and difficult) balance between pure evil and a fully sympathetic character.

Linda Howard is a master at putting pen to paper. In my book, she is right up there with Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught as one of those authors whose books you rush right out and buy the book, sigh unseen. I did enjoy Open Season, it was cute and as is always the case with Linda Howard, very [....] Daisy and Jack as the two main characters were good characters. But the "grey" characters such as Sykes, Todd and even Jennifer, the mayor's wife, were more interesting. The problem with this book (and that is why it is only 3 stars rather than 5) is the fact that nothing and no one is delved into deeply. This book would have been great as say, a Silhouette Special Edition, because you don't really expect deep characters in those books (although I will point out that Linda Howard's exceptional Mackenzie's Mountain which was a Silhouette has some of the most wonderfully defined characters in any book ever written).
I would have liked a deeper exploration of Daisy and Jack's relationship. I would have liked to have seen more of the home life of the Mayor and Jennifer to see why their marriage deteriorated so. I would have liked to know more about Sykes' background. And of course, I would have liked to have gotten in Todd's head a bit more. Linda Howard has created the beginnings of some great characters in these people, yet we never really get to see them. They become pieces moved about for the purpose of the plot too much.
This was a cute, fluffy book and it would have been so much more interesting and satisfying if it had a little bit more meat to it.

Daisy is my favorite Howard character. This small town Southern librarian is no push-over, she's a smart, feisty, yet innocent woman trying her best to step out of her 'good girl' persona and take a walk on the wild side. In a small town, where everyone knows her.

Of course in doing so she steps into the sights of the new police chief, a savvy, battle-hardened big city cop who is all to ready to take this sexy, naïve woman in hand. Just for sex, of course. Yeah, we know what is coming for both of them, but the journey is a pure delight, full of hot, hot sex and some rollicking laughs.

The story also contains gritty suspense in the form of a sex slave smuggling operation that the hero must help take down. Well written, with a satisfying conclusion.

Hillsboro, Alabama is a small sleepy town with a population of nine thousand people. It is a place where everybody knows their neighbors and doors are always unlocked. Daisy Minor has lived there all her life and is viewed by the town as a straight-laced spinster, who dresses down and acts prissy. Daisy is aware of the townsfolk’s opinion of her, but on her thirty-fourth birthdays, she decides she wants a life.
She moves out of the house she shared with her mother and her aunt, gets a complete make over and hits the night club scene. Even before Daisy transformed herself into a good-looking woman, she caught the attention of Jack Russo, the town’s police chief. He finds the new Daisy adorable and goes all out in his pursuit of her. When she witnesses a murder and Jack fears the murderer will come after her, he puts a wall of protection around her and her family. When they can catch the killer, Jack intends to take his relationship with Daisy to the next level.
OPEN SEASON is a humorous tale of a woman who wants a family of her own and does what’s needed to gain one. The situations she finds herself in are so hilarious readers will burst out laughing at odd moments. The suspense adds depth to the relationship between the lead characters yet demonstrates that not every book Linda Howard writes has to be intense to be quite good. OPEN SEASON can be summed up in one word: adorable.

I agree with the comparisons that fans might make between "Open Season" and "Mr. Perfect" or the Blair books - there's obviously a lot of great chemistry, great bantering, and a lot of action from a crazed assassin. I'm not usually a fan of a suspense-romance that spends whole chapters in the mind of the villain (I like a little suspense with my romance, not the other way around,thank you very much), but I felt like this story balanced it out pretty well. The chapters with the villain only serve to explain the plot and build suspense, and the chapters with the protagonists are simply delicious and delightful and make up for any unpleasantness.

I truly loved Daisy and her innocent and spunky nature, and I love how Jack gets such a kick out of her. All the scenes where Jack is trying to undermine her senses are so fun and sexy, and they lead to a very believable connection. The fun they have together really balances the darkness of the other aspects of the plot.

This was one of the first Linda Howard books I ever read, and it's definitely the one that got me hooked! I can't count how many times I've reread Daisy and Jack's scenes. They ALWAYS make me laugh, smile, and cheer for them.

As a born and reared southern woman, who also lives in the Deep South, I can assure everyone that one of the reasons this book is so funny is that I KNOW many of the characters in this book --- they just have different names and are MY friends, neighbors and acquaintances . Yep, folks, this is small-town life down here, eccentricities and nosiness included! (I even live in a 'dry' county, too).

In Open Season, Ms. Howard reveals the often hysterical side of life for 'old maid' Daisy, who at age 34 is still living at home with her mother and Aunt Jo. Daisy has a BIG problem, in that she has realized she is unattractive to men, clueless about fashion and make-up, and yet she longs for a husband and family. Additional frustration -- she has no idea how to realistically and successfully conquer all of this. She has the notion of visiting the local small-town beauty shop (which ominously seems to be the only one around, with hints of primarily catering to the 'teased and lacquered helmet head' crowd). Her mother and Aunt Jo are horrified, and determined to try to steer her away from such a potentially disastrous decision. Her mother and the witty, acerbic Aunt Jo at least get Daisy to postpone anything drastic, and Daisy decides to take the 'do-it-yourself' approach in one small step as an attempt to show them she can manage just fine ...

