Monday, March 25, 2019

Review + Tour GIVEAWAY: Glory Road by Lauren K. Denton


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Welcome to the Blog Tour for Glory Road by Lauren K. Denton with JustRead Publicity Tours! We continue the Glory Road celebration on social media starting March 26.


ABOUT THE BOOK

GloryRoad-LaurenKDentonTitle: Glory Road  
Author: Lauren K. Denton  
Publisher: Thomas Nelson  
Genre: Women's Fiction/Southern Fiction  
Release Date: March 19, 2019

Written in Lauren Denton's signature Southern style, Glory Road tells the story of three generations of women navigating the uncertain pathways of their hearts during a summer that promises to bring change--whether they're ready for it or not.

At thirty-eight, garden shop owner Jessie McBride thinks her chances for romance are years behind her and, after her failed marriage, she's fine with that. She lives contentedly with her fiery mother and her quiet, headstrong daughter. But the unexpected arrival of two men on Glory Road make her question if she's really happy with the status quo. Handsome, wealthy Sumner Tate asks her to arrange flowers for his daughter's wedding, and Jessie finds herself drawn to his continued attention. And Ben Bradley, her lingering what-could-have-been from high school days who's known her better than anyone and whom she hasn't seen in years, moves back to the red dirt road. Jessie finds her heart being pulled in directions she never expected.  

Meanwhile, Jessie's fourteen-year-old daughter, Evan, is approaching the start of high school and trying to navigate a new world of identity and emotions--particularly as they relate to the cute new guy who's moved in just down the road. At the same time, Jessie's mother, Gus, increasingly finds herself forgetful and faces a potentially frightening future. As all three women navigate the uncertain paths of their hearts and futures, one summer promises to bring change--whether they're ready for it or not.
 
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Christian Book |B&N



MY THOUGHTS

I’m not one to “gush” over a story, but an exception simply must be made for Glory Road by Lauren K. Denton. Long on my radar of authors to try, I’m berating myself for waiting until now to discover this incredible author. Women’s fiction, especially books with southern settings, is my favorite genre. This is Denton’s area of expertise, and she can hold her own with any author I’ve read in the general market. Actually better, considering that her writing is clean. Glory Road is a captivating and poignant story, a “best of the best” read for me.

Glory Road is rich in all the essentials – vivid imagery, lyrical prose, complex characters, and a storyline that captured my emotions from the first page and never let go. The fact that I live in the southeast and have relatives who live in areas similar to the setting of Perry, Alabama (15 miles northwest of Mobile) makes the story so very relatable. This description of Jessie’s view from her home is so peaceful … “Long sweeps of wildflowers in the summer, fields dotted with cows and horses, straight rows of corn and cotton and soybeans lining the roads.”

How does an author convey an ambience replete with aromas that you can literally smell? I don’t know, but Denton certainly does this – from freshly-shelled peas and juicy cobblers, to sun-warmed dirt and that just-before-the-rain scent in the air. Small-town southern living is slower paced, and that’s the tone of this novel, yet it is never boring; every sentence begs to be savored.

The story itself revolves around three generations of McBride family women, and dealing with change in their lives. I easily connected with each one – Jessie, who returned home to Perry with her young daughter after going through a divorce; Evan, now a well-grounded young lady about to start high school; and Jessie’s mother, Gus, beginning to experience bouts of forgetfulness. These characters have depth and the relationships between them are complex. Delightful romantic elements relating to all three are secondary, yet key to the overall story.

Spiritual themes are subtle, but very much present. Gardening quotes from various sources are creatively placed at the beginning of each chapter, beautifully setting the mood and conveying the strong link between the care and nurturing of plants to our spiritual lives. I loved the outspoken wisdom in these words from Gus …

“Sometimes God puts things in our paths for a reason.
Best to sit up and pay attention.”
- Gus

Glory Road comes to a heartwarming, fulfilling conclusion; these characters will forever linger in my thoughts.

Very highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours and Thomas Nelson. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

lauren k denton

Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Lauren now lives with her husband and two young daughters in Homewood, just outside Birmingham. In addition to her fiction, she writes a monthly newspaper column about life, faith, and how funny (and hard) it is to be a parent. On any given day, she’d rather be at the beach with her family and a stack of books. Her debut novel, The Hideaway, is USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Charts bestseller. Her second novel, Hurricane Season, released in April, 2018, and was listed on BookPage's 2018 list of Most Anticipated Fiction.  

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR: website | facebook | twitter | instagram | pinterest



Glory Road giveaway

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(2) winners will each win a print copy of Glory Road. 

Be sure to check out each stop on the Blog and Takeover tours for more chances to win. Full tour schedule on this tour shown below. Giveaway begins at midnight March 23, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 30, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US mailing addresses valid. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.



Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of blog stops!

AND

Be sure to stop at the takeover tour, starting on March 26, for more chances to win!

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*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
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7 comments:

  1. So looking forward to reading this book. Love the ? Thanks so much for the chance to win!
    faithdcreech at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for your review on "Glory Road" by Lauren K. Denton and being part of the blog tour.

    Sounds like a fabulous book and can't wait for the opportunity to read this book which is now on my TBR list.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  3. Excellent review--now I want to experience the sensory text myself and savor the writing.

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  4. I am really excited to read Lauren Denton's Glory Road. I've read a couple of her other books and LOVED them!

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  5. Carole, Thank you for the wonderful review! Glory Road sounds like a must read.

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  6. I really liked the description of the book. I enjoy reading Southern fiction and "Glory Road" sounds like a fascinating book.

    ReplyDelete