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The Golden Girls Road Trip
7 hours and 42 minutes
It's never too late for one last adventure...
Constance Fitzgerald may be approaching 70, but she's never been one for settling down. She's spent her life untethered and free, but when she finds herself newly engaged and a soon to be grandmother, Constance is forced to accept it may be time, perhaps, to settle down. Until a chance encounter with throws open a window to her past, and Constance decides to head to the Highlands to find an old friend...
It's never too late for one last adventure...
Constance Fitzgerald may be approaching 70, but she's never been one for settling down. She's spent her life untethered and free, but when she finds herself newly engaged and a soon to be grandmother, Constance is forced to accept it may be time, perhaps, to settle down. Until a chance encounter with throws open a window to her past, and Constance decides to head to the Highlands to find an old friend...
8 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 31, 2023
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September 2, 2023
EXCERPT: Sometimes I try really hard not to think about the summer I turned eighteen. On other occasions I allow the memories to engulf me, the pleasure and the guilt to wrap themselves around me. From time to time it comes at me unexpectedly, like a slap or a kiss. Today it's in the form of a book and makes me smile. How could it not, because today is our birthday. Today we are both seventy years old.
ABOUT 'THE GOLDEN GIRLS ROAD TRIP': It's never too late for one last adventure...
Constance Fitzgerald may be approaching 70, but she's never been one for settling down. She's spent her life untethered and free, but when she finds herself newly engaged and a soon to be grandmother, Constance is forced to accept it may be time, perhaps, to settle down. Until a chance encounter with throws open a window to her past, and Constance decides to head to the Highlands to find an old friend...
MY THOUGHTS: There is so much more to this book than is initially apparent. The Golden Girls Road Trip deals with ageism, sexual assault, unplanned pregnancy, family relationships and doing what we must simply to survive. And it does all this in a simply delightful way that tugged at my heartstrings and had me rooting for Connie all the way!
Although dealing with serious subjects, this book is not at all flippant, nor is it grave and grim. It strikes a happy balance somewhere in the middle, giving due gravitas to the sticky subjects, dealing with them with empathy and understanding, and injecting joy and wisdom into the happier bits - and there are lots of them!
The characters are magnificent. I loved Connie and Alex, Alex's dog Bardo, and Connie's RV, Ruby. There's nothing like being in a confined space with someone twenty-four hours a day to sort out a relationship.
There are quite a few surprises along the way, Alex being one of them and in more ways than one.
The Golden Girls Road Trip is a read that gave me pause for thought, and great enjoyment. It's an unconventional story, but one that warmed my heart and has firmly placed this author on my 'must read' list. I read this in less than 24 hours, unable to put it aside.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheGoldenGirlsRoadTrip #NetGalley
I: @kategalley1 @ariafiction
T: @KateGalley1 @AriaFiction
#ageing #contemporaryfiction #domesticdrama #friendship #sliceoflife #womensfiction
THE AUTHOR: Kate Galley lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, children and Meg, their Patterdale Terrier. Much of Kate's inspiration comes from the many varied lives of her clients as a mobile hairdresser, and the inspiration for this book came from one woman's tale of a hilarious Christmas coach trip.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Head of Zeus, Aria, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Golden Girls Road Trip by Kate Galley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
ABOUT 'THE GOLDEN GIRLS ROAD TRIP': It's never too late for one last adventure...
Constance Fitzgerald may be approaching 70, but she's never been one for settling down. She's spent her life untethered and free, but when she finds herself newly engaged and a soon to be grandmother, Constance is forced to accept it may be time, perhaps, to settle down. Until a chance encounter with throws open a window to her past, and Constance decides to head to the Highlands to find an old friend...
MY THOUGHTS: There is so much more to this book than is initially apparent. The Golden Girls Road Trip deals with ageism, sexual assault, unplanned pregnancy, family relationships and doing what we must simply to survive. And it does all this in a simply delightful way that tugged at my heartstrings and had me rooting for Connie all the way!
Although dealing with serious subjects, this book is not at all flippant, nor is it grave and grim. It strikes a happy balance somewhere in the middle, giving due gravitas to the sticky subjects, dealing with them with empathy and understanding, and injecting joy and wisdom into the happier bits - and there are lots of them!
The characters are magnificent. I loved Connie and Alex, Alex's dog Bardo, and Connie's RV, Ruby. There's nothing like being in a confined space with someone twenty-four hours a day to sort out a relationship.
There are quite a few surprises along the way, Alex being one of them and in more ways than one.
