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Road Trips & Romance #1
Hauling Ashe
Life might be a highway but the last thing this grumpy silver fox expected was a cross-country road trip with a ray of sunshine.
"My sister is driving to California. She could give you a ride."
"What?" Tucker Ashe and I say in unison.
Mae Fox
Surely, my older sister has lost her mind. There is no way I'm driving her insufferable – albeit sexy silver fox – boss two thousand miles. This is my spirit trip. The Mother Road is intended to help me reclaim myself. Letting go of my past, I'm only looking forward to the path ahead of me.
But my gaze keeps wandering to the rearview mirror, wondering what secrets my grouchy passenger keeps and how that silver scruff might feel blazing a trail on hidden parts of me.
+ + +
Tucker Ashe
Driving me from Chicago to California might be the least this ray of sunshine can do after ruining my new suit. However, being confined with her for seven days in a car named Louie is the last thing I need. Because I don't want to think about kissing those lips singing off-key or the way she beams every time we stop for a photo-op along Route 66.
And I definitely shouldn't consider asking her to pull over and join me in the backseat for a bit on this crazy journey where memories haunt and every mile hints at a second chance.
+ + +
Join Mae and Tucker on a road trip where an eclectic soundtrack and unusual highlights along the most iconic road in the U.S. bring together two souls in need of a second chance at revving their engines, recharging their batteries, and rebuilding their dreams.
From L.B. Dunbar comes a new series of feisty vixens and the sexy silver foxes they attract.
**NOTE: The Fox sisters (Road Trips & Romance) are the siblings of Garrett Fox from Wine&Dine, an original sexy silver fox. Each book can be read as a stand-alone.
"My sister is driving to California. She could give you a ride."
"What?" Tucker Ashe and I say in unison.
Mae Fox
Surely, my older sister has lost her mind. There is no way I'm driving her insufferable – albeit sexy silver fox – boss two thousand miles. This is my spirit trip. The Mother Road is intended to help me reclaim myself. Letting go of my past, I'm only looking forward to the path ahead of me.
But my gaze keeps wandering to the rearview mirror, wondering what secrets my grouchy passenger keeps and how that silver scruff might feel blazing a trail on hidden parts of me.
+ + +
Tucker Ashe
Driving me from Chicago to California might be the least this ray of sunshine can do after ruining my new suit. However, being confined with her for seven days in a car named Louie is the last thing I need. Because I don't want to think about kissing those lips singing off-key or the way she beams every time we stop for a photo-op along Route 66.
And I definitely shouldn't consider asking her to pull over and join me in the backseat for a bit on this crazy journey where memories haunt and every mile hints at a second chance.
+ + +
Join Mae and Tucker on a road trip where an eclectic soundtrack and unusual highlights along the most iconic road in the U.S. bring together two souls in need of a second chance at revving their engines, recharging their batteries, and rebuilding their dreams.
From L.B. Dunbar comes a new series of feisty vixens and the sexy silver foxes they attract.
**NOTE: The Fox sisters (Road Trips & Romance) are the siblings of Garrett Fox from Wine&Dine, an original sexy silver fox. Each book can be read as a stand-alone.
366 pages, Paperback
Published January 27, 2022
577 people are currently reading
2436 people want to read
About the author
L.B. Dunbar
95 books3,305 followersL.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Sterling Falls, Lakeside Cottage, and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her weekly newsletter, Love Notes.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her weekly newsletter, Love Notes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
October 13, 2022
4.5 Only L.B. Dunbar Could Stars
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
It takes an author with a special talent and life experience to be able to write certain stories. I happen to be of the opinion that L.B. Dunbar has shown time and time again the ability to bring her understanding of mature love to the masses.
As the population ages, it has been so important for them not to feel forgotten. It is so easy to ignore those who have lived a bit and experienced life. Especially those who are women. Men seem to be able to still be the focus no matter what age group matched with age gap troupes. But when it comes to women...only if certain circumstances are there, are they able to find love. Dunbar breaks those barriers and gives us equals on this playing field of love. Thank you.
With Hauling Ashe, we get a woman who is about to embark on a road trip to see the country but more importantly, to find herself. She has been released from a marriage that ended and it is now her turn to discover all the things she never had the time to do. She is feisty, sassy, and fun. She is also no-nonsense and brave.
The counterpoint of this woman is a grumpy, demanding man who is used to people jumping and performing his wishes when he speaks. His daughter is getting married and due to a no-flying phobia, the refusal to take a train, and the arranged driver canceling at the last moment, it becomes a fateful connection causing these two to become road trip partners.
This forced trip opens all sorts of opportunities for them to discover and be surprised by how they work together. Each pushes certain buttons, each learns more about each other and themselves, causing walls to come down and hearts to open. All with the delicate hand of L.B. Dunbar's guiding them.
Hauling Ashe (Road Trips & Romance, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Merging Wright (Road Trips & Romance, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
November 18, 2021
Two People At A Crossroads...
One Who Thought His Moment...
Had Come And Gone...
The Other, Looking To Take A Leap...
To Experience, All She Had Missed...
Being A Faithful Longstanding Wife...
A Mother, And Now A Successful Business Person...
She Needs To Have The Freedom To Fly...
To See What The Next Chapter Can Be...
He Is Looking To Find The Man...
The One He Once Was...
But Be Even Better...
These Two Embark On A Road Trip...
Maybe Some Elements...
Feeling Like A Time Gone By...
But Also There Is A Chance Of Adventure...
That Something More May Come Of...
Hauling Ashe (Road Trips & Romance)-January 27, 2022
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
It takes an author with a special talent and life experience to be able to write certain stories. I happen to be of the opinion that L.B. Dunbar has shown time and time again the ability to bring her understanding of mature love to the masses.
As the population ages, it has been so important for them not to feel forgotten. It is so easy to ignore those who have lived a bit and experienced life. Especially those who are women. Men seem to be able to still be the focus no matter what age group matched with age gap troupes. But when it comes to women...only if certain circumstances are there, are they able to find love. Dunbar breaks those barriers and gives us equals on this playing field of love. Thank you.
With Hauling Ashe, we get a woman who is about to embark on a road trip to see the country but more importantly, to find herself. She has been released from a marriage that ended and it is now her turn to discover all the things she never had the time to do. She is feisty, sassy, and fun. She is also no-nonsense and brave.
