"There's trouble in this small town!"

ALL A MAN CAN ASK is the second in Ms. Kantra's "Trouble In Eden" mini-series set in the small lake side town of Eden, Illinois.

Chicago high school art teacher, Faye Harper, has come to her aunt's cottage in Eden to regroup after a harrowing experience involving a student and his parents. All she wants to do is be left alone to paint and heal. But then a dangerous looking stranger begins lurking about her aunt's property, disrupting her concentration and peace of mind.

Detective Aleksy Denko is in Eden to "unofficially" investigate a possibility that someone in town had something to do with the murder of his ex-partner. He has been ordered to stay out of the investigation, but he feels responsible for her death and won't rest until he catches her killer.

When someone takes exception to Faye's habit of taking photographs around the lake, Aleksy moves in to keep an eye on things, and hopefully keep Faye safe. As they become close, the initial attraction they feel grows and protecting Faye takes on a whole new importance.

With ALL A MAN CAN ASK, Virginia Kantra continues her tradition of delivering strong, solid plots in which the mystery and intrigue entertain but never overshadow the romance and human interest. Aleksy is a mature, sexy man, but with a charmingly boyish quality about him; Faye is strong in spite of her vulnerability, and together, they make a great pair. I enjoyed watching this relationship grow. I look forward with impatience to reading about more Trouble In Eden!

Reviewed by Janice Bennett
Posted January 6, 2003

Read an Excerpt

Summary

Look, but don't touch...

Words to live by for Jarek Denko, a man looking to forget his past and find his future in Eden. He has a department to run, a daughter to raise and an investigation to solve. A relationship with any woman would be a distraction. A relationship with reporter Tess DeLucca - the sister of one of his prime suspects - might be his undoing.

Getting up close and personal with Eden's new police chief is part of Tess's job. So is remaining dispassionate, objective and in control - three things that might be possible if she trusted cops. And if she weren't so damn attracted to this one!