The Nearness of You

by Dorothy Garlock

Hooper's Crossing, New York, 1952. The post-war boom seems a million miles away . . . especially for a sheltered librarian who longs for the adventure and excitement of the big city.

New York City. The hustle and bustle. The people and the excitement. It's all Lily Denton dreams about. But ever since her mother died, her overprotective father won't ease up on her. So she spends her days working at the library and her nights hoping life doesn't pass her by . . . until the Fall Festival. As tourists fill the streets, the crisp autumn air sneaks in-as does the thrill of a far more dangerous kind.

Some men have a gift for avoiding trouble. Professional photographer Boone Tatum isn't one of them. In fact, that penchant for trouble is exactly what landed Boone in this small town in the middle of nowhere in the first place. Yet the moment he meets beautiful Lily Denton and snaps her photograph, everything changes. Suddenly leaving is the furthest thing from Boone's mind-or his heart.

But danger has slipped silently into this sleepy town, marking Lily as its own. And Lily and Boone's dream of a life together is thrown into peril-unless Lily finds the courage to stand up for herself and a man she only just met . . . and can't live without.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Chick Lit, Historical Romance, Historical, Adult Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published July 11, 2017

About the author

Dorothy Garlock was a best-selling American author of over 60 historical romance novels, most of them set in the American West. More than 20 million copies of her books are in print, in 18 languages. Her books have been on the New York Times best seller list seven times. She was named one of the 10 most popular writers of women's fiction four years in a row, from 1985-1988. In 1997, she was awarded the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award. Garlock is also a member of the Romance Writers Hall of Fame.

Garlock worked as an editor, agent and publicist for most of her writing career. She was a native of Texas who grew up in Oklahoma then married and moved to Iowa. Garlock donated many of her manuscripts and other unpublished writings to the University of Iowa libraries.


Pen names include:
Johanna Phillips
Dorothy Phillips
Dorothy Glenn

Reviews

[Val · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main problem I had with this book were the 2017 values that were assigned to 1955 characters. Even when I was a young person in the seventies, the idea of living together was not seenas normal and I know it was totally disapproved of in my mother's time. So when these characters blithely begin living together in New York City without her very possessive father chasing after her, well, that just didn't ring true. But it's a bit of a lark to read, an escape romance with a bank heist thrown in just for laughs.

[Chelle - FlowerChildReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad boys. Why are they so tempting, so intriguing? Each generation of parents tend to forget the lesson 'the tighter you hold on, the more irresistible your kids will find the inappropriate'. Such is the case in Dorothy Garlock's The Nearness of You.
Set in the small town of Harpers Crossing, NY in 1952, Lily Denton longs for the excitement of NYC. Her overprotective father keeps her close however, holding tight after the death of her mother. Boone Tatum is a well traveled, accomplished photographer, and trouble with a capital 'T'. An assignment in sleepy Harpers Crossing is a punishment. Lily and Boone cross paths at the Fall Festival where he takes her photograph.
As the story unfolds and I was immersed further I realized although set in 1952 so many themes are universal. Dorothy Garlock really does a beautiful job weaving a story of coming of age, love, loss, identity, family, community, the complicated messy, beauty of life. She manages to do this in a way that is uncomplicated, unfussy, unhurried. That's a good book. I really enjoyed this and recommend.
I received an advanced reader copy (eGalley) from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinions.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 2 Stars is too harsh, but there were a lot of things about this book that just bugged me. As another reviewer pointed out the values were off! This was set in 1952/53...when the lyrics in a song (which actually wasn’t written until 1955) said things, like, “Love and marriage, love and marriage. They go together like a horse and carriage. This I tell you, brother, You can't have one without the other...Try, try, try to separate them, It's an illusion...Dad was told by mother, You can't have one, you can´t have none, You can't have one without the other...” (Look it up, that’s copy and paste.) So, I’m sorry but small town girl,Lily, would not be going to bed with this guy, then going off to New York and living with him and hoping for a marriage proposal. I was also put off by the father “forbidding” a 21 year old to go to a dance with a young man...but I suppose THAT was more in keeping with the times. If I had a dollar for every time I rolled my eyes listening to this, I’d be able to get plenty of both food and drink at Starbucks. I won’t be reading this author again...her writing talent is good, but I don’t like the direction she takes it.

