In “Masquerade” by Sierra St. James, Clarissa is a young divorcee who is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her daughter, adorable three-year-old Elaina. Her ex-husband made her feel worthless throughout their marriage and is now driving that message home financially, with paltry alimony and child support payments. Tired of working two jobs, Clarissa decides that she has to make a radical career change and goes to the employment agency.
Unfortunately, the man who runs the agency is a friend of her husband’s family, and he helps her based on that relationship. She doesn’t have the heart to tell him that she is no longer married, and he gives her a recommendation to work as a nanny for Slade Jacobsen, one of Hollywood’s hottest men. Part of the requirement is that she be married; he doesn’t want any love-starved women chasing him around his mansion.
Clarissa takes a deep breath and agrees to the interview. She can pretend to still be married; it’s not like she’s interested in the good-looking actor. After the way her marriage ended, she’s not sure she’ll be interested in another man for a long time.
She takes Elaina with her on the interview, knowing that her daughter would need to get along with Bella, their potential charge, if she was to take the job. It’s not long before the two girls are sitting together under the dining room table, having a “tea” party and becoming best friends. It looks like the job will be a piece of cake, but then Clarissa learns that Bella is a little bit of a handful, and everyone in the household has the telephone number for poison control memorized.
Clarissa takes the job, but then there’s a change of plans. Slade wants to take all of them with him to Hawaii, where he plans to pitch a new script. Clarissa loves the idea of the trip, but then Slade asks if she’s sure it will be okay with her husband if she’s gone that long.
She begins to feel stirrings of regret for lying to him, which only grow stronger as she begins to respect Slade for the man he is, and then to fall in love with him. Bella keeps her on her toes running around in the sand, and Slade keeps her heart on its toes as she dodges his questions about her home life. Eventually the truth comes out, and she has to face Slade, knowing that honesty means a great deal to him.
When I first started this book, the premise seemed a little cliché, but Sierra St. James has a hysterical writing style and wry wit that gave the story a fresh twist. This story is very well worth the time.
(This book was published by Bookcraft in 2001.)
Previously reviewed books by this author:
