It is the 1960s. Terry and Ann are college students transitioning into adulthood in the stunning mountains of Colorado. They bond as they navigate the shifting cultural and political landscape while frantically planning for their futures. Ann appears more conventional, having grown up in a military family. Terry jumps into activism headfirst to intentionally dismantle conventions. Then Jack enters the picture, the romantic ideal of Ann and her family. He is a handsome and athletic Army officer based in Germany. He and Ann write poetic, romantic letters to each other.
Ann plans to spend the summer after graduation in Europe with Jack to test their love. While Ann is consumed with this prospect, Terry and Ann discover they are more than friends. She leaves for the adventure of a lifetime already torn between two men. Now there are letters between Terry and Ann while she is overseas. They expose their thoughts and feelings for each other. There is an undercurrent of angst, both for their personal dilemmas and current national events. Ultimately, Ann must choose one man, one future path. However, she needs to learn more about herself first.
The authors' vivid descriptions transport the reader to picturesque settings in the American Southwest and Europe. The authors artfully tell their story through the letters written between Ann and her suitors. This format works as a perfect vehicle for illustrating the tension between them while layering in critical events of America at the time. It allows the personalities of the correspondents to be revealed through their own unique voices. This book is fun and imaginative without seeming naive. The authors offer an unflinching, personal excursion into the decade.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review