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Love and Haight
It’s 1971, and seventeen-year-old Chloe and her best friend MJ head to San Francisco to ring in the New Year. But Chloe has an ulterior motive—and a secret. She’s pregnant and has devised a plan not to be. In San Francisco’s flower-power heyday, it was (just about) legal to end her pregnancy.
But as soon as the girls cross the Golden Gate, the scheme starts to unravel amid the bellbottoms, love-beads, and bongs. Chloe’s secrets escalate until she betrays everyone she cares about. MJ, who has grave doubts about Chloe’s plan. Her groovy aunt Kiki, who’s offered the girls a place to crash. Her self-absorbed mother meditating back in Phoenix. And maybe, especially, the boy she wishes she’d waited for.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published March 13, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 19, 2013
"Love and Haight", is a book that takes place in the 70's. The book is about 17 year old, Chloe, who is traveling to California with her best friend MJ over New Year's. At first MJ thinks they are just going to party hard with Chloe's Aunt Kiki, but on the way there MJ finds out Chloe's real plan. In the 70's there were only two states in the U.S that allowed what Chloe needed, an abortion. Since, Chloe and MJ are from Arizona and her Aunt lives in Sacramento she came up with the perfect plan. First she had to go to the hospital for a check up, then to a psychiatrist to OK that Chloe was in "need" of an abortion for her mental health, then the board meeting and she'd have everything she needed, except for a parental permission. The book goes through Chloe's adventures, morning sickness, her relationship with MJ's brother, Teddy, that MJ has no clue ever happened, and how keeping secrets from friends can almost terminate the perfect friendship.
Chloe is the main character of this book. She is what I would call a pretty anxious person. She didn't want to go out and party with MJ, even though she was getting an abortion so it's not like she would be putting the baby in any more danger than she already was. She also shows a lot of strength throughout the book that is very admirable. MJ, is Chloe's best friend. She is upbeat, ready to party, and very religious. MJ helps Chloe through most of the adventure, until she finds out the secrets that Chloe was keeping. Kiki is Chloe's crazy Aunt who smokes weed and gets drunk all the time. She is really into releasing your feelings too. Teddy is MJ's brother, and the guy who Chloe dated all last summer while MJ was at camp. MJ had no idea about it until this trip.
I think the setting of this story is very important. The story couldn't take place unless it was in California or Chloe would not be getting an abortion. The story also takes place close to Berkeley which is the college Teddy attends so it would also take a lot out of the story if it weren't for that.
I think that the theme of this story is basically to not keep secrets. Chloe's aunt, mom, or Teddy had any idea about the abortion until close to the end of the book. When all the secrets came out nothing but trouble was in store for Chloe. So in other words, be honest.
I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 17. There are very bad influences happening in the book and a lot of parts that can be very inappropriate. It is a very good book however, and I enjoyed reading it everyday.
Chloe is the main character of this book. She is what I would call a pretty anxious person. She didn't want to go out and party with MJ, even though she was getting an abortion so it's not like she would be putting the baby in any more danger than she already was. She also shows a lot of strength throughout the book that is very admirable. MJ, is Chloe's best friend. She is upbeat, ready to party, and very religious. MJ helps Chloe through most of the adventure, until she finds out the secrets that Chloe was keeping. Kiki is Chloe's crazy Aunt who smokes weed and gets drunk all the time. She is really into releasing your feelings too. Teddy is MJ's brother, and the guy who Chloe dated all last summer while MJ was at camp. MJ had no idea about it until this trip.
I think the setting of this story is very important. The story couldn't take place unless it was in California or Chloe would not be getting an abortion. The story also takes place close to Berkeley which is the college Teddy attends so it would also take a lot out of the story if it weren't for that.
I think that the theme of this story is basically to not keep secrets. Chloe's aunt, mom, or Teddy had any idea about the abortion until close to the end of the book. When all the secrets came out nothing but trouble was in store for Chloe. So in other words, be honest.
I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 17. There are very bad influences happening in the book and a lot of parts that can be very inappropriate. It is a very good book however, and I enjoyed reading it everyday.
August 29, 2012
It's a heady time in San Francisco in the early 1970's, and Chole and MJ are caught in the thick of it. Ostensibly, they've gone to visit Chloe's free-spirited aunt Kiki, but Chloe has an ulterior motive. She's pregnant, and in San Francisco it's (barely) legal for her to have an abortion.
