I was thrilled to win this book as a FirstReads giveaway! I suppose my fascination with the Kennedys began with my parents' admiration for JFK and then being glued to the TV as third grader when he was assassinated. This book did not disappoint; in fact, it reinforced the pictures in my head of John and his mother.

Beginning with the descriptions of growing up as a New Yorker and moving in the same adolescent circles as John, and continuing through the development of their friendship and romance, this memoir is, oddly enough, easy to relate to. No, I didn't grow up in the city, nor was I from a priveleged family, but the trials of self-discovery are universal, so I loved reliving that time through Christina Haag's lovely prose. In her capable hands, John and Jackie are brought to life, practically jumping off the page. I felt her cool elegance and aloofness as well as her reserve and warmth. John's struggle to be his own person while carrying the burden of EVERYONE'S expectations was heartwrenching.

Obviously, one can't come away from this experience the same person. Ms. Haag's attempt, in this memoir, to deal with her feelings left me mournful. There is a melancholy that lingers over her life...maybe because her relationship with John felt unfinished. She seems to have moved on, but never forward and that makes me sad. This is a respectful story with regard to the Kennedys. I hope that writing it has given Christina Haag some sense of peace.