The counterpoint of this woman is a grumpy, demanding man who is used to people jumping and performing his wishes when he speaks. His daughter is getting married and due to a no-flying phobia, the refusal to take a train, and the arranged driver canceling at the last moment, it becomes a fateful connection causing these two to become road trip partners.
This forced trip opens all sorts of opportunities for them to discover and be surprised by how they work together. Each pushes certain buttons, each learns more about each other and themselves, causing walls to come down and hearts to open. All with the delicate hand of L.B. Dunbar's guiding them.
Hauling Ashe (Road Trips & Romance, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Merging Wright (Road Trips & Romance, #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
November 18, 2021
Two People At A Crossroads...
One Who Thought His Moment...
Had Come And Gone...
The Other, Looking To Take A Leap...
To Experience, All She Had Missed...
Being A Faithful Longstanding Wife...
A Mother, And Now A Successful Business Person...
She Needs To Have The Freedom To Fly...
To See What The Next Chapter Can Be...
He Is Looking To Find The Man...
The One He Once Was...
But Be Even Better...
These Two Embark On A Road Trip...
Maybe Some Elements...
Feeling Like A Time Gone By...
But Also There Is A Chance Of Adventure...
That Something More May Come Of...
Hauling Ashe (Road Trips & Romance)-January 27, 2022
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Read
January 18, 20224.5 stars
Mae is a divorced mother of two young adult sons. She is a successful business owner of Mae’s flowers and is proud of how far she has come since parting ways from her douchey husband. She has always wanted to do a road trip on Route 66 and for what feels like the first time in her life - she is putting her own dreams first. She has two weeks off and a map she has poured over with all the stops she wants to make along the way. It feels great to have something to be excited about.
'My spirit trip awaited me.’
‘I wanted to remember who I was before marriage and kids and commitments.’
Mae’s journey will begin in Chicago so before she heads off she is planning on catching up with her sister who works in the city. She has an unfortunate incident before she gets there which may just turn out to be fate wanting to join in on her road trip and this is pretty much cemented when she arrives at her sisters office and meets her boss Tucker.
Tucker is a widowed father of two adult children, one of whom is getting married in LA very soon. He has a car booked to take him across there so he can proudly give his daughter away. However, when his plans get a bit messed up it is suggested that he jumps in with Mae and hitches a ride on her road trip across Route 66.
‘This trip was about me searching for a deeper answer. A truer version of myself. Because somewhere over the years. I’d become someone I didn’t recognise.’
I felt really bad for Mae, she finally was doing something just for her and like a lot of mothers she then had to sacrifice what she wanted for someone else's needs which meant making her road trip a one week journey instead of two. Tucker begins as an uptight and terse conversation partner and after a day or so he begins to loosen up a bit, showing a bit of interest in Mae’s planned stops.
Mae did not imagine sharing her much needed alone time with someone else, let alone Tucker but he is nice to look at, I mean you would have to blind not to notice how gorgeous he is so there’s that. The thing with being in a car with someone means you have a captive audience so they share a lot about themselves with each other and along the way have a lot of fun.
‘He’s told me not to hit on him. His expression screams not to even consider flirting with him, and yet… underneath all that pretty skin near his eyes is just a man.’
Tucker has never met a woman like Mae, she is strong, independent and absolutely beautiful but seems to be oblivious to it. There is just something about her that has captured his full attention and he is beginning to wish that the days would just slow down a bit so he could spend more time with her. As he finds himself revealing all his secrets about his life to her they discover they have a lot more in common than they first thought. Is this road trip the second chance they both need and deserve to find love again?
‘Would I be enough for her? The question seems impossible to answer. I’ve never been first in another person’s life. The thought feels like another unfulfilled dream.’
Every story this author writes is delightful to read, especially because she has captured the 40+ romance genre so perfectly. I loved every moment of this story and now I want to road trip across Route 66 too!
‘Music is the universal language. Not everyone needs to sing your song. If you only touch one heart, you’ve made your mark.’
Mae is a divorced mother of two young adult sons. She is a successful business owner of Mae’s flowers and is proud of how far she has come since parting ways from her douchey husband. She has always wanted to do a road trip on Route 66 and for what feels like the first time in her life - she is putting her own dreams first. She has two weeks off and a map she has poured over with all the stops she wants to make along the way. It feels great to have something to be excited about.
'My spirit trip awaited me.’
‘I wanted to remember who I was before marriage and kids and commitments.’
Mae’s journey will begin in Chicago so before she heads off she is planning on catching up with her sister who works in the city. She has an unfortunate incident before she gets there which may just turn out to be fate wanting to join in on her road trip and this is pretty much cemented when she arrives at her sisters office and meets her boss Tucker.
Tucker is a widowed father of two adult children, one of whom is getting married in LA very soon. He has a car booked to take him across there so he can proudly give his daughter away. However, when his plans get a bit messed up it is suggested that he jumps in with Mae and hitches a ride on her road trip across Route 66.
‘This trip was about me searching for a deeper answer. A truer version of myself. Because somewhere over the years. I’d become someone I didn’t recognise.’
I felt really bad for Mae, she finally was doing something just for her and like a lot of mothers she then had to sacrifice what she wanted for someone else's needs which meant making her road trip a one week journey instead of two. Tucker begins as an uptight and terse conversation partner and after a day or so he begins to loosen up a bit, showing a bit of interest in Mae’s planned stops.
Mae did not imagine sharing her much needed alone time with someone else, let alone Tucker but he is nice to look at, I mean you would have to blind not to notice how gorgeous he is so there’s that. The thing with being in a car with someone means you have a captive audience so they share a lot about themselves with each other and along the way have a lot of fun.
‘He’s told me not to hit on him. His expression screams not to even consider flirting with him, and yet… underneath all that pretty skin near his eyes is just a man.’
Tucker has never met a woman like Mae, she is strong, independent and absolutely beautiful but seems to be oblivious to it. There is just something about her that has captured his full attention and he is beginning to wish that the days would just slow down a bit so he could spend more time with her. As he finds himself revealing all his secrets about his life to her they discover they have a lot more in common than they first thought. Is this road trip the second chance they both need and deserve to find love again?
‘Would I be enough for her? The question seems impossible to answer. I’ve never been first in another person’s life. The thought feels like another unfulfilled dream.’