As a pro-life person, it is really hard for me to write an unbiased review of this book, because reading it felt like reading a book where you know the main character will commit suicide at the end. You keep shaking the book and yelling "It doesn't have to end like this!" And yet, it does no good. Anyway, here goes...
The author does a great job of portraying Chloe's inner tensions, her ambivalence, emotional state, and occasional doubts. Overall, the prose was very beautiful. Some of the characters, however, fell flat -- Teddy and MJ, especially felt kind of like cardboard cut outs inserted into the appropriate slots. I also commend the author for sensitively handling a controversial topic without preaching too much -- although I thought the pro-life protesters were stereotypical in the extreme. But maybe that's what the pro-life movement of 70's was like?
I would recommend this book especially to pro-life people, as it promotes conversation and compassion -- both very good things!
As a pro-life person, it is really hard for me to write an unbiased review of this book, because reading it felt like reading a book where you know the main character will commit suicide at the end. You keep shaking the book and yelling "It doesn't have to end like this!" And yet, it does no good. Anyway, here goes...
The author does a great job of portraying Chloe's inner tensions, her ambivalence, emotional state, and occasional doubts. Overall, the prose was very beautiful. Some of the characters, however, fell flat -- Teddy and MJ, especially felt kind of like cardboard cut outs inserted into the appropriate slots. I also commend the author for sensitively handling a controversial topic without preaching too much -- although I thought the pro-life protesters were stereotypical in the extreme. But maybe that's what the pro-life movement of 70's was like?
I would recommend this book especially to pro-life people, as it promotes conversation and compassion -- both very good things!
August 3, 2013
I thought this was really lovely. It's got quite a simple plot - girl goes to san francisco to get an abortion (it's 1971), but it's really captivating. plus, I adore san franciso in 1971 (and all the other years too).
March 12, 2015
This is a novel about a girl trying to get an abortion. Accordingly, I should've terminated my readership during the book's first trimester, but I read it full-term. I lost custody of it shortly after.
June 26, 2019
This was okay. I wish the book talked more about Chloe's emotions instead of just focusing on the weird behaviors and rituals of the counterculture scene around her.
October 5, 2018
Love and Haight
“Love and Haight” is about two friends named Chloe and Mj that take a road trip to San Francisco. They are not just there for a vacation, Chloe is there because she’s pregnant and needs an abortion. They both go to Chloe’s aunt Kiki’s house to stay with her. The setting of this book is in the 1970’s and during this time abortion was barely legal in California, it took many procedures to get to the outcome. Chloe keeps her secret from everyone but Mj, although she waits until they are on their way to San Francisco to tell her why they’re really going. Towards the end of the book Chloe’s decision seems to impact everyone else around her too, and things become much more conflicted for Chloe in such a free spirited, peaceful time. I love how the author depicts the characters and the 70s influence in all of their tastes. What had drawn me to this book was the era and setting, last year I traveled to San Francisco and met my close friend who’s grown up there, just two months later I flew back and stayed with her for two weeks. During the period I was there we went to Haight-Ashbury quite often and met a lot of cool people hanging out around “hippie hill” in Golden Gate Park, I even sat on top of the tree Janis Joplin was rumored to write songs under. Although I don’t know what it was like in the 70s it is definitely a place that seems to still be influenced by that era, this book has reflected that. Reading this book has created great nostalgia for me, minus the pregnancy crisis.
January 15, 2015
San Francisco, the tail end of 1971. Chloe's on a road trip with her best friend, MJ, but Chloe has plans beyond a fun winter break: California is one of the few places where she can legally get an abortion.
I read it because of the timing -- am still going through a 60s and 70s phase, thanks in no small part to Left on Pearl. For Chloe, though, the 70s aren't a time of revolution and protests and action (at least, not so far...she has most of the 70s left). Instead she's facing a difficult situation rendered all the more difficult by the fact that her options are so limited.
I'm torn on this one, to be honest, because while I enjoyed it a great deal and think it (or the author) managed to do what it (she) set out to, I would have loved...more. At its crux it's a pretty standard YA novel, just with the 70s (a few years too late for the summer of love) and a teenage pregnancy thrown in. That's not a bad thing, but it feels like this could have been so much more. Not sure if that's fair to wish for, though, since all that more probably would have turned it into a very different book.
There's great complexity in the characters' thoughts, at any rate; nobody -- least of all Chloe -- is 100 percent sure that she's on the right path, but ultimately the secondary characters are able to support Chloe when she makes the decision she does. Didn't get as deep into it as I would have liked, but then, it's a pretty short book.