The Golden Girls Road Trip is a read that gave me pause for thought, and great enjoyment. It's an unconventional story, but one that warmed my heart and has firmly placed this author on my 'must read' list. I read this in less than 24 hours, unable to put it aside.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheGoldenGirlsRoadTrip #NetGalley
I: @kategalley1 @ariafiction
T: @KateGalley1 @AriaFiction
#ageing #contemporaryfiction #domesticdrama #friendship #sliceoflife #womensfiction
THE AUTHOR: Kate Galley lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, children and Meg, their Patterdale Terrier. Much of Kate's inspiration comes from the many varied lives of her clients as a mobile hairdresser, and the inspiration for this book came from one woman's tale of a hilarious Christmas coach trip.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Head of Zeus, Aria, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Golden Girls Road Trip by Kate Galley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
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June 29, 2024This is an odd book. For one thing, it's a queer book about a love affair between two women and the blurb and half of the book itself seem committed to eliding it. The love interest, Alex, is carefully non-pronouned for the first hundred pages; there's a tiresome resurgence of all those nineties tropes about "I don't want to label it" and "it's not about gender it's about love". All the odder for the fact there is no homophobia *in* the book, and the narrator character doesn't seem conflicted about it. (Can't say, of course, if the author is queer, but I suspect not.)
However. I have to admit, it is wonderfully, deathlessly romantic. Connie, our heroine, had this passionate summer love affair at the age of eighteen in 1970 - and then left overnight, leaving her girlfriend deeply heartbroken. And by the time Connie goes back to find Alex, fifty-two years have passed. Isn't that romantic? It's incredibly romantic. And more so, I think, because Alex at seventy is a hot mess, a brilliant artist with a bit of a drinking problem and an extremely shady financial scheme in train; Connie, meanwhile, has never told anyone the circumstances under which she left and is also engaged to a man who's trying to use her as a replacement for his dead wife. I love that the idealised romance of the past has been replaced by two real people trying to get along, and also, that they fall in love again anyway. It's lovely. I do recommend it.
However. I have to admit, it is wonderfully, deathlessly romantic. Connie, our heroine, had this passionate summer love affair at the age of eighteen in 1970 - and then left overnight, leaving her girlfriend deeply heartbroken. And by the time Connie goes back to find Alex, fifty-two years have passed. Isn't that romantic? It's incredibly romantic. And more so, I think, because Alex at seventy is a hot mess, a brilliant artist with a bit of a drinking problem and an extremely shady financial scheme in train; Connie, meanwhile, has never told anyone the circumstances under which she left and is also engaged to a man who's trying to use her as a replacement for his dead wife. I love that the idealised romance of the past has been replaced by two real people trying to get along, and also, that they fall in love again anyway. It's lovely. I do recommend it.
September 7, 2023
A fabulous story which sends a message, to do what you want to do in life before it's too late. This book was full of surprises and I loved it so much. The characters were interesting and funny at times. And I loved the ending. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
December 6, 2024
For the most part, not a fan. The premise was good but a little too unbelievable considering they only knew each other for a short time so long ago. Then, to be that in love with someone who wasn’t ever nice to you seems over the top.
October 16, 2024
Okay, filled some time for me.
June 18, 2023
This was a truly lovely book, I think I read it within 24 hours... I'm not exactly sure, but it can't have been more than a day and a half.
I enjoyed the lovely detail about the knitting, being a knitter myself. And also being a fine artist, I'm glad in this case a painter wasn't depicted being quirky, overly eccentric, whimsical as in untrustworthy or unreliable, otherworldly... well, you get the picture :)
Having my own currently personal dealings with difficult people who in this case are definitely not remorseful, this book was a breath of fresh air. Funny (what would you use as an emergency bookmark – as in the first chapter), heartfelt, witty, and warm.
The Golden Girls' Road Trip well deserves to be on my for-a-rainy-day bookshelf on Goodreads.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.
I enjoyed the lovely detail about the knitting, being a knitter myself. And also being a fine artist, I'm glad in this case a painter wasn't depicted being quirky, overly eccentric, whimsical as in untrustworthy or unreliable, otherworldly... well, you get the picture :)
Having my own currently personal dealings with difficult people who in this case are definitely not remorseful, this book was a breath of fresh air. Funny (what would you use as an emergency bookmark – as in the first chapter), heartfelt, witty, and warm.
The Golden Girls' Road Trip well deserves to be on my for-a-rainy-day bookshelf on Goodreads.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.
May 24, 2024
Dieses Buch fühlte sich so schön sommerlich an.
Es war irgendwie gleichzeitig so wholesome und "leicht" und hat gleichzeitig aber auch sehr viele ernstere Themen behandelt.
Was ich nicht erwartet hatte war, dass es sogar Queer war.
Das Buch hat irgendwie Lust auf Schottland gemacht, also bin ich nun auf der Suche nach dem nächsten Roman in Schottland :D
Es war irgendwie gleichzeitig so wholesome und "leicht" und hat gleichzeitig aber auch sehr viele ernstere Themen behandelt.
Was ich nicht erwartet hatte war, dass es sogar Queer war.
Das Buch hat irgendwie Lust auf Schottland gemacht, also bin ich nun auf der Suche nach dem nächsten Roman in Schottland :D
August 2, 2023
What I like best about The Golden Girls’ Road Trip by Kate Galley is the independent attitude of Connie, the narrator. Connie, who is seventy years old, is active and in good health. She recently became engaged to Leo, a pleasant chap of her own age who is a former colleague of her only child, Simon. This engagement seemed like a good idea at the time, but Connie is not sure what Leo wants from marriage, and the wedding arrangements bore her. Sadly, she does not get along with her current daughter in law, Simon’s third wife, who is expecting her first grandchild. Finding the combination of reluctant bride-to-be and expectant grandmother overpowering, Connie follows her instincts and escapes from Brighton in her ancient campervan, headed for the hills of Scotland.
