Big Sky Country

Perennial bestseller Miller takes a break from her popular McKettricks of Texas books and kicks off a new western series with this engaging contemporary western. Slade Barlow is the sheriff of Parable, Mont., and the illegitimate son of a wealthy rancher who never acknowledged him. Slade and his half-brother, Hutch Carmody, are shocked when their father’s will leaves each of them half of the Whisper Creek Ranch. Software designer Joslyn Kirk, Hutch’s ex-girlfriend, has sold her company and come back to town to make amends for her stepfather, who swindled many Parable citizens. Slade and Joslyn keep running into each other, and an intense attraction soon ignites between them. The romance is a bit thin, but Miller’s down-home, easy-to-read style keeps the plot moving, and she includes all the elements her fans have come to expect, including likable characters, picturesque descriptions, and some very sweet pets. Agent: Irene Goodman, Irene Goodman Literary Agency. (June)