Just Jennifer

The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs by Matthew Dick (St. Martin’s)

Caroline Jacobs is beyond shy: she is a wimp.  Ever since high school she is been “nice” and has never stood up for herself---until one day when she tells the president of the PTA, with her perfect cashmere twin set, off.  This sets a chain of events in motion what culminates with Caroline and her fifteen-year-old daughter Polly taking an unplanned road trip to Caroline’s hometown where she plans to confront her former best friend Emily who completely alienated Caroline from all their friends in high school.  Arriving in Blackstone, Caroline realizes they aren’t in high school any longer and that there were other events than Emily’s dismissal in the cafeteria that might have held her back all these years.  But Polly decides to take matters into her own hands setting off a series of events that will do either do her mother in or help her reclaim her life and stand up tall and proud.

Though Caroline may be a bit exaggerated as a character---and Polly also---she will strike a familiar chord with readers who may not completely identify with her, but feel some empathy as they remember their high school years.  A quick read that you will both embrace and race through or something you may set aside, but not before you think back to a time in high school when you felt something similar to Caroline.