Connie makes it to the neighbourhood of Inverness and contacts Alex, a friend she remembers from the summer she spent working at a hotel there when she was eighteen. Alex is now a successful artist whose paintings sell at high prices all around the UK. As a result, Connie embarks on a road trip, revisits her youthful self and develops a fresh outlook on her life and loves.
I know some of the places Connie and her companions stop at on their road trip well, and I enjoyed reading about their adventures in familiar locations. Being of advanced years myself, I sympathised with many of the predicaments Connie finds herself in. All of Galley’s characters are well drawn, but I think her fiancé Leo is especially true to life.
I love Kate Galley’s perceptive and positive attitude to women in Connie’s age group. Too often women of seventy and over appear in novels as stereotypes, whereas Galley correctly shows that like everyone else, they have varied personalities and experiences.
Thank you, NetGalley, for sending me a copy in return for an honest review.
Connie makes it to the neighbourhood of Inverness and contacts Alex, a friend she remembers from the summer she spent working at a hotel there when she was eighteen. Alex is now a successful artist whose paintings sell at high prices all around the UK. As a result, Connie embarks on a road trip, revisits her youthful self and develops a fresh outlook on her life and loves.
I know some of the places Connie and her companions stop at on their road trip well, and I enjoyed reading about their adventures in familiar locations. Being of advanced years myself, I sympathised with many of the predicaments Connie finds herself in. All of Galley’s characters are well drawn, but I think her fiancé Leo is especially true to life.
I love Kate Galley’s perceptive and positive attitude to women in Connie’s age group. Too often women of seventy and over appear in novels as stereotypes, whereas Galley correctly shows that like everyone else, they have varied personalities and experiences.
Thank you, NetGalley, for sending me a copy in return for an honest review.
December 23, 2024
4.5*
An easy, wholesome listen/read!
An easy, wholesome listen/read!
June 17, 2023
What a pleasant surprise! Having not read Kate Galley's first book, The Second Chance Holiday Club, this book was a perfect introduction to a new author for me. BTW, I've already requested my library add her first book and will do so with this one as well when the time comes!
I loved everything about this book. There are truly enjoyable characters (including an adorable dog), wonderful descriptions of the places they travel - the travel was what grabbed my interest, complicated but realistic relationships and character growth that also felt realistic. Connie has a complicated past and at 70 is on the verge of marrying for the first time, but is this the right decision for her life? Also, she's a crocheter which was a happy surprise. Alex is portrayed as a flawed human, but not the commonly seen eccentric artist. No magic wands here. Life is hard. Relationships are hard. Everything isn't solved in an instant. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and was sad to see the end nearing as I read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I loved everything about this book. There are truly enjoyable characters (including an adorable dog), wonderful descriptions of the places they travel - the travel was what grabbed my interest, complicated but realistic relationships and character growth that also felt realistic. Connie has a complicated past and at 70 is on the verge of marrying for the first time, but is this the right decision for her life? Also, she's a crocheter which was a happy surprise. Alex is portrayed as a flawed human, but not the commonly seen eccentric artist. No magic wands here. Life is hard. Relationships are hard. Everything isn't solved in an instant. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and was sad to see the end nearing as I read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 6, 2023
A lovely, gentle novel about finding love in later life.
Seventy year old Connie has just got engaged for the very first time. Her son is married to his third wife and they are expecting their first baby. Connie should be happy, but she still yearns for her first love, who she met the summer she turned 18. Before she can settle down to enjoy the rest of her life, she needs to put some ghosts to rest, so sets out for the highlands of Scotland in her old camper van to track down her long lost love.
I loved reading about Connie & Alex’s differing lifestyles and the way they intersected. The author portrays a very vivid picture of grumpy old ladies who are used to doing things their own way!
There are one or two twists and turns in this story but it is a gentle exploration of relationships between lovers, friends, parents and children. The author explores how misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations can fracture relationships, some of which are healed, some left with regrets.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Seventy year old Connie has just got engaged for the very first time. Her son is married to his third wife and they are expecting their first baby. Connie should be happy, but she still yearns for her first love, who she met the summer she turned 18. Before she can settle down to enjoy the rest of her life, she needs to put some ghosts to rest, so sets out for the highlands of Scotland in her old camper van to track down her long lost love.
I loved reading about Connie & Alex’s differing lifestyles and the way they intersected. The author portrays a very vivid picture of grumpy old ladies who are used to doing things their own way!
There are one or two twists and turns in this story but it is a gentle exploration of relationships between lovers, friends, parents and children. The author explores how misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations can fracture relationships, some of which are healed, some left with regrets.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2023
2 stars
I was really enjoying this until I wasn't. It starts off so strong and pulled me immediately, as I love a strong, independent woman. But, this just slides down hill after about 33% into the book. I finally gave up and skimmed to the end to see if it would end satisfactorily. It did not.
