This Lullaby

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**Title** **This Lullaby**
Author	Sarah Dessen
Country	United States of America
Language	English
Genre(s)	Young adult, Romance
Publisher
Released

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

This Lullaby is a fictional book first published in 2002 by Viking, a division of Penguin Books for Young Readers.
Written by Sarah Dessen under the category of Chick lit, the story is of an eighteen year old girl, Remy, who has a cynical view on love due to her mother’s four unsuccessful marriages (and the upcoming one with a car salesman by the name of Don). Her father, hailed as a "one-hit wonder", left before she was born and wrote the song "This Lullaby" as his tribute after hearing of her birth. Her mother’s failure in relationships has familiarized her with what happens when a relationship gets serious, and Remy dares not to let herself become serious about a boy because she has seen what it has done. Consequentially, Remy has been in many relationships, but lasting only six weeks or less. Her romances have become mechanical, in order for her not to get hurt.

Then comes lanky, clumsy, and unpredictable Dexter, who knocks into her at the car dealership Don owns, and is carefully persistent in pursuing her until she agrees to become his girlfriend. In doing so, Remy breaks her first and foremost rule in dating: no musicians.

Despite her growing feelings for Dexter, Remy plans to break up with him at summer's end, dimissing it as a mere summer romance before she leaves for college in California. Yet she is unable to, until one night and an accidental overhearing breaks their relationship for her. Remy is left cold and unfeeling, with she and Dexter agreeing to be just friends.

Yet events unexplicably bring them back together, this time with Remy closing the distance, and healing her own heart.

This Lullaby is Sarah Dessen's fifth novel.

1 This Lullaby Lyrics
2 Characters
3 Trivia
4 Awards
5 External links

[edit] This Lullaby Lyrics

This lullaby is only a few words
A simple run of chords
Quiet here in this spare room
But you can hear it, hear it
Wherever you may go
I will let you down
But this lullaby plays on...

Note: In Truth Squad's version of the song (on their CD) the words in the second to last line are changed from "I will let you down" to "Even if I let you down"

[edit] Characters

Remy Starr - Remy is the heroine of This Lullaby, and unlike Dessen's other characters, she is cool, calm, and beautiful. Blonde and typically gorgeous, she is hardworking and after seeing her mother's failed marriages, doesn't believe in love. She believes herself to have the upper hand in all of her relationships. She is also a bit obsessive about cleanliness and does not allow anyone to eat in her car.

Dexter Jones - Dexter is the lead singer of a band called Truth Squad. Gangly and sociable, he bumps (literally) into Remy at her stepfather's car dealership, claiming to have a special bond with her. It is later revealed he dropped out of college for music, "breaking his mother's heart," as Don says at the Fourth of July picnic. Despite his carefree attitude, he is both kindhearted and caring.

Barbara Starr - Barb is Remy's mother, who also happens to be a famous author. Her books are the romantic type, all about exotic locations and women who have everything yet nothing. Her latest book is "The Choice". She has been married numerous

Christopher - Chris is Remy's brother. He used to be a juvenile delinquent, before he met his girlfriend, Jennifer Anne, during his shift at Jiffy Lube. Since then, he's shaped up considerably. He breeds lizards in his room.

Jennifer Anne - Jennifer Anne is Chris's perfectionist, uptight girlfriend. She is the only one who refers to him as "Christopher." Later in the book, they become engaged. Remy often cannot tolerate Jennifer Anne.

Don - Don is Barb's fifth husband, who they met at the car dealership when Barb and Remy went to buy a new car. A lifelong bachelor, he has habits that annoy both Chris and Remy--like his decorating schemes, which often seem to have sexual or violent themes, and his pyramids of Ensure cans.

Jess - Jess is Remy's oldest friend. She is generally very emotionless, and clashes a lot with Chloe. Remy describes her as "big," but not fat.

Lissa - Lissa is Remy's friend, the "emotion" of the bunch. Unlike Chloe and Remy, she believes in true love. She plans to attend the local university to be together with her boyfriend, Adam. After Adam dumps her, she is miserable, especially after her future roommate requests that she buy furnishings so that their room will be color-coordinated.

Chloe - Chloe is one of Remy's friends. She shares Remy's skeptical views on love. Her mother is an airline stewardess, and often brings home the small airline samples of wine. Chloe doesn't understand Remy's attraction to Dexter, and is often insensitive.

John Miller -When John Miller is first introduced in This Lullaby, he is referred to as Ringo. He was given this nickname by Lola, when he came into the hairsalon to apply for a job. John Miller is the drummer of Truth Squad, and possibly the one who makes the most appearances (following Dexter, of course.) He is "madly in love" with Scarlett, one of the main characters in "Someone Like You." He is redheaded.

Ted - Ted is the guitarist for Truth Squad. Unlike the others, he's very uptight about everything and hates how Dexter and the others are carefree and make fun of his Potato Opus. He works at a grocery store where he brings home several crates of tangerines.

Lucas - Lucas is the keyboardist for Truth Squad. He has "been in several bands", including a hair metal band. He has a tendency to be an "eggbert"