My Beautiful Hippie

by Janet Nichols Lynch

It's 1967 and Joanne's San Francisco neighborhood has become inundated with hippies for the "Summer of Love" which thrills her but appalls the rest of her family. In the midst of preparations for her sister's wedding, Joanne meets Martin, an enigmatic and irresistible hippie, and begins to see him secretly. Over the course of the next year, Joanne discovers a world of drugs, anti-war demonstrations, and psychedelic dances that both fascinates and frightens her.

As this world collides with her family's values, Joanne must decide whether to stay in her safe middle-class family and pursue her love of classical music or follow free-spirited Martin into a new kind of life.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction, Historical, Love

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 15, 2013

About the author

Janet Nichols Lynch is the author of seventeen books. Her most recent novel, MORE TO LIFE, about the humor and challenges of aging, was published Fall 2025 by Legacy Book Press. Her children's Black historical novel, ELLEN OF ALLENSWORTH is about a girl growing up in Allensworth, the only town in California owned and governed by Blacks, which is now a California Historic State Park. Janet's debut novel, CHEST PAINS, was published in 2009. Her short fiction has appeared in THE NEW YORKER, SEVENTEEN, HIGHWAY99, A LITERARY JOURNEY THROUGH CALIFORNIA'S GREAT CENTRAL VALLEY, and elsewhere. Her young adult novels include MESSED UP, a 2009 ALA Quick-Pick for Reluctant Readers and a VOYA (Voices of Youth Advocates) Top of the Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers; RACING CALIFORNIA, a 2012 Society of School Librarians International Honor Book; MY BEAUTIFUL HIPPIE; COMMIE PINKO; and WHEEL OF FIRE. Janet has also written nonfiction for young readers including CLARA SCHUMANN, PIANIST AND COMPOSER; FLORENCE PRICE, AMERICAN COMPOSER; ELIZABETH WARREN AND IT TAKES TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT; AMERICAN MUSIC MAKERS: AN INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN COMPOSERS; and WOMEN MUSIC MAKERS: AN INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN COMPOSERS;

Janet was born in Sacramento, California, and graduated with a BA in Music from California State University, a Master of Music Degree in Piano from Arizona State University, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Fresno State University. She has taught music and English at the community college, high school, and middle school levels, and private piano to all ages.

Janet lives in Visalia, California, with her husband composer Timothy Lynch, and they have two grown children, three grandchildren, and three cats. Janet has completed twenty marathons and numerous other races and triathlons. As an avid cyclist, her longest ride was from Phoenix, AZ to Washington, D.C., and she is nearing the completion of her goal of cycling in all fifty states. Find Janet on Facebook at facebook.com/jnicholslynch and Instagram at janet_nichols_lynch. Her website is JanetNicholsLynch.com.
 

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story of Joanne begins in Haight-Ashbury in 1967, The Summer of Love. But Joanne is not one of the typical flower children.
“I was in a hurry as usual, rushing down the hill on Ashbury Street. Only minutes before Denise’s bridal shower was about to start, my mother had sent me to the Sunrise Market for a tub of Cool Whip. I turned the corner on Haight Street and smacked right into him.”
Joanne has lived in this neighborhood all of her 15 years and this is how she meets Martin, her “beautiful hippie”.

This was a fun, quick read – read it in one evening. Joanne (Martin calls her Joni) is getting ready to start her junior year of high school and dedicated to practicing classical piano – she dreams of playing Carnegie Hall. Martin plays guitar and calls her “a kindred spirit” when she blurts out that she also plays guitar at their first meeting.

We follow Joanne as she navigates life with her family – straight laced middle class parents, an 18 year old sister, Denise, who is dropping out of college to marry, and her brother, Dan, who can’t wait to go to Vietnam. Joanne’s best friend Rena is there for her till they start to drift apart as high school friends do. Through all of this Joanne is sneaking out to meet Martin – after all he’s a hippie and her parents wouldn’t approve.

Martin is a likeable character. He is a free spirit but does love Joanne (Joni) and I so wanted everything to work out for them. Their romance covers more than a year of their lives and the reader experiences all the highs and lows of a first love.

