Along the Way by Jacqueline Kolosov - A Book Review

Along The Way by Jacqueine Kokosov

Three friends, thirty-three days, and five hundred miles walking the Camino de Santiago add up to one journey they’ll never forget.

Piper Rose, Dani Shapiro, and Alexandra ‘Tessa’ Louise De Mille Morrow share a history that goes back to their pre-school years in Chicago when their families were still intact. Now Piper lives in Evanston with her divorced dad, her estranged, unstable mother popping in and out of her life at random moments. Meanwhile, Dani’s been living in Santa Fe with a psychologist mom pregnant with her fiance’s IVF babies. The blueblood Tessa resides on prominent street in Boston and dreams of a romantic and well-heeled love story like that of her great-grandmother who went to France during World War II...

My Thoughts:
This book does not start with an action sequence or a compelling love story.  But there is something magical about it that pulls you in.  You get a glimpse into the lives of these friends and what they are leaving behind as they embark on their own personal journeys.  Coming from different backgrounds, they each have a different perspective of the journey they share.  In “Along The Way”, Jacqueine does a good job of capturing all of their perspectives.  You can see how the friends are different than one another in their thoughts and their actions.
“Along The Way” is a lovely book about self discovery.  What I loved most about it was the fact that, they didn’t have to do it alone.  I liked how the characters were believable and so were their circumstances.
I have to admit though, I did not love the ending.

About the Book - About the Author - Prizes!!!

Welcome to another exciting publishing house spotlight tour from Novel Publicity. Join us as three new titles from Luminis Books--we're calling them the Luminis Triplex Tour—tour the blogosphere in a way that just can't be ignored. And, hey, we've got prizes! About the prizes: Who doesn't love prizes? You could win either of two $25 Amazon gift cards, an autographed copy of Along the Wayby Vallie Lynn Watson, or an autographed copy of its tour mates, The Possibility of Snowby Al Riske, or Entrevoir by Chris Katsaropoulos. Here's what you need to do...

1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
2. Leave a comment on my blog

That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win a $25 gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other $25 gift card and the 3 autographed books will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Luminis Triplex tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck! About the book:  Three friends, thirty-three days, and five hundred miles walking the Camino de Santiago add up to one journey they’ll never forget. Piper Rose, Dani Shapiro, and Alexandra ‘Tessa’ Louise De Mille Morrow share a history that goes back to their pre-school years in Chicago when their families were still intact. Now Piper lives in Evanston with her divorced dad, her estranged, unstable mother popping in and out of her life at random moments. Meanwhile, Dani’s been living in Santa Fe with a psychologist mom pregnant with her fiance’s IVF babies. The blueblood Tessa resides on prominent street in Boston and dreams of a romantic and well-heeled love story like that of her great-grandmother who went to France during World War II. 
 Now that it’s the summer before college, these radically different friends decide to celebrate their history and their future by walking the legendary pilgrimage along the “Way of St. James,” from the French Pyrenees to the Spanish city of Santiago, not quite expecting their feet to feel like they’ve been put through a meat tenderizer or that cyclists racing the road will nearly run them over, then claim all the beds (and the hot showers) at the pilgrimage’s auberges.
 But there are plenty of highpoints too, like the beauty of the Pyrenees Mountains, the spree at a posh hotel in Pamplona, and the numerous ways in which each young woman must learn to believe in herself as well as in her friends. And who could forget or explain the miracles—or milagros—that have been happening on the Way of St. James for centuries?
 And yes, there is the promise of falling in love which, like the word for pilgrim in Spanish (peregrino which translates into ‘curious, strange’) introduces a dizzying, at times marvelous chaos into each young woman’s story, transforming their collective journey, one that takes them across the north of Spain, into the experience of a lifetime. Get Along the Way through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. About the author:  Jacqueline Kolosov walked the Way of St. James/Camino of Santiago in the summer of 1999 and had her own share of miracles (including a pony who stepped onto the path) as well as bed bugs and cyclists. Next to giving birth to her daughter, the pilgrimage is hands down the most exhilarating event of her life. Jacqueline has published several novels for teens including THE RED QUEEN'S DAUGHTER and GRACE FROM CHINA. She also writes short stories, essays and poetry. Her third collection of poems is MEMORY OF BLUE, and she has a short story collection, LOVE, THE BITTERSWEET forthcoming. A passionate animal lover, she lives with her family including 3 dogs, 2 guinea pigs and a 1/2 Andalusian mare in West Texas. Jacqueline teaches creative writing and literature at Texas Tech university. She loves to run, swim, and practice yoga. And like the friends in Along The Way, she is a bookworm, a clothes horse, and an avid (amateur) artist. Connect with Jacqueline on her website. Luminis Books was launched in January, 2010 by husband and wife team Tracy Richardson and Chris Katsaropoulos with a mission to publish thought-provoking literary fiction for children and adults. We publish what we love: Meaningful Books That Entertain. Our award-winning books engage and inform readers and explore a wide range of topics from love and relationships, teen sexual assault and homelessness to string theory, consciousness, and the Universal Energy Field. Luminis Books is a proudly independent publisher located in Carmel, IN.

Learn more about Along the Way's tour mates HERE.

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