Review: Great sense of time and place, and young love
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 20, 2014
Strict Latvian upbringing vies with American laissez faire in Ann Herrick’s coming of age novel, It’s All In Your Mind. Teenager Vija struggles to fit into American society while working her way through school and helping out in her father’s business. Then she falls for smooth-talking folk singer Nolan, and suddenly she’s hiding her feelings not just from family and friends but also from herself.Nicely drawn details bring time and place to life. Music plays, parties celebrate a sailor’s return and imminent departure to Vietnam, and friends fall in love. But Vija isn’t sure which feelings mean love, and which are just romantic notions created in her own mind. Meanwhile Nolan leads her on with romantic assurances and unconvincing promises.It’s All In Your Mind is filled with simple, believable dialog, convincing locations, honest hard work, real doubts, well-rounded characters, and wise lessons beautifully told. It's a pleasingly old-fashioned story of young love told with fine restraint, honest depth, and genuine heart.Disclosure: I received a free ecopy from the author and I’m pleased to offer my honest review.