"Well worth reading"

After earning her Masters, Julie First looks forward to a career in education. She is extremely pleased to obtain the position of curriculum writer for the Coyote Springs, Texas schools. However, she is taken aback when her contract requires her to agree to never criticize the school board. Still, she cannot resist this opportunity and signs the document.

Julie soon begins to suspect the administration of committing transgressions. She voices her opinion of potential wrong-doing to school board member Rolf Murdock, who blows her away as being ridiculously paranoid. However, Rolf reassesses things when his inquiries are treated with disrespect and antagonism. Rolf obtains Julie's cooperation as they secretly investigate the current superintendent and the school administration. As Rolf and Julie fall in love and she wants to mother his children as if they were her own, she wants to retain her career too. However, she knows his first wife's career ended Rolf's marriage.

K.N. Casper is gaining quite a following for his deep looks at relationships, especially in The First Family of Texas series. A MOTHER TO HIS CHILDREN is a powerful look at how choices people make in their professional lives impact their personal life. The story line works when Julie struggles with her growing love for Rolf and his four children vs. her desire to continue as a curriculum writer. Though the amateur sleuth investigation into the school administration adds excitement and facilitates the proximity between the lead protagonists, that subplot never feeds into the larger theme of selections among options indirectly effecting relationships. Still, K.N. Casper leaves his fans with a thought provoking entertaining novel.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted January 26, 2002

Summary

When Julie First's boyfriend proposes on the condition that she devote herself to him and his banking career, she can't flee fast enough. She's going to put all her energy into working for the school district, instead, now that she's received her master's degree in education.

The job sounds great, except the final clause in her contract makes her promise not to criticize the administration. Julie finds the demand odd and offensive, but she goes along until she can no longer ignore growing evidence of corruption.

Or is it?

School board member Rolf Murdock thinks Julie's concerns are exaggerated, but he'll help her investigate. Although his first wife left him to pursue her career, he's as charmed by career woman Julie as she is by him and his four children.

Soon they're investigating more than a cover-up!