Running On Empty (Bon Chance Boonies, #2)

Grace Delchamp is a New Orleans singer with a beautiful voice and a fun rapport with her audience. A bandmate, Brent, wants her, but she’s not interested. She wakes up one morning with Brent beside her, and realizes that she has been assaulted. She leaves New Orleans abruptly and returns to her family and friends in Bon Chance, LA, to regain her footing and to soak up some love. Gabriel Angelle is one of those friends. He crushed on Grace in high school, but was too shy to make a move. Now he is a successful artist with a band in Austin, TX. During a performing break, he heads home to be with Grace and to help his grandmother. Along the way, Gabe and their friend Noah help Grace fight the demons that are unleashed through Brent’s actions.

There is so much to enjoy about this story!  The richness of the locale and the characters that love and accept Grace and give her the time and space to heal from her assault are beautifully rendered through the word pictures and images of a boat deck, a stretch of beach, and lots of support. This is a family created through love and acceptance. There is an issue with a “state-of-the-art” stereo system that includes an iPod docking station; the iPod classic was discontinued in 2014, which seems to be incongruent with a newer stereo system. Other than that, the story flows beautifully and demonstrates a strong growth arc as Grace heals and recovers her inner strength, beauty and confidence.

Carey Sullivan