This is the first book by Janet Nichols Lynch that I’ve read and I plan to read more. As a fan of all things hippie for many years it was interesting to see life from the other side of Haight-Ashbury. How did the families who had lived there before the hippies came cope with the invasion of hippies and tourists who wanted to see them?

Any teens liking historical fiction and the 60’s in particular will enjoy My Beautiful Hippie.

[Marina Schulz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm usually not that into writing book reviews but I've finally stopped being in shock about the end so I think I better start.
A/N: I won't be revising what I write as a stylistic choice. I prefer to keep my opinions fresh and unedited.

The story is about a girl, Joni, and her family, as they live and adapt to the socio-cultural changes brought on by the 1960s. This is, of course a YA book and therefore don't expect uber profound reflection or a psychologic evaluation or anything though.
Being a YA book, Joni obviously meets a boy, and the story also tells the course of their relationship. Other major plotlines include her sister's marriage in the new world and her brother's views on the Vietnam.

So here are my opinions:

1) Joni was an interesting character . Usually I loathe main characters because of how bland and annoyingly wallowing in self pity (think Bella in Twilight) or, alternatively, perky (think almost any other book) they are. The general standard for most YA books is that the main person is, at the very least, so incredibly perfect it hurts to look at. Joni isn't perfect and is quite believable and relatable. It's a breath of fresh air when in the main character isn't the best at everything. Throughout she is surpassed by many at her best activity, piano. In the end, even though she improves greatly, she comes to terms with the fact that she won't ever be Carnegie Hall material, proving she isn't just a Mary Sue Brat.

2) Martin, her hippie, is too adorable!! He isn't too real, if you know what I mean, but then again I wasn't alive back then, so maybe he was? But then again he's so cute and perfect, and the major flaw of the book is that he doesn't appear enough! I usually hate how devoted/cheesy/utterly papery most male leads are (let's face it - in no way are those "I'd leave anything for you" types particularly real, or at least in real life they don't cater to their girl's every whim). He is literally the best part of the book. The personification of a generation.

3) Her Sister, Denise, was a nice compromise between the "new" and the "Old" generations . As a woman with a marriage that isn't going perfectly she acts as a bridge between generations, not being too much of a woman's liberator but not sitting there unhappy, but passive

4) The parents weren't ridiculously absent or stupid/dense as in most YAs. . I don't usually read this genre much, but Bella's "parents" and the girl from "Hush Hush"'s (I forget her name) are so absent it is cringe worthy. Same happens with most YA books. It's usually like "I have a 15 year old kid. That must mean their responsible and mature and not hormone flooded! I mean if she survived this long with only me taking care of her, that must mean she'll be FINE if I run off to Paris for a few years!". It felt great to have parents who actually care and somehow still act like (gasp) PARENTS! Quite protective, but in a caring way. Respectable and middle class. It was also nice to have adults who didn't act brain damaged. That was refreshing.

5) The brother's progression in understanding the war was a highlight. You have to read it to understand but it is beautiful in a heartbreaking way. The boy comes to terms with what the war really means

The ending was definitely bittersweet. Mostly bitter if realistic, which to me is extremely upsetting. I was genuinely in tears during the last few chapters. Shouting why???? why????? . Prepare yourselves for a shocker of an ending! In sum a must read for revivalist like me, especially teenagers who wish so much that they had a chance to alter the world like those hippies did...
A refreshing book that vividly portrays the 1960s counterculture from the very central Haights Ashbury, from its height to decline.

[Rene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the author’s ability to bring me into the '60's without handing out the same old canned psychedelic drugs and crazy clothes. As the story unfolds, it is a very sweet coming of age journey which happens to take place near the Haight-Ashbury district of the early 1960's as it blossoms from a working middle-class San Francisco neighborhood into the hot-bed of hippie culture, which fades almost as quickly as a high school crush. The real discovery here for readers is that the characters typify the 1960’s in a way that feels real. The older generation with its 1950’s traditional values and expectations within society’s norms, women just beginning to see the power of education and equal rights in the workplace (and the bedroom), the emergence of folk rock music, 1960’s politics and the Civil Rights Movement and assassinations, the conflict in Vietnam as it looms over the young men and women in the story who must consider its impact as they make their first adult decisions in life, and our narrator who finds herself in the middle of it – too young to experience everything but too old not to want to try. And of course, how can she resist the free love of a beautiful hippie?!