I loved the other book by Kate Galley, this one was a huge miss for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was really enjoying this until I wasn't. It starts off so strong and pulled me immediately, as I love a strong, independent woman. But, this just slides down hill after about 33% into the book. I finally gave up and skimmed to the end to see if it would end satisfactorily. It did not.
I loved the other book by Kate Galley, this one was a huge miss for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2024
so i have been saying for years, "look, i don't love a second chance romance, but give me one about 70 year old lesbians reconnecting after 50+ years and having an opportunity to be together NOW and i will eat that up." and! it happened! and i was right--i loved reading it!
January 25, 2025
I am of two minds on this book. The premise was interesting: a 70 year old woman on the cusp of several major life changes reconnects with an old flame, drama ensues. Add in the late-in-life queer element, and I'm convinced enough to purchase the book from my local independent bookstore.
In the charitable version of my review, this book is a chilling tale about the terror of the closet and how repeatedly forcing yourself to hide from your desires will turn you into a vacuous space, an empty shell, always floating from satisfying one external expectation to the next. The author does offer hope though! As long as you're breathing, there is time to live the life you want. However, this version of my review requires a great deal of extrapolation.
In the more honest version of my review, this book fell short of almost every single mark. The author refuses queerness at every turn, which is an interesting decision to make in a novel about two women falling back in love after a lifetime of lesbian yearning for one another. For a queer romance novel, there is very minimal queerness and even less romance. To call this book "chaste" is underselling it.
Moreover, the writing is repetitive and poorly edited; there are typos galore! It lacks any dimension of tension or foreshadowing. I guess that I can't really be upset at a romance novel for having the tone of a romance novel, but the writing actively got in my way of understanding the progression of the story and was frustrating rather than suspenseful. If you're going to beat around the bush, can't you at least plant some flowers?
You may enjoy this book if you are a straight ally disinterested in any of the messy details of queer life or if you are a hater like myself.
In the charitable version of my review, this book is a chilling tale about the terror of the closet and how repeatedly forcing yourself to hide from your desires will turn you into a vacuous space, an empty shell, always floating from satisfying one external expectation to the next. The author does offer hope though! As long as you're breathing, there is time to live the life you want. However, this version of my review requires a great deal of extrapolation.
In the more honest version of my review, this book fell short of almost every single mark. The author refuses queerness at every turn, which is an interesting decision to make in a novel about two women falling back in love after a lifetime of lesbian yearning for one another. For a queer romance novel, there is very minimal queerness and even less romance. To call this book "chaste" is underselling it.
Moreover, the writing is repetitive and poorly edited; there are typos galore! It lacks any dimension of tension or foreshadowing. I guess that I can't really be upset at a romance novel for having the tone of a romance novel, but the writing actively got in my way of understanding the progression of the story and was frustrating rather than suspenseful. If you're going to beat around the bush, can't you at least plant some flowers?
You may enjoy this book if you are a straight ally disinterested in any of the messy details of queer life or if you are a hater like myself.
January 2, 2024
A quick easy read, pensioners road trip, nothing to wow but it was entertaining
June 29, 2024
A very sweet story, but I had a little bit of a hard time getting into it and waiting for the conversation between two of the main characters to happen. Overall, it was nice and heartwarming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2023
At the age of seventy Connie has a lot of unfinished business in her life. Family and friendships
are all in for a reshuffle. in this
uplifting story.. A road trip with
Ruby, an old camper van is the catalyst and wake call for a new start. I enjoyed this book so much. It's full of surprises and
optimism..
are all in for a reshuffle. in this
uplifting story.. A road trip with
Ruby, an old camper van is the catalyst and wake call for a new start. I enjoyed this book so much. It's full of surprises and
optimism..
July 15, 2023
Connie has just celebrated her 70th birthday. She's due to marry Leo and works in a charity shop.Life seems to be going well.
Soon, her world is turned upside down. She's let go from volunteering in the shop to make way for younger people. Then Leo has to dash to help his daughter after she splits with her husband. Connie is fed up.
After discovering an art exhibition happening in Scotland by her old friend Alex, she sets off in her campervan Ruby.
After an initial frosty start, the two get together to deliver Alex's paintings around the country.
What a great way to spend your retirement travelling and sightseeing.
These two really needed their heads banging together at times, but what a journey and what a story.
This had some sadness but not morose.
I was really glad that Connie and Diana were able to come together.
It is a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Aria and Aries for the ARC in return for an honest review.
Soon, her world is turned upside down. She's let go from volunteering in the shop to make way for younger people. Then Leo has to dash to help his daughter after she splits with her husband. Connie is fed up.
After discovering an art exhibition happening in Scotland by her old friend Alex, she sets off in her campervan Ruby.
After an initial frosty start, the two get together to deliver Alex's paintings around the country.
What a great way to spend your retirement travelling and sightseeing.
These two really needed their heads banging together at times, but what a journey and what a story.
This had some sadness but not morose.
I was really glad that Connie and Diana were able to come together.
It is a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Aria and Aries for the ARC in return for an honest review.
