Genelle Golden hopes a move to the Southwest will mean a chance to restart her life but when her plans fall apart she finds herself living in her car. Desmond Wright is an ex-military man dealing with an entitled adult daughter and his mother, who won’t let him forget he’s still single.
And that’s just the beginning of the story.
A novel about family, community, new beginnings and the power of love.
Semi Finalist
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Genelle Golden is struggling to get by--in fact, she's living in her car. While it might be on her mind, finding a new romantic relationship doesn't feel fully unattainable. Until she meets Desmond Wright, an employee at the gym where she takes showers. Joy brings sensitivity and gentle wisdom to this sweet story of finding love and steamy attraction despite enormous personal challenges.
Prose: Through quietly powerful prose, Joy clearly establishes Genelle's harsh reality and quest to better her life. Both Genelle's and Desmond's viewpoints are convincingly rendered and distinct from one another.
Originality: Few love stories begin with the lead heroine living in her car. Joy avoids more conventional tropes to deliver a relatable and believable novel that readers will quickly become invested in.
Character/Execution: Both Genelle and Desmond, both middle aged, fully emerge on the page. Genelle is never portrayed as a victim of her circumstances, but readers will feel her pain as she is compelled to conceal the truth from Desmond.
Date Submitted: July 02, 2023