One of these days I'll find a book that feels so quintessentially late-60s-early-70s in a wildly over-the-top, flower-power, unrealistic way that I'llbe able to stop looking
grumble that it's unrealistic and keep looking
have to admit that I'll never be satisfied
figure out how to finish that sentence.
Brief discussion of this and Every Little Thing in the World here.
I read it because of the timing -- am still going through a 60s and 70s phase, thanks in no small part to Left on Pearl. For Chloe, though, the 70s aren't a time of revolution and protests and action (at least, not so far...she has most of the 70s left). Instead she's facing a difficult situation rendered all the more difficult by the fact that her options are so limited.
I'm torn on this one, to be honest, because while I enjoyed it a great deal and think it (or the author) managed to do what it (she) set out to, I would have loved...more. At its crux it's a pretty standard YA novel, just with the 70s (a few years too late for the summer of love) and a teenage pregnancy thrown in. That's not a bad thing, but it feels like this could have been so much more. Not sure if that's fair to wish for, though, since all that more probably would have turned it into a very different book.
There's great complexity in the characters' thoughts, at any rate; nobody -- least of all Chloe -- is 100 percent sure that she's on the right path, but ultimately the secondary characters are able to support Chloe when she makes the decision she does. Didn't get as deep into it as I would have liked, but then, it's a pretty short book.
One of these days I'll find a book that feels so quintessentially late-60s-early-70s in a wildly over-the-top, flower-power, unrealistic way that I'll
figure out how to finish that sentence.
Brief discussion of this and Every Little Thing in the World here.
January 27, 2024
This was not a bad book, but it did not evoke the atmosphere of the era as I experienced it. In the author's bio it states she did not come of age during the hippie era, so the book gives the impression of someone who is writing about something she has heard of and read about, not something she experienced. Obviously this would be an unreasonable expectation of a book set in the distant past, but I would have liked to have felt more immersed in the culture of the era, since it is set during a period which I and millions of others who are still alive experienced.
The book is mainly about abortion, what it is like to have to make that decision, and how loved ones may react to the decision. Even in that task the book fails. There should have been at least one major character that staunchly opposed the abortion, no matter how much they loved the main character. Anonymous protesters outside an abortion clinic were presented but they were not nearly as confrontational as they could have been.
Those are the reasons this book rates only two stars with me. It is a YA book, so I suppose for a 13-year-old it might be a good introduction to the era as well as an exploration of the emotions involved in dealing with abortion. It still could have been a much better book and served both those purposes.
The book is mainly about abortion, what it is like to have to make that decision, and how loved ones may react to the decision. Even in that task the book fails. There should have been at least one major character that staunchly opposed the abortion, no matter how much they loved the main character. Anonymous protesters outside an abortion clinic were presented but they were not nearly as confrontational as they could have been.
Those are the reasons this book rates only two stars with me. It is a YA book, so I suppose for a 13-year-old it might be a good introduction to the era as well as an exploration of the emotions involved in dealing with abortion. It still could have been a much better book and served both those purposes.
August 2, 2014
Two stars because she throws a Bowie album out the window... just kidding. If this book had been longer, I do not think I would have bothered to finish it. But when you've read 90 pages and you're over halfway done, it's embarrassing if it's left unfinished. However, I really enjoyed the sneak peek into 1970s San Francisco, but several of the references (especially to the music of the time) felt forced.
February 25, 2019
Language - PG-13 (6+ swears, 1+ "f"), Sexual Content - PG-13; Violence - G
Chloe wants an abortion, and so she and her friend make the trip to San Francisco into a vacation. I read the first chapter and had to stop because what I had read thus far made me uncomfortable. I didn't want to know what else the book would hold.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Chloe wants an abortion, and so she and her friend make the trip to San Francisco into a vacation. I read the first chapter and had to stop because what I had read thus far made me uncomfortable. I didn't want to know what else the book would hold.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
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May 16, 2012Review originally posted on May 16, 2012 on Words at Home blog: http://www.wordsathome.ca/2012/05/lov...
Love & Haight is a fun, and slightly tripped out, walk through the streets of San Francisco in 1971. It touches on family connections, love lost and love found, friendship and what it takes to really know yourself and follow your convictions. Love & Haight is written in a deliciously witty and psychedelic narrative that makes it a completely enjoyable and entirely too quick read.