July 11, 2023
Constance is almost 70, about to be married for the first time and finds she is also about to be a grandmother. She has not had a conventional life, being very much a free spirit, bringing up her son in a forward-thinking and loose sort of way. But Simon has married Diana who really does not like Connie. Then Connie spots a magazine article and realises there are issues from her youth that she really should resolve before she finally settles down.
This takes her to Scotland and her real love, but the path to true love is not smooth, and Connie has quite a bit to take on board and deal with before she can find happiness.
Its a good read - I was expecting some sort of fun, 'oldies' road trip and it really is much deeper than that. It makes you think - about relationships, aging and life choices - the 'what ifs'. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This takes her to Scotland and her real love, but the path to true love is not smooth, and Connie has quite a bit to take on board and deal with before she can find happiness.
Its a good read - I was expecting some sort of fun, 'oldies' road trip and it really is much deeper than that. It makes you think - about relationships, aging and life choices - the 'what ifs'. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2023
A truly lovely book that just shows how you are never too old to make a change. I loved the characters and the descriptions of the places visited on the road trip were amazing. Highly recommended.
June 27, 2023
Never read any Kate Galley books before and this was a fantastic introduction to her! The plot was original and realistic, it was a real breath of fresh air. I was routing for Connie from the first page and loved seeing her character develop. Looking forward to reading more Kate Galley books in the future. Thank you netgalley for the ARC ❤️
September 19, 2024
Unexpected
This was not the story I was looking for but entertaining nonetheless. The author does a great job of character building and scene setting. I felt the story would have been stronger without the gay angle. The themes of friendship, family disappointments and mother-in-law issues kept me turning the pages.
This was not the story I was looking for but entertaining nonetheless. The author does a great job of character building and scene setting. I felt the story would have been stronger without the gay angle. The themes of friendship, family disappointments and mother-in-law issues kept me turning the pages.
July 11, 2024
I listened to this book and loved the narration especially Alex what a gorgeous accent. A love story, a story that connects family.
November 17, 2025
Talk about miscommunication. The title does not indicate how sad this story is though it ends more or less well.
July 30, 2023
A road trip to remember. Connie, nearing 70 but a free spirit, flees to Scotland during a fit of pre-wedding nerves. She's also been told she's about to become a grandmother, but is unsure how much her daughter-in-law will let her be involved with her new grandchild. The draw in Scotland is Alex, an artist she once knew very well, who is currently holding an exhibition. So off she goes in her (t)rusty old camper van, Ruby.
Her son Simon is lovely but her prospective husband Leo seems a stick-in-the-mud and is not keen on Connie's beloved Ruby, so off she goes on a journey of self-discovery. An enjoyable read with some important points to make about relationships.
Her son Simon is lovely but her prospective husband Leo seems a stick-in-the-mud and is not keen on Connie's beloved Ruby, so off she goes on a journey of self-discovery. An enjoyable read with some important points to make about relationships.
August 2, 2023
This is my first book by Kate Galley and certainly won’t be my last.
I found the storyline very readable with great characters, exploring trials and tribulations and friendships.
Buckle up and enjoy the ride. This is a road trip not to be missed.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC I. Return for an honest review. It was a blast!
I found the storyline very readable with great characters, exploring trials and tribulations and friendships.
Buckle up and enjoy the ride. This is a road trip not to be missed.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC I. Return for an honest review. It was a blast!
August 17, 2023
"It's never too late for an adventure"
...
Having previously read and so enjoyed author Kate Galley's debut novel 'The Second Chance Holiday Club', accepting an invitation to read this, her second book, was never in any doubt for me.
However, this storyline story unfolded so seamlessly as I turned the pages and is so heavily nuanced with almost every new change of narrative and dialogue, that giving away spoilers is almost an impossibility, which I can now see is probably why the official 'blurb' is so concise.
So, here is my best shot at convincing you that you really do need to read 'The Golden Girls Road Trip' for yourself...
...
Living in very modest circumstances in Brighton, England, Connie has recently celebrated her seventieth birthday. She has never married and has devoted her life as a single mother, to raising her son Simon, in a loving, if very bohemian lifestyle. Simon has always found life without a father figure slightly unsettling and is now with Diana, wife number three, many years his junior, very unresponsive to having Connie as her mother-in-law and who is now pregnant with Simon's child. Connie herself has recently become engaged to Leo, a widower who on the face of it will provide the gentle stability Connie believes she craves. However, alarm bells are beginning to ring, that Leo may not be marrying Connie for who she is, but for who he wants her to be, an assumption confirmed by Leo's daughter Fiona. Connie realises that she needs to put some distance between herself and Leo, whilst they each decide where their true feelings really lie.
It is at this opportune time that Connie reads an article about reclusive artist Alex Mackenzie, who is holding an exhibition of her paintings, the first for many decades, in her home City of Inverness. For Connie, who knew Alex very briefly from an enforced stay in Scotland at her aunt's hotel, during her teenage years, the memories come flooding back of the fun the two of them had together for that fleeting period of time. However, despite them being the same age and sharing the same birthday, they have never kept in touch during the intervening years, having parted company under something of a cloud, although Alex did gift Connie one of her paintings, one of a pair, the other which she kept herself.
