Heaven Scent by Jacqueline Diamond is a nonsensical tale about a town in Texas called Skunk's Crossing. The reason for the unusual moniker is an overabundance of the black-and-white striped critters who seem to be overrunning the place and scaring away the tourists. Skunk's Crossing would have no economy at all if not for the tourists, so the town has to decide what to do about its smelly menaces before things get worse.

Dr. Nancy Verano is a psychologist. Her sister, Hayley, is an aspiring actress. It's summertime and Nancy doesn't have any particular plans, while Hayley has taken a job as a nanny for a rancher in Skunk's Crossing, Texas. She was interviewed via the Internet and has never actually met her new employer. When Hayley abruptly lands a part in a TV show, she doesn't want to leave the rancher stranded, so she convinces Nancy to take the job and pose as Hayley. Gosh, it's only for three months. Who'll know? Who'll care? Nancy finally agrees when she realizes she can write and publish a paper on cowboy psychology, thereby lifting her professional credibility and flagging self-esteem. So she packs up her laptop and heads for Texas.

Max Richter has his hands full with his ranch, two kids, and his temperamental teenaged niece. Ever since his wife skipped town with their marriage counselor, Max has had to be both mom and dad to his kids, and he's decided he needs a nanny. When Nancy Verano shows up, he gets much more than he bargained for. She's older than he'd expected, can't cook, and is sexy. He hadn't counted on that. When she not only handles the problems with his kids and solves the skunk situation, he's amazed and smitten.

The premise of this story (the skunks) is silly, but the author does a good job making it fun. Nancy and Max have a nice relationship, and it's easy to see why they'd fall for each other. I was never comfortable with the fact that Nancy wasn't up front immediately about who she really was because readers know whenever that happens, we have a ready-made Black Moment waiting for us out there, the point at which all seems lost and our lovers seemed doomed. Still, there are some funny lines and good humor, making this a pretty decent little read.