Every story this author writes is delightful to read, especially because she has captured the 40+ romance genre so perfectly. I loved every moment of this story and now I want to road trip across Route 66 too!
‘Music is the universal language. Not everyone needs to sing your song. If you only touch one heart, you’ve made your mark.’
January 30, 2022
A wonderful start to a new series by L.B. Pack your bags we are about to set out on an adventure with Mae and Tucker.
Mae is a 40 something woman that is about to embark on the road to rediscovery. Having just come out of a treacherous divorce. It is time to get back to her and what she really wants, and Route 66 is calling her name.
Tucker Ashe is man of many talents but right now this businessman needs to get to his daughter's wedding half-way across the country.
A chance meeting on the street leads to an even more interesting interaction between this unlikely couple in Tucker's office. Now they are thrown together on a road trip neither one will soon forget.
She is Sunshine, spontaneous and just lovely while he needs a plan, a schedule and can be a bit of a grump. It is time for these two to hit the road and learn just a bit from one another and the world around them.
This couple has sizzle, great banter, wonderful chemistry, secrets and I loved watching them grow as individuals and together.
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Mae is a 40 something woman that is about to embark on the road to rediscovery. Having just come out of a treacherous divorce. It is time to get back to her and what she really wants, and Route 66 is calling her name.
Tucker Ashe is man of many talents but right now this businessman needs to get to his daughter's wedding half-way across the country.
A chance meeting on the street leads to an even more interesting interaction between this unlikely couple in Tucker's office. Now they are thrown together on a road trip neither one will soon forget.
She is Sunshine, spontaneous and just lovely while he needs a plan, a schedule and can be a bit of a grump. It is time for these two to hit the road and learn just a bit from one another and the world around them.
This couple has sizzle, great banter, wonderful chemistry, secrets and I loved watching them grow as individuals and together.
~~Michele McMullen ~~
January 20, 2022
Deeply Engrossing, Unputdownable read. Yet another sparkling feather in Dunbar cap. It nudged a weird dormant desire in me to get on my own re-discovery trip of my own. Such books are multidimensional in impact. When Besides entertainment, you are left with a sense of deep fulfillment when you're closed it, you know it will remain in your soul for posterity.
There's something very poetic and haunting about second chance romances. This particular story is about second chance in life. Second chance at abandoned dreams and missed possibilities.
Some people achieve theirs, some never do and some sacrifice everything in the name of love.
Having read many..MANY road trip books, ranging from Runaway teens to guitar toting tweens and some bunch of friends playing relays with a car...I can with 100 % certainty say this is THE Best Road Trip Book EVER!!
And on top of that its the BEST Dunbar book .
The level of understanding, the mature thinking minds and the sensibility that should accompany the roiling passions, is ALL present in this book. Dunbar is perpetually giving us intelligent romances in the mature age bracket, but she's outdone herself in this one.
The couple Tucker Ashford "Ashe" is in dire need to travel to LA from Chicago. His paranoid flying fears keep him in strictly Road Only option. Only he's out of transportation and whaddya know..Mae Fox-Holland is on a self rediscovery trip on rt 66 from start to finish in LA.
"I was in need of a long overdue life assessment. A restart to my engine. Like the travelers on that iconic seagoing vessel, I considered myself a voyager, setting sail across the country on a maiden trip even if I wasn’t a fair, young maiden. "
Reluctant co-travellers, hostile moods and griping hitchhiker in the backseat..there's not room enough in the powder blue prius for them to avoid each other. Forced proximity besets shifting tempers, some tolerance level is decided so that they make it to final destination in one piece.
"Speaking of bad moods, one minute I want to request a backseat rendezvous, and the next, I want to stuff him in the trunk and pretend I’m not carting a body back there. He is so…frustrating. "
I had the feeling they were travelling in reverse, through their own memories. stopping at pits of remorse, forgiveness & redemption. Dunbar highlights remorse, fears & sorrow that roil both the characters hearts. Sometimes it brought a fond smile on the lips and sometimes regrets at the turns not taken. At ghost towns which spoke to their disappointments- " you shoulda, coulda stayed."
Of abandoned stops and places which never had any visitors much like their own kins.
Ashe carries A closet fill of skeletons in his heart. People who moved on, people who forgot him, people who cheated on him, people who still Harbour grudge for him, people who put up a detour barricade in his life.
Mae is running from herself too. from destroyed marriage and indifferent people.
A powerful message accompanies this journey for them and for us readers.
"We make a decision, and we can’t go backward. We can turn around, start again, but we can’t ever change the original direction. We can only look toward the future, despite our powers to glance in rearview mirror. "
Two wayward, lost souls find solace together, one step at a time and realise it's never too late to make a fresh start.
My sexy silver foxes made an appearance doubling the fun and heat-o-meter!!
This book has now started a spark of desire in my heart.
I wanna do this trip.... Take a leaf from Mae's page. Maybe I WILL do it.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Became invested in Ashe & Mae, in their trip. Was rooting for them throughout. I couldn't resist but imagine a picture perfect happy ending for them both and Dunbar delivered!!
5 stars for Gemma and Harmonica
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There's something very poetic and haunting about second chance romances. This particular story is about second chance in life. Second chance at abandoned dreams and missed possibilities.
Some people achieve theirs, some never do and some sacrifice everything in the name of love.
Having read many..MANY road trip books, ranging from Runaway teens to guitar toting tweens and some bunch of friends playing relays with a car...I can with 100 % certainty say this is THE Best Road Trip Book EVER!!
And on top of that its the BEST Dunbar book .
The level of understanding, the mature thinking minds and the sensibility that should accompany the roiling passions, is ALL present in this book. Dunbar is perpetually giving us intelligent romances in the mature age bracket, but she's outdone herself in this one.
The couple Tucker Ashford "Ashe" is in dire need to travel to LA from Chicago. His paranoid flying fears keep him in strictly Road Only option. Only he's out of transportation and whaddya know..Mae Fox-Holland is on a self rediscovery trip on rt 66 from start to finish in LA.
"I was in need of a long overdue life assessment. A restart to my engine. Like the travelers on that iconic seagoing vessel, I considered myself a voyager, setting sail across the country on a maiden trip even if I wasn’t a fair, young maiden. "
Reluctant co-travellers, hostile moods and griping hitchhiker in the backseat..there's not room enough in the powder blue prius for them to avoid each other. Forced proximity besets shifting tempers, some tolerance level is decided so that they make it to final destination in one piece.
