The book has something of a Cinderella theme, but Mrs. Hill handles it deftly. She has the gift of creating characters you care about, right away. "Astra" was written in 1941 and paints a convincing picture of life in America just before the war. This author is not a "formula" writer or a hack -- she uses stock situations and familiar patterns of conflict, but with a great deal of originality in each story. If you like romances where the right guy and girl end up together, you'll enjoy this one.