Customer Reviews

Whiskey Road: A Love Story

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Pros: I love Karen Siplin's novels. She always makes me reevaluate my own perceptions of people, be it from race, culture, or background. She has a reputation for writing about interracial relationships, and I like it because I don't come across too many African American fiction authors who delve into this topic. Nowadays it's also hard to find an African American fiction author who presents a love scene without it turning into pornography without the pictures, and I respect her SO much for doing that. Readers get a flirting session of the sex scenes but not all the graphic details. The dialogue is always realistic, and her descriptions are so dead on that I feel like I might bump into one of her characters while I'm reading. I looked at every single white guy I saw on a motorcyle to see if he could be Caleb if this was a movie. Nobody looked cool enough to be this dude though. That's what I love about her male characters. They are the epitome of cool. Even the metrosexual characters seem like a woman should fall to her feet. Karen knows how to make a reader love the men in her books, and I love to love 'em!

This novel is about a Black woman who gets into a fight on a trip riding her motorcyle from L.A. to the East Coast, but along the way, she meets a black eye, a wounded ankle, and a man who makes her ponder where her real traveling expedition should be. Caleb, the man she meets, has been content in his small town with the country lifestyle he leads up until she comes around. Both start taking a hard look at their lifestyle, hometowns, and future while trying to stay out of trouble from family and friends who make their lives even more colorful. This was a fast-paced read, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Off the top of my head, Siplin is the ONLY author that I enjoy enough to reread her books, which I usually do to see if there was something I missed.

Cons: When I think of Brooklyn, I think more Jay-Z than I do the Huxtables (Cosby Show), but it seemed like Jimi was not really a city girl. Caleb kept saying she was, but she kept doing strange things like believing she can go around the country on a motorcyle without dealing with "backwoods" attitudes or having to worry about her safety. I wouldn't ride a motorcyle all over Chicago, never mind going to another state. But judging from her family owning property in different places and her It-was-mine attitude, I got the impression that she was a well-to-do city instead of an around-the-way girl the way I thought she was at the beginning. Siplin summed it up best when she said, "[Jimi] can acknowledge and regret her mistakes, but her mistakes are a product of bad choices, not from being a victim of circumstance." That is actually a good summary to understand elitism. I highlighted it in the book when I read it.

As for the Publishers Weekly review, I don't understand how the characters were deeply stereotypical. The Black woman was the one with no street smarts, riding a motorcycle, fighting men with her bare fists, and had elitist relatives while the white guy was very down to earth, a whole lotta thug, and his relatives were a colorful bunch with a brother fresh out of jail. In my opinion, Siplin went AWAY from the usual stereotypes.

Whiskey Road by Karen Siplin is a complicated love story about how opposites can attract. Also, it explores how similar people can be inside, though they are from different places. Jimi Hamilton has been one of the most sought after celebrity photographers for years. She earns well for her photos and loves the rush that comes from pursuing her subjects. She also loves the highbrow world in which she lives. However, one job causes her to reassess what she is doing and to take off for a different life. On her journey she is brought down by a violent attack that forces her to at first, pursue her attacker and then to flee from him. Her running leads her to Frenchman's Bend and into the life of Caleb Atwood.

Caleb Atwood is a local man with a small contracting firm. Caleb has spent his entire life fighting his enemies and spending time with willing female partners. He has also recently become estranged from his wife Sally, and is unsure about what he wanted from life. What he does know is he is tired of fighting, of his well-earned reputation as a bad boy, and being alone. He is not sure what he is looking for, until he runs into Jimi. Though she is battered and bruised he feels drawn to her. The fact that she is black and he is white seems to matter least of all to either of them. What does matter is that she feels she can trust him and for the first time he wants to know more about a woman than what she is like in bed.