"Speaking of bad moods, one minute I want to request a backseat rendezvous, and the next, I want to stuff him in the trunk and pretend I’m not carting a body back there. He is so…frustrating. "
I had the feeling they were travelling in reverse, through their own memories. stopping at pits of remorse, forgiveness & redemption. Dunbar highlights remorse, fears & sorrow that roil both the characters hearts. Sometimes it brought a fond smile on the lips and sometimes regrets at the turns not taken. At ghost towns which spoke to their disappointments- " you shoulda, coulda stayed."
Of abandoned stops and places which never had any visitors much like their own kins.
Ashe carries A closet fill of skeletons in his heart. People who moved on, people who forgot him, people who cheated on him, people who still Harbour grudge for him, people who put up a detour barricade in his life.
Mae is running from herself too. from destroyed marriage and indifferent people.
A powerful message accompanies this journey for them and for us readers.
"We make a decision, and we can’t go backward. We can turn around, start again, but we can’t ever change the original direction. We can only look toward the future, despite our powers to glance in rearview mirror. "
Two wayward, lost souls find solace together, one step at a time and realise it's never too late to make a fresh start.
My sexy silver foxes made an appearance doubling the fun and heat-o-meter!!
This book has now started a spark of desire in my heart.
I wanna do this trip.... Take a leaf from Mae's page. Maybe I WILL do it.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Became invested in Ashe & Mae, in their trip. Was rooting for them throughout. I couldn't resist but imagine a picture perfect happy ending for them both and Dunbar delivered!!
5 stars for Gemma and Harmonica
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
January 27, 2022
Mae is you and me. Over 40, she’s a mom of young men, a business owner, and she’s loved and lost. Big time. A trip across country on Route 66 seems like the perfect adventure. Until she dumps coffee on a gorgeous god of a man in an impeccable suit… who figures in her future sooner than she knows.
LB Dunbar writes men who begin as larger than life. Tucker Ashe, no exception, is one fine gentleman in a suit. Yet that doesn’t say everything about him. He’s talented and dedicated to his children. He’s fiery and tender. And the way I imagine he looks at Mae just takes my breath away.
What I loved about this story is Tucker is SO into Mae. It’s like he doesn’t want to breathe without her. Like if holds his breath this feeling with her will never end. The bubble they’re in will never pop. He can have something that’s his. Someone who could love him and put him first. But it’s a dream. How can one road trip and a new friendship turn into more?
Dunbar connects the dots from the band members we know and love. This story brought everything full circle. Hauling Ashe is a new “must read” by LB! 5 harmonic stars!
LB Dunbar writes men who begin as larger than life. Tucker Ashe, no exception, is one fine gentleman in a suit. Yet that doesn’t say everything about him. He’s talented and dedicated to his children. He’s fiery and tender. And the way I imagine he looks at Mae just takes my breath away.
What I loved about this story is Tucker is SO into Mae. It’s like he doesn’t want to breathe without her. Like if holds his breath this feeling with her will never end. The bubble they’re in will never pop. He can have something that’s his. Someone who could love him and put him first. But it’s a dream. How can one road trip and a new friendship turn into more?
Dunbar connects the dots from the band members we know and love. This story brought everything full circle. Hauling Ashe is a new “must read” by LB! 5 harmonic stars!
January 25, 2022
This is a very special road trip, a road trip like no other and I urge you to join Mae Fox and Tucker Ashe on their journey from Chicago to Napa Valley, California.
Mae can’t believe it when her sister volunteers her to take her boss on her planned trip of a lifetime, he is desperate to get to Napa Valley for his daughters wedding and as he doesn’t fly this is is only option. Problem is this was meant to be Mae’s journey to sort her life out and plan her future.
As soon as these two hit the road the fun and games begin, it’s a funny, entertaining road trip you want to be part of. I laughed out loud and I giggled a lot throughout this read and it’s one of the best reads of the year for giving you he feel good factor. A wonderful read that I highly recommend.
Mae can’t believe it when her sister volunteers her to take her boss on her planned trip of a lifetime, he is desperate to get to Napa Valley for his daughters wedding and as he doesn’t fly this is is only option. Problem is this was meant to be Mae’s journey to sort her life out and plan her future.
As soon as these two hit the road the fun and games begin, it’s a funny, entertaining road trip you want to be part of. I laughed out loud and I giggled a lot throughout this read and it’s one of the best reads of the year for giving you he feel good factor. A wonderful read that I highly recommend.
January 18, 2022
5 Star Review Hauling Ashe (Road Trips & Romance #1) by L B Dunbar
I was hooked on this book from the first chapter. There is something about L.B.Dunbar’s style of writing that draws me in and keeps me immersed in the story she weaves, she never fails to deliver a story with characters who are engaging and so easy to relate to. Perhaps because her characters are more mature I appreciate them a little more.
I love stories that involve road trips and Tucker Ashe and Mae Fox’s story was a good one. Mae is shocked when her sister volunteers her to take her boss on her planned road trip from Chicago to California since he needs to get to Napa Valley. Mae was planning to use the time to help her sort out her life and decide what is next for her .
I loved this book. The fact that neither Tucker or Ashe were particularly happy with the arrangement they suddenly found themselves in just added an extra layer of entertainment. There were moments where I found myself laughing out loud and moments where I was left shaking my head at the shenanigans that followed.
This book made me feel good and left me with a smile on my face. I cannot wait for more in the series.
I was hooked on this book from the first chapter. There is something about L.B.Dunbar’s style of writing that draws me in and keeps me immersed in the story she weaves, she never fails to deliver a story with characters who are engaging and so easy to relate to. Perhaps because her characters are more mature I appreciate them a little more.
I love stories that involve road trips and Tucker Ashe and Mae Fox’s story was a good one. Mae is shocked when her sister volunteers her to take her boss on her planned road trip from Chicago to California since he needs to get to Napa Valley. Mae was planning to use the time to help her sort out her life and decide what is next for her .
I loved this book. The fact that neither Tucker or Ashe were particularly happy with the arrangement they suddenly found themselves in just added an extra layer of entertainment. There were moments where I found myself laughing out loud and moments where I was left shaking my head at the shenanigans that followed.
