Wow I ADORED this book. This is a sweet coming of age story about a young girl from a sheltered home growing up in Baltimore in 1975. Mary Jane takes a summer job as a nanny for 5 year old Izzy Cone. Izzy's family could not be more different than Mary Jane's family. Izzy's family are counter-culture "hippie" types but also very loving and supportive as opposed to Mary Jane's family who are very "proper" country club type of people who do not express love to their daughter. I loved the contrast between the families and the music from the 70s that was discussed and sung in the book.

Mary Jane is a young teenager growing up in the 1970's. She comes from a very strict, orderly, and well maintained household of certain social standards and a certain belief that they are morally superior in many aspects. Mary Jane's parents are quick to judge when it comes to what is or is not deemed appropriate.

It's summertime and Mary Jane takes a nanny job for a local family Dr., his wife, and their 5 year old child. Izzy. In title alone it is assumed that a Dr. must be positively squeaky clean and upstanding, at least according to Mary Jane's mother. What neither MJ or her mother realize is that MJ is about to become emerged in a lifestyle that could not be further from that of her own upbringing. She is headed straight into the very heart of an atypical family dynamic. She finds herself in a very worldly way, living amongst complete strangers, with adult issues, and struggling to find their own ways. Mary Jane, the child soon becomes the responsible adult in a world in which her parents have worked so hard to shelter her from. Is Mary Jan up to the challenge?

Mary Jane is in for an emotional and contradictory summer filled with interesting and eclectic characters living in a world in which she had no concept or experience. Watch MJ slowly become a part of the family while trying to hide her nanny existence from her own mother back home. Mary Jane will experience many "first-time" events and learns how to deal with them on the fly. In the end, Mary Jane is forced to become honest with her mom. Will her mom be the prim and proper, authoritative, stereotypical woman that Mary Jane has always feared, or might Mary Jane's mom surprise everyone with just a glimmering spark on her very own?

Thank you to Netgalley for the privilege of reading and reviewing Mary Jane, by Jessica Anya Blau. This has been an enjoyable read and I hope others take the opportunity to enjoy it as well.
#Netgalley #Maryjane #jessicaanyablau

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This was a sweet, funny coming of age story that takes place in the 1970's. Mary Jane is a 14 year old girl anticipating a boring summer vacation until she is asked to take care of precocious 5y/o Izzy Cone. Izzy's dad is a psychiatrist, and is treating a famous rock star for his drug addiction. The rock star (Jimmy) and his equally famous wife (Sheba) will be staying with Izzy and her family while being treated. Mary Jane's view of the world up until this point, has been through the lens of her mom and dad. School, church, helping her mom. Repeat. The summer spent with the Cone's and Jimmy and Sheba, opens Mary Jane's eye's to the possibilities the world holds for her and becomes a summer she will never forget. The author captures the voice of Mary Jane perfectly, and I found myself laughing out loud many times! Would definitely recommend!

What a great story! Mary Jane spends most of her summer as a nanny for little Izzy. Out from under the grips of her gun drum life, Mary Jane discovers who she is, and she’s much like her mom, while becoming part of a family her parents would never approve of. This story is all heart, some tears, and a beautiful ending.

What an amazing story! I was in love with Mary Jane and her journey from start to finish! I really enjoyed the characters and the vast differences between her home life and her work life. I think people that grew up during the time will really enjoy this one, however, it's not required to love this one! So many readers are going to connect with her and her wonderful personality! The character growth she has is fabulous and I recommend this to everyone!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

If you enjoy coming of age stories this is one you need to read! I loved all the characters, even the unlovable ones like Mary Jane's overly conservative mom and Beanie Jones. Mary Jane was such a sweet and naive character it was fun to watch her grow as the novel progressed. I really enjoyed her relationship with Izzy and felt the two made a dynamic duo. There was a little glam, rock n roll, and drama to keep the novel exciting and fresh. One I would definitely recommend to friends.

Hi everyone!

I am back with a new review! I’d like to thank HarperCollins Publishers via NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. As soon as I read the key words “1970s” and “rock star” and “coming of age,” I was sold. The book is advertised as “Almost Famous” meets Daisy Jones and The Six, but I strongly think it leaned more toward an “Almost Famous” meets “Across The Universe” vibes. I went through a series of mixed emotions as I read but ultimately ended up loving it.