Ms. Siplin takes us slowly into an unfolding and unlikely romance between Caleb and Jimi. There is nothing about the two that should make for something lasting or that works. It is made particularly difficult by the fact that the locals in Frenchmen's Bend do not approve of the interracial relationship, including Caleb's convict brother, Morgan. Jimi's, sophisticated and urban brother, Troy and sister-in-law, Sienna, would not be pleased if they knew. The complication of the differences is what makes the love story work. There are no simple formulas or easy ways out. It is simply a boy meets girl and boy wants girl and girl wants boy, no matter what, story that clicks. I recommend this novel to those who love interracial romance or any readers who simply enjoy romantic fiction.

Angelia Menchan
APOOO BookClub

This is my first time reading a book by this author. Other reviews tell you what this story is about, so I'll provide another perspective. What immediately struck me as odd as I began reading is that this story is told in third person omniscient, so it's more from the author's all knowing perspective of everyone's opinions, thoughts, and actions... like a transcript of her observations of the characters. While this makes the author's writing style unique, I found it a bit distracting because it felt like the author told us more about the characters, than showed us through their dialogue and actions.

Overall, the story was interesting enough to see it thorough. I was more than curious as to how it was going to end. Though the ending left me with much to be desired. We get the impression that the characters will end up together, but the ending is so casual and abrubt that it's disappointing considering all of the drama that ensues at the end of the story. I don't know if I'll read another book by this author... I had just hoped for more based on the synopsis on the back of the story.

WHISKEY ROAD is a perfect example of a book I might never have run across were it not for an unexpectedly fortuitous meeting of two like-minded bibliophiles. Herein also lies a lesson on the beaten path. How many times do we walk into the bookstore and head straight for the YA section or the mystery section or the scifi aisle? And we don't venture into other aisles full of different spines and stories. I ran into Karen Siplin on my first trip to BEA and we discovered we have nearly identical taste in reading material. With the possible exception of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series. The jury's still out for me on that one. (Team Adrian!) But we became fast friends and I was eager to read her books after heading home again. I picked up WHISKEY ROAD one evening several months ago not knowing what to expect and in the mood for something different and involving and good. Happily, it turned out to be everything I hoped it would be.

All Jimi Anne Hamilton wants is to set out on her BMW motorcycle--just herself and her gear--and ride across the country. From California back to her native New York, she's taking a much-needed break from all the chasing and the scandal and the constant hounding of her life as a paparazza and she's going to watch the scenery fly by and see if she can calm down a little. Then she crashes her bike and a thief steals both her bike and her camera equipment shortly after. Beaten and bruised, Jimi manages to escape with her life and a bag of stolen money intact. Now officially a shambles, she winds up in a small town in upstate New York in dire need of a place to stay and recuperate before meeting up with her brother and his wife and the messy questions that will no doubt follow. Caleb Atwood lives in this small town and, when no one else seems interested in helping the outsider out, he surprises himself by offering her a ride to the nearest bed and breakfast. Against her better judgement, Jimi reluctantly accepts and thus begins their story. As he is the only person she knows in this unsettlingly small town, Jimi just keeps running into Caleb. And, once she takes the time to look beyond his rather pedestrian contractor exterior, she can see that she's not the only one who's taken a few knocks in her life. And maybe it wouldn't kill her to stay a little longer than she had planned.