Connie, who has never lost the wanderlust feeling and still owns a rather dilapidated camper van, which is strawberry pink and cream and goes by the name of Ruby, decides on the spur of the moment, to make the trip to Scotland and surprise Alex at the exhibition, without telling anyone where she is going. Alex however, is far from pleased to see Connie, which is not the reception she had anticipated, although, having had a brief fling with a now deceased Lord, Alex seems very well set up and appears to have money to burn. After the sale, a very unresponsive and cold Alex, asks for Connie's help in delivering some of the sold paintings to her favoured customers, who hail from all the far flung corners of the country.
Thus sees the pair embarking on one of the strangest mini road trips ever. After many arguments, with more than a few home truths being aired, much soul-searching by both ladies and nights spent in a variety of accommodation, an uneasy truce has been established. Their journey is however, curtailed before its last port of call, when Connie receives news from Simon that she needs to come home. It seems that Connie isn't the only one who has been adept at being economical with the truth and when Simon confesses all that has been happening behind her back during the last few years, Connie is less than pleased. It takes a forthright Alex to bring Connie to her senses and Ruby is turned back towards Brighton in a mercy dash. One emotional rollercoaster ride for Connie, suddenly becomes two when another crisis piles in and due to work commitments, Simon can't be there for moral support. The unorthodox situation throws Connie and Diana together and a new understanding is reached between them, so by the time one sad and one happy event have finally sunk in with everyone, it is only then that Connie realises that Alex is no longer beside her, has taken all her belongings out of the van and left. It takes a determined Diana to force the entire truth and full-length story from Connie and with her daughter-in-law status now fully restored and the two of them totally at ease with one another, she sets about finding Alex to reunite her with Connie, exactly where she should have always been. Together at last, Connie and Alex embark on a once in a lifetime road trip of epic proportions.
...
Whilst the storyline was nothing like I had expected it to be, there were so many aspects of it which immediately resonated with me, even though I am still a few years short of Connie and Alex's septuagenarian age and I will certainly never have the courage to 'grow old disgracefully' as they are so intent on doing.
Connie's commitment to her charity shop volunteering, where she has responsibility for keeping the bookshelves stocked and relevant, and the acute pain she feels when she is told that her services are no longer required, because a younger tranche of volunteer is being sought in an effort to change the average age demographic of the customer, is highly personal to me and I can relate to her reactions completely.
Her reconnection with her crochet work, is also a path I trod in an effort to discover a new niche for myself post charity shop era, although Connie's motives are wonderfully unique to her circumstances and her quirky choice of the way forward with the first item she decides to make, highlights her underlying thoughtfulness and resourcefulness, even though she might deny it.
Finally, Connie's relationship with her mother, although distanced and broken down for very different reasons, had a very similar impact and resulted in the same emotionally traumatic consequences for myself as her own. Having been estranged from one another for over 50 years, we are to discover that Connie has not been totally honest with either herself, or her son, about recent gestures of reconciliation her mother has made and her own intransigence at grasping the olive branch which has been held out to her. She has also never told Simon the true reasons for the break down in the mother daughter relationship, which had left the two of them as a self sufficient unit for all of his life.
Connie's rather unconventional lifestyle might be explained by the many 'trigger' points, which are brought to the forefront of the story. The coercive and controlling behaviour her father exerted over her mother, which resulted in her mother being forced to choose which one to favour over the other - father or daughter. That the behaviour of both parents resulted in an excess consumption of alcohol, used as a crutch, which is then echoed down to the present day and manifested in Alex's means of dealing with her own issues. The trauma of sexual assault and rape of a minor by a much older professional person, whose lies are instantly believed as the truth. The taboo of dealing with one's sex and sexuality - All set against a 1970s backdrop, where an instilled morality code reflected attitudes of "Are you absolutely sure that's what happened?"...and "How are we best going to bury this problem before friends and family discover the truth about us?", all so alien to todays open and inclusive culture.
This is a story in four acts - A reconciliation with the past; A realigning of the future; The pain and discovery of the transition from one to the other; The joy of the life-changing journey ahead.
The story is bold and unconventional, multi-layered, well structured and developed. The writing is fluent, poignant and evocative, conveying just the right amount of empathy and compassion. Oh! and there are actually a fair few laugh-out-loud moments, although some of the humour is quite dark and wicked.
As with her debut novel, this story, whilst having a small, diverse cast of characters, is primarily focussed on two ladies of a certain age and I did stop to ponder on how much of what Kate Galley incorporates into her writing, is gleaned from the connections she makes in her day job as a mobile hairdresser. It was just so easy to forget that both Connie and Alex are now septaugenerians, although these days this is almost classed as late middle-age, so why shouldn't a new beginning be possible. Although not in anyway a direct comparison with the successful film 'Thelma and Louise', there are definite overtones in some elements of the multiple genres, which might be described as a drama, adventure or road trip, with elements of a romantic comedy. The characters literally speak for themselves, they are so well-drawn and authentic. The synergy and changing dynamics between them, with the exception of the long established relationship Connie and Simon have, builds slowly over time and whilst they may be a multi-faceted, complex, emotional and at times volatile bunch of individuals, they are also addictive and quite easy to invest in.
