Gordon, Jeffie Ross. 1985. Jacquelyn. Scholastic. Sunfire Romance. 332 pages.
Christmas vacation! Home, presents, and time to spend with Broderick!
This one is set in the Depression. In Chicago. Beginning at the end of 1931, to be exact. Jacquelyn, our heroine, may seem like a spoiled brat at first. But she's about to lose it all. Will what she's learned be enough to keep her and her family together?
The book opens with her coming home for Christmas. What she learns turns her world upside down. Her father has lost it all. There is no family fortune. Not anymore. And the family will have to struggle to survive--to keep food on the table, a roof over their heads. Her family becomes her responsibility when her father suffers a stroke and her mother loses herself in the past and loses touch with reality. Forced into the workplace, Jacquelyn learns just what she's made of. That she's stronger than she ever thought possible. That independence is a good thing.
Jacquelyn is just one of the delightful 'name-books' in the Sunfire Romance series. And it is one of the best in my opinion. It's richly detailed and the writing was so well done. The character development is above and beyond what you might expect. And the story has substance. It had been years--probably at least fifteen--since I'd read it yet I could still recall specific details, scenes, from this one.
I loved this one so very much. It was just as magical for me now--all these years later--as it was the first time around. And it is sad to me that these are out of print. I would so love to see a revival of these!
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
I'm all for a Sunifire romance revival! I love these, too. I may have to go and rifle through the series myself....I think I read this one, but I'm just not sure.
Hear hear! Sunfire re-release! I don't think I read this one... I could only read the ones my library had--and they didn't have many, a dozen maybe.