Perfect Family

by Jerrie Oughton

Welcome Marie O'Neal is finally starting to enjoy her 15th year and can't wait to turn 16. She meets Nicholas Canton and, though her parents don't approve, the two start dating. Soon Welcome is head over heels in love and she can't believe it won't last forever. But the romance ends with the summer and when things fall apart, Welcome finds herself confused, heartbroken, and...in trouble. There aren't many people Welcome can turn to for help or advice in her small Southern town in 1955, especially not in her "perfect" family. The decisions Welcome has to make will change her life forever.

Genres: Young Adult, Teen, Fiction, Historical Fiction

196 pages, Hardcover

First published April 24, 2000

Reviews

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

So...I like the setting (1950s small-town southern US). I like some of the twists the plot takes—there's a 'good' boy and a 'bad' boy, and it's not initially clear what's going to happen with whom. But I think this book is trying to do too much. First relationships and accidental pregnancy (it can happen the first time, kids!) and race relations (while it's not that I think Welcome shouldn't have named her child as she did—it's sweet—I question whether a sheltered fifteen-year-old from North Carolina in the fifties would be so...I don't know what word is right here. Liberal? Open-minded? Not racist? It's terrible to expect worse of her, but apparently I do anyway) and the neighbours' crazy family history (prisoners of war in the Philippines) and her father's health and her sister and James Dean and education and the question of illegal abortions—

It's just a lot. And, oddly, Welcome just kind of swims through it. She talks about crying a lot when she realises she's pregnant, but generally speaking she keeps her chin up and gets on with it. On the one hand: good for her. On the other: why isn't she more terrified about everything? (Or am I projecting? If I'd gotten pregnant as a teenager I would not have reacted nearly as well as Welcome does, and I was a teenager in a different era—a different century, even!—and had parents who would have been disappointed but supportive. But I still would have flipped my shit.)

At any rate...while I'm glad that we saw more than just Welcome dealing with the pregnancy, I think we could've had fewer plotlines and more depth in the ones that remained. I also never forgot that this was written in 2000—maybe because Welcome takes a 'looking back' tone? I'm not sure. (Probably would have been happier had the ending not turned out so cheesily easily happily, but then...coming from me that's not really a surprise...) Still, maybe this'll cure me of my interest in 50s historical fiction...at least for a while. And I still like the cover.

[Bethany Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Welcome O’Neal is a teenager living in Lily, North Carolina, a town small enough that everyone knows everyone else’s business. Welcome’s parents want to have the “perfect family,” so when Welcome’s older sister Evelyn Sue runs off to California to meet James Dean, they are disappointed and embarrassed. They are also unhappy when Welcome wants to date Nicholas Canton, an older boy, who manages to convince Welcome’s parents to let the two see each other. When things don’t work out with Nicholas, Welcome is so disappointed that she finds comfort in the arms of a previous boyfriend. She soon discovers that the rumor that it only takes one time to get pregnant is true. Rather than bring someone else into a bad situation, Welcome decides to keep the father’s name to herself and does not involve him in making a decision about what to do. Evelyn Sue, recently returned from California, is the first person that Welcome confides in. She takes her to get an illegal abortion, but Welcome finds that she can’t go through with it. When she finally confesses to her parents, they are extremely disappointed and make the decision to send her to stay with her aunt and uncle in Virginia Beach, so as not to bring any more shame on the family. When she finally has the baby, Welcome realizes that she is not ready to handle the responsibility, and her aunt and uncle, who are unable to have children of their own, decide that they will keep the baby.

This was an easy read that brings up some interesting issues for discussion. Though the book seems very unrealistic in places, Welcome is a very likable character, and that helps to save the book (in part) from its other problems.

[Kristin Hermanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story, had some sad parts and a different ending than I thought, but was good

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a sixteen year old girl named Welcome growing up in the fifties. Her sister moves to California in search of James Dean but shortly returns after he dies. Shortly after, Welcome falls for a boy a couple years older than her and finds herself in the tough predicament of being pregnant. It's an interesting read because of some different perspectives the characters since it takes place in the fifties. A book like this today would probably be written very differently. A lot of the same emotions are still there or course so it is still relatable. This book would appeal more to girls, probably thirteen to sixteen years of age. The characters are believable for the time-frame they are in but not as much for today's standards. I think I would have some trouble promoting this book but could try promoting it more to teen moms.

Voya Ratings-3Q, 2P J, S

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, the only thing I can figure about the title is that it was the 1950s and everyone thought that everyone had to be perfect. There was not really enough detail about the parents' relationship to gather if they were happy or not. The sister leaving to CA is hardly a terrible thing. Possibly that she didn't tell her parents caused the most trouble. The only thing that happened that wasn't perfect is teenage pregnancy. But she got pregnant with they guy her parents liked and not the guy that they didn't like. So that is just stupid.

The only thing nice about this book was the ending. It was fitting that Welcome did what her first love told her she couldn't do: become a doctor. It was nice that she didn't give up her dream or listen to any stupid people about her child.

[Damera Blincoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a very great interpretation of life in the fifties and of how young ladies were shipped out to "attend school" or "visit relatives" in another state to avoid getting the stink eye from their neighbors. I don't feel that this book is appropriate for young teens however. I loved the main character, Welcome, and I applaud her for making her own decision. This was a really good book.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book, but it was totally not what I was expecting when I bought it. I don't really know what I was expecting, but the story I read was so different. Overall, it was a wonderful story - it made me cry at times and others I was just overcome with joy. I would definitely recommend it!

[Wendopolis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seemed odd to read a book set in the 1950's written in 2000. I didn't get the significance or even what the messag was. It was interesting to see how things were during that time, but other than that, rather weak and boring. I can't see many teens liking this book.

[Mrs. Cowser · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engrossing story about a 15-year-old girl, Welcome O'Neal. It's set in the 1950's and it deals with how she deals with an unexpected pregnancy. There were surprises and parts that made me sad. Overall, it was a good read.

[Eddie Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

'Twas just OK, had many events, but gave less conflict.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

About a young girl who gets pregnant and is shipped off to relatives to avoid scandal.

[Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book a lot but I wonder if it might be too subtle for YA.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt that the book had one focus for the first part then the second half had a different focus.

[Cheyenne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it

[Melenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read.

[Sierra W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Easy read.