Buttermilk Sky

Watson (Troublesome Creek) sets her sweet novel in Lexington, Ky., shortly before WWI. There, Mazy Pelfrey, age 18, is struggling in secretarial school. The young sheriff from her hometown in the Kentucky mountains, Chanis Clay, is sweet on her, but Mazy is dazzled by a wealthy young man, Loyal Chambers, who begins to pay attention to her. Mazy must choose what, and who, she wants—a choice that tests her values. The details of Watson’s period setting are well researched (Sanitol liquid tooth cleanser, syrup ices). Humor plays a prominent and welcome role in the narrative: an exploding jar of sauerkraut in a root cellar starts the action with a literal bang. Mazy is an engaging character, though some readers might find her youthful innocence cloying. Faith elements are natural and unobtrusive, except for one improbable conversion. Watson offers a well-written, squeaky clean read. Agency: Steve Laube Agency. (Oct.)