I was really excited to pick up Love and Haight, the 1970s San Francisco setting was instantly attractive and I was completely fascinated with the subject matter. Chloe is a 17 year old girl who takes a road trip with her best friend to San Francisco where it is almost legal to have an abortion. I don’t know much about abortion laws in the 1970s but this book reads like the author did her research. I instantly fell in love with Carlton’s writing style, it was fresh, kind of cheeky and the entire book read like I was having a conversation with my best friend (which was awesome). Love and Haight was a super quick read for me and I’m not sure if it was my interest in what would happen to Chloe or Carlton’s addictive style but I read this book in two sittings.
Unfortunately I felt as though there was just too much going on in this book for only 192 pages. There was the prominent story of Chloe and her desire, and struggle, to secure herself an appointment to have an abortion. There was MJ the best friend who wanted to be there for Chloe but was struggling with her own religious beliefs about abortion making it next to impossible to support Chloe in a way that she needed. Then there was aunt Kiki whose life could have had an entire book dedicated to it alone. And I haven’t even started to talk about the romance with Teddy – the boy Chloe wished that she had waited for. I felt like I was reading the first couple of chapters of a larger book, and just wanted so much more detail and explanation. Love & Haight could have been a really great book for me but there just wasn’t enough there. I was left with a lot of questions and felt as though neither the relationships, or events, were given the time they needed to really come to life. I was also really disappointed in the ending; there wasn’t really an ending the book just sort of stopped.
That being said, I really enjoyed reading what was there. Chloe’s narrative was a treat and all of the little details, from the music quotes to Chloe’s asides, added to the experience of reading this novel. Carlton did manage to showcase a number of different viewpoints on abortion through the characters and I found it particularly interesting how she portrayed the effects of Chloe’s decision to have an abortion as it pertained to the other characters in the novel.
Love & Haight had the potential to be a great and thought provoking book. The 1970s backdrop added some light and humor to the extremely serious nature of the plot but unfortunately because of the lack of follow through with the characters, their emotions, and the events of the novel this book fell flat for me. I don’t need my novels to tie up neatly with a bow at the end but I like their to actually be an end – Chloe, Teddy, Kiki, MJ and Virginia are all sort of suspended in thin air and it just doesn’t feel like their stories were given any closure at all. I definitely enjoyed Love and Haight but it didn’t wow me or completely live up to my hopes.
I received an ARC of Love & Haight from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Love & Haight is a fun, and slightly tripped out, walk through the streets of San Francisco in 1971. It touches on family connections, love lost and love found, friendship and what it takes to really know yourself and follow your convictions. Love & Haight is written in a deliciously witty and psychedelic narrative that makes it a completely enjoyable and entirely too quick read.
I was really excited to pick up Love and Haight, the 1970s San Francisco setting was instantly attractive and I was completely fascinated with the subject matter. Chloe is a 17 year old girl who takes a road trip with her best friend to San Francisco where it is almost legal to have an abortion. I don’t know much about abortion laws in the 1970s but this book reads like the author did her research. I instantly fell in love with Carlton’s writing style, it was fresh, kind of cheeky and the entire book read like I was having a conversation with my best friend (which was awesome). Love and Haight was a super quick read for me and I’m not sure if it was my interest in what would happen to Chloe or Carlton’s addictive style but I read this book in two sittings.
Unfortunately I felt as though there was just too much going on in this book for only 192 pages. There was the prominent story of Chloe and her desire, and struggle, to secure herself an appointment to have an abortion. There was MJ the best friend who wanted to be there for Chloe but was struggling with her own religious beliefs about abortion making it next to impossible to support Chloe in a way that she needed. Then there was aunt Kiki whose life could have had an entire book dedicated to it alone. And I haven’t even started to talk about the romance with Teddy – the boy Chloe wished that she had waited for. I felt like I was reading the first couple of chapters of a larger book, and just wanted so much more detail and explanation. Love & Haight could have been a really great book for me but there just wasn’t enough there. I was left with a lot of questions and felt as though neither the relationships, or events, were given the time they needed to really come to life. I was also really disappointed in the ending; there wasn’t really an ending the book just sort of stopped.
That being said, I really enjoyed reading what was there. Chloe’s narrative was a treat and all of the little details, from the music quotes to Chloe’s asides, added to the experience of reading this novel. Carlton did manage to showcase a number of different viewpoints on abortion through the characters and I found it particularly interesting how she portrayed the effects of Chloe’s decision to have an abortion as it pertained to the other characters in the novel.
