Rosie has a plan. She and her boyfriend Jack have been separated and it’s killing her. Sure Jack has anger management issues and her Dad has forbidden her to ever see him again – but none of that matters. She just has to be with Jack.

With her friend’s help, Rosie puts together her plan. Travel details, clothing, snacks and money packed, she is ready to go. She says goodbye to her family as normal in the morning, but heads to the train station instead of school. It will be hours before they know she’s gone and she will be with Jack by then. The final part of the plan is to text them to say she is okay.

Rosie is 16, determined, and in-de-pen-dent, just like her grandmother and parents have raised her. So what if she has Down Syndrome? The Downs isn’t Rose. Rose is Rose. She needs Jack to make her strong and happy and here, just like Jack needs her to help keep him calm, and stop his angry.

The plan is a good one, until things out of her control begin to push it out of shape. What keeps her going is the very real  fear that if she doesn’t get to Jack this time, she will never see him again.

A story of all encompassing love, human nature (both good and bad), courage and independence, Rosie Loves Jack is gorgeous.

Rosie is such a loveable character, and as she constantly dipped into the love and support she had received as she’d grown up eg. what she’d been taught about what was right and wrong, then stating it without reservation to those around her, I felt like I’d known her for years, not just 324 pages.

She was strong, brave, and determined to prove she could and should be treated with the same respect and kindness those without learning difficulties often take for granted.

Author – Mel Darbon

Age – 12+

(2019, Harper Collins, Love, Romance, Family, Identity, Courage, Homeless, Kindness, Determination, Journey, Learning Difficulties, Downs Syndrome, Anger Issues, Anger Management)