The book is well-written and the setting of San Francisco is fully explored with the detail of a local eye which gives the reader a feel for the city that is authentic and leaves an imprint in the mind. The themes and content are mature and the language complexity is a good UG level. It’s a great high and I would recommend it for YA readers age 14 and over. I would also recommend this book to any adult longing for an innocent trip back in time. It was a fun trip for me!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's 1967, the Summer of Love, in San Francisco, and sixteen-year-old Joanne Donnelly lives right on the edge of the action in Haight-Ashbury. Her middle class upbringing causes its own problems, and for the most part, Joanne is unable to recognize the security her upbringing has provided to her. When she meets Martin, a hippie panhandling on the street, she is drawn to him and his particular lifestyle even while fearing that he will be unfaithful to her and leave her. Readers will know almost from the start that this is a match not meant to be--despite the strong attraction between the two teens. While Martin introduces Joni to the counterculture, her older sister Denise experiences her own consciousness raising as the result of a disappointing early marriage. The author does a great job in creating interesting characters who evolve in many ways over the course of the novel while also capturing the sounds, sights, and feelings of one particular period of the nation's history. I liked Joni a great deal, and while I wasn't all that clear about Martin's appeal for her, I appreciated her rebellious nature and attempt to find her own way. It was interesting that her searching didn't take her very far away from home and in some respects ended with her right back where she started from. This is a quiet book in many ways, and some might argue that nothing much happens here, but I'd refute that argument by saying that this is the story of important life choices being made. It kind of made me wonder what sort of adult Joni will become.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of this novel had some exposition that felt a bit clunky and did not ring true for the voice of a 15 year old, and it made me want to go back and read YA that was not only set in 1967, but written then, as well. But as the story progressed from the middle of 1967 through 1968, I enjoyed Joanne's story more, as well as the subplots with her brother and the draft, and her sister and her marriage. The novel moved from light explanations of hippie culture in San Francisco to the more serious issues of the time and of coming of age. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would at the beginning.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Beautiful Hippie is the engaging coming of age story of Joanne, who is fifteen during the summer of love (1967) and living in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. The book is a YA novel, and for the first chapter or so I tried to imagine myself as one of today’s young adults reading about this legendary period of time in our nation’s history—massive protests against the Viet Nam war, hippies sleeping on the streets, widespread experimentation with marijuana and LSD, free love and the Pill. But because I was just a few years older than the protagonist (sometimes called Joni or even Jo like the independent-minded and beloved fictional Jo March that she resembles), during that time period, I soon found myself immersed in memories--the clash of cultures, the questioning of ideals, and the unleashing of so much repression that we all felt in the late 60’s. Author Janet Nichols Lynch has recreated that world and brought it to life through a cast of characters—mainly one traditional middle-class family that lived in the heart of the seeming chaos—each of whom must confront the revolutionary changes occurring everywhere around them.

Joni, her brother Dan (who attempts to sign up and is eventually drafted), and her sister Denise (who at first follows the traditional pattern for women of marrying young and foregoing an education) as well as their parents cope with the rapid societal change in accordance with their own personal needs and beliefs. But it is Joni’s story that is central to the novel. She is a determined and passionate musician (piano), a fifteen-year-old virgin who falls in love with “my beautiful hippie” during a time when all the old “values” are upended, and a sharp observer of herself, her circle of friends, her family, and the young man who is the object of her infatuation. She is a likeable character because she is honest with others and true to herself. By the end of the novel, we trust that those qualities as well as her music will carry her through to a future of computers, cell-phones, the internet, and the continuing presence of war. The author has given us a timeless character in Joni, and painted a realistic picture of those times that were a changing . . .