Love & Haight had the potential to be a great and thought provoking book. The 1970s backdrop added some light and humor to the extremely serious nature of the plot but unfortunately because of the lack of follow through with the characters, their emotions, and the events of the novel this book fell flat for me. I don’t need my novels to tie up neatly with a bow at the end but I like their to actually be an end – Chloe, Teddy, Kiki, MJ and Virginia are all sort of suspended in thin air and it just doesn’t feel like their stories were given any closure at all. I definitely enjoyed Love and Haight but it didn’t wow me or completely live up to my hopes.
I received an ARC of Love & Haight from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 10, 2012
It is 1971, and abortion is legal in two states -- New York and California -- for women willing to overcome a series of barriers. The reader follows 17 year-old Chloe to San Francisco and through a series of doctors’ appointments, two psychiatric evaluations, and the necessity of getting a parental consent form as she attempts to obtain an abortion for an unplanned pregnancy on her Christmas break. The author does a great job explaining the reasons behind Chloe's decision to terminate her pregnancy and puts the reader in her shoes.
While the historical aspect to this novel is mildly amusing, I wish the author would have talked about all the barriers to abortion and their effect on women seeking an abortion rather than using the 1970's to talk about modern day. Why not show mandatory trans-vaginal ultrasound exams, mandatory waiting periods, and abortion clinic workers wearing bulletproof vests to escort women across picket lines? All the comic relief in the form of ridiculous hippies detracts from the seriousness of topic rather than softening its harshness.
I have to give the author kudos for not wimping out and actually having Chloe receive an abortion. Too many authors take the easy road by having their heroine decide to have an abortion only to then discover that she was not really pregnant or then have a miscarriage, thus depriving her of the consequences of decision to terminate her pregnancy. Like most teen fiction, the heroine has an absent father and a very flighty (in this case hippie) mother. For main characters to have adventures is usually necessary to get the parents out of the way, but when discussing teen pregnancy and abortion, perhaps it would have been better to give the main character two loving parents rather than the stereotypical broken home that sexually active teens are normally portrayed as having.
A worthwhile read on the topic of abortion. Well written and thoughtful.
While the historical aspect to this novel is mildly amusing, I wish the author would have talked about all the barriers to abortion and their effect on women seeking an abortion rather than using the 1970's to talk about modern day. Why not show mandatory trans-vaginal ultrasound exams, mandatory waiting periods, and abortion clinic workers wearing bulletproof vests to escort women across picket lines? All the comic relief in the form of ridiculous hippies detracts from the seriousness of topic rather than softening its harshness.
I have to give the author kudos for not wimping out and actually having Chloe receive an abortion. Too many authors take the easy road by having their heroine decide to have an abortion only to then discover that she was not really pregnant or then have a miscarriage, thus depriving her of the consequences of decision to terminate her pregnancy. Like most teen fiction, the heroine has an absent father and a very flighty (in this case hippie) mother. For main characters to have adventures is usually necessary to get the parents out of the way, but when discussing teen pregnancy and abortion, perhaps it would have been better to give the main character two loving parents rather than the stereotypical broken home that sexually active teens are normally portrayed as having.
A worthwhile read on the topic of abortion. Well written and thoughtful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2012
I love historical fiction! Okay, the seventies was not that long ago, but that decade is completely different from now (or any other time really). While the story didn't completely grab me, the setting sure did.
Chloe is seventeen and pregnant. More specifically, Chloe is seventeen and pregnant and does not plan to be for much longer. She travels to San Francisco with her best friend to get an abortion where it is legal (although there are a few hoops to jump through). While there though, things are not as quick and snappy as she had hoped. She gets wrapped up in a summer romance that wasn't quite as over as she thought, a best friend who is trying to be supportive but does not approve, and a wacky free-love type hippy aunt.
This was one of those books where I felt like a was reading a story. I know, that sounds like "well.... duh." But what I mean is, it was so short that I didn't have time to really connect to the characters, whiteness development or care about what was going to happen. I was reading a story rather than being in the story, or completely immersed. I wanted to see what was going to happen next, I just wasn't effected either way. With a book so short, it is hard to not turn out like that. That being said, that is not really a criticism, that is just a statement.
I really liked "witnessing" the seventies. Spoiler Alert (not really) I was not alive during the seventies. It is interesting to read about a time that was not that long ago, but still completely different from anything I've witnessed. Like I said, I love historical fiction, however; a lot of times it seems rather fake. The flower-power setting of Love and Haight seemed highly realistic and was definitely entertaining.