Summary

Fourteen-year-old Mary Jane has lived a sheltered childhood with strait-laced parents and little to no upheavals. During the summer of 1975, she’s hired as a nanny at The Cones’ residence; a family made up of a doctor, his wife and their five-year-old daughter, Izzy. On the outside, the family is seen as respectable, upstanding, stable. Behind the closed doors, Mary Jane discovers a world entirely disconnected from the white picket fence, church-going Baltimore she’d been used to.

Dr. Cone is a psychiatrist with a live-in patient that summer: Jimmy, the lead singer of a rock band going through rehab/therapy and Sheba, his movie star wife. No one must know about this, especially not Mary Jane’s mother. Because of the stark differences between her own home and the Cones’ residence, Mary Jane finds herself caught between two identities. Slowly she learns she doesn’t have to be who she was being set up to be, she has a choice in who she gets to become.

Thoughts

Mary Jane is told in first person POV which I thought was clever for this specific story. I realized that the majority of my mixed emotions while reading this book was because I was witnessing this story from the eyes of a sheltered fourteen-year-old girl who is being exposed to talks of therapy, recovery, sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll in real time. She’s smart but easily shocked, having been raised on church songs, show tunes, country clubs, and never talking about your problems, feelings, or anything difficult. Her character somewhat reminds me of Penny Pingleton from Hairspray, and I mean that as a sincere compliment. In her new relationship with the Cones’ and Jimmy and Sheba, she learns to come into herself. They encourage her to show her emotions, to speak her mind, to question the status quo she’d been numb to.

Because the reader sees everything through Mary Jane’s eyes, the problems in the middle of the relationships between the adults in the book seem to visibly simmer until they explode. It’s an interesting way to approach it because Mary Jane’s observational wallflower personality sees things everyone else might miss, like Jimmy’s relapses or Mrs. Cone’s desperate attempts to be seen as she is. This mirrors Mary Jane’s own inner monologue as she learns her desires and wishes aren’t things to be ashamed of, but things to be honored instead.

As I reached the end of the book, I came to the conclusion that Mary Jane is ultimately about mother/daughter bonds and the range of ways they come in. Mary Jane’s own relationship with her mother evolves greatly (specifically in the third act) but because of her lack of an actual bond with her, Mary Jane finds herself drawn to Sheba’s openness and bold personality. Mary Jane’s perception of herself finds most of its growth in her relationship with Izzy; the affection shared between them becomes fundamental in who Mary Jane becomes by the end of the novel.

The amount of references to the 1970s music scene toward the latter half of the book made me love this even more. There were some albums I had definitely heard throughout most of my life while there were others that had me pulling up my Spotify and searching and saving them to my library. I do wish Running Water, Jimmy’s band, was real so that I could share Izzy and Mary Jane’s excitement while listening to these songs. There’s a poignant moment at the end of the novel involving his music that really becomes the cherry on top of the metaphorical cake, but you’ll have to read it to find out what it is.

Overall

If you love coming of age stories, the 1970s, the complexities of human emotions, the found family trope, or are a general music fan, go get Mary Jane on 11 May! Jessica Anya Blau’s storytelling was wonderful, and I will definitely be checking out her other books in the future. I’ll be posting links to Goodreads, StoryGraph, and preorder websites below.

I'm loving the new books coming out about the 70's. This one is about a 14-year-old girl named Mary Jane (also the name of marijuana that she learns about, too). Mary Jane is an only child in a stepford wives-like housing development including the country clubs. When a Doctor and wife ask if she can babysit their 5-year-old daughter for the summer, Mary Jane's eyes will be open to another life. One of liberalism and progressiveness unlike anything she has seen within her family's home and her life.
The Dr is a psychiatrist taking in a couple that are also entertainment superstars for the summer, one of which is breaking his addictions. While Mary Jane tries her best to be a caretaker calling on all that she has learned from her mother regarding housekeeping and motherhood, her eyes are opened to a free-loving, open drug use, no-secrets among the household lifestyle that is at first shocking then appealing to the lonely teenager. But she never quits using the skills that she has learned from her straight-laced mother. Those same skills become greatly appreciated by the live-free people that she is helping. Mary Jane's eyes are open and she starts to question her protestant, white privileges that her mother tries to shut down. Conversely, her father is only too happy to answer why they are privileged and racist. Talk about systemic!
There are some laugh-out-loud moments in this book for sure and so much to think about. And a great trip down memory lane for me. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Club girls for my early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! Mary Jane is near and dear to my heart- In 1975 I was that innocent, sheltered girl in the suburbs, complete with “square” parents. Unfortunately, none of my babysitting clients were as interesting as the Cone household. The author got everything right about that time in history and a young girl seeing her parents, community, world and herself with new eyes. 4 1/2 stars! Thank you for the ARC

