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Mary Jane cover art

Mary Jane

By: Jessica Anya Blau
Narrated by: Caitlin Kinnunen
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Summary

"The best book of the summer." (InStyle)

"I LOVED this novel.... If you have ever sung along to a hit on the radio, in any decade, then you will devour Mary Jane at 45 rpm." (Nick Hornby)

Almost Famous meets Daisy Jones & The Six in this "delightful" (New York Times Book Review) novel about a 14-year-old girl’s coming of age in 1970s Baltimore, caught between her straight-laced family and the progressive family she nannies for - who happen to be secretly hiding a famous rock star and his movie star wife for the summer.

In 1970s Baltimore, 14-year-old Mary Jane loves cooking with her mother, singing in her church choir, and enjoying her family’s subscription to the Broadway Showtunes of the Month record club. Shy, quiet, and bookish, she’s glad when she lands a summer job as a nanny for the daughter of a local doctor. A respectable job, Mary Jane’s mother says. In a respectable house.

The house may look respectable on the outside, but inside it’s a literal and figurative mess: clutter on every surface, Impeachment: Now More Than Ever bumper stickers on the doors, cereal and takeout for dinner. And even more troublesome (were Mary Jane’s mother to know, which she does not): the doctor is a psychiatrist who has cleared his summer for one important job - helping a famous rock star dry out. A week after Mary Jane starts, the rock star and his movie star wife move in.

Over the course of the summer, Mary Jane introduces her new household to crisply ironed clothes and a family dinner schedule, and has a front-row seat to a liberal world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll (not to mention group therapy). Caught between the lifestyle she’s always known and the future she’s only just realized is possible, Mary Jane will arrive at September with a new idea about what she wants out of life, and what kind of person she’s going to be. 

©2021 Jessica Anya Blau (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Mary Jane

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Loved it!

Would make a perfect summer read/listen. I didn’t want it to end felt so warm and comforting.

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Mary Jane 4/5

interesting listen, different to most books I've listened to. Different to hear from a young girls perspective, well narrated. was easy to feel that Mary Jane was a genuine person and can see the world from her perspective. the story dragged a little and ended quickly at the end. I could see the characters making a return in a follow-up book.

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  • Overall
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Didn’t want this to end

A brilliant coming of age story, loved the characters, also really good narration
Would like to see a follow on

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Such a goose pimpling story

Absolutely loved loved loved this story.
It make you feel good inside and the narration is top notch.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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An enjoyable listen

An easy listening read, that makes you feel good! The story was a little far fetched in places, but I think it added to the charm.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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So heartwarming and enjoyable

A great listen. Heartwarming, funny, feel good. I feel like a better person for having met Mary Jane 🥰

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Not for me

They say you should never judge a book by its cover and unfortunately with this one I did.

The cover was giving me very much 'Taylor Jenkins Reid' vibes and I went into this following listening to Malibu Rising.
I just did not enjoy it at all and found myself constantly coming away from it and not wanting to return.

The story just did not grip me at all

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Fabulous

My first listen to a book by this author and I can barely wait for my next credit so I can listen to another. A fabulous listen, great storytelling, great performances, the first “child’s voice” I have heard and not cringed, highly recommended.

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  • Overall
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Great listen

I loved this book. I'd recommend to listen to the audible version because there are a few songs that would be good to hear. Great narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic

Wow what a book, best I’ve read (listened too!) in a long time. You’ll fall in love with Mary Jane. Perfect narration too, again probably the best I’ve heard on Audible.

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