[Deanna Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it was good book so, enjoyed it!

Omg! Her father was overprotective of his daughter since her mom died when she was six years old and it was very sad that she barely remember her around with her...

That two thieves trying to rob the bank at Hooper’s Crossing but Garret stop him before rob the bank, Thank goodness! Boone was okay and so is Garret the police..

I’m glad that Lily and Boone have a start a new life in New York City while her best friend Jane living the dream where she will be doing..

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a really long time since I have had the chance to read a book by Dorothy Garlock. When I started reading , I quickly remembered why I loved her work. This is a wonderful story with characters that quickly became friends.

Lily Denton is a smart, strong, young lady that loves her father. She wants to make him proud. She lost her mother at a very young age. She has not had an easy life and she has always dreamt of living in the big city, New York City. Lily always tries to do the "right" thing in life. She truly is the classic "good girl".

Boone Tatum is an awesome photographer and has traveled the world to use his talent to tell the latest stories with his camera. He sets out to take a picture and finds himself in some hot water. His punishment is a trip to middle of nowhere, Hooper's Crossing to take pictures of their fall festival. He also has to take a new reporter with him. Clive is thrilled with their adventure to Hooper's Crossing. Boone's goal is to get in, get some pictures, let Clive write a quick piece to with the pictures, and get out and on to the next exciting assignment.

It's not long and he finds himself not wanting to leave Hooper's Crossing quite so quickly. Everything changes when Boone meets an incredibly lady by literally bumping into her. He's instantly taken with Lily and sets out get to know her better. I loved watching Boone and Lily get to know each other. They have such a strong instant connection and attraction to each other. Lily takes Boone on a few adventures to assist him with his assignment.

There is some drama and suspense included in this wonderful story that had my heart beating faster and my fingers flipping the pages just as quickly as I could. I just could not wait to see how my "new friends" were going to find their way out of the dangerous situation they find themselves in. I don't want to tell you too much because you are going to want to enjoy this fantastic story for your self.

If you enjoy a sweet romantic story with friendship, drama, suspense, and family issues all in the perfect amounts then you need to grab this story now! If you are a fan of Dorothy Garlock then you are in for a treat. If you haven't had a chance to read her work for a while, like me, I think you are going to enjoy her story telling talent as much as I did.

I was given the opportunity to read this fantabulous story and it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you.

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with this book cover and thought the story had to be good so I didn't even bother reading the blurb. I'm pleased to say my gut feeling didn't let me down. The Nearness of You by Dorothy Garlock is the perfect beach read.

It's a lighthearted romance with a sprinkle here and there of suspense and action, that keeps the reader turning pages until the end.

The story starts in 1937 but it then fast-forwards to 1952, when Lily (the heroine) is all grown up and about to leave town with her best friend Jane. I think this is my favorite part of the story. I love the dynamic between Jane and Lily. Jane's vivacious and doesn't settle for anything less than it's worth. She dreams big and always wants more.

Lily, on the other hand, has big dreams but the guilt of leaving her father behind weighs heavy on her. Reading about two girls leaving town for the big apple, had me turning the pages until Lily changes her mind. I was disappointed with that twist because I was looking forward to seeing what the two of them would do in NYC.

Despite that bit of disappointment, I enjoyed the story. The author does a great job of letting the reader see/understand the reasons Lily decides to stay in town. It's not as though she never gets to leave anyway.

I do, however, wish that Jane would've had more of an active role given that she's Lily's best friends. Maybe perhaps Jane would've stolen the spotlight from Lily, but I think that the two together would've been a lot more fun to read.

The dynamic between the Boone and Clive duo was fantastic. Clive--though not attractive and a pain in the ass as only he can be--is hilarious in his own way. It was nice to see how Boone learns to appreciate Clive for who he is and even admits there might just be a lasting friendship in the making.