Chloe is seventeen and pregnant. More specifically, Chloe is seventeen and pregnant and does not plan to be for much longer. She travels to San Francisco with her best friend to get an abortion where it is legal (although there are a few hoops to jump through). While there though, things are not as quick and snappy as she had hoped. She gets wrapped up in a summer romance that wasn't quite as over as she thought, a best friend who is trying to be supportive but does not approve, and a wacky free-love type hippy aunt.
This was one of those books where I felt like a was reading a story. I know, that sounds like "well.... duh." But what I mean is, it was so short that I didn't have time to really connect to the characters, whiteness development or care about what was going to happen. I was reading a story rather than being in the story, or completely immersed. I wanted to see what was going to happen next, I just wasn't effected either way. With a book so short, it is hard to not turn out like that. That being said, that is not really a criticism, that is just a statement.
I really liked "witnessing" the seventies. Spoiler Alert (not really) I was not alive during the seventies. It is interesting to read about a time that was not that long ago, but still completely different from anything I've witnessed. Like I said, I love historical fiction, however; a lot of times it seems rather fake. The flower-power setting of Love and Haight seemed highly realistic and was definitely entertaining.
September 13, 2013
Chloe is seventeen and pregnant- even though she used protection the one and only time she had sex. It’s 1971 and Roe v Wade is still two years in the future, and abortion is only legal in California and New York. Chloe lives in Arizona. Lucky for her, she has an aunt who lives in San Francisco and a friend willing to take a road trip with her over winter break. So Chloe and MJ find themselves in ‘Frisco with no real idea where aunt Kiki lives, unable to get hold of her by phone, and it’s getting late. That pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the trip- nothing goes easily or as planned. Abortion may be legal, but there are still hoops to jump through to obtain one, especially for someone under 18. Add to this Chloe’s occasional doubts about her proposed action, her feelings about her previous relationship with MJ’s brother, and the fact that Kiki is a stoner performance artist and you’ve got it.
The book is very short, and I think because of this the characters aren’t developed very well. MJ seems to serve as chauffer and conscience; Kiki is the cool adult; Chloe’s mother is the feminist. MJ’s brother, Teddy, is the good guy Chloe should have waited for- the perfect, understanding guy. Even Chloe’s portrayal seems rather surface, which is odd, given that the book is from her POV. But the author does get the feel of the time and place well. The characters all fit that time and place, even if they aren’t deep. I knew people like Kiki and Chloe’s mother! It’s a very quick read, and while not great, it’s not bad, either, and would serve as a good book for a young teen to introduce them to the issue of abortion.
I do have to say that it was alarming to find an era I lived through listed as ‘historical fiction’!
The book is very short, and I think because of this the characters aren’t developed very well. MJ seems to serve as chauffer and conscience; Kiki is the cool adult; Chloe’s mother is the feminist. MJ’s brother, Teddy, is the good guy Chloe should have waited for- the perfect, understanding guy. Even Chloe’s portrayal seems rather surface, which is odd, given that the book is from her POV. But the author does get the feel of the time and place well. The characters all fit that time and place, even if they aren’t deep. I knew people like Kiki and Chloe’s mother! It’s a very quick read, and while not great, it’s not bad, either, and would serve as a good book for a young teen to introduce them to the issue of abortion.
I do have to say that it was alarming to find an era I lived through listed as ‘historical fiction’!
July 15, 2014
Long hair, cool shades, bellbottom jeans, paisley and tie-dyed shirts with the smells of sage and marijuana in the air. The sounds of the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane, the Doors and the Allman Brothers for the soundtrack. It’s Peace, Love, Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll! … with a catch.
Love & Haight by Susan Carlton dives deep into the heart of late 60s and early 70s hippie culture in San Francisco’s famous Haight Ashbury neighborhood. Seventeen year old Chloe is headed to spend “Christmas break in the most grooved-out city on the planet” (p.2) visiting her hip Aunt Kiki, accompanied by her best friend MJ. But beyond just having fun, Chloe has a secret ulterior plan for her holiday road trip. She’s six weeks pregnant and wants an abortion.
Before the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973, abortions are legal only in New York and California. But that does not mean getting one is easy by any means. Chloe must contend with psychiatrists, doctors, nurses, an old and current boyfriend, her family including mom, and, neither last not least, her own guilt at having gotten into this gigantic mess. The question is, will she go through with it?
Susan Carlton tackles this touchy and taboo subject in a really compelling way that makes Love & Haight a very fast page turner that one will find hard to put down … I read it in a single sitting! This is a daring book that doesn’t pull any punches, never takes the easy way out, and leaves us yearning for more.