The Chief of Police, an alpha male from 'Up North', or as we say, "He's Not From Around He-ah" has already noticed Daisy, even in her current, unfashionable state, but she is disdainful of his Yankee abruptness and what she perceives as rude behavior. Her own preconceived ideas about the Chief are very off-base, and he is rather determined to aggravate her just because her reaction is so entertaining to him.

Meanwhile, despite her ignorance on the subject, Daisy is very over-confident in her ability to at least begin her complete transformation. She figures it can't be too hard to put together some cosmetics and decide how to achieve her 'new look'. After all, she reasons, she IS a librarian, and her ability to read and follow directions is obviously equal to that of anyone else... The hilarious description of her untutored attempt to master blush, lipstick and especially mascara, along with the reactions of her mother and aunt, and the resulting experience of REALLY getting a professional make-over are equally entertaining.

However, sex trafficking, date-rape drugs, and the threat to Daisy after she unknowingly witnesses a murder, make the Chief realize just how serious a problem he has in his town, and how very important Daisy is to him, personally.

At the same time, the ways in which Daisy decides to make her 'availability' known to men, and the resulting misunderstandings are a comedy of errors. The 'condom scene' alone is worth buying the book! Of course, that brash Yankee is just what Daisy needs, and he is smart enough to know she is just what he is looking for. This is a good balance to the sinister a's very au courant topic of sex slavery, and clearly opens up the idea that organized sex trafficking can happen ANYWHERE.

A great, entertaining romance, with just enough suspense and danger to spice things up, as well as perhaps raise the awareness about a very real and evil practice many perhaps feel more
comfortable believing goes on 'someplace else'.

Once I found out Open Season is about a librarian who has a make over and moves out of her mother's house I couldn't wait to read it since I'm a librarian.
Linda Howard delivers another winner with Open Season, a cute, sexy, satisfying read that has more comedy than suspense. I guffawed at several passages (especially the scene involving a box of condoms). Linda Howard is one of the few romance writers who is an "auto-buy" for me. She never disappoints....Although, I'm rating this title four stars, because, I don't think Open Season ranks among the best she's written. I would have liked a little more characterization of the main characters. But Open Season's still darn good. I very much enjoy reading Ms. Howard's analysis and observations of nonverbal language that is part of her narrative voice. Running into those small gems are one of the joys of being a reader.
Linda Howard is much like Susan Elizabeth Phillips on an ordinary day: reliably good. Always deft and always satisfying.
The small town setting of Hillsboro, Alabama are reminiscent of Linda Howard's earlier After the Night and Jennifer Crusie's hilarious Tell Me Lies and The Cinderella Deal. Other Linda Howard titles that top my list are: Son of the Morning, the Mackenzie series, Diamond Bay, the short stories Lake of Dreams and Overload.

This is the story of small town librairian Daisy Minor and police chief Jack Russo. At the beginning of the story Daisy is a mousy and unassuming person who does little to attract the opposite sex. She lives with her mother and her aunt and has not been on a date in years. She wakes up on her 34th birthday determined to make a change. She decides to move out, get a make over, get a new wardrobe and start going to singles bars and honky tonks.
Enter Jack Russo....strong, hunky former Chicago SWAT tough guy with a heart of gold. He is intrigued by Daisy before the make over and pursues her after. They have an amusing courtship which lands them between the sheets quickly. Boy does LH know how to write her sex scenes.
The only problem here is that Daisy witnesses a murder and Jack has to protect her from the bad guys. The plot runs a little thin on that end but the love story more than makes up for it. You have to love Daisy and Jack as a couple.
A winner with sizzle.

Daisy Minor, spinster librarian of Hillsboro, Alabama, awakens on her thirty-fourth birthday and decides that she needs to change her image and find a man to marry. Tired of her frumpy clothes and drab hair, she seeks the help of her friend Todd to aid in her transformation. With her newly blond hair and classically stylish clothes, Daisy takes on the nightclub scene. Jack Russo, former NYC cop and Hillsboro Chief of Police, notices Daisy at the Buffalo Club and helps her out of a tight spot. Jack and Daisy find themselves attracted to one another, but Daisy is at first reluctant to continue a relationship with Jack for fear that he isn't the relationship type.
Jack finds himself in the role of protector for Daisy, as he becomes suspicious when too much attention seems to be paid to his little librarian. The reasons for his suspicions become clear when he discovers that Daisy saw something that she shouldn't have and was definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time.
What a wonderful suspenseful novel! The twists and turns will keep the reader hooked, and the romance will keep the pages turning. Daisy is such a likeable heroine, the perfect combination of innocence and intelligence, and a wonderful match for hardened cop Jack Russo. Linda Howard has penned a sure-fire winner.

This book was truly lacking in some essential Linda Howard elements that made it nothing short of boring. Regardless, I still found myself turning page after page, hoping for something but found I had absolutely no emotional investment in anything that is going on. The romance is quick and light, there are some funny moments, but the suspense, or lack thereof, is more sympathetic towards the villains.