This book made me feel good and left me with a smile on my face. I cannot wait for more in the series.
January 30, 2022
I’ll never get enough of these sexy silver foxes. Mae was hitting up Route 66 to find herself but what she found was so much more. Tucker needed a ride across country. Never did he think Mae would change his entire outlook on life. These two are hilarious with their bickering. Once they give into to one another there’s enough heat to burn you . You won’t believe the surprises she threw in at the end. I can’t wait for everyone to read it .
October 11, 2022
OMG! It's not quite the end of January yet and I've just read my third Top Read of the year so far! I'm on a roll with my reading selection and this one was absolutely riveting, hot AF, and swoontastic!
"I don't have to look at her to see the smile breaking out on her face. It's lighting up the entire car and heating my skin. It's also setting flame to my heart, and I might like the burn."
Mae Fox is about to embark on a two-week solitary road trip along Route 66, but somehow ends up lumbered with the hot silver fox that she spilled her coffee all over. Tucker Ashford AKA Ashe is not happy to be stuck in a Prius with an eternally sunny woman, especially one he's irresistibly attracted to. For Mae, the road trip was one for personal discovery and introspection. For Tucker, this road trip is necessary to get him to his daughter's wedding. For both of them, the road trip becomes much, much more.
"He's branded on me, forever inked, leaving his permanent mark with unspoken lyrics. I'm going to be the same after this trip, this night, this man."
This was such a fabulous read, set against the background of Route 66. I found myself Googling a lot of the sights and wishing I was along for the ride. Mae was a beautiful person. She was optimistic, chatty, and full of the spirit of adventure. Tucker was such a grumpy guy to begin with. I think he was fighting his attraction to Mae so hard, and stressed about the long journey and making it to his daughter's wedding, that he couldn't help but be a jerk to her in the beginning. However, once he'd relaxed, he was gorgeous and fun. I loved how he took care of Mae on the journey and the tension between them was palpable. I wanted to clap and skip around when they finally got together. My heart melted at Ashe's tender thoughts and feelings regarding Mae, and I was rooting for him all the way. I adored his vulnerability and his willingness to share his secrets with Mae. She had such a good heart. They were both carrying emotional baggage, especially Ashe, and I loved that he was fully ready to take a risk on love again. Their chemistry was off the charts - they were smokin'!! *fans self* I seriously loved this story and, wowzers! Can't wait for Mach and Jane's story!
Blog: https://readingwillingable.blogspot.c...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/RHLLVK2...
"I don't have to look at her to see the smile breaking out on her face. It's lighting up the entire car and heating my skin. It's also setting flame to my heart, and I might like the burn."
Mae Fox is about to embark on a two-week solitary road trip along Route 66, but somehow ends up lumbered with the hot silver fox that she spilled her coffee all over. Tucker Ashford AKA Ashe is not happy to be stuck in a Prius with an eternally sunny woman, especially one he's irresistibly attracted to. For Mae, the road trip was one for personal discovery and introspection. For Tucker, this road trip is necessary to get him to his daughter's wedding. For both of them, the road trip becomes much, much more.
"He's branded on me, forever inked, leaving his permanent mark with unspoken lyrics. I'm going to be the same after this trip, this night, this man."
This was such a fabulous read, set against the background of Route 66. I found myself Googling a lot of the sights and wishing I was along for the ride. Mae was a beautiful person. She was optimistic, chatty, and full of the spirit of adventure. Tucker was such a grumpy guy to begin with. I think he was fighting his attraction to Mae so hard, and stressed about the long journey and making it to his daughter's wedding, that he couldn't help but be a jerk to her in the beginning. However, once he'd relaxed, he was gorgeous and fun. I loved how he took care of Mae on the journey and the tension between them was palpable. I wanted to clap and skip around when they finally got together. My heart melted at Ashe's tender thoughts and feelings regarding Mae, and I was rooting for him all the way. I adored his vulnerability and his willingness to share his secrets with Mae. She had such a good heart. They were both carrying emotional baggage, especially Ashe, and I loved that he was fully ready to take a risk on love again. Their chemistry was off the charts - they were smokin'!! *fans self* I seriously loved this story and, wowzers! Can't wait for Mach and Jane's story!
Blog: https://readingwillingable.blogspot.c...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/RHLLVK2...
January 27, 2022
What an amazing journey!
I not only fell in love with Tucker and Mae, but I also fell in love with Route 66. Tucker glowers and Mae is pure ‘Sunshine’. This is one of my favorite tropes, but Dunbar puts such a lovely poignant spin on it. I want to hop in my ‘Louie’, plug in the playlist, and go in search of myself.
The love story between these two people is nothing short of magical and I believe it’s Dunbar’s best book to date. Dunbar seems to be undergoing a metamorphosis. Her emotions flow out of her and every word rings true whether she’s using the road to describe our maturing bodies, “Tucker cannot touch me where I’m lumpy and worn from the road trip of having children” or the passing of years, “You’re my road goddess, Mae. Don’t leave me alone on the journey of life.”
Is life a highway? Do we have to stay on the same fast line? What treasures are we missing by not veering off to take a chance on an unexpected detour? Are we so traumatized by past travels that we only stick to roads we know? Why are we in such a hurry to get to, get to…where were we going again?
Who could we be missing by not taking the road less traveled?
We finally get Tucker Ashe’s story and many joyous reunions with characters and places we know from other books. However, you don’t need to have read them prior. DO NOT miss the curated list of Tucker and Mae’s stops at the back of the book.
I received an ARC in return for an honest review.
I not only fell in love with Tucker and Mae, but I also fell in love with Route 66. Tucker glowers and Mae is pure ‘Sunshine’. This is one of my favorite tropes, but Dunbar puts such a lovely poignant spin on it. I want to hop in my ‘Louie’, plug in the playlist, and go in search of myself.
The love story between these two people is nothing short of magical and I believe it’s Dunbar’s best book to date. Dunbar seems to be undergoing a metamorphosis. Her emotions flow out of her and every word rings true whether she’s using the road to describe our maturing bodies, “Tucker cannot touch me where I’m lumpy and worn from the road trip of having children” or the passing of years, “You’re my road goddess, Mae. Don’t leave me alone on the journey of life.”