As a confirmed 'armchair traveller', I am always looking to be transported to the locations my reading takes me to. So, whilst Connie and Alex only tend to make whistle-stop trips to many of the paces on the route of their mini road trip, author Kate Galley makes full use of her palette of words to paint a visually perfect picture of the physical locations, whilst imbuing an immersive sense of time and place, sights and sounds, which brings the experience to life.
What makes reading such a lovely experience for me, is that with each new book, the individual stories take me on a unique journey of discovery, written by some amazing authors who have the ability to fire my imagination, stimulate my senses and stir my emotions. I can only recommend that read this book for yourself and see where your journey leads you. I have some lovely memories of this story to treasure, thank you Kate!
Another book which would definitely not have been anywhere on my radar, had it not been for the lovely team at publisher Aria Fiction introducing me to this fantastic author. As it is, this book is definitely right up there as one of my favourite reads of 2023 and will take some doing to be beaten. It's 5 stars right across the board from me, for uniqueness of storyline, quality of storytelling, depth of characters and a wonderful mini UK road trip journey.
...
Having previously read and so enjoyed author Kate Galley's debut novel 'The Second Chance Holiday Club', accepting an invitation to read this, her second book, was never in any doubt for me.
However, this storyline story unfolded so seamlessly as I turned the pages and is so heavily nuanced with almost every new change of narrative and dialogue, that giving away spoilers is almost an impossibility, which I can now see is probably why the official 'blurb' is so concise.
So, here is my best shot at convincing you that you really do need to read 'The Golden Girls Road Trip' for yourself...
...
Living in very modest circumstances in Brighton, England, Connie has recently celebrated her seventieth birthday. She has never married and has devoted her life as a single mother, to raising her son Simon, in a loving, if very bohemian lifestyle. Simon has always found life without a father figure slightly unsettling and is now with Diana, wife number three, many years his junior, very unresponsive to having Connie as her mother-in-law and who is now pregnant with Simon's child. Connie herself has recently become engaged to Leo, a widower who on the face of it will provide the gentle stability Connie believes she craves. However, alarm bells are beginning to ring, that Leo may not be marrying Connie for who she is, but for who he wants her to be, an assumption confirmed by Leo's daughter Fiona. Connie realises that she needs to put some distance between herself and Leo, whilst they each decide where their true feelings really lie.
It is at this opportune time that Connie reads an article about reclusive artist Alex Mackenzie, who is holding an exhibition of her paintings, the first for many decades, in her home City of Inverness. For Connie, who knew Alex very briefly from an enforced stay in Scotland at her aunt's hotel, during her teenage years, the memories come flooding back of the fun the two of them had together for that fleeting period of time. However, despite them being the same age and sharing the same birthday, they have never kept in touch during the intervening years, having parted company under something of a cloud, although Alex did gift Connie one of her paintings, one of a pair, the other which she kept herself.
Connie, who has never lost the wanderlust feeling and still owns a rather dilapidated camper van, which is strawberry pink and cream and goes by the name of Ruby, decides on the spur of the moment, to make the trip to Scotland and surprise Alex at the exhibition, without telling anyone where she is going. Alex however, is far from pleased to see Connie, which is not the reception she had anticipated, although, having had a brief fling with a now deceased Lord, Alex seems very well set up and appears to have money to burn. After the sale, a very unresponsive and cold Alex, asks for Connie's help in delivering some of the sold paintings to her favoured customers, who hail from all the far flung corners of the country.
Thus sees the pair embarking on one of the strangest mini road trips ever. After many arguments, with more than a few home truths being aired, much soul-searching by both ladies and nights spent in a variety of accommodation, an uneasy truce has been established. Their journey is however, curtailed before its last port of call, when Connie receives news from Simon that she needs to come home. It seems that Connie isn't the only one who has been adept at being economical with the truth and when Simon confesses all that has been happening behind her back during the last few years, Connie is less than pleased. It takes a forthright Alex to bring Connie to her senses and Ruby is turned back towards Brighton in a mercy dash. One emotional rollercoaster ride for Connie, suddenly becomes two when another crisis piles in and due to work commitments, Simon can't be there for moral support. The unorthodox situation throws Connie and Diana together and a new understanding is reached between them, so by the time one sad and one happy event have finally sunk in with everyone, it is only then that Connie realises that Alex is no longer beside her, has taken all her belongings out of the van and left. It takes a determined Diana to force the entire truth and full-length story from Connie and with her daughter-in-law status now fully restored and the two of them totally at ease with one another, she sets about finding Alex to reunite her with Connie, exactly where she should have always been. Together at last, Connie and Alex embark on a once in a lifetime road trip of epic proportions.
...
Whilst the storyline was nothing like I had expected it to be, there were so many aspects of it which immediately resonated with me, even though I am still a few years short of Connie and Alex's septuagenarian age and I will certainly never have the courage to 'grow old disgracefully' as they are so intent on doing.
