Lost Highways

Valentine #1.5

by Curtiss Ann Matlock

Meet Rainey thirty-five, twice divorced, a woman with broken dreams but irrepressible hope. When her mother dies she inherits a truck, an old barrel-racing mare, and a lifetime supply of Mary Kay cosmetics. Rainey packs it all up and heads off, leaving Valentine, Oklahoma in her rearview mirror. Then, somewhere outside Abilene, she finds him . . . a man as lost as she is.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Womens Fiction

503 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Curtiss Ann Matlock is the author of 40 novels. With over 7 million copies in print worldwide, her books have earned rave reviews, spots on the USA TODAY bestseller list and numerous awards.

Born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, into a family of avid readers, Curtiss Ann began reading before entering first grade and was writing vignettes while still in elementary school. Her writing career began in her early thirties, with publication of two small, warm-hearted articles about her life, for which she received a total of $100. She was so enthused at this success that she immediately started writing her first novel. She also enrolled in the professional writing program at the University of Oklahoma, studying under the distinguished writer and teacher Jack Bickham and bestselling mystery novelist, Carolyn Hart. In her second year of study, Curtiss Ann experienced the dream of selling the first novel she ever wrote, a romance, to Harlequin Books.

Told with a strong Southern voice, her insightful stories portray the uncommon valor of everyday people and the humor, heartbreak, and shining graces of small-town life. In 1999,Lost Highways was published by Mira Books. The book was nominated for a RITA Award in women’s fiction and began the warm-hearted and funny series about the lives of the beloved characters in fictional Valentine, Oklahoma. The sixth book of the Valentine series, Sweet Dreams at the Goodnight Motel, was a 2005 Oklahoma Book Award Finalist.

Chin Up, Honey, number seven in the series, was released May 2009.

Curtiss Ann currently lives with her family and assorted pets in rural south Alabama.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you’re big into Texan country-girls, horses and barrel-racing, and you don’t like your books to have likable characters or a strong plot, then this is the book for you!

I actually flew through the first 100 pages and, though I didn’t enjoy it as such, I did find it mindless for a Sunday Afternoon. But anything from about 150-200+ just started to drag and repeat. The plot became a regurgitation of already explored events and themes, the characters were having the same conversations and exchanging glances but nothing was happening. Eventually I decided to open the book at a random page and if there still wasn’t any progress, I’d just stop. There wasn’t and I did.

The characters just were not likeable, and I struggled to care about their lives. With some romances, if the main couple are lovable and they have chemistry, then you read for them, even if their plot isn’t great. I could not do that with this novel.
Harry did not appeal to me as a leading hero in a romance novel. Especially one about Texans! I love rough and tough cowboys with their tight-fitting denim with their lowered hats, shadowed eyes and low, Texan drawls… *Ahem* But he was everything a Texan hero shouldn’t be! He was constantly described as being skinny and lanky and young looking, so I ended up with this image of a scrawny teenager barely out of Uni. Rainey made such a big deal about his youthful looks and younger age that when we found out that he was 31 I was a bit taken aback because I was expecting a 20-25 year old.
I want my Texan heroes to sweep our country-girl off of her feet and into the house for some afternoon delights; I do not want to read about my hero struggling to lift our heroine, while huffing and puffing about how heavy she was. My own husband does that, so I want some escapism with a man who can lift anything short of a tanker and dominate.

As for Rainey… well she was practically Snow White. All the animals flocked to her, she cooked up a storm, she reunited families and solved drama and she rescued strange men from the roadside. Her only flaw was that she thought everyone she met would end up leaving her. Her dog, her family, her rescued stranger. This wasn’t handled very well as a flaw, instead of her not getting attached to the dog and us knowing that she has abandonment issues, it was pointed out. Oh, the dog has run away, WELL I KNEW HE WOULD. Oh, Harry has gone to the toilet, PROBABLY GOING TO LEAVE ME FOREVER.
Eurgh.

Overall, not a great plot, no likable characters or chemistry, and it all felt a bit… lost.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read DRIVING LESSONS by Curtiss Ann Matlock several years ago and thought it was entertaining but it just didn't grab me like LOST HIGHWAYS did. This was more than just a romance novel. In LOST HIGHWAYS, the story was predictable but I wanted to know the life lessons that Rainey and Harry were going to learn. I wanted to to learn some of those lessons for myself. Rainey and Harry were lost in life and found each other on a highway. Together they would try to find out what they wanted in life. I've been feeling very lost myself lately. I don't know if I'll eventually find my way but this book left me feeling good nevertheless.

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the back cover...Straight out of the heartland of the South, here is a novel to gently rock the heart and soul, a novel of a woman traveling too long on an endless stretch of lonesome road who finds her way home at last. -

This paragraph made me want to read this book and I'm so glad I did. I fell in love with Harry, and Rainey...and the journey they begin. They each had disappointments in life, losses, and looking for something but not quite sure what.

Ms. Matlock's writing puts you right in the story, and keeps you there until the last page is turned. I really liked this book, and would recommend it. I will definately read more of this author.

[Su · Rating 2 out of 5]

Drivel.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Random pickup from a library sale, having never even heard of the author. I have read very little adult fiction from this era, so it was fun to take a chance on some turn-of-the-century (I apologize) chick lit, since it featured a woman traveling around to rodeos with her barrel-racing horse -- and also, very shortly thereafter, an abandoned puppy.

