Customer Reviews

RV There Yet?: A Women of Faith Fiction Novel

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ever wondered what the appeal of those recreational vehicles is as you pass them lumbering along the highway? You'll be tempted to hit the road in one after reading Diann Hunt's RV THERE YET?, a fun road trip featuring three menopausal women with men troubles, a penchant for chocolate, and a burning desire to save their old childhood church camp from closing down.

DeDe, Millie Carter, and Lydia Brady are all alumni of Aspen Creek Bible Camp in Colorado, where memories and friendships were forged that continue to stay with them in midlife, more than three decades later. They embark on a whacky road trip from Maine to the west with a blue and white parakeet named Cobbler in a 15-year-old RV called Waldo. But can three women survive togetherness in close quarters?

All three have men troubles, a staple in chick-lit, although Hunt gives it a midlife spin. Lydia is still grieving the death of her husband just months ago, while Millie is harboring bitterness over her ex. DeDe's phone keeps ringing, and caller ID tells her it's Rob Grant, "the-love-of-my-life-turned-traitor" who she's just found out some new information about, which sours her on the relationship. "The voice that once made my heart flutter when he called me Precious, now makes me think of Gollum on Lord of the Rings, and that's just creepy," she shudders. As they stop at various campgrounds on the way to Colorado, DeDe swears she keeps glimpsing Rob. Could he be stalking her? And does she need to let him tell his side of the story? Back home, there's more trouble: a new chocolate shop has opened, run by a svelte younger woman! How can DeDe's shop, La Diva Chocolates, compete?

As she did in HOT FLASHES AND COLD CREAM, Hunt keeps things light and the patter between the women humorous and sometimes a bit over-the-top. There's a lot of forced chocolate trivia interjected at odd points ("Why, did you know that the Aztecs and Mayans were the first to discover the value of the cocoa plant?") and perhaps too much arguing to feel authentic. Sometimes the dialogue is nonstop and there are a few clichés (about her dead mother, Lydia solemnly intones, "My loss is Heaven's gain.") There are also a few disconnects, as when a man with salt and pepper hair is described a few paragraphs later as barely looking old enough to drive.

But these are small problems in a fun story. As in her previous novel, Hunt knows midlife women and their particular angst. When the three women reach Aspen Bible Camp and are reunited with some of the men from their past, get ready for romance to ignite. Hunt does a good job depicting the funny things that happen when you meet up with friends you haven't seen for three decades --- and don't recognize! And amid the beautiful landscape of the Rocky Mountains, DeDe comes to grips with the fact that her faith of late has not been all it should be. As DeDe reflects, "If I've learned anything on this trip it's that every day is a journey. And one thing I know for sure, the journey is easier when traveling with friends --- well, most of the time." If you're looking for a fun, lightweight summer read, you'll enjoy RV THERE YET?

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. WE ARE READING IT AS A SELECTION FOR OUR WIDOWS BOOKCLUB.

It's a bit of a chick-flick on literary wheels, but fun to ride along with the ladies on this trip. Maybe only 4 stars for average male camper, but boy oh boy could I relate as a man to many of the ordeals through the trip. Maybe it's easier to laugh when it's women doing the driving. This is not your average rv trip--or is it?

3 set out together to save a Christian Youth Camp. The struggles of close confines and an rv that has aged less gracefully than the gals, creates some interesting, and tense, and always humorous moments. The dialogue is great. So who are the 3? They are Florida, Maine, and Indiana. They are widow, divorcee, and dumped upon. They are mother, librarian, and a female 'Charlie the Chocolate Factory'. And all three are presently determined to avoid men, so be prepared for some romance.

Romance consists of racing, hog-riding, bikers; cop stops; campground roadies; and Dede who re-meets Steve Knight (as in Knight in shining muscles & armor who prays over a supper of dog & chips) while receiving daily cell phone tags from Rob.

There is much more humor 93% over the romance 7% so it's safe for guys who like to read about rv road trips with problems. Hey, the ladies even came up with duct tape as a remedy for more than one rv ailment. These gals are worth getting to know for 309 pages.

There's a nice set of study questions for reading groups that the guys will likely duct tape over. Female readers might linger more with the book as a group topic, because truth be known, the book is all about rekindled faith, and second chances, and facing life after 50.

