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Jukebox
Debutantes in love. With each other.
Grace Dunlop is the eleven-year-old girl with everything, including a trust fund. Transplanted from London to the United States, her life is forever changed when she meets the precocious and irreverent Harper Alessi.
Attending black tie balls and fielding boyfriends, the two girls develop an unusually close friendship that endures into college. Finally presented as debutantes by their proud parents, they hope for an end to the close hold their family has on them. It’s 1984, after all, and they have choices, don’t they? Maybe that’s why all the songs on the jukebox suddenly suggest a dangerous passion they haven’t been able to express.
Gina Daggett is best known as “Lipstick” of the columnist duo Lipstick & Dipstick, and as an award-winning writer and successful blogger. Jukebox is her first novel, and is in pre-production for a feature film.
Grace Dunlop is the eleven-year-old girl with everything, including a trust fund. Transplanted from London to the United States, her life is forever changed when she meets the precocious and irreverent Harper Alessi.
Attending black tie balls and fielding boyfriends, the two girls develop an unusually close friendship that endures into college. Finally presented as debutantes by their proud parents, they hope for an end to the close hold their family has on them. It’s 1984, after all, and they have choices, don’t they? Maybe that’s why all the songs on the jukebox suddenly suggest a dangerous passion they haven’t been able to express.
Gina Daggett is best known as “Lipstick” of the columnist duo Lipstick & Dipstick, and as an award-winning writer and successful blogger. Jukebox is her first novel, and is in pre-production for a feature film.
Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 26, 2019
Not sure what happened to the Author but if she has any more in her as good as this I wish she would share.
July 12, 2017
This is a story set over a number of decades, beginning with the main characters, Harper and Grace, who first meet in grade school and ending when they are in their 30s. Both are from wealthy families in Scottsdale, Arizona. On a trip to Europe one summer during college, they finally consummate their intense relationship but it remains a hidden secret for years until Harper comes to terms with her identity, causing Grace to sever their relationship. They remain apart for 12 years before they meet again and the realities of their new lives raise many complications.
This book and the characters grabbed me. I wanted to spend all my time reading it. That's always a sure sign for me of a high rating. I'd say this book was a 4.5 with the half-star subtracted because the span of years that the book covers means there was a lot of telling and not showing at times, especially during their younger years.
Because most of the book is told from Harper's POV, we are closer to the intensity of her feelings, especially the painful ones which are well described. Grace's situation is revealed to us piece by piece in the last 1/3 of the book.
This book and the characters grabbed me. I wanted to spend all my time reading it. That's always a sure sign for me of a high rating. I'd say this book was a 4.5 with the half-star subtracted because the span of years that the book covers means there was a lot of telling and not showing at times, especially during their younger years.
Because most of the book is told from Harper's POV, we are closer to the intensity of her feelings, especially the painful ones which are well described. Grace's situation is revealed to us piece by piece in the last 1/3 of the book.
December 3, 2020
I devoured this book in one day because I can't seem to put it down no matter how many times I was frustrated at certain parts. I honestly love bffs to angsty to lovers trope and this one didn't disappoint me at all. So here I present you the short bullet points I hastily type on my notes while reading this book:
-Grace and Harper are now besties. I love this song!!
-Grace; conservative family, British, competitive, beautiful
-Harper; liberal family, more laidback, cultured, Italian
-I canT DO THIS THE YEARNING HELLO??? THE ONE IN THE BATHROOM
-the way my heart shattered into a million pieces at the roasting marshmallows part
-How many times must I cry and punch the air bcs I'm so pissed
-So unfair of her to come back TT but i love it still
-Emotional drama
-I always love a happy ending but the ending was a bit rush I'd say
-Grace and Harper are now besties. I love this song!!
-Grace; conservative family, British, competitive, beautiful
-Harper; liberal family, more laidback, cultured, Italian
-I canT DO THIS THE YEARNING HELLO??? THE ONE IN THE BATHROOM
-the way my heart shattered into a million pieces at the roasting marshmallows part
-How many times must I cry and punch the air bcs I'm so pissed
-So unfair of her to come back TT but i love it still
-Emotional drama
-I always love a happy ending but the ending was a bit rush I'd say
March 11, 2020
I’m not sure what to write. It was a bit much for me. The main characters were really frustrating. I can’t stand when someone just keeps coming back for more of the same BUT Harper make me root for them. Every time I closed the app and threw away the phone, I came back because I wanted to know their ending.
That said, I hated how the Alex situation resolved. It felt rushed. Like the author didn’t knew what to do about it, but it has to be there, so it was just a filler.