Love & Haight by Susan Carlton dives deep into the heart of late 60s and early 70s hippie culture in San Francisco’s famous Haight Ashbury neighborhood. Seventeen year old Chloe is headed to spend “Christmas break in the most grooved-out city on the planet” (p.2) visiting her hip Aunt Kiki, accompanied by her best friend MJ. But beyond just having fun, Chloe has a secret ulterior plan for her holiday road trip. She’s six weeks pregnant and wants an abortion.
Before the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973, abortions are legal only in New York and California. But that does not mean getting one is easy by any means. Chloe must contend with psychiatrists, doctors, nurses, an old and current boyfriend, her family including mom, and, neither last not least, her own guilt at having gotten into this gigantic mess. The question is, will she go through with it?
Susan Carlton tackles this touchy and taboo subject in a really compelling way that makes Love & Haight a very fast page turner that one will find hard to put down … I read it in a single sitting! This is a daring book that doesn’t pull any punches, never takes the easy way out, and leaves us yearning for more.
April 19, 2012
LOVE AND HAIGHT isn't your average YA novel. It deals with some very heavy and taboo concepts that a lot of people aren't willing to acknowledge. I'm still not quite sure what to say or how I feel about it. It definitely brought out some raw emotions in me and I felt like Carlton attempted to handle the situation as well as she could. LOVE AND HAIGHT isn't one of my favorite YA novels, but I grew on it.
Chloe is one messed up 17-year-old when the novel opens. She has a very difficult decision to make and she doesn't feel like she can be open about it with anyone but her best friend, MJ. While I did find her to be a little cold at times, I could understand where she was coming from. She regrets her mistake and wishes that she didn't have to deal with the consequences. In the end, it is a big eye-opening life lesson for Chloe.
While Carlton didn't dive as deep as she probably could have on the serious issue of abortion in LOVE AND HAIGHT, I did find myself tearing through the pages. The issue fascinates me and while I don't think I would even consider what Chloe thought about, personally, it brought up some questions and things for me to ponder. Even if you aren't sure of the subject matter in this one, give it a try! You may find yourself surprised at what you find in LOVE AND HAIGHT.
Chloe is one messed up 17-year-old when the novel opens. She has a very difficult decision to make and she doesn't feel like she can be open about it with anyone but her best friend, MJ. While I did find her to be a little cold at times, I could understand where she was coming from. She regrets her mistake and wishes that she didn't have to deal with the consequences. In the end, it is a big eye-opening life lesson for Chloe.
While Carlton didn't dive as deep as she probably could have on the serious issue of abortion in LOVE AND HAIGHT, I did find myself tearing through the pages. The issue fascinates me and while I don't think I would even consider what Chloe thought about, personally, it brought up some questions and things for me to ponder. Even if you aren't sure of the subject matter in this one, give it a try! You may find yourself surprised at what you find in LOVE AND HAIGHT.
February 10, 2017
This was an easy enough read about a young girl who goes to San Francisco in the early 70's to get an abortion. Although the story centers around her dealing with that, there are other themes and characters tied in. I liked this book well enough but I don't think I would have liked it as much if it didn't take place in early 70's San Francisco! I also really liked Chloe's "hippy dippy" aunt Kiki...I thought she added some flavor to the book.
June 1, 2012
San Francisco, 1971, the era of hippies, drugs & "free love", where Chloe has gone to seek a legal abortion after a "slip-up" with a casual boyfriend. I had some problems with the portrayal of the time & place, being from that era & having visited S.F. during "the summer of love- 1967", when I was 21, including Haight St. This novel deals with a real problem for teen girls- whether or not to have an abortion- but the characters mostly seem shallow & rather idiotic, the way they frolic through daily life. We never see very far into anyone's life or thoughts, except for Chloe's struggle to make the right decision for herself. As far as real-life S.F. in 1971, it was not happy hippie scene any longer- it had degenerated into violence & drugs & was no longer a harmonious place of peace & love. Plus the main characters in this book seem to party along, blithely making very serious life decisions. Read it for Chloe's story/ dilemma, & not as an accurate depiction of the hippie lifestyle of that time period.
May 11, 2012
Not only does this book address abortion head-on without the cop-outs you usually see in books and television shows (e.g. the conveniently-timed miscarriage that absolves the writer of any tough decision-making), it walks readers step by step through what a 17-year-old girl would have gone through to get an abortion in 1971. I've never read anything like it before, and for that alone, I'd recommend it.