Mary Jane spends her summer as a mother's helper to Dr. Cone's daughter Izzy and the family is everything hers is not. Her family is quiet and orderly country club members, church attenders that worry what others might think. The Cone family is loud and messy and doesn't worry about the opinions of others. When a famous musician and his tv star wife move in to spend the summer to work on his addiction Mary Jane's world is permanently changed. She begins to question what is normal and how she wants to live her life. A story of family and loyalty and finding a way to be true to yourself.

A sweet, nostalgic story for anyone who grew up in the 70’s. Mary Jane, 14 takes a job as a summer nanny for a sweet 5 year old named Izzy. Coming from a structured, well-to-do home where your image is the only thing that matters, Mary Jane is unprepared for the chaotic but loving home of Dr. And Mrs. Cone where being happy counts more than how people view you. Throw in a rock star couple who is staying with the Cones for the summer and the book becomes quite a ride! I loved witnessing Mary Jane coming of age over that summer and what it means to be a loving family.

I don't know if I have an advantage by never watching "Almost Famous" or reading Daisy Jones and the Six. I went into this book with no preconceived notions. I was 17 during the summer of 1975, so maybe I can relate to this story more than most readers.

Was this a coming-of-age novel? Not for Mary Jane. For her, it was more of a story about realizing that there are different worlds out there. And at 14, you have a lot more years left to make up your mind, to "come of age," and that is the age of our protagonist Mary Jane. (clever name, eh? Not. You'll see what I mean if you choose to read this book) It's more a book about the lives of the 'hippies.' And perhaps it is a coming-of-age novel about the adults in Mary Jane's life.

Mary Jane comes from a pretty typical '70s upper-middle-class family. And she decides to be a nanny to a family that is so far left from what she is used to that she doesn't know up from down. Hippies, as some would label them. The Cones. A psychiatrist and his wife. They have a 5-year-old daughter Izzy. Mr. Cone is taking a patient (a drug and sex addict) and his wife into his home for the summer. It seems that the patient and his wife might have been based on the real-life Sonny and Cher. Interesting right? No, it was not. It was painful, and maybe that is precisely what this author wanted. To make us as uncomfortable as she possibly could.


I can say that there is a new generation that is exactly like the Hippie generation of yore. Is that a good thing? I don't know, but it seems to happen about every thirty years or so, LOL!

Thank you to NetGalley and Custom House for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Books set in the 70’s have always been favorites of mine. So much about that era - the clothes, the music, the activism - fascinates me, and so I had high hopes for Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. The novel is a coming of age story with an interesting premise, and the first half was enjoyable and lighthearted. Mary Jane is a sheltered young woman from a strict family who, through a summer babysitting gig, is introduced to the hectic, “hippie” world of the Cones’. The family is nothing like the buttoned-up Presbyterian families she has grown up with, and Mary Jane spends the summer learning more about herself than she ever thought possible. Overall, it’s a sweet story, but reads more like YA fiction than novels I usually read. Throughout the course of the book I kept waiting for something big to happen but the climax ended up falling short for me.

Okay I read this book. It was not a book that you say I can't put it down, but I thought it was cute and I did get invested in a couple of the characters. I would call it a foo-foo, beach, maybe summer read.

Mary Jane was fresh, fun, and the perfect book to read this summer if you’re looking for an escape. Our titular character is only 14 and in one short summer (or just over 300 pages) her worldview and life will be completely changed. Quiet, bookish Mary Jane is excited to land a summer job nannying for the daughter of a local doctor. Her time in the Cone household will shock her and wiggle its way into her heart. I absolutely loved each and every character in this book and found the Cones to be entirely endearing.
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This is very much a character driven novel and I appreciated how much care was put into making these characters vivid in my head and heart. I was especially impressed with Mary Jane and Izzy’s characterization. The author successfully wrote their relationship and brought their voices to fruition in a believable way. The Cone family is nothing like Mary Jane’s family, and yet our beloved heroine is able to find a home in this eccentric household that even includes one of Dr. Cones high profile clients.
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This was a fun story that reminded me of all the hope and joy in coming of age. I would highly recommend that you pick this book up if you’re looking for something to entertain and endear itself to you.

