Suzy and her Mum's lives were turned upside-down when her father died five years before the start of the story. Suzy misses her dad so much that she starts writing him letters, which she keeps in a box under her bed. When mum meets Peter and they begin talking about marriage, Suzy doesn't know what to think. She quite likes Peter, but has serious doubts about his two daughters, particularly Affie, who is her age. Sure enough, after the wedding Affie has to share Suzy's cramped room when she comes for weekends, and the fur starts to fly. Affie really is a proper madam, but thanks to best friend Cath and Auntie Liz, Suzy gets by. It is after an incident when Suzy sees Affie being bullied on the school bus that the girls begin to tentatively move closer. Lots of teen-speak and a jaunty style make this a winner for teenage girls, and they will learn lots about how to survive step relationships. A new, bigger house helps, but mostly the resolution is in learning about others viewpoints and needs.