Blue Straggler

4.5 stars

Blue Straggler is a story about a girl, Bailey, who struggled to find her place (never really feeling like the fit was quite right). She begun growing tired of feeling like a piece was missing, so she was brave enough to go off and search for it via a road trip to Colorado. Although the trip was not an easy, one with many missteps, Bailey finds herself bit by bit along the way. The humor, depth of characters and storyline will remain with me for quite some time. It was honest, beautifully written and well written.

Life is not easy. It is easier to stay lost, to remain stagnant, to be and do what is expected of us. Bailey decides to search of the meaning of her life herself. In the end difficult decisions are made, friendships tested and hope remains.

This story was written with such beauty. intense imagery and insight that I found myself deeply entrenched in the story, wanting to mark passages after passage. Here are a few of my favorites from the book:

"It dawns on me that maybe, sometimes, the paths we choose can turn out to be only circles. Bringing us right back where we started. Unharmed but not well." (Blue Straggler, ebook, p. 152)

"...as if they're trying to sneak into autumn without us knowing." (Blue Straggler, ebook, p. 169)

"The sun is launching into its evening act, lighting up the clouds and horizon like a magic trick. The mountains surrounding us seem to be holding onto the light as if they would be flat without it." (Blue Straggler, ebook, p. 189)

"Rapids churning and twisting on each other like children playing in the park. Unorchestrated madness." (Blue Straggler, ebook, p. 190)

There are so many more, so check out this 4.5 star read for yourself. It is a gift Kathy Lynn Harris has given the world! Enjoy!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Get it now!

A must read for all Texas girls! Laugh out loud references that all Texans can appreciate. Great story of following your heart with a Texas twang! When is the sequel?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Lilac Wolf and Stuff Review

This story was a much quicker read than I expected. I wasn't expecting much, and thought it was another blah chick lit-romance. I started meeting the characters and I'm thinking, "yeah he likes her and after some turmoil they'll get together." It just didn't grab me much.

But it was well written and the characters were fun. So I kept reading. I totally understood Bailey's family, they are like that in Michigan too. Not that they were horrible, but feelings were considered something to ignore and they were constantly telling Bailey to stop overreacting. Her brother was the golden boy, and she felt invisible.

So when she finds out about her great-grandmother who ran to Colorado, she followed the trail to see what she could find out about this woman whom her mother refused to speak of. When she gets there and sees the mountains and feels the blessed cool, she falls in love.

What if she really doesn't belong in Texas?

It is full of heartbreak, frustration, romance and a fair number of surprises. Good job, Kathy!

With a very slow start, I was nervous that this little chick lit

With a very slow start, I was nervous that this little chick lit wasn't going to get going, but it finally picked up. Although, the main story line about Bailey finding out the truth history of her great-grandmother definitely took a back burner in the middle and then picked back up again. There were quite a few things I would rearrange in this little novella.

The characters were sweet, quirky and endearing and their development was fun to watch, but the plotline had some slow spots that made for a few bits of drag in the book. I wish that both the great-grandmother and the environmental issue had been developed more and each could have had more depth to them.

A little novella that was enjoyable.

Loved It!

In this book filled with colorful characters and laugh-out-loud humor, Bailey packs up her car and leaves her Texas life behind in search of both herself and the history of her quirky grandmother, who left Texas for Colorado many years ago. Bailey deals with close friends, uproariously funnny family members and new-found love along her journey, and I fell in love with the well-drawn characters. I didn't want the book to come to an end, and hope to see another book soon from this gifted author.

A Touching Story I Would Recommend to All 20 & 30 Somethings

Blue Straggler had me hooked from the beginning. I haven't felt this invested in a book in a long time, usually there is a part of even my favorite books that I get bored/ lost/ skim over: Kathy Lynn Harris kept my attention throughout. The characters are vivid yet believable, the description of Texas and Colorado are rich and visual, and the story moves at a great pace. Blue Straggler is a warm, moving account of the main character, Bailey, and her struggle to understand herself and why she acts in certain ways. Every young woman can relate to this internal struggle, and her journey from Texas to Colorado signifies the inner journey that she takes. Unlike some female protagonists I did not get annoyed at Bailey's mistakes and flaws: I empathized and travelled with her for the journey. Ms Harris is an author with a natural talent that is going to go far! Thank you writing for a story that moved me and left me feeling uplifted.

Well written and lots of fun!

Blue Straggler made me laugh out loud, and I couldn't wait to find out what Bailey was going to do next. The prose is wonderful, the story uplifting, and the characters lovable.

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