Jill Schaefer, born and raised in London, England, four years before the outbreak of World War II in Europe.

Review by Valerie Milano

Los Angeles, CA (Hollywood Today) 1/16/13

Self published author Jill Schaefer’s second book, “Coming of Age in
California -English Style-” is a lighthearted account of the author’s
true story of herself, Jewell, a naive English teen, fresh from home
and convent school, venturing forth with her school friend Margaret to
the California of the 1950s. The female duo travel from Southampton,
England on the Queen Mary to New York City then cross-country by
Greyhound bus via Route 66 to a welcome in Pasadena.  The two girls
first visit California’s small town of Bakersfield where they
experience a quick and eye opening stay with relatives.  Finally the
adventurous pair are in the heat and happenings of  Hollywood for
their first US jobs and their first apartment. Late night mysterious
random calls connects them with a call-girl ring which interrupts
their life.

In the meantime, the girls are growing tired of the dating scene with
soldiers from the USO dances so they vow never to date any more
military men. The journey continues to Long Beach to another aunt only
to discover it is a Naval base! Margaret and Jewel catch on quick to
the coastal life by sharing a beach cliff apartment with two other
English girls and Jewell lands a job with the Miss Universe Pageant at
the Long Beach Auditorium. The fresh air by the sea invigorates a new
life style which big changes for the long time school chums. Along the
way they encounter climate, communication, customs, and cultural
challenges plus a disintegrating friendship while growing up and
discovering new relationships.

Jewell finally leaves Southern California for San Francisco, city of
sophistication and singles bars. Yet like any wayward Brit or
immigrant, the ties to home beckon. The book’s 374 pages is divided up
into 35 quick chapters with a prologue and epilogue plus 14 small
black and white photo of the author during her visit. I loved reading
this book and I took my time over a week to enjoy it as it was a great
escape from reality for a time gone by. I really could see this book
adapted into a movie. It is a British light version of Thelma and
Louise involving the Tip Top club, parties, pubs and being foreign
while speaking English. The subplot to the story is that it is being
read by the author’s daughter at the same time you are reading it! A
bit surreal, it is like reading your cousin’s diary!

As Jill puts it, “While a peep into the past for modern ChicLit
readers, Mother Hens will brood over the adventurous chicks as if
their own and ‘others’ (per Jill -’old Biddies’) ‘ will find
themselves cackling and clucking over the escapades in a bygone era
when they, too, were young and coming of age.”

The author Jill Schaefer  was featured in this column earlier this
year with her other book, ‘Up The Wooden Hill’ which is her WWII
memoir of the London Blitz and her German husband’s memories of Nazi
Germany. Jill has lived on the California West Coast for the past
thirty-five years, fifteen years in Santa Barbara and Goleta plus
twenty in Lompoc.  She, her late husband and three sons emigrated from
England and Germany in 1974.

Check out her website at http://home.earthlink.net/-schaefer234  and Amazon.com

Special Research on this piece by Lorraine Chambers