It's a little cheesy, not quite my style, but cute. Colorful cast of characters, both from Valentine and outside of it. And of course, I gotta appreciate a romance where she spends basically the entire book fretting and internally debating about about whether or not she will give in to her ~passion~ (after years of purposeful celibacy post-2nd-divorce) and sleep with Harry, who spends the entire book being harmless, having no expectations while being an increasingly great help and steadying presence on her travels, and also blurts out that he's never been in love before but he thinks he is with her. Before they sleep together, which, I cannot stress enough what a nice change this is from most current books.

Probably won't read any others in this series but I can see the appeal for those who are fans of lighthearted Southern fiction, and I'm glad I tried this one. Not least because I don't come across a whole lot of books set even partially in Oklahoma, which made for a nice change of pace. Lulu (the horse) really made it for me, though. There's so much attention given to her daily care, not to mention the exhilarating race entries or her love of Twinkies (you 'forgot' my snack cake tonight? Shunned), I just smiled every time she had a scene.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of Rainey Valentine finding herself after two divorces and being thirty five years old and
With broken dreams. She has inherited a truck and a barrel-racing mare from her mother and a life
Time supply of Mary Kay and heads out to see her uncle and find herself. Along the way she meets Harry
And they travel together. This is a tale with heartwarming and down to earth characters and moves along
At a good pace with a good plot as it follows Rainey into small towns until she finds her way home again.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

[Linda Spear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I have a very young friend in Arizona who is becoming quite a barrel racer, I felt compelled to read this book. A light read but enjoyable. Everyone needs to read something blatantly romantic once in a while. I'll probably pass it on to my young friend's mother who has been, and continues to be, an excellent rider and barrel racer herself!

[Jenny Dohner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sappy love story, but i really enjoyed the setting , the charcters, and that it was 'clean'. Only wish, as a Christian and since the main character professed to lean on God's Wisdom, that they had saved the sex till they were married.... i guess that doesn't sell books though😏

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm in an Americana mood lately. I enjoyed the characters and their very real struggles with trust, regrets, grief, boundaries and love. This is the only book on my shelf ny this author.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light read. Enjoyable.

[Kylie Cortez]

A basic feel good story. pretty predictable 🙄

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is perfectly serviceable, though without any distinguishing characteristics. It's like those MFA bores all are.

[JoAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rainey is a twice divorced 34 year old woman. She seems lost in life especially after her mother dies. She inherits her mother's truck, trailer and barrel racing horse. Rainey decides to quit her job and go barrel racing, just to get away. One night she is driving down the highway and thinks she has hit a man on the side of the road. She stops and finds him. She did not hit him but he has been in an accident. She gets him to go with her to the next town. His name is Harry. He is very well dressed but seems out of it. When they get to town he decides to go with her to her Uncle's place. Rainey is lost. Harry is lost. But together they are strong. Will they be together? Are they what each other needs?

I liked these characters. They both need to be true to themselves and stop being what others expect or want them to be. I am happy to find out that there are more books in this series. I have never read this author before and Liked this book!

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read "Sweet Dream" by Matlock and liked it enough that I decided to try more of her books set in Valentine, OK. This one was good, but I'm not happy with one chapter. The characters in these books are obviously Christian and it annoys me that the 7th commandment is so easily ignored. I love a good love story and this one rates fairly high. I liked the characters, I believed their connection and I was rooting for them, but I don't like pre-marital sex and I don't like it described to me in any detail. If you feel you must have it in the book, leave it to the imagination behind a closed door.

[Renea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how in the world this book reached the best seller list, I was more than half way done with the book before it got remotely interesting. Another author that over explains every last detail of everything, or as I like to call it "useless filler" to make the book longer. 3 stars is generous, considering I scanned all the useless filler and it took me less than 4 hours to read the entire book.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like the 'real life' of this book. Everyone had all kinds of baggage and there was a lot of stuff going on. I think the domestic abuse was what probably put me over the edge, but I suspect that I was already almost there. I didn't really care for this book but I didn't dislike it enough to put it down before the end.

[Faith Kilgore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have the exact read start and finish dates on many books I have read this year. The dates are approximated, as I have been in & out of the hospital, and on bed rest, and read 2-5 books a day depending on the book & length and my ability to focus. All dates are approximated, by month.

[Tristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written in a purely delightful tone of voice. I loved it. There is one rather sensual bed scene in it, but you can see it coming and it's easily skipped. Well worth the read even with skipping the pages.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet love story about a young woman who inherits her mom's rodeo horse and picks up a stranded traveler on the highway. Both of them are emotionally wounded but manage to find a way to healing. B. 03/17/09

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the people in this book - they are my kind. Set in Oklahoma a romance develops unexpectedly and ends ... well, I shouldn't say, don't wanna spoil your read. The characters appear to be drawn from real life and that makes the book so much more interesting.

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rainey Valentine has lost her mother. Her mother has left her a horse trailer, truck, and a barrel racing horse. Rainey hits the highways to enter rodeo contests as a barrel racer. Along the way, she picks up a man who has been in an accident. Great read!

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Texas chicklit with a Christian flavor. She writes well, tho! Curiously refreshing...like cold tea on a hot day...

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and funny, enjoyable characters and setting. Nice way to while away a few hours on a lazy weekend afternoon.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet, good when you want a heartwarming book about likable people.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chit lit with a western flavor. Liked the main character--didn't like the religious stuff. There wasn't much of it but what was there was heavy-handed and annoying.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, good book. I really enjoyed it.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few slow books that I have enjoyed. Love story which I don't usually like but the slow pace makes you care about the characters.

[Tressa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a great time reading Lost Highways. It was a comforting story. I liked Rainey, her family, and Harry. I look forward to reading more by Curtiss Ann Matlock.

[Radikal · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO CUTE! An easy but slightly dramatic love story road trip mix :)

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not too bad. Good for questioning your own life's values.