Is life a highway? Do we have to stay on the same fast line? What treasures are we missing by not veering off to take a chance on an unexpected detour? Are we so traumatized by past travels that we only stick to roads we know? Why are we in such a hurry to get to, get to…where were we going again?
Who could we be missing by not taking the road less traveled?
We finally get Tucker Ashe’s story and many joyous reunions with characters and places we know from other books. However, you don’t need to have read them prior. DO NOT miss the curated list of Tucker and Mae’s stops at the back of the book.
I received an ARC in return for an honest review.
January 29, 2022
As I always say - LB Dunbar certainly has a way with sexy silver foxes.
In this saga, Mae Fox is about to embark on her trip of dreams across the country on the infamous Route 66. It's not just a trip to experience new places it's also meant to be a trip to experience more of her thoughts, desires and rediscovering the real Mae Fox.
As she is about to "set sail", her sister's boss, Tucker Ashe finds himself in need of a ride to his daughter's wedding in Napa Valley.
Now Mae has a grumpy passenger on her voyage of discovery. What they discover is so much more than they could dream.
It has been a dream of mine to travels the sights of Route 66. This book given me a bit of this experience through the eyes and hearts of these characters.
It has also been a dream come to true to see that there is love and life and yes steam after 40. L.B. Dunbar has made this possible for so many of us.
I am looking for more from these and past characters. This has been such a wonderful start to this series.
In this saga, Mae Fox is about to embark on her trip of dreams across the country on the infamous Route 66. It's not just a trip to experience new places it's also meant to be a trip to experience more of her thoughts, desires and rediscovering the real Mae Fox.
As she is about to "set sail", her sister's boss, Tucker Ashe finds himself in need of a ride to his daughter's wedding in Napa Valley.
Now Mae has a grumpy passenger on her voyage of discovery. What they discover is so much more than they could dream.
It has been a dream of mine to travels the sights of Route 66. This book given me a bit of this experience through the eyes and hearts of these characters.
It has also been a dream come to true to see that there is love and life and yes steam after 40. L.B. Dunbar has made this possible for so many of us.
I am looking for more from these and past characters. This has been such a wonderful start to this series.
January 26, 2022
Hauling Ashe by L.B. Dunbar is an amazing read! I loved Mae and Tucker/Ashe’s story it grabs your soul, a second chance at life, a second chance at love. This is L.B. at her best! A slow burn romance on Route 66, I truly didn’t want this book to end. Mae was looking for a sign, a change in her life, she was taking a solo road trip on the famous route 66 from Chicago to California “If life was a highway, somewhere along the way I had gotten a flat tire.:” Her order of a mochaccino set in motion the changing of that flat tire! Which is Tucker a grumpy silver fox. Oh, those amazing signs, as Mae’s sister Jane volunteers her to drive Tucker to California for his daughter’s wedding. Tucker starts out grumpy, unbendable but so easy on the eyes and becomes so loveable.
As the mile’s flyby, the off key singing on Mae’s part, the disagreeing, opening to each other, about their lives, families, past loves, to finding they are just what each other needs. The slow burn builds as the miles fly by on this road trip to California.
This is one of those books that is a keeper, it is every woman’s journey to find that second chance at life, at love with a L.B. Dunbar silver fox! I recommend this book! Life is all about taking a chance! This is simply the best!
As the mile’s flyby, the off key singing on Mae’s part, the disagreeing, opening to each other, about their lives, families, past loves, to finding they are just what each other needs. The slow burn builds as the miles fly by on this road trip to California.
This is one of those books that is a keeper, it is every woman’s journey to find that second chance at life, at love with a L.B. Dunbar silver fox! I recommend this book! Life is all about taking a chance! This is simply the best!
January 26, 2022
Hauling Ashe (Road Trips & Romance #1)- L B Dunbar
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As is always the case with LB Dunbars stories, I was hooked from the very first chapter.
L.B.Dunbar’s writing style just draws me in from the first words and keeps me captivated in her story, delivering a tale with wonderfully colourful characters who are so easy to relate to.
Tucker Ashe and Mae Fox’s story was a beautiful exploration of two very different lives, converging in this road trip of self discovery.
Mae and Tucker set out on an awkward and seemingly frosty road trip from Chicago to California in order for Tucker to get to Napa Valley for his daughters wedding but Mae’s original solo trip plan, to reflect on her life and decide what is next gets totally derailed by Tucker.
In true LB Dunbar fashion, the characters just steamroll throw way into your heart and this new series based in the Fox sisters has all the hallmarks of the sexy silver foxes we’ve come to love from L B Dunbar. A beautifully crafted story, leaving me with all the feel good vibes and a smile on my face. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As is always the case with LB Dunbars stories, I was hooked from the very first chapter.
L.B.Dunbar’s writing style just draws me in from the first words and keeps me captivated in her story, delivering a tale with wonderfully colourful characters who are so easy to relate to.
Tucker Ashe and Mae Fox’s story was a beautiful exploration of two very different lives, converging in this road trip of self discovery.
Mae and Tucker set out on an awkward and seemingly frosty road trip from Chicago to California in order for Tucker to get to Napa Valley for his daughters wedding but Mae’s original solo trip plan, to reflect on her life and decide what is next gets totally derailed by Tucker.
In true LB Dunbar fashion, the characters just steamroll throw way into your heart and this new series based in the Fox sisters has all the hallmarks of the sexy silver foxes we’ve come to love from L B Dunbar. A beautifully crafted story, leaving me with all the feel good vibes and a smile on my face. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
January 29, 2022
This is an ARC review. All opinions are solely my own.
L.B. Dunbar will ALWAYS be an author I will purchase. Her books are about flawed characters finding their happily ever after. Hauling Ashe is no different.
Mae is finding herself on a road trip on Route 66 after her divorce. At the beginning of the route in Chicago she literally bumps into Tucker. Through a series of circumstances and coincidences they embark on the road trip together. When Tucker calls Mae "Sunshine" my heart began swooning.
This is the first book of a new series but I love the way L.B. Dunbar ties her books together by bringing previous characters into current books.
L.B. Dunbar has written yet another book that gives this curvy, 40-something hope.
L.B. Dunbar will ALWAYS be an author I will purchase. Her books are about flawed characters finding their happily ever after. Hauling Ashe is no different.
