coolreads# Run Rose Run @definitelybooks

Run Rose Run
Authors: Dolly Parton and James Patterson
Publisher: Century
ISBN: 9781529135671

Dolly Parton is renowned for her storytelling through country music. The music icon has also been an advocate in encouraging children to read through her Imagination Library. And Run Rose Run, the debut novel by the artiste, written in collaboration with James Patterson, the bestselling thriller author, definitely offers something exciting for the readers. It wasithe No.1 in the e-book fiction of the NYT bestsellers list.

The book is about a singer/songwriter at the beginning of her career who is befriended by a retired country-music luminary. But will the young woman's past destroy her before her star can start to shine?

Every song tells a story. And AnnieLee Keyes is a star on the rise, singing about the hard life she experienced. She’s also on the run. Nashville is where she’s come to claim her destiny. It’s also where the darkness she’s fled might find her and destroy her.

Run Rose Run is a story filled with danger and desire. AnnieLee has a big heart, a big voice and big dreams. She debuts in a roadside dive called the Cat's Paw, begging for a place on the stage and playing a borrowed guitar before slinking off to sleep in a public park. 

At 23, she has a troubled past that she’s left behind in search of a life as a country singer like her idol Ruthanna Ryder. But her past still haunts her.

Ruthanna is a megastar in the world of country music who happens to own the Cat's Paw. Now retired from performing, she’s still writing and producing new material with her band in her basement studio. When band member Ethan Blake, a handsome Afghanistan veteran–turned–Nashville session player and secret songwriter, introduces Ruthanna to AnnieLee, the queen of country music decides to help AnnieLee as she sees something of herself in this young, up-and-coming performer.

Ruthanna is feisty, strong and glamorous. She has a kind heart and a ton of experience in the music industry. Mentoring AnnieLee gives her a new sense of purpose. There appears a correlation between Ruthanna’s charity and that of Parton’s - the book garden library, and that of Parton’s Imagination library. Not forgetting the great contribution Patterson has made to children’s reading charities, too.

"Help us give books to kids who need them. And those lives will be forever changed by them. Because books, my friends, are true magic bound between two covers," says Ruthanna.

Reading about AnnieLees early performances can be enjoyable. The quiet honky-tonk back street bars, just AnnieLee and a guitar, sat on stage telling a story through her songs. The lyrics are heartfelt and meaningful, and they would definitely be a hit with country music fans.

Although this is a fiction story, readers couldn’t help but wonder how much of Parton’s own life is interwoven within AnnieLees' story. It felt like there was a lot more of Parton’s voice coming through in this story than there was of Patterson’s thriller writing. With short chapters and memorable characters, there’s also a romantic element running through the story. Unfortunately, the storyline is a little disappointing. 

If you’re a Dolly Parton fan and love country music, then you’ll enjoy this book. The story also delve behind the scenes of the country music industry, sharing a glimpse into the challenges and pitfalls of starting out in this tough industry.

AnnieLee’s determination is admirable. This is definitely an insightful tale that goes behind the scenes of the country music industry where fans of Dolly Parton can almost hear the singer-songwriter talking through the pages.