Song of the Road [Mass Market Paperback]

Dorothy Garlock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2004

The voice of America's heartland delivers the final book in her moving Route 66 Depression-era trilogy. Widowed, pregnant, and penniless, Marilee returns home to Cross Roads, New Mexico, determined to make a better life for herself and her baby.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Pregnant, spunky Mary Lee Clawson returns to Cross Roads, N.Mex., and the motor court her beloved late father built on Route 66 in this engaging Depression-era romance, Garlock's third to feature the legendary highway. All is not right at the motor court: Mary Lee's alcoholic mother is surrounded by trashy friends and has let the motel fall into disrepair; she also resents Mary Lee's return, especially after she learns her daughter owns the motor court. Thankfully, a disarming, green-eyed man Mary Lee met on the bus turns up to help, revealing that he is former jailbird Jake Ramero, back in town to clear his name. Falling for Mary Lee is the last thing Jake planned, but he soon finds himself protecting her from the demands of her dead husband's father, Ocie Clawson, who wants to move her and the baby onto the big ranch, and Ocie's jealous right-hand man, Lon. The bad guys get theirs, the good win out and one plot twist comes as a pleasant and unexpected surprise. Marred only by out-of-place sex scenes late in the book and one out-of-character incident for Mary Lee, this sweet romance is a treat, buoyed by strong characters and Garlock's old-fashioned, no-nonsense storytelling.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

It's 1935 and Mary Lee Clawson, widowed and pregnant, returns to the motor court her late father built in Cross Roads, New Mexico. The complex has become trashy, and Dolly, her drunken mother, doesn't even notice that she is home until Mary Lee starts cleaning up the place. In residence are ex-convict Jake, who seems strangely familiar to Mary Lee; Frank, who is bad news all around; and Mary Lee's guest, a hardworking and loyal 13-year-old hobo named Eli. Jake; Eli; Mary Lee's stocky friend, Trudy; and Deke, the diminutive, kindhearted jokester from Mother Road [BKL Jl 03], try to help her make a go of it, but Frank is murdered, and someone wants to prevent Mary Lee from giving birth to the only descendent of wealthy landowner Ocie Clawson. Meanwhile, Mary Lee finds herself falling in love with Jake. Garlock enacts a deus ex machina ending that seems unnecessary, but does tie everything up for that all-important happily-ever-after ending. Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (December 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446611700
• ISBN-13: 978-0446611701
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 1.2 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #735,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

National bestselling and award-winning author of thirty-five romances that often feature the exciting backdrop of the Old West, Dorothy Garlock is one of America's-and the world's-favorite novelists. Her books, all enthusiastically reviewed, now total more than eight million copies in print with translations in 15 languages. She lives in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good romance set during the Depression, May 9, 2005

By 

Nancy R. Katz "NancyK18" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Song of the Road (Route 66 3) (Paperback)

For some time now I have seen Dorothy Garlock's romance books with pretty covers of American scenes at the library and bookstores. But for some reason I didn't pick any of them up until I recently saw the audiotape. While I began by listening to the audio, I did finish by reading over half the book and enjoyed both experiences.

Route 66 is a rather new highway which winds around the country and the year is 1935. The United States is gripped by the Depression and thousands from Oklahoma and other cities effected by the Dust Bowl are on the road seeking a better life in California. But for one woman pregnant and a widow, Route 66 takes her back to her home near Santa Fe, New Mexico and the motor court her father owned. Now Mary Lee's father is gone and her mother an alcoholic has allowed gentlemen callers to rent cabins and takes the rent money and buys liquor instead of fixing up the cabins. But Mary Lee realizes this may be the only way she can earn some money and take care of her child who will be born in a few months. Complicating her life are her mothers friends and her deceased husband's father who wants to raise the child.

Although this was a rather predictable romance, it did intrigue me and while the ending was obvious it was a good journey till I reached the last page. Dorothy Garlock is well known for writing Americana romances and slices of American life, primarily during the 30's and 40's. This was a good read with endearing characters and I do look forward to reading more books by her in the future.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars POWERFUL!!!!!! POWERFUL!!!!, September 28, 2004

By 

Brenda Parker Brandy (LAFAYETTE, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Song of the Road (Route 66 3) (Paperback)

Dorothy knows how to keep a reader on her seat. I have read all of her books and I love how she sets the people, plots and era's. She makes you feel like you are there in the time. I love how she brings in people from her other books into the current book. It is good to know what happend to them. The ending of this book was a real surprise. It sure made everything that happend to Jake make since. My only regret is that the 3 books ended. I hope they will start to put Dorothy's books on CD's/MP's so we can listen over and over. I can not wait for the next series.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book, June 6, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Song of the Road (Route 66 3) (Paperback)

It has been years since I read romance fiction. I came across Dorothy Garlocks 3 novels that take place along route 66in the depression era. I think they are wonderful books. I just finished the 3rd one"Song of the Road" and could hardly put it down.Now I am buying more of Ms.Garlocks books and hope they are all as good as this one.