A beautiful coming of age story! Gosh I wish I could have been there in that summer with Sheba, Jimmy, Izzy and Mary Jane. It was interesting from the first few pages when we got to see the differences in the two households. Mary Jane got a new perspective and it can definitely have readers challenging their own beliefs if they just give others a chance.

Growing up in the mid-1970's, Mary Jane's life is fairly constricted. She goes to school, to church, and helps her mother around the home. Her parents are conservative, neat, and quiet, and expect her to be the same. Everything in her life is fairly placid until she accepts a job nannying for Dr. and Mrs. Cone.

The Cones are fairly new to the neighborhood and have an adorable 5 year old daughter, Izzy. Mary Jane is amazed at the Cone's home, which is very different from her own. It is chaotic, messy, but also full of love in a way Mary Jane has never experienced. Dr. Cone is a psychiatrist and he is treating a famous rock star that summer. The rock star and his movie star wife are living with the Cones, but no one is supposed to know they are there. Izzy is precocious in the way of a child who spends most of her time with adults with little to no filters, but also is a typical sweet kid who thrives on attention and finds everything fun.

Mary Jane becomes more and more involved in the lives of the Cones and their famous guests, and they play a large role in helping Mary Jane come out of her shell. She has a wonderful voice, but has never sung outside of church. At the first of the summer, she would never dream of singing in front of the famous house guests, but once they hear her voice, they encourage her to sing with them. She is treated like an adult and her gifts of singing and cooking are celebrated in a way that makes Mary Jane feel special.

Mary Jane knows that if her mother had even an inkling of what was going on at the Cone's house, she would not be allowed to work there anymore. So she lies to her mother, not telling her about the recovering rock star and famous actress living there, telling her the reason she must stay and cook dinner is because Mrs. Cone is sick, and never mentioning the marijuana and alcohol that is frequently used by the adults around her.

Even though my childhood life wasn't as narrow as Mary Jane's, I can still relate to her feeling of wonder as her world is expanded and her views change. She realizes her parents aren't always right and are racist, though she also recognizes why that is. She grows stronger and more self-assured, being able to stand up for herself by the end of the book. There is casual drug use and frank discussions of sex in this book, much in line with what actually occurred in the 1970s. As a reader, experiencing this through Mary Jane's eyes, it is a bit shocking, but in the way of a young person learning about the adult world for the first time.

I really enjoyed this book and think anyone who remembers fondly (or not-so-fondly) the trials of being an adolescent who is growing into his/her own self, away from their parents, will enjoy reading Mary Jane's story, too.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of this wonderful book!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. This is a sweet coming of age story about a 14 year old girl growing up in Baltimore in 1975. Mary Jane takes a summer job as a nanny for 5 year old Izzy Cone. Izzy's family could not be more different than Mary Jane's family. Through Mary Jane's eyes we learn that people are not always what they appear to be. Izzy's family are counter-culture "hippie" types but also very loving and supportive as opposed to Mary Jane's family who are very "proper" country club type of people who do not express love to their daughter. I loved the contrast between the families and the music from the 70s that was discussed and sung in the book. There were times that I foundmyself singing while I was reading. Thank you to Facebook's Book Club Girls and NetGalley for this delightful and captivating ARC!

I really enjoyed reading "Mary Jane" by Jessica Anya Blau. I like reading stories that take place in other eras, especially the 70s/80s, so this one was right up my alley! The whole story was a unique creation, sometimes fun and sometimes serious. I felt as if I was right along Mary Jane growing up in Baltimore. Mary Jane and Izzy were my favorite characters. I was sad for the book to end because I knew I would miss them. I definitely recommend this for anyone who is looking for a coming-of-age story set in another era.

Loved this book from page 1! I was immediately hooked into the story as soon as Mary Jane met the girl she would be babysitting all summer and her eccentric parents. Adding the rock star and his wife to the mix, plus the historical time of the 70's just added more to an already fantastic setting. I have been in a book slump for a couple of months and this cured it! Thank you for the chance to read it in advance, I have recommended it to all my readers friends on social media!!