Stevie‘s review of Twice in a Lifetime by Dorothy Garlock
Historical Romance published by Grand Central Publishing 07 Jul 15
While I like books with motor racing heroes, I’m always a little cautious about picking them up unless I know the author – mostly for the same reason that I’m cautious about reading rock star romances. I’m a little concerned by characters who fall in love with the constantly-moving outsider or outright rebel – and then proceed to domesticate the wanderlust and rebellion right out of them. On the other hand, some wanderers do eventually decide to settle down while rebels can mellow with age, and in those cases I’m very happy for them to find the right person that they can make a home for themselves with.
Clara is a young widow, struggling to bring up her teenage son and care for her mother, who has the early signs of an age-related memory problem, in 1950’s small-town America. Her boy, Tommy, is a typical rebel of the time, who causes no end of worry to his family and engages in drinking and petty vandalism with the town’s bad girl, who is a couple of years older than him. Just as Clara is despairing of being able to cope with all that – along with a lecherous new boss – she meets Drake, a wanderer who makes his living from legal, and not-so-legal, drag races.
Drake travels with his mechanic Amos, who – unbeknown to Drake – is now on the run from the gangsters he ripped off several towns back. Amos is an addict and quite prepared to steal to feed his habit, although so far he’s always played fair by Drake. When they arrive in town, for what Amos asserts will be a one-night stop, Drake finds himself very much attracted to the woman whose truck he stops to mend. Clara, meanwhile, is happy to spend time with someone new, even though she’s certain he’ll be moving on shortly.
Drake has been saving his winnings for the day he eventually decides to settle down, and now he seems to have the money and the incentive to set up a garage of his own where he can get to know Clara better. However, the guys chasing after Amos, Clara’s boss, and Tommy’s on-off girlfriend all have other ideas.
I really enjoyed the racing in this book. Each time we see him compete, Drake is only racing against one other car, with the amateur driver and his friends placing money on the outcome, so the descriptions are fairly straight forward, but nonetheless gripping to follow. I do find some of the obstacles thrown in the characters’ paths – particularly by Tommy’s girlfriend and the guys Amos ripped off – a little too farfetched – I’m never a big fan of the bitchy rival as an antagonist for the heroine, but overall the various plot threads work well for me.
Dorothy Garlock is a new-to-me author, in spite of her extensive back catalogue, and while the characters and setting wae okay, I’m not sure I’d be as keen on a book by her that doesn’t have a non-romance subplot so close to my general tastes.
Grade: B
Summary:
Sunset, Missouri, 1954. As hope flourishes in postwar America, a young widow dares to dream of a second chance at a forever love . . .
TWICE IN A LIFETIME
Clara Sinclair has learned to live one lonely day at a time. It was the only way she managed to survive her husband’s death in World War II and raise their young son alone. But now she’s at a loss as to how to handle the defiant teenager he has become, even as she struggles to keep her family financially afloat. She’s fresh out of ways to turn her luck around-until a daring stranger’s unexpected kindness sparks hope she hasn’t felt in a long time…
Drake McCoy lives for risk, speed, and putting his incredible drag racing skills to the test. One night in this quiet rural town is all he needs to win a big score and be on his way . . . until he meets Clara. Drawn in by her quiet strength and her beauty, Drake is tempted to become someone he never imagined-a family man.
But a vicious and unseen enemy is closing in fast, throwing Drake and Clara’s fragile future into a dangerous tailspin. Can their love survive?
No excerpt found.
