Holly Jacobs, Once Upon a Thanksgiving

Once Upon a Thanksgiving

Harlequin American, Oct 2008, $4.99

ISBN: 9780373752362

Recently obtaining a divorce as her husband left her and the kids, Samantha Williams raises four school age children (Stan, Seton, Shane and Stella) and a cat. All her children attend the same school, Erie Elementary. Harry Remington is the newly installed interim principal who will leave in December.

Sami and Harry were childhood friends especially in seventh grade and insist they remain just pals. Al though they are attracted to one another neither accepts that truism at least deep in their respective hearts. The entire town led by her 'S' kids and the PTA whose motto is volunteer or be volunteered know otherwise also especially since he is so at home at her rambunctious abode where chaos is the norm. However, he is also leaving soon although the thought depresses him.

Few writers can combine humor inside a serious issue as well as Holly Jacobs consistently does. The three male banditos bring plenty of amusement with their antics (as long as you are not their victim), but also much angst as the audience obtains a deep look at divorce from the perspective of the elementary school age offspring. The romance is fun to follow as Sami and Harry sing the refrain from I'm Not in Love, but everyone know otherwise.

Harriet Klausner