A Star in Winter

A Star in Winter by Anita Stansfield

Well, right in the middle of reading the first book in Ender's Shadow series I took a two day detour and read two Anita Stansfield novels. It was a nice break........you gotta have a little romance now and then.

Helen Starkey or Miss Star as she is known to her third grade class, is happy as a single girl. Helen is a healthy eater which I really like! I think I just made her sound like a fat single girl, but that isn't how I pictured her. Miss Star takes time each day to evaluate each of her students. She has been noticing a change in Scotty Brynner since the beginning of school. Her notes to his parents remain without response. One day Scotty is absent from school and Helen decides to pay a visit to his home. Helen discovers that the Brynner home has sold and Scotty's family has moved into a nearby apartment. Helen goes to the apartment and finds Scotty and his little sister Tamara home alone. The sitter canceled, Dad had to work and doesn't know the kids are home alone, and Mom has left to live with Grandma because of an illness. Miss Star comes in to the apartment and into their lives at just the right moment.
Since Mom is gone for an undetermined time. Dad has to work. Mom put the family in extreme credit card debt and Dad (Shayne) had to sell the house in order to pay the bills. Mom (Margie) left, feeling misunderstood and suffering from a minor heart problem which she wants serious attention from. She has let the heart condition get in the way of her taking care of her home and family. The only cure seemed to be shopping trips and staying out late with her friends. Helen asks if she can stay with the kids after school to help the family out. Shayne is happy to have a reliable sitter.
Helen quickly becomes an important part of the Brynner household. She takes over the shopping, cooking and childcare. There are even recipes of her best cooking at the end of every chapter.
Soon we find Margie's true intent all along when divorce papers are served to Shayne. Since he and Margie have been physically separated for sometime, the divorce goes through in days. And Ta-da!!! A serious second later..........Shayne and Helen are in love and planning a spring wedding. They get married and are happier than sin.
The romance happened super quick!! I could see it coming on Helen's part......hanging around Shayne and the kids all of the time, but I was surprised about the Shayne part. I guess he kept it well concealed until it was appropriate.
There were lots of Stansfield markers, which I point out every time just to humor myself........the word 'simple' was used CONTINUALLY!! Does anyone else pick up on this stuff? Simple recipe, simple puzzle, simple, simple, simple. Now the word sounds nutty.
Rating 4 There was cheese but I love cheese........just about every variety except Swiss. Super quick clean read. I picked it up because I knew it wasn't part of a series and I could zip through it. It was like a mini vacation.
Rating G