Leslie Cahill, now seventeen, falls in love with an "older" man, twenty-eight year old Sloan Stroh. She's flattered by the attention of this neighboring cowboy and is swept along by her strong emotions. Sloan dominates Leslie's every moment, in her mind at least. Leslie's father and brother strongly object to Leslie and Sloan's relationship not only because of the considerable age difference, but because they do not trust Sloan's intentions. Leslie learns Sloan's dark secret, which dates back many years to her mother's death. A fast-paced coming-of-age story, McClellan's Bluff is set in Washington's ranch country. At just seventeen years old, Leslie Cahill is already a smart, talented, and beautiful young woman, and she's at the critical juncture where she's ready to start maturing even more. She takes her first steps when a an older man, twenty-eight year old Sloan Stroh, shows an interest in her. Leslie finds herself flattered and excited by this strange new man in town even though her father and brother vehemently protest her association with him. In McClellan's Bluff, Mary E.Trimble skillfully weaves together the conflicting emotions of a young woman who's blossoming with adult desires while still trying to balance those feelings with her inexperience and hesitation. Throw in an extremely protective family hawkeyeing her every move, along with rapid, severe change in that family's dynamics as her father prepares to remarry, and mix it with sleek, sexually charged stranger, and the end result is a volatile delight to read. Trimble definitely nails the psyche of a seventeen year old girl consumed with a new infatuation with the whiff of sexual expectation. And she does an admirable job of bringing her entire life and personality to life. The atmosphere is thick with details of the ranch life, something she's obviously knowledgeable about, and which proves interesting to readers. Additionally, she unfolds the story with darker twists while infusing it with Leslie's maturation in other areas too. She grows as a person as she learns to be a sister and truer friend, taking on more responsibility in her life. There's no doubt that McClellan's Bluff is a wonderfully written story that will engage the target audience. Additionally, it's so good that most adults would enjoy reading it, and should feel comfortable letting their children read it with the way Trimble handles the situations in both language and tone. --Susan DiPlacido Blue Iris Journal Mary E. Trimble lives on Camano Island, Washington with her husband. A prolific writer, Trimble draws on personal experiences including purser and ship's diver aboard the tall ship, M.S. Explorer; Peace Corps in West Africa; a 13,000- mile South Pacific sailing adventure aboard their Bristol 40, Impunity and extensive overland RV trips. Trimble is active with the American Red Cross and has responded to several local and national disasters. Mary Trimble's 400-plus travel articles and articles of interest to homeowners have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers. Trimble's first novel, ROSEMOUNT, has received wide acclaim. It's sequel, McCLELLAN'S BLUFF, is a recipient of the EPIC (Electronically Published Internet Connection) Award as Best Young Adult Novel. Both Coming-of-Age stories are of interest to teens as well as adults.