In the Company of Men: historical romance with a mystery

In the Company of Men by Carolyn Finch is the first book in the Lemon Sugar series. Miss Etta Lynne is desperate. The Great War is over but it's up to her to care for her sick mother and pregnant, widowed sister. She needs the high school teaching position that is open in Oakland, Manitoba. However, after two female teachers disappeared, Mayor Jackson Nash is reluctant to hire a female for the open teaching position. When the male teacher he requested is a no show, Nash is forced to hire Etta. Determined to keep her safe, Nash becomes a bit overprotective despite his open contempt. As the mystery of the missing teachers deepen, Etta realizes that she must be open to trust others if she has any hope of safety and maybe even love. 

In the Company of Men is described as a clean and wholesome historical women’s fiction. Etta is the type of woman who doesn’t shy away from challenges. While I enjoy a strong woman, I did not enjoy Etta. She was obnoxious. I didn’t enjoy Jackson Nash. While it was obvious that they would fall in love, it was painfully slow getting there. While the behaviors of the men and the ridiculous requirements of female teachers was typical of the time, it was off putting. The mystery of the missing teachers was mentioned throughout and the reveal was a disappointment. Overall, I was bored. I had no interest in the romance, the mystery or continuing the series.I did not enjoy In the Company of Men. 

In the Company of Men is available in paperback and eBook.