Dear John by Norma Betz is a charming tale of a women's search into her family's past. The characters are real, and some actual U.S. history gives the story dimension. Anyone who has a dog will fall in love with the character of Quincy. This is a good read for tweens, teens and adults, especially women or history buffs.

"Dear John" is a work of fiction that incorporates true historical elements. Dr. Betz, the author, has written a fantastic story that involves mystery and danger. Susanna Smith is a descendant of Abigail Smith Adams who was married to our second president John Quincy Adams. When Susanna discovers that she has inherited her aunt's estate, she travels from New Jersey to Massachusetts with her beloved dog Quincy. Initially, she decides to go to clean up loose ends and put the house on the market. This house has been in her family for over 200 years, but her career and home are in New Jersey.
Once Susanna arrives in Massachusetts, the adventure begins. She discovers that her aunt's lawyer was once her aunt's sweetheart. She also meets his son and finds herself drawn to him. He is a real estate agent. He recommends a friend of his from college to assess the valuables in the house in case she decides to send the contents to auction. There are many items that have great value. One such item is a silver tea set that was made by Paul Revere. Another valuable item is a box containing a set of letters written by Abigail Adams to her beloved husband John, while he was president during the Revolutionary War.
It doesn't take to long for Susanna to realize that these letters are being sought by a dangerous man. As she is dealing with this adventure, she reads the letters and learns what life was like for the First Lady. She had to deal with living in war times with her husband far away from her. She had to deal with the issues caused by war, treachery, and death. She was definitely a courageous woman, especially for her times. As Susana gets to know Abigail through her letters, she feels drawn to her ancestery, which makes her miss her family even more. There is definitely a valuable message here, in that we are reminded the importance of not taking family members for granted, because we never know how long we will have them. Susana also as to learn who she can trust as an enemy gets closer.
"Dear John" really tells a wonderful story. I loved it that I was able to learn about a period in history, while reading a story that I totally enjoyed. Both Susanna and Abigail Adams are women that are ahead of their times. Abigail had to run things while her husband was away. Susanna is a woman that has a successful career with a great deal of responsibilities. Being a dog lover, I loved her relationship with Quincy. He definitely adds to the story. I highly recommend this novel. It would be a great choice for a reader's groups. Fans of history will really appreciate it because it is heavily referenced and there are resources listed for investigating the actual historical events. Don't miss out on this one!