Official Review: Driving on the Left by Gail Ward Olmsted

Momlovesbooks · Post by **Momlovesbooks** » 11 Oct 2016, 09:47

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Driving on the Left" by Gail Ward Olmsted.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Driving on the Left, by Gail Ward Olmsted, is the sequel to Jeep Tour. It can also be read as a stand alone book. This is the first book I've read by this author and I was instantly hooked. The book is about a mother/daughter relationship at a time in their lives when they both have big decisions to make.

Jackie and her daughter, Becca, are going on a week-long group tour to Ireland. They'll be spending almost every waking moment together and with a group of strangers. Jackie hopes to have bonding time with her daughter on this vacation. While spending lots of time on the road with their sexy, Irish tour guide, Becca begins to fall for Sean's charm. Her mother is worried that she will make the same mistakes Jackie made in the past. During this trip, Jackie has some decisions to make regarding the future of her marriage. While juggling her emotions, she watches her 21-year-old daughter struggle with the ups and downs of a new love and her need for independence. Will true love win in the end, or are the obstacles too great to overcome.

The author has a descriptive writing style that pulls you into the story at the beginning. The book is written from a first person perspective, alternating between Jackie and Becca. The author uses this style of writing to show us the thoughts and feelings of both mother and daughter. Jackie is brilliantly portrayed as a loving mother and passionate wife. Becca longs for independence, yet still shows signs of her youthfulness and need for her mother. Although Jackie, Becca, and Sean are the main characters, Ms Olmsted is able to fully develop the secondary characters. Jackie's husband, Sean's family and the other members of the tour group all come alive for the reader.

The Irish countryside was also presented in detail. The author included descriptions of the towns and local food the group tasted. I've always had an attraction to Ireland and felt myself being drawn into the different areas they visited. However, I would have enjoyed more details about the Irish landmarks they visited.

I thoroughly enjoyed this light, entertaining read. The book seemed to be well-edited with no distracting grammatical mistakes. The love scenes were tasteful and appropriate to the flow of the story. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Anyone looking for a fun, romantic novel will enjoy this one. I look forward to reading the first book and hope there will be a third one in this series.

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Driving on the Left
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AA1495 · Post by **AA1495** » 14 Oct 2016, 10:07

Glad you enjoyed reading the book. Might pick this one up! Thanks for the great review!

Moizajani · Post by **Moizajani** » 22 Oct 2016, 20:04

Sounds interesting. Thank you for the review!

ebeth · Post by **ebeth** » 30 Oct 2016, 10:57

I am always looking for a good series to read and added it to my bookshelves. Thanks for the great review.

kimmyschemy06 · Post by **kimmyschemy06** » 31 Oct 2016, 09:25

Sounds like an interesting and enjoyable book. My eldest is a 22-year old girl so I think I can relate with Jackie

Great job on the review. Congratulations to Gail Ward Olmsted on such an obviously well written book.

Kdonegan91 · Post by **Kdonegan91** » 16 Nov 2016, 00:13

Ireland has always been my dream vacation especially since marrying my husband. He was born in Georgia in the USA but has strong Irish genes and traditions. So this books definitely seems interesting. Great review!