Huntsville, Alabama was a good choice when Gina was looking for teaching work, but she didn't realise her little rented house would be so cold in winter. Her quest for a portable heater brings her to elderly Mr Glibmann's home, and the rogue promptly tries to fix her up with his nephew.

THIS JUST IN is a warm-hearted novella about the smaller but important things in life, like warmth and companionship, hard to quantify but appreciated by all. Gina teaches astronomy and does some research at nearby Marshall Space Flight Center, which doesn't make her the easiest girl to date. But Ken, Mr Glibmann's handsome nephew, works at Marshall and is interested rather than upstaged by a lady astronomer. If only he hadn't sworn off women after that last disastrous relationship. Gina's not looking for anyone either - too busy - but some of her best students would benefit from studying Mars. Maybe she and Ken could arrange something at the planetarium?

Besides the fun of the astronomy topics linking two very grounded people, I noticed some serious themes. Gina is a high school teacher, but never considered going further in academia although she's clearly bright and interested; she just lacks self esteem. Ken is not the least threatened by a bright lady, unlike some men. While Mr Glibmann comes from a background of European upheaval, so family future is more important to him than family past. As the winter weather closes in, these lively characters discover that their lives are changing.

Kathryn Scarborough now lives in Alabama and this is her first novella. She has been a teacher and lecturer in English. I confess that the title THIS JUST IN didn't seem to fit, belonging more to a newscaster in my mind, but the story certainly holds together and could be read by any romance fan from young adult age upwards. I'll look forward to more of Kathryn Scarborough's works.