I have to say that if there's ever a story for Jane in the Big Apple, I will absolutely read it.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading Dorothy Garlock’s books for years. Her latest are usually set in the 30’s or 40’s, which is my favorite time to read about. “The Nearness of You” will be published in July, 2017. This novel is set in 1937 in Hooper’s Crossing, Hew York during their famous Harvest Festival. Lily Denton is the overprotective mayor’s daughter and she really wants to get away from this little town. She plans on running away with her friend, Jane, but at the last minute gets cold feet and backs out. In the meantime, two small-time crooks are planning to rob the town bank after all the money from the festival ends up there. Life magazine is sending a team of writer and photographer to do a spread on small town festivals. Boone Tatum is a well-traveled photographer who is not happy at being saddled with this hick assignment. As always, in Ms. Garlock’s stories, there is a hint of romance (maybe more than a hint) and a hint of mayhem involving the characters. This book did not fail to provide the story I was expecting. A light novel, but with characteristic twists and turns. Check out her other books too. You will be glad you did.

You can read this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-ri. Check out other book reviews at http://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com.

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received in exchange for a honest review.

Overall I enjoyed the story. I loved seeing Lily gather the courage to go after her dream. I loved Boone gain a new perspective and be brought down to earth but also fall in love. I enjoyed watching Lily’s dad see things through his daughter and loosen up at some point. I also really liked the mystery that was part of the Fall Festival. Seeing Boone help Lily gain strength and stand up for what she wants. he also helps keep her safe for she is in danger even when she didn’t realize it. At times there was too much description but it doesn’t detract from the story. Just for me it slows the story down.

I really loved watching Boone’s view change and how Lily helps change him and have him fall in love. I love how one picture changes a series of events and places danger unknowingly around those in the picture and the one who takes it. I love that danger and intrigue and how it was solved. I enjoyed how in the end Lily finds her niche and makes it, how her dad supports her and how her and Boone fall in love and are together.

A wonderfully complex and emotional tale that has multi-dimensional characters, intrigue and love.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Nearness of You by [Garlock, Dorothy]I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Set in 1952, The Nearness of You is a post-war novel.Lily Denton longs to go to New York City, however, her father is protective of his girl and would like her nearby. She works in the library day-by-day. It seems her routine will never change. then The Fall Festival comes along with the tourists it brings and adventure.

Boone Tatum is a photographer who seems to attract trouble. He meets Lily and his life changes. He wants to stay here and not go wandering anymore.

Lily now has to make some decisions about a new life.

Dorothy Garlock writes romance novels that can place the reader right in the middle of the story. I like how she can make a love story grow naturally without a lot of silliness.

I truly enjoyed this book.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been long overdue since I have read anything from this author. I have not come across a book that I didn't like from this author. After reading this book, I can guarantee you that I won't let that happen again. Dorothy Garlock is in the same arena as Nicholas Sparks. There is so much life infused in the characters and the story.

I absolutely loved Lily. She had such a kind heart. You could feel the kindness oozing off the pages of this book. Originally, I feared that Boone would be too much for Lily; yet he was a great surprise. Meeting Lily was the best thing for Boone. It grounded him and made him more personable.

Hooper's Crossing is a place that you would not want to leave. The people there are friendly. Well most of them. The town has personality. The Nearness of You is a delightful read that will stick with you long after you have finished the last page!

[A Book Lover's Emporium Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story flowed beautifully and was so well written, I couldn’t put it down. It has that easy, classic style which makes the book a winner.

It is set in Hooper’s Crossing, America in 1952, but honestly could be set any time and any place. The characters are really well rounded, they felt like friends. I really liked Lily; she is a librarian, quiet and slightly put upon, but with dreams of bigger things; I could really relate to her. The photographer, Boone, who is in Hooper’s Crossing to cover the Fall Festival, for Life magazine, is just wonderful. I loved how you got to know him and Lily and how their story weaved together. The secondary characters in the book are brilliant; they fit in perfectly to make this such a great story.

I loved the way the author put the story together. It is not overly complicated but paints a wonderful picture of the town, as well as the lives of the people who live there and those who visit and touch the lives of everyone there. This one is a definite must read.

[Redina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful quick read for when you are in the mood to just fall in love with life again. The story takes you away to a small town, away from your everyday busy life, and allows you to smell the flowers that are so often overlooked. The characters come alive so easily in your mind, like a movie. I would recommend this book to those who want to slow down, "get away" for a weekend, and appreciate the little things life has to offer, while also remembering to never give up on yourself.