I read this book over the course of three nights and every night I set it down reluctantly and looked forward all day the next day to being able to pick it up again. Karen Siplin creates a wonderfully quiet and real tone throughout this story in which opposites attract. And I think that's what drew me in the most. There was a decided lack of fake tension or manufactured scenarios and, most importantly, there was time. Time for me as the reader to fall into company with these characters and feel like I understood them and cared what happened to them. And I did. I really did. I think it takes guts to make your protagonist a member of the paparazzi. And an unrepentant one at that. It's a hard, gritty, at times questionable life and everyone around Jimi looks down on her for choosing it as her profession. But it's not what matters to Caleb. When she limps into that diner that first day, everyone else sees the color of her skin and the state of her leathers, but he sees her strength and her individuality. To him she seems somehow above or apart from the usual humdrum of his lackluster life. He wants to know her rather than judge her. For Jimi's part, she struggles not to judge Caleb and all of the backwater rural New York denizens of his fusty town. Used to a fast pace and city life, but hampered by her injuries and basically being at the end of her rope, Jimi is forced to stop racing and take some time. What happens when they both look beyond their usual blinders is extremely sweet and endearing, without ever feeling forced or overly implausible. And the ending is even better. Not tied up with a bow, not unrealistic in its perfection, but touched with just the right amount of maturity, rightness, and possibility. It by no means needs one, but I would read a sequel in a heartbeat. Recommended for fans of Jennifer Cruisie and Julie James.

A woman shows up in town in black leather, motorcycle helmet and slick hair with a pink wisp in her bangs. Meet NY city slicker Jimi. Jimi gets treated to the normal small town stonewall reserved for outsiders and people who don't quite fit in, if you know what I mean. Among the bunch at the diner is a good ole' boy once removed, with aspirations of bailing his hayseed past, for more to life that he's dreamed of, but never rose to claim. A man who shelved his dreams and bike riding days for the security of starting a construction contracting company with his lifelong friends, another small town natural progression. Like poor relations with your brother, small town inter-relations amongst those who stay, and holding on to the hopes that those who bailed will one day return. The one thing missing in the peaceful setting out in the woods is the love of a woman who'll stay. I was reading about Caleb leaving all the porch lights on. Thought of the song "Every Light in the House is On" by Trace Adkins, and years past a former love telling me he'd left the porch lights on for a long time, too.

But that was me, and this is Caleb out on Whiskey Road. Caleb, who looked up one day, and felt the need to pipe up from up under his ball cap--maybe the NY Yankees, the O's, you know, like the 'progressive' bubbas like to do (not John Deere). In "Whiskey Road" Jimi threw the first pitch. And before he fouled, Caleb stepped up.

Maybe in the background sometime you might hear Rascal Flatts singing, "God Bless the Broken Road."

Authentic dialogue, portraits of small town, what goes on with verbal and body language. Emotional discourse spoken and unspoken.

Initially I thought maybe I'd met someone like Morgan, but as the story unfolded, I thought, no I hadn't. Thank God. And amen that Morgan wasn't somebody's brother in my life. While I skimmed the way-off Publisher's Weekly review, some weeks ago, whoever did the review was completely over in left field. Because of that review, I almost wasn't sure I'd like let alone buy the book. But as anyone knows mainstream and the disregard for things not mainstream, you have to dig for jewels yourself.

There was mention of some predictability. As with any writing, a reader's going to be able to predict somethings. But the predictability isn't really all that's something's about. Like life. For instance, you can go to h.s., take college prep classes, and get to college, and graduate. That part's predictable. The journey is the story, not the end or milestones along the way. It's the who, the what, why, when, how much, to what degree.

I did wonder, where in the world was Caleb's good ole' doggy? I can't think of any guy I've ever met who lives solo out in the suburbs or country not having a dog. Especially one who's used to having someone else around in their space making some kind of noise to break up the silence between thoughts of missing a loved one. Where's the blues without a hound dog? I also wondered why none of the guys played any kind of instrument. A dog and a folk guitar out on the porch in the country seem to go together like peas and carrots. Maybe the dog and folk guitar filling the empty space come later. Maybe Kennedy would be the guitar buddy to come sit out on Caleb's porch, talking, dog at foot, drinking cold ones and strumming the night away.

The book reminded me of a book I read, "The Book of Joe" that included a lot of parallel elements--small town life, small town life as a character unto itself; incredible authentic dialogue; authentic scenarios between men and women, about race, interracial navigation; sibling rivalry and tension between brothers, small town women, sexual politics, the strange fish in a small town who want to escape where they're less strange than another variation of life, history in a small town that suffocates people and won't let them grow, the love, the loss, redemption; relationships between family, sons and fathers, brothers, siblings; expectations of self and others; dreams deferred; and making peace with yourself and others, growing up and moving on.

