ELVIS TAKES A BACK SEAT

Author: Leanna Ellis ISBN: 9780805446968 1/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: B&H PUBLISHING

A young widow, determined to fulfill her husband's last request, hauls a three foot bust of Elvis strapped in the back seat of a vintage Cadillac from Texas to Memphis to return it to its rightful owner. The road trip with her eccentric aunt, who knew the King of Rock n' Roll, and a temperamental teen, who's hiding her pregnancy, hits roadblocks and detours as the three women uncover pieces of their own past along with the bust's mysterious history. The discoveries change the course of their lives forever.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I honestly didn't know what to expect when I opened this book. Would it be a tribute to a man who's been dead for three decades? Would it be irreverant, poke fun at the legend? Or was it going to be one of those memory-lane books? Fortunately, it was none of those. Nothing could have prepared me for this book.

ELVIS TAKES A BACK SEAT by Leanna Ellis is heartwarming, funny and delightful. Clever and with a host of intriguing characters, this story makes a journey into the past while dealing with the present and giving a glimpse into a brighter future. I was floored by the way this book made me feel. I laughed and cried, and through it all I was overwhelmed by the way this author seamlessly pulled one situation into the next. The plot seems, at first glance, to be a simple one but it's not. There are many layers and nuances to this story, and each one is interesting.

Claudia's recently deceased husband, a huge Elvis fan, leaves her with one cryptic message. She's charged with fulfilling his final wish to restore a large bust of the King to its rightful place. But where did it come from? That's what Claudia must learn so she heads to Graceland with her aunt Rae and Ivy, a troubled teen. Their journey is one filled with love and laughter, and highlights the bonds between women.

ELVIS TAKES A BACK SEAT is first-class entertainment.

Kay James