Eighteen-year-old Jill moves to the urban sprawl of Houston, Texas looking for big city excitement and adventure, but one mistake dominos into another and fate finds this small town girl struggling to salvage her dignity. Married, divorced, and toting a toddler on her hip before she turned twenty-two, 1969 finds Jill taking on the alias "Cherie" and taking up waitressing in a place that lacked endorsement of religious organizations. Infused with authentic, messy people who live life out loud, this three decade long emotional journey uses humor as a crutch for those dealing with heartache, healing and restoration. *Contains expletives and adult situations. .From Kirkus ReviewsIn this debut novel, a Texas woman reminisces about her past loves. In 2003, an old friend drops by while Cherie, the owner of an antiques shop in Galveston, Texas, waits for a delivery. When the mahogany bar from the Jewel Box finally arrives at the shop, it triggers an extended flashback that consumes the bulk of the narrative. Liberal use of references to current events and pop culture keeps the book firmly tethered to the time period, and most secondary characters, particularly Cherie’s daughter and Gabe’s mother, feel fully developed.  Although scenes at the club are usually vivid, later pages contain some delightful gems: “I loved doing his laundry and folded his socks and underwear as though they were the shroud of Turin.” The story contains some crude language but, given its early topless-club setting, surprisingly few extended sex scenes. Nonetheless, the neatly done happily-ever-after ending should satisfy romance readers. Melodramatic romance that rewards readers in for the long haul. About the AuthorMichelle McCarty is a native Texan (with big Texas hair to prove it) whose unspoiled ten-year old twin granddaughters rule her life.