Although the book ended on a note of potential, because of the class differences, and their influence on Jimi, I couldn't see the two as a couple in NY or as a couple on Whiskey Road. Fish out of water for sure for either of the two. I could see the two being friends of a sort, with either visiting to get away from their main life. Keeping their options open. They have some common interests, are friends, can talk to each other about very personal issues and fears, enjoy each other's company, trust each other, can forgive, and forge ahead, even knowing one another's imperfections, still want to have some contact.

But as with any rebound situation, both are a means to an end, walking through struggle(s) together, on their way elsewhere, maybe with a new ally on their respective roads to whatever their hearts desire.

This is where you'd hear the strains of Rascal Flatts with "My Wish".

The Book of Joe

The Publishers Weekly article has wrong information in it which leads me to believe the reviewer may not have actually read the book.

Karen Siplin is a story teller. Her characters are wonderfully flawed and drawn out.

This is not a typical boy meets girl, girl falls for boy story. The issues that each character brings gives the story more complexity and for some people, reading a story without every other page being porn is hard to do.

This type of story is a new venture for Ms. Siplin and it worked well.

I am a avid reader and this book will be forever in my library! Sometimes I let people borrow but not this one.

This book WHISKEY ROAD is a for real everyday love story that you don't want to end. Jimi is a black woman and Celeb is a white man but that is not the foundation of this book. The foundation of this book to me is if it is love who cares what you look like. If it works and believe me these two characters do then love should be taken seriously between a man and a woman and let everyone else fade away with their own issues.

This author needs to come up with a sequel so we can see what these characters are up. The other characters in this book are so well develop (along with the main ones) that you feel like you know them.

Thanks Karen for a great read and I am an instant fan and will purchase your other works.

As a black woman in a demanding business, Jimi Anne Hamilton is tired of her fast-paced profession as a paparazzi in Los Angeles, CA. She decides to trek her way back home to New York from California on her luxury motorcycle. On her journey, she becomes a victim of an attack and finds both her motorcycle and camera equipment stolen. With only a few of her possessions and a duffle bag full of money that she manages to take from her attackers, she finds herself in the small town of Frenchmen's Bend. She wants to recuperate before continuing her journey home, but before she can, she meets a local by the name of Caleb Atwood.

Caleb Atwood has his own past that he can't seem to avoid. He owns his own contracting business and is white. He spots Jimi almost immediately when she arrives in town and is instantly intrigued by her. Soon he realizes they may have more in common than what he first thought.

Karen Siplin writes a tale about a journey of an untypical love and trust between an unlikely pair. She descriptively dictates the characters and manages to bring them into reality. WHISKEY ROAD: A Love Story was a fun read that I would read again.

Reviewed by Jaime L. Lincoln
for The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

I'm still in the process of reading this book. I had to put it aside because the first-person point of view was throwing me a little. The two main characters (the two love interests) are written from the first-person point of view, which is new for me. I guess I'm used to first-person writing where we only hear the inner voice of one character (mainly the protagonist). By having both of the main characters giving me their inner thoughts, that's just "different." I can't decide if I like this technique or not, but at least we will know what each is honestly thinking, no matter what comes out of their mouths. Regardless, I have laid the book aside for now. I've rated it three stars for what I have read thus far. The writing has an energy to it, and the plot is original (an African American female member of the paparazzi stuck in a small town--and she rides motorcycles!). Plus, the female lead has spunk, and I like that in any woman. I would recommend the book, but just be aware of the first-person point of view that will be shared with you by both main leads, so you'll be hearing two voices, in a way.

[[ASIN:0743297628 Whiskey Road: A Love Story I thought book was pretty good , but is bogs down is some spots