READ THE BOOK? LET'S TALK ABOUT IT! :)

[Bonnie Dieffenbacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy this author's books. This takes place in a small town in 1952 during the town fall festival when a magazine photographer is sent to town to take photographs. It is a sweet love story with even some crime tossed in. A light easy read.

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorothy Garlock at her best. love her.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. It was entertaining. Small town girl meets big city boy!

[kirath · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring boring boring

[Chelse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. It is beautifully written and I was drawn into the story from the first chapter. This is the first book I have read by Dorothy Garlock and I’m excited to read more by this author.

[C bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

netgalley

Loved the book. This is one of the authors I read when I first started reading romance novels years ago.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars
Lily’s mother died when she was six, leaving her to be raised by her father. Lily’s father, who is mayor of Hooper's Crossing, is over protective of Lily, even though she is now an adult. Lily longs to get away from Hooper’s Crossing to New York. With her friend Jane they make plans. But when it all comes down to it, Lily makes a decision that changes her life in ways she never imagined.
The Fall Festival brings many visitors to Lily’s hometown. Two are in town to rob the bank and two others to take photos of and write up the Fall Festival. Boone Tatum is one of those there not by choice but as punishment from his editor of Life magazine for Boone’s brash and illegal behaviour. His plan is to get in and out as quickly as possible. And then his life changes in ways he never expected.
Lily is a likeable character, if a bit clueless when it comes to her lifelong friend Garrett, the town’s police officer. A couple of the characters come across as rather one dimensional and at times it felt repetitive and predictable, though a couple of aspects towards the end did not quite work out as I thought they might.
Readable, a light read but not exactly a compelling read. But this author has written a lot of books, so she appears to please a lot of people. The story is set in 1952 but I never got much of sense of that time period. An okay read, but not the right book for this reader. Yet I suspect a lot of people will enjoy it more.

[Ionia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet romance with a bit of a criminal twist. Set in the 1930's the backdrop for this novel is a small, adorable American town.

I liked this book right away, as with other Dorothy Garlock novels, this book is all about family connections and friendships aside from the main romance plot and the setting is so well described that you feel like you are right there with the characters.

This book has a lot going on in it besides the romance and I was particularly impressed with the way the author described the friendship between Lily and her police officer best friend. The dialogue is good in this book, but for me it was the subtle body language descriptions and the reactions that made the book what it was. It also had a happy ending that was believable, and I like that.

This would be a great book for a weekend away, when you are looking for a book you can really get into.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby and her friend dream of living in New York City and leaving the little town of Hooper's Crossing, New York in 1952. A big festival is going on in town and a big-time photographer for Life magazine, Boone Tatum, comes to town to do a story. There are also two men who come to town, pretending to be tourists but really are planning a bank robbery. Their lives all collide in this realistic, historical romance about "small town U.S.A." I appreciated the nicely designed characters who could be anyone next door! I felt the tender, sweet ambiance of a small town in the 1950's. Dorothy Garlock does an amazing job of creating an engaging story with likable characters. A great addition to historical romance!

The Nearness of You by Dorothy Garlock is now available from Grand Central Publishing. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

R A sex scene.

The characters are fun to follow around, but, truthfully, I had hoped that the setting of 1952 would at least have one of the main characters prefer waiting for the altar, for Pity's sake. Lily and Boone meet and are obviously attracted to one another right away (surprise, surprise) and within three days are "in love" with one another enough to jump in the sack. A fantasy that many chick lit readers like, I suppose, but it just annoyed me enough to not want to finish it. As someone else said, the author put 2017 values in this 1952 historical fiction novel. It just didn't ring true for me. My vacation ended before I could finish it anyway and I had to return it to the local library where I'm visiting. I won't bother signing it out at home to finish it.
I chose "Waste of Time" as one of the bookshelves because I had just that during most of my vacation: some time to waste.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable book set in the 1930s and 1950s. Dorothy Garlock has a writing style that I can only describe as classical beauty. As the reader you fall into the story and become one with the characters.

