Reach for the Stars — Cathy Gillen Thacker

All the evidence pointed to one conclusion

Marriage was not invented for a couple like Susan Trent and Steve Markham. For one thing, their jobs were polar opposites. As sheriff, Steve was obligated to keep the peace. As a consumer-advocate reporter, Susan was expected to expose covert injustices, and the greater the resulting controversy, the better the story. More important, they were headed in different directions: Steve for the continued tranquility of West Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, Susan for the excitement of big-city television.

Until Susan left town for the next stage of her career, the best thing they could do was maintain a safe distance between them...but that was nearly impossible when the townsfolk kept throwing them together.