[Dawn Moews · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, if Joanne were a living person, I would be almost exactly one year older than she. We grew up in the same time period but in two very different environments. 16 year old Joanne has lived all her life in a nice middle class neighborhood in San Francisco. But in 1967, otherwise known as the Summer of Love, hippies and tourists have flooded into the Haight Ashbury neigborhood just a few blocks from her house.

Even though I have definitely reached a "mature stage" in my life, I guess I'm pretty naive. The summer I was 16, I was not preoccupied by sex as Joanne and her best friend Rena seem to be. Maybe if I lived in the proximity to the heart of the free love movement, I would have been. I understand that at 16, Joanne definitely is ready for a "serious" relationship and her chance encounter with Martin makes him an ideal candidate.

As Joanne becomes increasingly involved with Martin, she also faces the issues of her sister's marriage--which has some serious problems--and her brother's desire to join the Marines so he can go to Viet Nam and "kill some gooks." Dancing on the fringe of the summer is her mother's long-time friend who has gotten divorced, gone back to college, quit shaving her legs, and acquired a much younger male "roommate."

I know that the 60's were definitely a time when much of the world was being turned upside down. I never realized, until I read this book, just how sheltered I was from all the turbulence that accompanied that change. I did become involved in some very peaceful peace demonstrations when I started college, and I became aware of the drug use but I wasn't ever directly faced with it until I moved away from home.

I guess my main take-away from this book is that Joanne and I lived through a very similar but different 1967. I wonder which was the most similar for the majority of young women my age at the time. I'm glad I read this book, but I don't know that I would want it to be part of my classroom library. I suppose that might depend on the community in which I taught.

(1,0)

[Megan (The Book Babe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

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I have to admit-- this wasn't exactly what I expected. I had myself psyched out about this book, because I thought that there was no way it could end on a good note. Thankfully, I was wrong, and it ended on a fairly good note. But for some reason, I had it in my head that when Joni met Martin-- well, I figured Martin wasn't as hippie as we'd like to think. Turns out that he was, though. Which was nice, because I was afraid that this was going to be a novel of abuse.

And it wasn't, so that was great.

I thought that it was realistic. What must it have been like in the summer of love? LSD is everywhere-- and who would want to do that? (Seriously, if LSD makes you retreat into your mind, I won't be having none. My mind is a scary place without that, thank you very much.) Pot is everywhere too-- and it's talked about in this book. Drug references/use, check.

I think that my only problem with My Beautiful Hippie was that Martin holds all the cards on Joni. He's a straight-up hippie, meaning he's traveling, etc. And all she wants is for him to stay, ultimately winding up with her being hurt by him.

And Joni was pretty cool, so that just sucked.

Joni was actually one of the high-points of this book-- she had a rocking personality. She's rebellious, she tie-dyes her own clothes, and well, she was just a cool main character for a book like this. She made a good flower child-- and I liked most of the secondary characters too. Most notable, Pete rocked. He's such a nice guy. Unfortunately, there's just not much for me to say about My Beautiful Hippie.

All in all, I enjoyed this "blast from the past", but it wasn't particularly for me, you know?

[Diane Ferbrache · Rating 3 out of 5]

1967, San Francisco, Haight-Ashbury, the Summer of Love. Joanne is 16 and on the brink of something. When she spots a “beautiful” hippie who smiles at her on the street, she immediately falls in love. It’s a time of great change and Joanne is beginning to rethink all she has been taught.

The first few chapters of this coming of age story are tedious and actually pretty annoying. The author is trying way too hard to set the time and place and she really goes overboard describing clothes, music, movies, and more. Once she settles into the story the 60s references begin to blend in more naturally. Joanne is believable in her conflict over her attraction to this “hippie” that is exactly the opposite of what her family wants for her. Her sister and brother’s stories are realistic for the time period, and the resolutions of all their storylines are realistic. Despite a poor start, the book ends strong and is a good choice for teens looking for a family drama, a romance, and/or historical fiction set in the 1960s. recommended for high school – maybe middle school with a caution about the drug and sex references (it is the 60s after all)

