This delightful coming-of-age novel transports readers to the vibrant and tumultuous world of 1970s Baltimore. Blau's character development is exceptional, particularly in the case of the titular character, Mary Jane. As she navigates the complexities of adolescence and the unconventional dynamics of her new job as a nanny for a rock star's daughter, Mary Jane's growth and maturation are both authentic and compelling, drawing readers into her world with empathy and affection.

The atmosphere of "Mary Jane" is richly evoked, with Blau expertly capturing the sights, sounds, and smells of 1970s Baltimore. Set against the backdrop of a bustling household filled with music, laughter, and secrets, the setting serves as the perfect backdrop for the novel's exploration of love, family, and self-discovery. Blau's writing style is engaging and immersive, with prose that effortlessly captures the energy and excitement of the era, keeping readers enthralled from start to finish.

The plot of "Mary Jane" unfolds with a perfect blend of humor, heart, and nostalgia, as Mary Jane finds herself caught between the worlds of her conservative upbringing and the bohemian lifestyle of her employers. The pacing is brisk and lively, with each chapter offering new twists and turns that keep readers eagerly turning the pages. The relationships between the characters are expertly portrayed, adding depth and complexity to the story. Overall, "Mary Jane" is a charming and uplifting novel that offers readers a delightful journey back in time, filled with humor, heart, and unforgettable characters.

Comparing this book to Daisy Jones and the Six or Almost Famous is a biiiiiit of a stretch, However, this was a very sweet coming-of-age story. There's not a lot of plot. We follow a young girl through a meandering, exciting summer as she cares for a child whose parents are very different from her own, who are *also* hosting a very famous musician and his very famous actress wife as the musician undergoes therapy for various addiction. What ensues is a heartwarming, raw recounting of the summer that changed Mary Jane's life.

What a great jump into the past. While this is not the generation I quite grew up in, I can appreciate the mood and setting of the story. The writing style was immediately immersive with a enjoyable storyline.

A sweet coming of age story with cool 70s vibes and loads of heart. The ending is a bit neat and tidy, but still sweet if a bit unrealistic.

A coming of age story set in the 1970s is definitely something I immediately gravitate towards, but I didn’t love this. It was cute and bit cheesy at times, but I prefer a little more drama in my coming of age stories.

Thank you, Custom House!

Mary Jane takes us back in time and beautifully captured the life of a middle class family in suburban Maryland in the 1970’s.
Mary Jane is 14 and about to have the summer of her life. She’s the only child of a lawyer and his SAHM wife. Her parents lead what were very traditional lives at their time and their ignorance and racism were some of the eye-opening and shocking elements of the book. A doctor in their neighborhood (deemed respectable simply by his job title) is looking for a summer nanny and Mary Jane is hired. Life working for Richard and Bonnie and caring for Izzy provides such an interesting contrast to her own family and that only deepens when Sheba and Jimmy enter the picture.
Mary Jane was a fun read with interesting characters and storylines, and on-point cultural descriptions of life in the ‘70’s. Great book for book club discussions!
Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins, and the Book Club Girls Early Read Program for the opportunity to read Mary Jane in exchange for an honest review.

In this coming-of-age novel set in Baltimore in the 1970s, Mary Jane is the 14-year-old daughter of traditional, rigid, straitlaced parents. When Mary Jane gets a babysitting job for the summer, she is welcomed into the Cohns' free-spirited family and into a secret that would horrify her repressed mother: Dr. Cohn, a psychiatrist, is secretly treating a famous rock star, Jimmy, for drug and sex addiction. Even better, Jimmy and his glamorous lover Sheba are both living at the Cohns' home for the summer. A heartwarming, funny read reminiscent of Judy Blume's iconic books, only for grown-ups.

Posted on my Substack newsletter (link below): "Best Fiction Books of 2022: Of all the books I read last year (86!), here are 13 fiction titles I highly recommend."

Very enjoyable read! Really enjoyed the story and Mary Jane was such a great character. Highly recommend!

*Thank you @williammorrowbooks for the copy in exchange for an honest review.*

I really wanted to love this more than I did. I thought the idea of a Daisy Jones-esque coming of age story set in the 70s sounded like a lot of fun. And it was fun, for the most part. But I had some problems with it.

