Somewhere Near Paradise — Marjorie Everitt

A bear -- a big, blond bear. That is Marcie Newberry's first impression when she meets Jim Wolverton. Her second impression is that he is a stubborn mule. She has never met anyone so obstinate before, at least not in Chennowah Grove. But the transplanted Texan has a way of getting under everyone's skin; it seems the whole town has a crush on the burly man.

Not Marcie, however. She is determined to resist Jim, in spite of the sparks flying between them. She has too many other concerns, the biggest of which is finding a home for the Chennowah Grove social center before she returns to Chicago in September. And then there are the cats who keep appearing on her door step, and Sam the frog, and Sarita Cox, resident psychic, who seems to know a bit too much about Marcie's past, present, and future. With so many distractions, Marcie cannot possibly contemplate any relationship. Particularly not with a big, blond bear...