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Groovy! Just groovy! Well, not really. This book is about a girl who grows up in the late 60's, during the age of hippies. Joanne is walking down the street and she falls in love with Martin, who is a real life hippie. Her family doesn't want her hanging out with him, but of course, she tries to anyhow. This is a coming of age story set in the late 60's, in which a girl deals with the normal life issues that a girl her age does; her parents, falling in love, and dealing with friendship. This book was kind of hard to determine whether I really liked it or not. At times, it was QUITE cheesy, but other times, I enjoyed it. There were several parts in this book that made me cringe, and I dont' know what type of teen I would give this teen novel to. At the very youngest, an 11th grader.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this book was written for the "young adult" category but I loved it!! I love reading about the 60's in general but this was a great story about the life of a "normal" teenage girl living in that time! And I love how it took place in San Francisco...one of my favorite cities! I wished there was more about her and her "beautiful hippie" Martin but I also liked how it the story tied in with what her brother was going through with the war and also her sister and the woman's lib movement! I read this book pretty fast because it was an interesting and easy read....I only wished it was longer!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and quick read about Joanne meets a hippie near where she lives in San Francisco during the summer of love (1967). There were lots of references to fashion, politics and music. Teens should read this to see how different things were less than 50 years ago! (I don't know if they will believe how little power women had and how big a divide there was between the races).

[Lee-ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I liked the take of a normal kid growing up right in haight Ashbury district during the summer of love, with her "straight" parents, the women's liberation movement, war protests and everything happening at once, while still having something to connect to with today's teens, your first crush.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right now, I am beyond consolation. I love the character development, despite it being a tad rushed. But, I chose this as a light read, which it is, but I got so emotionally invested in the characters... I just need closure!

When you're in mourning after reading a book. The everlasting emotional abuse readers go through

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the characters in this book. They were a little stereotyped but still quite engaging.

Great 60's atmosphere. I thought the author got sidetracked a few times--the road trip to LA to see Bobby Kennedy was an example. It seemed to be there only so the author could include an event from that time, not because it had much to do with Joanne.

[Lora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrative - pedestrian. Atmosphere -groovy, man, make love not war, far far out.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

3.30. had potential but this book sucked.

[Lisa Nocita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer of '67 in Haight Ashbury and a young girl's coming of age. Definitely for older readers. Nice peek into life in the 60's.

[AquaMoon · Rating 2 out of 5]

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock, I've been picking through a list of books set in the 60s. But this one was only meh. In it, typical Mary-Sue/Good Girl Joanne falls head over heels for Martin, a free-spirited hippie who is temporarily crashing with a relative in a nearby neighborhood. The author tried to be historically accurate, peppering the story with period details (like love beads, feminism, acid tests) and attempting to stick to dialogue and slang that would have been used by teens during that time. Which was groovy. And, in that, he did a satisfactory job in setting the scene. Still, things felt forced. Like the author was trying too hard.

Still, it was entertaining enough for me to continue reading.

So why only two stars?

But my problem was the characters. They were all one-dimensional and flat. Even the main characters, which is perhaps one of the greatest sins an author can commit. Both Joanne's and Martin's personalities were defined by what they were instead of who they were (Joanne was a Good Girl flirting with rebellion and Martin was a cardboard cutout of a 'hippie'). Worse, there was absolutely zero chemistry between them. Even the meet-cute was lame. She fell in insta-love with him after he attempted to panhandle from her...and then she stalked him until he struck up a conversation with her that was deeper than "Got any bread?". And after that nothing really much happened. The two teens were from different worlds and had nothing in common, nothing to build a relationship. And neither character grew as a person. Which is why the story didn't work for me.

Bummer...because there was potential for a great coming-of-age story. But that just didn't happen.

[GABRIELLA ROWLEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was interesting to get into at the beginning. I felt like they were pushing the hippie and the energy too much, but as I read more I actually really enjoyed it! The vibes were really fun and it was cool to learn more about that time. I also liked how they didn’t end up together even though it was sad

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! Everything about it was amazing.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle class family living through the hippie period in San Francisco. Main character falls in love with a hippie, does some stupid stuff, then cries when he leaves. The more interested arcs where a draft dodging brother and an older sister who gets her MRS degree only to regret it. Good historical fiction.