This is a combination coming-of-age, romance and mystery set in rural Virginia in 1967. Jack is 12 when it starts, 13 when the action ends and he is definitely in love for most of it. Jack, however, is on the wrong side of the tracks from the Joyners, Myra and Gaylord. Myra is Jack’s age and the most beautiful girl in school. He is a Witcher with a thug of a brother, Stan, who loves to beat people up while doing a reasonable job of defending Jack. Stan is 18 and throughout the novel is under the eye of the law as a suspect in a murder case: Gaylord Joyner. The two families have never gotten along and the alleged murder seals the deal except the Myra and Jack are more or less in love. “You’re the smartest kid in our class, next to me,” Myra rationalizes. The story is made more delicious by the meddling Mr. Gladstein, a jeweler who has a thing for Mrs. Witcher. He gives Jack a good price on a “diamond” ring and says it has magic properties but only if Jack kisses Myra. Jack, being clever, manages that, but little else goes his way. At times it seems that Jack and Myra are older than 12 but that is part of the charm as they defeat both sets of parents to have their puppy love moments. We never, unfortunately, get to meet the Joyners other than a fast shoving match between fathers. The enmity the Joyners feel toward the trailer trash Witchers prohibits proper social intercourse. Pops Witcher’s temper keeps him out of jobs and at home, watching soap operas, and attempting to serve as a role model for his boys. Precious little luck at that! This is a winsome novel, made slightly less so by the possibility throughout that one of the Witchers is going away for a long time. We sense that Jack is destined for better things, though Myra maybe not; she is too hung up on her own charm and intelligence to go far in the outside world. It’s a good novel to fit in before the heavier lifting of the fall season. I picked up T.C. Boyle’s 915 pages of “Stories II” today and that looks like a more substantial project! Another novel that tugged at my heartstrings in the end, especially after reading *spoiler alert* the note from the author. I started reading this book but had to put it down for a couple of months. It was not difficult at all to pick it back up. There were times while I was reading when I questioned why I was reading about these people but I'm glad I finished. This book is really about bullying and the different outcomes of the bullied. I had a hunch this was a semi-autobiography because of all the vivid imagery that could only come from real experience. I wonder if "David Smith" found out about this book. I wonder if he would be comforted by it a little.
What do You think about If Jack's In Love (2011)?
I couldn't get into this book. I wonder if it was partly because I couldn't get into Stan's head.
—sharmain
This was a book club pick and I'm glad because I wouldn't have read it otherwise.
—runfromjoey
I thought the book was boring. It failed as a mystery and as a romance.
—maddie
