I had a lot of trouble deciding on how to rate this book. It is NOT a romance (I was expecting some romance albeit with a low steam level) but it is a great story about boyhood friendships and coming of age. The blurb that accompanies this post is from Amazon but I found another one here https://dancingintheblueroom.com/ that’s a bit different.

The time period covered is 1945 (about 10 years before I was born) to 1954. I found it very interesting to read about life in rural Kentucky during that time period. The story alternates back and forth between 1945 and 1954. A lot of time I have trouble following books written with alternating timelines but not this one. The story follows 3 boys who have been friends since they were 6-years-old. Eventually additional characters become significant to the story.

If I had to classify this book, I’d call it “a slice of life and/or coming of age.”  Even though I expected some romance, and there really wasn’t any, I wasn’t disappointed and I’m not at all sorry I read it.  In fact, I read it straight thru once I started reading it.  I don’t really don’t know what else to say about it other than the writing and story was compelling.  I do think that there should be a content warning for death of a character and bullying..

I wish that the ending had a little more depth to it but that’s probably because I always want to know more if it’s a story I really like.

Reviews for J.R. Sargent

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The bus was already there. I found a place about halfway back with nobody close, so I took it. I was wantin’ to sit next to the window and look outside and think a little. Think about Gail and how pretty she was and if she was really going to show up and what we were going to do. And spending time with Clay and maybe taking a ride in his 1935 Ford. I loved the rumble seat and the sound of that V8 engine when he shifted gears and tried to burn rubber. Then I wondered what he was going to think about me really getting serious with Gail. He and I had made plans about learning to fly, and he knew all about airplanes— at least more than I did. I had always dreamed about learning to fly. He seemed to know about almost everything and how to build everything and fix everything, and we both liked the same things. I didn’t want to mess that up.