The main character, Lily, finds herself at a crossroads in life. Should she stay in Hooper's Crossing and stay the librarian or move to NYC with her best friend? As she is making her decision she befriends a Life photographer during the famous fall festival and finds herself falling in love. Will he be the reason she leaves?

I have never been disappointed with a Dorothy Garlock book and you make it about a small town librarian and I'm hooked.

Whether this is your first Garlock book or your 20th you will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC for my own honest review in return.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is on the audio version.

The story was fun and I enjoyed the secondary characters a lot. I did feel that Boone fell in love a bit to quick for all the lead up that was done on him for being Mr. I’m single and love it. I’d also have liked to have either closure for the secondary characters, or this be part of a series. There was so much more to write about them!!

The narrator, oh man. She has a great voice and her potential is unlimited, however in this particular story, everyone was always yelling!!! Like YELLING!! Not every person in every conversation needed to be so aggressive.

All in all this was a fun story. I got this book on Libby at the public library, but if I were to have gotten it on Audible or the like, I would have felt that only purchasing it on sale would have been worth it.

[Lizabeth Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

All Lily Denton wants is to explore the world, but her overprotective father and her guilty feelings about leaving him have her trapped in her small town. But when she meets photographer Boone Tatum, on reluctant assignment in Hooper's Crossing, Lily begins to blossom.

I've read Garlock in the past and usually enjoy her gentle romances. But this time I was vastly disappointed by the book. The narrative was plodding and simplistic, not gentle and loving. This isn't Garlock to me, more like a ghostwriter trying to catch the Garlock magic. I might be wrong, but it just didn't seem genuine.

And, I admit, that I think the wrong character was picked as the hero. To my mind, Garrett was a better choice than Boone. Too many small town caricatures sadly and a meh ending. 3 out of 5.

[Claudia Cheyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Dorothy Garlock book was somewhat disappointing compared to her Route 66 Series which I just finished reading. I liked the characters in this story. The plot seemed too contrived so everything went according to a plan that all worked out in the end. It supposedly took place in 1952. The epilogue has the two main characters living together in New York City - totally in love but not married. Her overprotective father is supposedly okay with that. I can't imagine that it was as acceptable to "live in sin" in the 1950's as it is today. There were a few other things I wondered about but don't remember them anymore.

[Laura Aase · Rating 2 out of 5]

I miss the quality and depth of the Route 66 series! That being said there was a good plot line of this story. Lily is a small town girl itching to escape and Boone is a reluctant LIFE magazine photographer sent to her town to cover their fall festival as a punishment. They meet and fall in love at first sight- gag. Little do they know their town bank is going to be robbed and their paths keep crossing that of the crooks. Add in Lily’s best friend and the town cop is secretly in love with her...aside from the first sight love and them leaving town to live together( very unrealistic for her personality type in that day and age..) and enjoyable story,

[Lee Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a while since I read aDorothy Garlock novel, and after reading this one, I am not sure why. I enjoyed the story, characters and was completely sucked into the small town fall festival. A little romance, a little suspense and a little of a woman coming into herself.

This book is labeled as historical fiction, as it takes place in 1950’s, however it feel more contemporary as there is really no historical data shared that I could see. Romance, love at first sight, swept off her feet. Some of it did not really work, but the story was fun and compelling.
A good read, kept me reading.

[Page Turners · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story had everything going on in it. Lily is the daughter of the town mayor that longs for adventures in the big city. Boone is the jaded news photographer uninterested in the small town until he sees Lily. There is romance and suspense thrown together and did I mention the bank robbers? This was a sweet story with a small town feel to it. The romance had a slow but steady build and I was mesmerized from the beginning. I recommend this book to everyone looking for a good, old-fashioned love story.

[Digne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow this was bad.

First off, I want to make it clear that I am not a picky reader. As of this writing, My book-rating average is 3.98 stars. So it’s rare that I find a book that I truly do not like. This is one of them.

The characters were flat. The heroine was a Mary Sue. After telling us how she isn’t as pretty as her friend who gets all the boys, every guy who shows up in this book falls in love at first sight with the heroine.

In the end I was sort of hoping the bad guy would kill the leading man just to save me all the saccharine excesses.