He's a cop who dreads working with teenagers. She's a high school teacher of at-risk students and cops are her worst nightmare.
The last thing by-the-book Captain Mitch Lansing wants to do is work in a high school classroom to improve relationships between at-risk kids and the police department. Life's been cruel to him, and his past still haunts him. He's come to this small town to escape those memories. Nobody's going to get him to open up or delve into his heart. He's wounded beyond repair.
Unorthodox teacher Cassie Smith, herself an at-risk student in high school, has fought hard for her success as a teacher. She escaped a dysfunctional mother and worked her way through college, all with the help of her high school principal Seth Taylor. She's happy with her job and cadre of friends.
Until Mitch crashes into her life. She's totally against all he stands for and can't bear to watch him try to teach her kids. But as he learns to work with the teens, she begins to see the man beneath the suit. And the kids also come to care about him. Though she's not looking for romance, her world goes off kilter. So does Mitch's. It's the kids who begin this healing process, especially ex-gang member Johnny Battaglia.
When the gang goes after Mitch, Cassie realizes she's in love with a cop. But can he accept her and the students into his life?
If he can't, he'll return to his lonely existence before he walked into her classroom.
If he can, their heartfelt relationship will flourish and bring them deep and abiding joy.
With several highly emotional scenes and deeply moving situations, this story will go straight to your heart.
Praise for COP OF THE YEAR:
"Kathryn Shay writes from the heart! Her stories are about real people with real lives. You will laugh and cry with her characters. COP OF THE YEAR is sure to be one of the best books to hit the shelves this year!" The Literary Times
"Prepare yourself for a fabulous emotional ride that will have you reaching for the tissues and leave you with a renewed sense of hope." Genie Romex Reviews
"Kathryn Shay has penned a most unusual novel. The teacher/cop relationship feels natural enough, and the dialogue is a standout. But oddly enough, though I found the romance to be satisfying, it's the secondary characters of the kids I remember most from the story. The teenage pregnancies, the gang involvement, the drug usage all are a part of today's high school scene, but Shay makes this a story of hope, not despair. The ending almost brought me to tears. Three cheers!" The Romance Reader