On Daisy Minor's 34th birthday, she has an epiphany. She wants the American dream; husband, children, home. The problem is she lives with her mother, is a stereotypical dowdy librarian, with frumpy clothes and has absolutely no prospects for a boyfriend because she's simply not attractive. Daisy proceeds to go through a complete makeover process, dies her hair, buys new clothes and makeup and gets her own apartment to begin her manhunt. While at a bar, Daisy unknowingly witnesses a murder and in turn becomes the hunted. Jack Russo is the chief of police in Daisy's town and he enjoys getting Daisy riled up. After her transformation, he simply can't get enough of her and they start an affair in very short order. While spending time with Daisy and learning about her friends and life, he realizes that not everyone is whom they appear to be and discovers that she is being used as bait in an investigation as well as being hunted by murderers.

Simply put, this book is so out of the norm, because Daisy never has a clue that she's being used or hunted so there's absolutely no suspense tied to it. Jack is always two steps ahead of the game and Daisy is never actually in any danger. Although intelligent, she doesn't get to use her wits to escape, figure out who's out to get her or anything else that makes Linda Howard's women so brave, strong and exciting. If anything, the book is really about how Jack accidentally stumbles into a sex trade ring and stops it without so much as breaking a sweat. The transformation Daisy goes through seems so extreme, right down to dying her hair from brown to blond seems so superficial in her efforts to be attractive, that it's hard to reconcile that someone loves her for being her. If you're a Linda Howard fan like me, you'll read it because there's almost nothing left to read, but if not, skip this one.

This is a fantastic book - probably my favorite Linda Howard book. I absolutely loved it. Laughed until I cried. If you have never read an LH book, you have to read this one. You will be hooked! A MUST read.

In the past few years - since I purchased this book in 2005, really, Linda Howard's writing has become increasingly stilted and action-driven, rather than character driven. This book was the first of her more recent titles that I took issue with.

The premise of this book has been compared to LH's Dream Man, but there are quite a few differences. The story begins with Daisy Minor, 34-year-old spinster librarian who lives with her aunt and mother in small-town Alabama. On her 34th birthday, Daisy decides that she needs to change her life so she can get married and have children. She changes her hair, learns how to apply makeup and dress properly, and begins going out to bars. One obstacle, however, is Police Chief Jack Russo - a man who is not her type, but one she can't ignore. He's brash, arrogant, commanding and - gasp! - a Yankee. As Jack becomes involved in a case from a nearby town regarding date rape drugs, he also becomes involved in Daisy's life. The two parts of his life inevitably become intertwined.

First of all, this is an okay book, not nearly as bad as LH's recent stuff, but there is very little interaction between Jack and Daisy that explains just why they fell in love with each other. And I really hate the fact that Daisy had to change her whole look before Jack pursued her, even though it is mentioned at one part that he was knocked out by her smile even before she changed herself. Had they had some type of relationship, even if it was adversarial prior to her transformation, then maybe I could have bought that, but all in all it seemed a cover-up. Also, how in the world in the 21st century is a 34-year old woman so naive? In certain cases, Daisy almost fell into the dreaded trap of being TSTL (too stupid to live).

All in all, not a bad read, but certainly not at the top of the list in Ms. Howard's backlist.

Linda Howard's "romantic suspense" series is one of extremes: either it is very good (Son of the Morning, All the Queen's Men) or astoundingly bad (An Independent Wife, Dream Man). So it is sort of surprising to find a totally banal, mediocre story. Daisy Minor is a small-town Southern girl on the hunt for a husband. While at a local bar (drinking soda only, of course! No LH heroine drinks too much, smokes, is messy or a bad cook), she witnesses something she shouldn't. You can probably figure out the rest of the story... New "Yankee" police chief steps in to save her, and of course they fall in love and marry. There is absolutely nada in terms of suspense in this book - if you have more than three brain cells you know that Daisy and the chief will wind up together, and LH makes no attempt at all to make the "suspense" portion of the book a surprise. This book tries too hard to be too many things to too many different audiences. The semi-slapstick humor for Janet Evanovich fans - LH just doesn't have the sense of timing to pull this off without seeming contrived, although she's getting better. The prissy virginal heroine (who at age 34 doesn't know anything about makeup, despite growing up in the deep South????) meets big alpha male for the traditional romance fans. The small attempts at police procedurals for the mystery fans. Had this book concentrated more on any of these elements, it would have been more interesting. Bottom line: this is a screenplay for a chick flick summer movie. Nothing deep or compelling, but interesting enough to spend a few hours with.

Linda Howard is an Amazing Author.

This book has everything that you look for in her books.

The main character is Daisy. She is a MOUSEY spinster who lives with her mom and aunt. She decides that she tired of her life and she makes changes... Hairdo, clothing, and starting barroom brawls. She finds her self attracted to the chief of the town. She also stumbles on a murder. This book will have you laughing so hard and crying at the same time!!! I have read it so many time I still love it!!!!