Connie's commitment to her charity shop volunteering, where she has responsibility for keeping the bookshelves stocked and relevant, and the acute pain she feels when she is told that her services are no longer required, because a younger tranche of volunteer is being sought in an effort to change the average age demographic of the customer, is highly personal to me and I can relate to her reactions completely.
Her reconnection with her crochet work, is also a path I trod in an effort to discover a new niche for myself post charity shop era, although Connie's motives are wonderfully unique to her circumstances and her quirky choice of the way forward with the first item she decides to make, highlights her underlying thoughtfulness and resourcefulness, even though she might deny it.
Finally, Connie's relationship with her mother, although distanced and broken down for very different reasons, had a very similar impact and resulted in the same emotionally traumatic consequences for myself as her own. Having been estranged from one another for over 50 years, we are to discover that Connie has not been totally honest with either herself, or her son, about recent gestures of reconciliation her mother has made and her own intransigence at grasping the olive branch which has been held out to her. She has also never told Simon the true reasons for the break down in the mother daughter relationship, which had left the two of them as a self sufficient unit for all of his life.
Connie's rather unconventional lifestyle might be explained by the many 'trigger' points, which are brought to the forefront of the story. The coercive and controlling behaviour her father exerted over her mother, which resulted in her mother being forced to choose which one to favour over the other - father or daughter. That the behaviour of both parents resulted in an excess consumption of alcohol, used as a crutch, which is then echoed down to the present day and manifested in Alex's means of dealing with her own issues. The trauma of sexual assault and rape of a minor by a much older professional person, whose lies are instantly believed as the truth. The taboo of dealing with one's sex and sexuality - All set against a 1970s backdrop, where an instilled morality code reflected attitudes of "Are you absolutely sure that's what happened?"...and "How are we best going to bury this problem before friends and family discover the truth about us?", all so alien to todays open and inclusive culture.
This is a story in four acts - A reconciliation with the past; A realigning of the future; The pain and discovery of the transition from one to the other; The joy of the life-changing journey ahead.
The story is bold and unconventional, multi-layered, well structured and developed. The writing is fluent, poignant and evocative, conveying just the right amount of empathy and compassion. Oh! and there are actually a fair few laugh-out-loud moments, although some of the humour is quite dark and wicked.
As with her debut novel, this story, whilst having a small, diverse cast of characters, is primarily focussed on two ladies of a certain age and I did stop to ponder on how much of what Kate Galley incorporates into her writing, is gleaned from the connections she makes in her day job as a mobile hairdresser. It was just so easy to forget that both Connie and Alex are now septaugenerians, although these days this is almost classed as late middle-age, so why shouldn't a new beginning be possible. Although not in anyway a direct comparison with the successful film 'Thelma and Louise', there are definite overtones in some elements of the multiple genres, which might be described as a drama, adventure or road trip, with elements of a romantic comedy. The characters literally speak for themselves, they are so well-drawn and authentic. The synergy and changing dynamics between them, with the exception of the long established relationship Connie and Simon have, builds slowly over time and whilst they may be a multi-faceted, complex, emotional and at times volatile bunch of individuals, they are also addictive and quite easy to invest in.
As a confirmed 'armchair traveller', I am always looking to be transported to the locations my reading takes me to. So, whilst Connie and Alex only tend to make whistle-stop trips to many of the paces on the route of their mini road trip, author Kate Galley makes full use of her palette of words to paint a visually perfect picture of the physical locations, whilst imbuing an immersive sense of time and place, sights and sounds, which brings the experience to life.
What makes reading such a lovely experience for me, is that with each new book, the individual stories take me on a unique journey of discovery, written by some amazing authors who have the ability to fire my imagination, stimulate my senses and stir my emotions. I can only recommend that read this book for yourself and see where your journey leads you. I have some lovely memories of this story to treasure, thank you Kate!
Another book which would definitely not have been anywhere on my radar, had it not been for the lovely team at publisher Aria Fiction introducing me to this fantastic author. As it is, this book is definitely right up there as one of my favourite reads of 2023 and will take some doing to be beaten. It's 5 stars right across the board from me, for uniqueness of storyline, quality of storytelling, depth of characters and a wonderful mini UK road trip journey.
August 10, 2025
I thought this book was cute and I love how much growth and change happened in such a short book!
July 11, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.This was an enjoyable, fast, summer read about women, friendship, love, and family. This was a different type of story for me to read, I generally read more historical fiction, but I have to say I enjoyed the interaction between Connie and Alex, all in all it was a pleasant book to read.. I would recommend this story for anyone interested in reading alight, but very thought provoking book.
July 11, 2023
An easy to read fun book that follows
Connie a single 70yr old lady who goes on a road trip to find an old friend Alex. She hasn’t had an easy life but she wants to reconnect with someone she knew 50 years ago. Easy to read chapters and fun although sometimes annoying characters. Thanks to Kate Galley and her publisher.
Connie a single 70yr old lady who goes on a road trip to find an old friend Alex. She hasn’t had an easy life but she wants to reconnect with someone she knew 50 years ago. Easy to read chapters and fun although sometimes annoying characters. Thanks to Kate Galley and her publisher.
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