Review: Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton & James Patterson (audio)

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Published: March 7, 2022

Source: Print – Personal copy / Audio – ALC via Hachette Audio

 

Summary:

From America’s most beloved superstar and its greatest storyteller – a thriller about a young singer-songwriter on the rise and on the run, and determined to do whatever it takes to survive.

Every song tells a story.

She’s a star on the rise, singing about the hard life behind her.

She’s also on the run. Find a future; lose a past. 

Nashville is where she’s come to claim her destiny. It’s also where the darkness she’s fled might find her. And destroy her.

Run, Rose, Run is a novel glittering with danger and desire – a story that only America’s number one beloved entertainer and its number one best-selling author could have created.

Audiobook edition read by Dolly Parton, Kelsea Ballerini, James Fouhey, Kevin T. Collins, Peter Ganim, Luis Moreno, Soneela Nankani, Ronald Peet, Robert Petkoff, Ella Turenne, and Emily Woo Zeller.

 

My thoughts:

It’s no secret that I’m a James Patterson fan but when I saw that he co-wrote a book with Dolly Parton, I just had to pick it up because here’s a little unknown fact about me – I may not be the biggest music person, but country music is my favorite! And let me just say…I really enjoyed this book!

Of course, I listened to this one – I mean, first of all, it’s narrated by a full cast and Dolly Parton is even a narrator – and it was such a fun listening experience. And let me just say, I could not put this one down. I listened to it in one afternoon. Is the story completely original – maybe not, but did it keep me fully engaged and invested in the characters and the story the whole time? Absolutely! I mean, we’ve all seen the character with the mysterious past and lots of secrets come to a new town…but have the character be an up-and-coming country music singer and I’m all in!

I always love a story about a girl who is down on her luck and happens to catch a break. It’s just such a feel-good story and right now, can’t we all use these types of stories? Add in a little suspense, a little drama, and even a little romance and you have yourselves a really good book filled with great characters that you just cannot help but cheer for. I also loved the Nashville setting and the brief glimpse we got of the music industry – clearly the influence of Dolly Parton. I think that is really where this book shines – those little touches that make this book feel so authentic to the situation.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and entertaining, and while the focus was more on the music scene than on the thriller aspect of the story, I still think it’s worth the read.

 

Audio thoughts:

Having a full cast narrate this book really makes this book pop. The accents that these narrators brought to the table and their pacing was spot on. And having Dolly play a role was genius!!!