McBRIDE, Mary

PERSONAL: Female. Education: Washington University, B.A. (comparative literature); St. Louis University, M.A. (education). Hobbies and other interests: Vintage Fiestaware, American pottery, genealogy research.

ADDRESSES: Home—St. Louis, MO. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Silhouette Books, 233 Broadway, Ste. 101, New York, NY 10279. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Author and educator.

MEMBER: Romance Writers of America, Novelists, Inc.

WRITINGS:

Riverbend, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1993.

Fly away Home, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1993.

The Fourth of Forever, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1994.

The Sugarman, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1994.

The Gunslinger, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1995.

Forever and a Day, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1995.

Darling Jack, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1996.

Quicksilver's Catch, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1997.

Storming Paradise, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1998.

The Marriage Knot, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 1999.

Just One Look, Silhouette Intimate Moments (New York, NY), 1999.

Bluer than Velvet, Silhouette Intimate Moments (New York, NY), 2000.

Bandera's Bride, Harlequin Historicals (New York, NY), 2000.

Baby, Baby, Baby, Silhouette Intimate Moments (New York, NY), 2001.

Moonglow, Texas, Silhouette Intimate Moments (New York, NY), 2001.

Sarah's Knight, Silhouette Intimate Moments (New York, NY), 2002.

Still Mr. & Mrs., Warner Books (New York, NY), 2002.

My Hero, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Contributor to anthologies, including A Western Family Christmas, Harlequin Historicals, 2001, and Outlaw Brides, Harlequin Historicals, 1996.

SIDELIGHTS: Mary McBride is a prolific author of romance novels, including several western historicals and romances with humor and suspense elements.

In Darling Jack, Pinkerton detective Jack Hazard needs someone to portray his wife for an upcoming assignment. File clerk Anna Matlin finds herself cast in the role as a budding detective and a romantic interest for Hazard. Their romance develops as they work the case and Hazard fights alcoholism and the effects of a difficult childhood. Mary K. Chelton, reviewing Darling Jack for Library Journal, called the book "an interesting blend of poignancy and humor."

The two main female characters in Storming Paradise, a Harlequin Historical romance published in 1998, believe their financial woes are over when they receive a message from their estranged father whom they haven't seen in fifteen years. Libby and Shula Kingsland travel to the family ranch in Paradise, Texas, and discover that the ranch will go to whichever of the sisters marries Shadrach Jones, the ranch foreman. Shula is obnoxious and self-centered, whereas Libby is dignified and ladylike, and neither is a prime candidate for marriage. However, Libby does start to take an interest in Jones. Ann McGuire, writing on the Romance Reader Web site, remarked that "McBride has a style that easily moves between humor, passion, and private thoughts. Her story flows easily on the strength of realistic dialogue that never reads as forced, and an enviable talent for timing." Storming Paradise "does entertain mightily," McGuire wrote, "and that is something that many romances fail to do these days."

Though a gunshot wound ended Gabriel Delaney's days as a wild-west gunslinger, in The Marriage Knot he's still the sheriff of Newton, Kansas. When Ezra Dancer commits suicide and leaves his widow, Hannah, alone with a boarding house to run, Gabriel finds himself thinking more and more about her. Despite his inclination to join the Earp brothers in Tombstone, Gabriel ends up a resident in Hannah's boarding house. But Gabriel's history as a lawman isn't the only obstacle between him and Hannah—so is Hannah's own closely guarded past in a Memphis brothel. "A well-plotted book with lively characters and a pleasantly steamy romance is always a pleasure to recommend," wrote Cathy Sova on the Romance Reader Web site. "The Marriage Knot is sure to entertain fans of western historical romance."

Kathryn Claiborn enters a witness protection program in Moonglow, Texas, McBride's 2001 novel. After seeing a colleague killed by a radical terrorist group, Kathryn becomes Molly Hansen, leaving behind job, boyfriend, and previous identity to live as a protected witness. The government sends in Dan Shackelford to repair Molly's dilapidated house, but Dan's handyman's skills are lacking and Molly suspects he's not really a handyman after all. He isn't; Dan is actually a deputy U.S. marshal sent to keep an eye on her after a computer breach in the witness protection program. Threatening phone calls to Molly ratchet up the danger level.

