Up Near Dallas (Winds of Change Series book 3)

Gina Hooten
Popp
Genre: 
Historical

Take a trip back in time to Depression-Era 1934 Texas. Historic droughts dry up the country and economic confusion shakes the nation. It’s a turbulent time and Texas is slowly dying, when three teen-agers from very different walks of life meet at a crossroad. This story tells of how they come of age and come together against the backdrop of legendary gangsters Bonnie and Clyde. Sixteen-year-old Mick McLaren is from wealth and takes to the open road to chase his dream of playing music. He meets Cowboy Larson, a guitarist from the Delta blues region and a sweet, adventurous girl named Margaret. 

This story is a fresh, unique retelling of the Dirty Thirties gangster-ridden and economic-depression of Texas. Mick, Margaret, and Cowboy hit the road and ride the rails, ride with Bonnie and Clyde, and face danger along their way from their teens to adulthood. There are numerous errors peppering the story, ranging from punctuation mistakes and misused words to misnamed characters. The story is classified as a romance, but it is very light in romance. Mick falls in love with Margaret during their travels, but they spend very little time creating a romantic relationship. The ending brakes suddenly and falls flat. Told from several characters’ points of view, each section is clearly labeled for clarity, and the dialogue remains true for each character. Readers of thirties-era historical fiction and coming of age sagas will enjoy this book.

Emerson Matthews