Mae is finding herself on a road trip on Route 66 after her divorce. At the beginning of the route in Chicago she literally bumps into Tucker. Through a series of circumstances and coincidences they embark on the road trip together. When Tucker calls Mae "Sunshine" my heart began swooning.
This is the first book of a new series but I love the way L.B. Dunbar ties her books together by bringing previous characters into current books.
L.B. Dunbar has written yet another book that gives this curvy, 40-something hope.
January 27, 2022
4.5 Stars
Can I just say that I love Mae. I want to be Mae. I love her courage and her spirit. I love her attitude on life and her willingness to find herself again. She is the driving force behind this story.
Don't ge me wrong. That broody silver fox, Tucker, is a force all of his own. His journey was more unexpected. He didn't realize where he was in life until he took a road trip with Mae.
Both characters begin the journey as one person and end up very different in attitude but finding their true inner self along the way.
Great road trip story with second chance older adults finding true love. I hadn't read any of the previous books in this world but had no problem jumping into this story. Loved the promise that maybe Mae's siter was finally going to find happiness as well? We shall see.
Great read!
*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review.
Can I just say that I love Mae. I want to be Mae. I love her courage and her spirit. I love her attitude on life and her willingness to find herself again. She is the driving force behind this story.
Don't ge me wrong. That broody silver fox, Tucker, is a force all of his own. His journey was more unexpected. He didn't realize where he was in life until he took a road trip with Mae.
Both characters begin the journey as one person and end up very different in attitude but finding their true inner self along the way.
Great road trip story with second chance older adults finding true love. I hadn't read any of the previous books in this world but had no problem jumping into this story. Loved the promise that maybe Mae's siter was finally going to find happiness as well? We shall see.
Great read!
*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review.
January 27, 2022
This was a great grump/sunshine road trip story with an extra helping of steam!
Two strangers on a multi-day road trip, what could go wrong? I loved that these two adults went on a road trip and managed to have some kid-like fun. And I learned A LOT about Route 66. This is a guidebook as much as it is a romance.
You cannot help but root for a second chance at love for Mae and Ashe once you learn of the issues with their first marriages. And so much of it rings true for so many of us. The marriage that looks perfect from the outside is riddled with issues.
It was so fun to watch these two go from reluctant travel companions to enthusiastic lovers. Go Mae and Ashe! They did a lot of fun experimenting in a short time!!
LB has a unique way of genuinely capturing love for the over 40 set. These people have rich histories and experiences that have shaped them and she does such a great job of realistically working their separate pasts into their together futures.
I loved all the little Easter eggs at the end of the book. So many characters we’ve come to love from previous books! And if you don’t know the characters, it’s a perfect reason to read some of LB’s backlist books! Enjoy!
I received
Two strangers on a multi-day road trip, what could go wrong? I loved that these two adults went on a road trip and managed to have some kid-like fun. And I learned A LOT about Route 66. This is a guidebook as much as it is a romance.
You cannot help but root for a second chance at love for Mae and Ashe once you learn of the issues with their first marriages. And so much of it rings true for so many of us. The marriage that looks perfect from the outside is riddled with issues.
It was so fun to watch these two go from reluctant travel companions to enthusiastic lovers. Go Mae and Ashe! They did a lot of fun experimenting in a short time!!
LB has a unique way of genuinely capturing love for the over 40 set. These people have rich histories and experiences that have shaped them and she does such a great job of realistically working their separate pasts into their together futures.
I loved all the little Easter eggs at the end of the book. So many characters we’ve come to love from previous books! And if you don’t know the characters, it’s a perfect reason to read some of LB’s backlist books! Enjoy!
I received
February 5, 2022
I fudging love this author. Tucker and Ashe were 🤌🏻 *chef’s kiss*.
Full review to follow.
Full review to follow.
January 27, 2022
What a road trip! LB Dunbar has written another fabulous story that I love!
Ashe was running hot and cold at first and I had a hard time warming up to him. But once he realized where his head was and where his heart was heading, I fell for him as quickly as Mae did.
This was a little on the heavy side with Mae and Tucker traveling Route 66 and seeing all the abandoned and closed places that ended up that way due to the path people traveling changing. And what a metaphor for the life Tucker and Mae lived. It was really poignant and sweet.
Ashe was running hot and cold at first and I had a hard time warming up to him. But once he realized where his head was and where his heart was heading, I fell for him as quickly as Mae did.
This was a little on the heavy side with Mae and Tucker traveling Route 66 and seeing all the abandoned and closed places that ended up that way due to the path people traveling changing. And what a metaphor for the life Tucker and Mae lived. It was really poignant and sweet.
January 16, 2022
I can't tell how much I loved Ashe and Mae's story, how much it spoke to my heart and soul.
I loved the intensity of the emotions, the ebb and flow of feelings, because it made the story so much more relatable.
And I loved the angst, the fear of new beginnings, the distrust of one's own feelings, the self-doubt, the reluctance to fall in love again and open up to another person after the failure of a previous partnership. It's so great to find one's own feelings reflected in the characters of a book that portrays a road trip as both an opportunity to find new goals and a new purpose for one's life, and a synonym for the journey through life and the quest to find oneself.
All of this resonated in my heart and soul, and I am once again grateful to have found Ms. Dunbar and her wonderful stories. She has a gift like no other author to authentically and comprehensibly describe the doubts, the daily struggles, and all the life-changing emotions of people in the midst of their lives, and to make the reader feel like they were the ones taking the journey and adventure along with these protagonists.
And what I liked most is that this book comes full circle, not just on one level, but on many.
I loved the intensity of the emotions, the ebb and flow of feelings, because it made the story so much more relatable.
And I loved the angst, the fear of new beginnings, the distrust of one's own feelings, the self-doubt, the reluctance to fall in love again and open up to another person after the failure of a previous partnership. It's so great to find one's own feelings reflected in the characters of a book that portrays a road trip as both an opportunity to find new goals and a new purpose for one's life, and a synonym for the journey through life and the quest to find oneself.
All of this resonated in my heart and soul, and I am once again grateful to have found Ms. Dunbar and her wonderful stories. She has a gift like no other author to authentically and comprehensibly describe the doubts, the daily struggles, and all the life-changing emotions of people in the midst of their lives, and to make the reader feel like they were the ones taking the journey and adventure along with these protagonists.
And what I liked most is that this book comes full circle, not just on one level, but on many.