And guys, be thankful that our hot flashes only come from too much gasoline being used to light our campfire. So guys; duct tape over the Women of Faith logo on the cover and consider it just a humorous camping book for women or men. It's worth the read.

Laughed and smiled the entire trip. Using this for our book club discussion this month.. all ladies should be able to relate to it.

Having been a RV enjoying person, I fell into the plot quickly. I enjoyed the different backgrounds of the ladies traveling together and their insights as they rolled along.

When 3 "over-50" women decide to spend a couple of weeks on the road in a metal tube with waning estrogen levels, a trumpet, and a yen for chocolate, you know you are in for a good time. No disappointment here: Diann Hunt weaves a witty tale full of friendship, romance, and fun. I have just begun another of her books, "Hot Tropics and Cold Feet." Excuse me while I get back to it.....

Get ready to join a cross-country tank of laughs in Diann Hunt's novel, RV There Yet? What plot could offer more fun? Three middle-aged women crammed together in an old Winnebago for two weeks of non-stop adventure. Diann Hunt's playful narrative is a hoot.

Millie, Lydia, and DeDe have been friends since childhood; they met at Christian youth camp. Through the years, they've kept in touch, and now in mid-life discover it's time to reconnect. Coinciding with DeDe's 50th birthday, the three women journey back in time to help restore the camp, which is in desperate need of help to stay open.

As they roadtrip by RV, they encounter hilarious obstacles, always managing to wrangle a way out. Their adventures unfold through the eyes of DeDe, a successful businesswoman who sells gourmet chocolates and stays in shape through dedication to pilates. Never married, she wonders if she'll ever meet her Prince Charming.

Lydia and Millie also find themselves alone again, carrying baggage from former marriages. Is it too late in mid-life to start over? The plot thickens as old flames from their youth also show up for the camp alumni reunion.

Reading this made me want to hop in an RV and travel around the country, eating S'mores and swapping stories with fellow campers. The novel does more than entertain. We see how the word of Christ dwells richly in these oh-so-real women, as eternal hope continues to transform and renew life, love, and friendship. --Heather Ivester, Christian Book Previews.com

Hilarious doesn't begin to describe this Baby-Boomer's rollicking road adventure. The many zany situations the characters get into will give you a sense of déjà vu. With a terrific storyline, delightful characters--each one different in personality, and a writing style that left me breathless from laughing, Diann Hunt has a hit on her hands. This will sit at the top of Novel Reviews 2006 list of most recommended books.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
[...]

My goodness I think I need new wrinkle cream...my laugh lines are deeper after reading this one! I cant wait to share it with my friends... Diann Hunt lifts your spirits with every word she writes!

Dede is the owner of a chocolate store, who decides (against her better judgment) to go on a road trip with her two friends Millie and Lydia. The trio are hopping aboard an RV named Walter as they go cross country to a camp reunion. Of course the trip doesn't go as perfect as they had originally planned. The roof gets a leak, Dede can't stand the air condition that Millie and Lydia need for their hot flashes, Lydia's Andy Griffith-loving canary almost dies, and the police keep pulling them over for either speeding or being too slow! Each woman also has secrets she doesn't want the others to know, whether it be a married guy who won't leave Dede alone, Lydia's problems with her sons, or Millie being afraid of being replaced at her job. When the trio finally get to camp, they are reunited with old friends and try to get the camp ready to be reopened.

This was a really fun book. I enjoyed reading about the road trip. The three women all have different personalities that fit well with each other. It was fun to read about how Dede would try to irk Millie about herover cleanliness . Learning about the history of chocolate and hearing all the descriptions of truffles really made me hungry. I had to sneak some fudge while reading this book. My favorite part was when the women discovered that the scary biker guys that kept following them were really on of their old camp sweethearts. Looks can be deceiving! I also found it hilarious that Millie's trumpet playing sounded like a mating call. I felt that Dede's situation was very realistic as a lot of women have been caught in that situation. I'm glad she did what she did at the end. I've never been in an RV but they sound like a really fun way to take a road trip. I think however I'd choose one of the luxury RVs over Walter though. This book is recommended for anyone who enjoys chocolate, traveling, and spending good times with friends