Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and The Heir to Chatsworth. Paula Byrne. HarperCollins, 2016. Adult Nonfiction. (July, 2016 publication).Although Kathleen Kennedy was born the second daughter and fourth child of Rose and Joe Kennedy, she acted as the older sister to the other siblings and as the equal to Joe, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. Because of older sister Rosemary's disabilities, Kick's vivid personality and lively spirit especially stood out. (Read Kate Clifford Larson's Rosemary, the Hidden Kennedy Daughter for that story.) In this well researched tale, Byrne tells how Kathleen fell in love with Cavendish while her father was ambassador to England and later returned to live there. Her short marriage to Billy Cavendish was controversial because he was Protestant and she was Catholic. A young woman with Kick's faith did not take lightly never being welcome at communion or confession again. Tragically, both her brother, Joe, Jr. and her husband were killed during WWII. Kathleen found love again, but, alas, with a married man. Both were killed in a plane crash. Many readers already know these facts, but the way that Byrne weaves the facts with accounts from people, letters, and other documents makes this an interesting history of both Kick and the Kennedy family. Byrne mentions the book is dedicated to her own sons and to her grandfather, Robert Kennedy.
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