Innocence Derailed by Jane Catherine Rozek

Young love and history mingle together in Innocence Derailed by Jane Catherine Rozek. Kate is a freshman in high school when she meets Mark, a junior, at a football game, and they fall for each other instantly. The two grow up together in the 1960s and 1970s, a turbulent backdrop to their tender romance, with the Vietnam war raging on and American culture seemingly changing by the minute, when young love has its own joys and sorrows. The book’s basis on a true story gives the narrative a true feeling of authenticity, unfolding like a rich work of fiction, rather than an embellished memoir. Rozek’s deft crafting of characters’ emotions and dialogue brings the era to life, while the historical setting gives the story an enduring sense of tension for the characters, which can be felt equally by readers.