January 28, 2022
Road trip. Ashe was a great guy. Loved his character.
January 22, 2022
L.B Dunbar has done it again, We meet Tucker Ashe & Mae Fox two people who are at crossroads in their life, and what would make it better a road trip to find out where your headed and what you want when you get there.
Two very different people when it comes to their lives but finding out they have more in common as their journey proceeds.
This story is full of so many feels you can’t help getting caught up on this road trip with them and taking in all the sites right along with them.
Two very different people when it comes to their lives but finding out they have more in common as their journey proceeds.
This story is full of so many feels you can’t help getting caught up on this road trip with them and taking in all the sites right along with them.
January 11, 2022
Absolutely loved this story! L.B. does not disappoint with her silver fox stories! 5 silver stars for this one!
Mae is finally taking some time for herself, she's a divorced mom of two boys. She takes her sons Prius and gets set to travel the infamous Route 66, and all it has to offer. She's set to do this trip on her own, looking for some sort of sign, and she bumps into one hot silver fox, Tucker, and spills her coffee all over him. He's not thrilled to say the least and isn't very nice to her. When she stops into her sister's office to say goodbye, who does she run into? Yup, Tucker again, and her sister has a bright idea, he needs a driver to take him to his daughters wedding in California, and Mae happens to be driving that way!
Get ready for the road trip of a lifetime, the adventures they will experience, and the realization that life is short, the smallest things can open your eyes! I enjoyed this story, and I can't wait for the next two in this series! You don't want to miss this one! Grab it asap!
Mae is finally taking some time for herself, she's a divorced mom of two boys. She takes her sons Prius and gets set to travel the infamous Route 66, and all it has to offer. She's set to do this trip on her own, looking for some sort of sign, and she bumps into one hot silver fox, Tucker, and spills her coffee all over him. He's not thrilled to say the least and isn't very nice to her. When she stops into her sister's office to say goodbye, who does she run into? Yup, Tucker again, and her sister has a bright idea, he needs a driver to take him to his daughters wedding in California, and Mae happens to be driving that way!
Get ready for the road trip of a lifetime, the adventures they will experience, and the realization that life is short, the smallest things can open your eyes! I enjoyed this story, and I can't wait for the next two in this series! You don't want to miss this one! Grab it asap!
February 23, 2022
Written with finesse and insightfulness, L.B. Dunbar evoked so many emotions from me that I hadn’t felt in a while, I am so touched by this story.
“I’ve been sprung from a cage around my heart and it’s time to be free. I will no longer be a passenger in my own life. The steering wheel is in my hand.”
What a memorable journey! I was taken back to some of my own road trips and reminded of how rejuvenating and “eye opening” most have played in my appreciation and acceptance of my own experiences through life.
“If closing my eyes and driving the strip were an option to feel the ambience of a time gone by, I would. Instead, I want my eyes wide open. No more shutting out what I can’t accept as reality in my life. I’d closed my eyes too many times in the past.”
The narrative flows and develops flawlessly. The characters are lovable, yes, even the grumpy Tucker (in the beginning). Mae is someone I could identify with so well having taken my own detour in my 40’s. Life is a journey we can never predict the twists and turns, bumps and ruts we encounter on the road.
I love how L.B. depicts mature believable characters whom have experienced external influences and expectations and made sacrifices for a myriad of reasons without injecting judgement. I love how her characters ultimately reach a point of happiness and well deserved love.
“Someone knows the truth. Isn’t that what ghosts do? They scare us with what they know and what they’ve seen. They are the revelations and regrets we hold deep within us. And we need to face those phantoms, that past, that history, before we can let them go. Before we can be set free to live our lives for now. And maybe love again.”
“I’ve been sprung from a cage around my heart and it’s time to be free. I will no longer be a passenger in my own life. The steering wheel is in my hand.”
What a memorable journey! I was taken back to some of my own road trips and reminded of how rejuvenating and “eye opening” most have played in my appreciation and acceptance of my own experiences through life.
“If closing my eyes and driving the strip were an option to feel the ambience of a time gone by, I would. Instead, I want my eyes wide open. No more shutting out what I can’t accept as reality in my life. I’d closed my eyes too many times in the past.”
The narrative flows and develops flawlessly. The characters are lovable, yes, even the grumpy Tucker (in the beginning). Mae is someone I could identify with so well having taken my own detour in my 40’s. Life is a journey we can never predict the twists and turns, bumps and ruts we encounter on the road.
I love how L.B. depicts mature believable characters whom have experienced external influences and expectations and made sacrifices for a myriad of reasons without injecting judgement. I love how her characters ultimately reach a point of happiness and well deserved love.
“Someone knows the truth. Isn’t that what ghosts do? They scare us with what they know and what they’ve seen. They are the revelations and regrets we hold deep within us. And we need to face those phantoms, that past, that history, before we can let them go. Before we can be set free to live our lives for now. And maybe love again.”
January 27, 2022
This book was defiantly a slow burn but picked up and got hot!
I absolutely love the more mature characters L.B Dunbar writes and she did not disappoint with Tucker and Mae.
Mae is asked to drive Ashe across famous route 66 by her sister and Ashe's coworker, in order to get him to his daughters wedding on time.
I absolutely love the more mature characters L.B Dunbar writes and she did not disappoint with Tucker and Mae.
Mae is asked to drive Ashe across famous route 66 by her sister and Ashe's coworker, in order to get him to his daughters wedding on time.
January 28, 2022
“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” -Anna Quindlen
Gah! I love L.B. Dunbar's writing and I was still unprepared for how spectacular this book would be!
Hauling Ashe is the roadmap and the transportation; it will take you on a marvelous heart-wrenching journey and bring your heart home again. It is an enchanting, heartwarming story that soothes the soul. Hauling Ashe engages your senses like driving with the windows down on a warm spring day. This grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, road trip romance is about finding love after forty and the beauty that comes when you learn to dream again.
Mae is a forty-year-old divorcée ready to embark on a soul-cleansing solo journey across the country. Tucker Ashford is a silver fox widower with an exigent need to make it from Chicago to California in a hurry. Mae and Tucker will charm you and draw you in from the moment they meet. Their earnest insistence to dislike each other creates a great back and forth, complete with hilarious banter. With each stop along Route 66, Mae and Tucker unveil more and more of their pasts and true selves. Mae & