As the subtitle to this humorous, thoughtful, and daring memoir indicates, "Starcrossed" is the story of three Jewish American Princesses (JAPs) who wanted to be Catholic in the early 1960s. A unique coming-of-age tale about growing up in a tumultuous time, it carries readers into the lives of three Jewish teenage girls who are spellbound when they find heaven-in a Catholic church.

Enticed by the blonde locks; small, turned-up nose; and smooth dance moves of a Catholic boy in their neighborhood, Gail, Carolee, and Marilyn defy convention and cross a line that their parents had clearly...