Complicating matters is Dan's own history in Moonglow, where he was once a local wild boy, popular with the girls but disliked by the sheriff who treated him like poor white trash. Dan has to overcome past prejudices while protecting Molly—and while he and Molly decide what they really think about each other. Reviewer Cindy Penn, writing on the WordWeaving Web site, called the book "Absolutely delightful!," further commenting that "McBride creates a first rate romance with characters the reader can't help but care about in Moonglow, Texas." Although critic Blythe Barnhill, writing on the All about Romance Web site, found some problems with the plausibility of Dan's professional involvement with Molly and the speed of their romance. She "also found McBride's writing style to be very smooth," adding that "The dialogue and the characters' thoughts are often witty, and the book is a good fast read." Similarly, Cathy Stova, writing on the Romance Reader Web site, commented that "The Ending will probably strike more than one reader as pretty implausible … , but it's a minor irritation in an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable novel."

McBride's 2002 novel, Still Mr. & Mrs., "pulls off a good trick, one that few romances seem to manage: it's light and funny, and at the same time it packs a hefty emotional wallop," wrote Jennifer Keirans on the All about Romance Web site. Secret Service agents Angela and Bobby Holland are married and in love—but also separated and on the cusp of divorce. Bobby had always been reserved with his emotions, and Angela had relied on his brother Billy to give her an idea of Bobby's true feelings. When Billy is killed, Bobby closes up completely, and the Hollands' marriage begins to crumble.

In a setting that a Publishers Weekly reviewer called "an outrageously fun setup," the two are assigned to protect the U.S. president's mother, "Crazy Daisy" Riordan, a cranky, difficult, even tasteless woman who's been receiving death threats. Daisy's butler and cook, a married couple, are relieved of duty and the Hollands take up the tasks in order to be close enough to protect her—Daisy wouldn't tolerate the scandal of an unmarried pair of servants cohabiting in her White House. But Daisy also wouldn't tolerate the presence of Secret Service agents in her day-to-day life, so Angela and Bobby sneak into the roles despite knowing little about either cooking or butlering. Angela and Bobby have to endure close proximity to each other as though they were married, all the while protecting a cantankerous Daisy, foiling escalating threats, and deciding whether to continue with their divorce or try to resuscitate a relationship each deeply wants to preserve.

With Still Mr. & Mrs., "McBride created a wonderful story, filled to the brim with tension only a married couple can relate to," wrote Jennifer Vaughn on the Best Reviews Web site. Judi McKee, writing on the Romance Reader online, remarked that "Most of this book was a treat—fast paced, complex enough to be satisfying, and with a nice balance of humor and poignancy. If the heroine wore a little thin, a spectacularly adorable hero made up for it." For Keirans, "It is extremely readable and simply packed with emotion. While it's funny and a little silly in parts, it also made me cry, and only very good writers can accomplish that."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Library Journal,, May 15, 1996, Mary K. Chelton, review of Darling Jack.

Publishers Weekly, August 5, 2002, review of Still Mr.& Mrs., p. 59.

ONLINE

All about Romance,,http://www.likesbooks.com/ (December 5, 2002), Jennifer Keirans, review of Still Mr. & Mrs.; Rachel Potter, review of Sarah's Knight; Blythe Barnhill, review of Moonglow, Texas.

Best Reviews,http://www.thebestreviews.com/ (December 5, 2002), Jennifer Vaughn, review of Still Mr. & Mrs.

Everything Romantic!,http://mrsg.lunarpages.com/ (December 5, 2002), review of Still Mr. & Mrs.

Romance Reader,http://www.theromancereader.com/ (December 5, 2002), Judi McKee, review of Still Mr. & Mrs.; Thea Davis, review of Sarah's Knight; Cathy Sova, review of Moonglow, Texas; Ann McGuire, review of Storming Paradise; Cathy Sova, review of The Marriage Knot; Linda Mowery, review of Bluer than Velvet; Kristy Hales, review of Bandera's Bride; Wendy Crutcher, review of Just One Look.

WordWeaving,http://www.wordweaving.com/ (December 5, 2002), Cindy Penn, review of Moonglow, Texas.*