Run Rose Run co-written by Dolly Parton and James Patterson ©2022 was a relatively enjoyable, relaxed read but not any great literature to write home about. It is about a young girl from an Appalachian Mountains type background, AnnieLee Keyes, striving to make it big in the country music infused town of Nashville, TN. AnnieLee is miraculously discovered singing at honky tonk bar; the highly famous country music star Ruthanna Ryder takes her under her wing to help along her career. The ambience is meticulously developed. I could hear the twangy accent in everyone's speech; whenever a song was sung I had no problem hearing the voice harmonies and, in the background, I could imagine the picking banjoes and rippling fiddles enhancing the main melody.
Ruthanna Ryder has gone into retirement much to the consternation of her fans. I couldn't help but wonder if Ruthanna was modeled after Dolly Parton's views on the topic. She helps and guides AnnieLee, but insists the young woman stand up for herself and and remain true to herself. There are undertones that AnnieLee is hiding something from her background, something from which she must run. Dealings with record labels, managers, and radio stations are very interesting, depending on how true to life they really are. Ruthanna provides a back up band, and assigns a bodyguard /protector in Ethan Blake. Although there is strong theme of independence, AnnieLee leans on Ethan a great deal though she does not admit it, even to herself.
Although this book was co-authored, I had a nagging sense that the first two-thirds had been penned by Dolly Parton and the last third by James Patterson, the last third reading like an action movie. In that sense it seemed a bit disjointed. I enjoyed the narrative since I admire the music of Dolly Parton almost as much as I admire her philanthropy. I borrowed the novel from the library; Amazon readers rated Run Rose Run 4.5/5.
There is a CD of the songs from this book that I did download from iTunes and they, too, are pleasing. (Alex gleefully clapped through most of them – the peppy ones.) Here is a YouTube link to the title song Run, Run, Run. I am not disappointed in this book/CD combination but it is nothing especially stellar. It will appeal more if you are from the Nashville area or very much into country music. I rate it 3 stars and am glad I read it.
Dan just finished reading this book! You two will have to talk about it!
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