Positives first. I loved the characters. Every character in this book felt vibrant and sort of leapt off the page. I loved the relationships that Mary Jane forms with this quirky family that is very different from her own. I especially loved the bond that she formed with Izzy, the young girl she's nannying for. Each character in this book felt dynamic, even the characters I didn't care for.

However, I really didn't love the writing or storytelling. Everything felt a little surface-level. I also didn't like the unchallenged racism present in this book. Yes, Mary Jane distances herself from those thoughts and beliefs. But the characters that held those beliefs were never questioned or challenged and they end the book just as racist as they started it. I found that hard to get on board with.

Overall, I think I'd read from this author again even though this book didn't totally work for me. But if it sounds like your thing, I'd recommend it. I know a lot of people love it.

So nostalgic in all the best ways this one did not disappoint. I came for the retro music references and stayed for the self-aware, mature young narrator. Would definitely read again and recommend to anyone who is also a fan of the era or looking for something similar to the story within Daisy Jones & the Six.

I had heard such good things about Mary Jane and the hype was real. I really enjoy this time era and characters were well developed. Definitely recommend adding to your list.

What a nostalgic read for me. Filled with lots of 1970s references, Mary Jane is a coming-of-age book about a sheltered young girl in Baltimore who is about to learn a whole lot more than she's ever known during a summer of babysitting for a wide-open family. A fun read.

With comparisons to Daisy Jones & the Six, I though I was going to love this book. Unfortunately, this build-up led to my disappointment--through no fault of the author's. This was a solid coming-of-age book that took place over a relatively short period of time. It was not what I expected.

This coming of age story was very well written. I loved how Mary Jane was able to find her voice and use it to become closer to her mother.

I remember when this came out and people loving it, and I have wanted to read it since. Glad it was the Zibby Books pick for the month so I fit it in. I haven’t read a lot lately and the audiobook was perfect for me right now. It’s a single narrator, but Caitlin Kinnunen did an amazing job. There is also a song at the end. I felt like I was listening to fourteen year old Mary Jane describing a summer in 1975 when she was nanny-ing for a psychiatrist and his wife (loved that she was from Oklahoma-ch6).

Her family is very structured, while Dr. Cone (so curious about his name) and his family are hippies, who don’t keep a clean house and are open sharers - of everything. Soon after she begins, a famous musician and his actress wife move in for the summer for therapy. I don’t always enjoy a character driven novel, but this one was thoroughly entertaining (the topic of a 14 year old who has never kissed someone continually thinking she’s a sex addict) etc made me laugh.

This sweet and funny coming-of-age story really captures the mood of the 70s! As a mom of teenagers, it's hard to read a story where parents are being lied to and not sympathize with them a little, but I actually couldn't help rooting for Mary Jane to spend more time in the Cone household, in spite of some of the awful things she was exposed to! They needed her and she needed them, so it felt wholesome even when it actually was actually far from it! I loved all the food descriptions too.

I got this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I felt like I time-traveled back to the time of avocado-colored appliances, shag carpet, and groovy music. The characters are engaging and it’s fun to follow Mary Jane’s changes over the course of a summer.

I’ve heard this book described as a cross between Almost Famous and Daisy Six, and while I’ve never read Daisy Six, I could see elements of Almost Famous while reading Mary Jane but this sweet coming-of-age story stands out on its own. The timeline is short, over one summer, but the world building and character development is so well done that I felt like I time-traveled back to the time of avocado-colored appliances, shag carpet, and groovy music! I highly recommend this story if you’re looking for a “found family” type of story with the perfect balance of laughs and tender moments.

I combo read this book with the audio version and the narrator, Caitlin Kinnunen, was absolutely perfect! There were instances of singing throughout the novel and Caitlin nailed it with her smooth, smoky-sounding voice, definite Stevie Nicks vibes.

I loved this book! A coming of age story told by a teenage girl.
MaryJane is hired by the Cone family to take care of 5- year old Izzy for the summer. MaryJane quickly learns that not every family lives a life like hers. While learning many things her parents have either tried to shelter from and realizing her parents beliefs are not the only ones, she uses the things she has learned from her mom to help Izzy find some consistency.
During the summer MaryJane meets a rock star and a n actress; 2 people her parents would not approve of. They expand her musical interest,reinforce her goodness and love her like a sibling.
#WilliamMorrow

One of the most joyful, nostalgic, tender and original coming-of-age stories I've ever read. Mary Jane is a perfect and delightful summer read, full of surprising depth of emotion and great writing.