I wanted to hit Grace at least the same amount of times I wanted to hit Jaime.
It was interesting. It felt really long. Make me come back for more of their story. So I recommend it. Go and read it.
That said, I hated how the Alex situation resolved. It felt rushed. Like the author didn’t knew what to do about it, but it has to be there, so it was just a filler.
I wanted to hit Grace at least the same amount of times I wanted to hit Jaime.
It was interesting. It felt really long. Make me come back for more of their story. So I recommend it. Go and read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2019
I'd have to agree with another commentator that this author needs to publish more. This was an appreciated read from
A to Z. There were times I spilled hot tea on myself because the story took me to the edge of anticipation....
The ending may not have been the best because somehow it was expected regardless of how the author built up the suspense but it was an ending that I believe for most readers of this book would have wanted
A to Z. There were times I spilled hot tea on myself because the story took me to the edge of anticipation....
The ending may not have been the best because somehow it was expected regardless of how the author built up the suspense but it was an ending that I believe for most readers of this book would have wanted
May 23, 2019
3,5 stars. There were moments, emotional moments that the book almost was a more than 5 stars. But there were also a lot of boring or dissapointing pieces that were 3 stars. So that’s why 4 stars. But it could have been so much better!!
March 9, 2021
4.5*
you cannot convince me that this isn't hannahbaker but set in the 80s. I LOVED IT SO MUCH AHHHH
you cannot convince me that this isn't hannahbaker but set in the 80s. I LOVED IT SO MUCH AHHHH
December 11, 2021
Best friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes because of the yearning and angst that comes with loving your best friend. It was good, but by the end I was actually rooting for MC to just move on with her life and leave the hurt behind. Also the MC and the LI are debutantes in a very white town, so it was really WASPy.
TW for homophobia and internalized homophobia
TW for homophobia and internalized homophobia
September 30, 2022
I have stopped counting how many times I have read this book, it has everything I love; angst, best friends to lovers, chemistry. However, I disliked Grace at times and thought the ending was rushed . It's like the author decided to end it abruptly. The story deserved a longer, more detailed ending and an epilogue.
December 21, 2018
A lot of angst but well worth it
July 30, 2021
3.75
very painfully white plus the ending was rushed but overall i got the bestfriends to lovers angst that i wanted :]] and the love letters were so good too heheh
very painfully white plus the ending was rushed but overall i got the bestfriends to lovers angst that i wanted :]] and the love letters were so good too heheh
February 12, 2022
I'd give it a 2.5 if I could.
November 15, 2020
Plenty of heartache reading this book. I have read several books with similar themes before so I know roughly how the story would flow. Nonetheless, the story is captivating and really drew me in from the beginning to the end. The romance wasn't hurried. It was sweet, sexual, young and fun love, until it was just sad.
Part of me felt that Harper deserved to be happier with someone else. At first it felt like the young Grace was battling with insecurities about her sexuality. But after 12 years, it became clear that her reluctance to choose Harper was because of money. And why of all people, Jamie when she could have picked someone better or nicer. Felt to me like a double slap in the face.
Would have been nice if the author had shown us how life together would have been instead of ending it there. Or a Book 2 perhaps?
Part of me felt that Harper deserved to be happier with someone else. At first it felt like the young Grace was battling with insecurities about her sexuality. But after 12 years, it became clear that her reluctance to choose Harper was because of money. And why of all people, Jamie when she could have picked someone better or nicer. Felt to me like a double slap in the face.
Would have been nice if the author had shown us how life together would have been instead of ending it there. Or a Book 2 perhaps?
March 7, 2015
I'm not sure about all the five star reviews, after reading them and then the acknowledgments page(s) for this book I was expecting an awesome read, but didn't get one. One of the characters is actually pretty weak/unlikable and by the end of the book I couldn't figure out why the other character even still wanted to be with her. It's an ok read, but if they do make the movie I think I'll skip it.
February 25, 2012
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
See my review here: http://reviews.c-spot.net/archives/3749
See my review here: http://reviews.c-spot.net/archives/3749
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August 15, 2011Need Jukebox on ebooks!!
January 15, 2013
Very nice story.
April 5, 2022
Still one of my favorite books, despite how frustrating the bits at the end get. I still wish this would be released on audio, and I wish the author would write more.
April 18, 2016
Partly the story of my life :(
June 9, 2025
Not a fan— sadly
June 28, 2011
I DNF'd this book.
March 6, 2015
I love this story. This is my go to book, always. I have probably read it 10 times.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews