"In the Cone family, there was no such thing as containment. Feelings were splattered around the household with the intensity of a spraying fire hose." Despite the bold publisher blurb, it's not “Almost Famous” meets "Daisy Jones and the Six." But they got the next bit right when they call it's a “funny, wise, and tender novel about a fourteen-year-old girl’s coming of age in 1970s Baltimore.” It's actually funny. I laughed quite a bit and smiled often. Even though it is a YA novel, 14-year-old protagonist Mary Jane deals with a lot of mature themes. It's a literary trip back to the 1970s. Avocado-colored appliances, macrame, and President Ford references abound. The novel is character driven, a slice-of-life story where the enjoyment comes from the characters and their experiences together. At the same time, the book is an exploration of class, race, lifestyle and gender stereotypes from the era. In one summer, Mary Jane leaves her sheltered and conservative home when she nannies for a free-spirited family that opens her eyes to many things. Reading Mary Jane was just a delight. Great storytelling and characters that I'm going to miss.