Carlton explores the issues through some very realistically conflicted characters. Politics are fairly absent from the story. Chloe, her friends, and her family have abstract ideas about whether they're pro-life or pro-choice, but when confronted with Chloe's pregnancy, everyone finds their opinions are far more complicated and nuanced than they expected.
Carlton explores the issues through some very realistically conflicted characters. Politics are fairly absent from the story. Chloe, her friends, and her family have abstract ideas about whether they're pro-life or pro-choice, but when confronted with Chloe's pregnancy, everyone finds their opinions are far more complicated and nuanced than they expected.
October 21, 2012
Th 70's play so authentically in the background of this story, it's hard to believe the novel was written now. I found I was hooked on Chloe's story on page 6 and knew I wasn't going to put the book down until I knew what she was going to do about This, as she calls her unwanted pregnancy. Carlton makes Chloe someone you both care about and have faith in, and the other characters in the book are equally compelling in their own ways. I would be happy to read more about Chloe, and certainly lots more of Carlton's stories.
March 6, 2012
With subject matter that is even more relevant in today's political climate, this alternately hilarious and provocative novel is a pleasure to read and a pleasure to recommend. While the protagonist is a teen, many adults will relate to her growing maturity in the face of adversity. The supporting characters behave (and misbehave) with convincing realism, and Carlton's deft humor keeps the proceedings from becoming grim or preachy. Highly recommended!
July 16, 2012
Risqué is what comes to mind and that is sad in 2012... Because I know I will have parents who object to the subject matter of this book. I haven't let it stop me before and I hardly think this will be the book that makes a censor out of me. Abortion in 1971 was as controversial as it is I'm 2012. We haven't come very far at all....
Anyway, good solid book with like able characters and believable plot and dialogue. It was easy to read.
April 26, 2012
This was an interesting book. I was a little disturbed by some of the choices but it did help me understand what a difference life is like before or even just after pro-choice came into effect. I wasn’t alive in the ’70s so it’s crazy how differently the same circumstances today would be both judged and handled. I do think it was a good book. It was easy to read and understand.
http://www.justusgirlsblog.com/2012/0...
http://www.justusgirlsblog.com/2012/0...
April 22, 2012
It is definitely a YA book. I'm not sure the subject matter would be appropriate in a school library but I think it would be okay in a public library. It seems as if drugs and abortions would come up as a topic of discussion (and the parents of our students are just not ready for that to happen in a school setting). I grew up during this time and drugs and abortion was not the only thing about 60s that was memorable but this book will make young people think that is all there was to that era.
July 30, 2013
Sex (sort of...a pregnant 17 year old, her mother and aunt somewhat grappling with reproductive rights, love and freedom), drugs (it is the Haight in San Francisco after all and the 70s) and rock n' roll (a constant playlist as the characters sing lyrics or play records on the turntable of their favorite musicians such as the Doors, Jefferson Airplane, et al). Historical fiction and a glimpse into the liberal political attitudes before the passage of Roe v. Wade.
May 14, 2012
Well, the author certainly did her research for this one. This novel is practically a showcase of all that was new, hip, happenin' or just around in the early 1970s. (Which is made even more impressive by the fact the author wasn't around for the hippie era.)
I was glad the storyline did not turn out preachy, as it easily could have, and managed a realistic ending.
I was glad the storyline did not turn out preachy, as it easily could have, and managed a realistic ending.
March 27, 2013
The 70s gave many people the chance to be free and enjoy themselves in ways they never thought possible. Chloe and MJ travel to California for the chance for Chloe to have an abortion. However nothing happens as planned and Chloe ends up involving more people than she ever thought she would in her decision.
February 22, 2015
It was an enjoyable read, but it felt too light in respect to the topics being dealt with. Not enough character development or emotion was portrayed. I was really hoping this book would delve more into the hippie culture and world that was going on around her, but not much was explained. But overall, it was an alright book.
April 2, 2012
I thought Love and Haight was super groovy! The book pushes the envelope a little of YA literature, but was a great story! I would recommend this book to a more mature YA reader, or someone who is looking to start some interesting conversations about women's health.
June 13, 2012
A realistic portrayal of a seventeen year old girl, Chloe, who is seeking an abortion in San Francisco in 1971. Abortion is a polarizing issue now and then so this is not an easy book to have an opinion about. It is good historical fiction that brings to life an place and an era.
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