Class Act by Laura Abbot, Harlequin Superromance #803, Class Act #1

Class Act is about Connie Weaver, a forty year old history teacher at Keystone School in Fort Worth Texas. A divorced single mother of a high school senior and responsible for the care of her mother who has fallen into a deep depression since Connie's father died suddenly eight years previously. Connie has potential of being a strong and independent woman, but she's so used to living her life to please others that her inner strength and independence has been buried.

Eight years prior Connie had a chance to explore her strength and independence as well as come to terms with her ex-husband who was a philandering college professor. She had come to believe somehow her failed marriage had been because of her. She went to Georgetown University for four weeks and there met and fell in love with Jim Campbell. They spent one night together at Gettysburg where they made love. Unfortunately, it was during this night together that Connie's hopes of being happy with him came crashing down when she found out he wanted children. We found out a bit into the book why exactly this poses a problem for Connie, and I don't like to give spoilers in my reviews. So while I won't reveal the reason, I will say that it was yet another example of Connie's sacrificing her happiness believing she was making the other person happy or at least helping them.

Jim Campbell is a teacher who got sucked into a marriage and life he wasn't suited for. He believed his ex-wife understood his love for and desire to teach, but she didn't. So he went the businessman route, participating in the family business and giving up on teaching only to have his marriage fail anyway. He has just put his resume in with a education placement service and gets a call informing him of a position available at Keystone School as interum headmaster. He realizes on the flight to the interview that Connie Weaver, a woman who he had never stopped loving was teaching there.

Connie tries to put aside her feelings for Jim, believing it's best for him and his job as well as her daughter and mother if she does. They have some other trials and tribulations to overcome as well, dissatisfaction by the parents and student body over a forced resignation of the school's athletic coach (Don't mess with football in Texas!) as well as some students harassing "wussy" students.

Connie finally steps up to the plate and puts her feelings and her concern for him above all else and goes to him. Instead of making love like she'd wanted to Jim says he can't and she ends up telling him why his statement about wanting a housefull of children had frightened her so.

Meanwhile, Connie's mother, Adele, has a heart attack and while in therapy meets a man who knew her late husband and gets her out and active again. Perhaps there's hope for her mother to no longer be so depressed and lethargic all of the time. Connie's daughter, Erin, is dating one of the high school football stars. Connie and Erin have a few battles because of some of the things Jim has done as headmaster. Throw into the mix an ex-husband who isn't being cooperative about helping his daughter with college expenses.

Jim always having wanted children has to decide which he wants more, Connie or the children he's dreamed of. This combined with activity by the school board leads to the couple not seeing one another for a short while. This time it's Jim trying to protect Connie, not wanting to risk her losing her job because of him.

Class Act was a sweet contemporary romance. I found Connie a little too doormatish for my liking. Her daughter had a mouth on her a time or two that had it been my mother and me arguing I wouldn't have gotten away with the things said. The conflict between Connie and Jim was real. Connie's was more emotionally driven and Jim's was more physically driven, but it worked well for the story. I thought the ending was a little silly and had it not been for the ending probably would have enjoyed the book more than I did. The characters were well developed and believable, none of them were perfect and it was nice to read about an older couple.

©Susan Matthews and phantomroses.com