Jackie & Me by Louis Bayard

 

This is the story of Jackie Bouvier and Jack Kennedy's courtship as related through the eyes of Jack's best friend, Lem.  Jack and Lem went to boarding school together and formed a lifelong friendship; Lem being more or less adopted by the entire Kennedy clan.  Jackie was working as an on the street photographer and columnist.  Jack was known for his war record and as an up and coming politician.

Jackie and Jack met at the start of his Senate campaign.  Knowing that his time would be totally consumed by that, Jack asks Lem to be Jackie's friend so that she didn't drift away and meet someone else.  Lem was glad to do that as he and Jackie had hit it off immediately.  They went to museums, discussed books, and Lem interpreted Jack and his mixed signals to Jackie.  Jack even had Lem explain how a marriage to him would be; he expected to retain his ability to see other women as he wanted.  Jack was basically marrying because his father thought it was necessary to do so in order to be electable.  Jackie was marrying for love and because it was the next thing in life a woman did.  It was a tragedy waiting to happen.

This is such a charming book.  Readers will fall in love with Lem and find it totally believable that he won the heart of both Jackie and all the Kennedy clan.  Lem is loyal and delightful, always willing to step in and do what is needed.  Jackie is shown as such an interesting woman, full of plans for her future but caught in a love that didn't show much sign of being one that would nurture her.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction and anyone who needs a book to warm their heart.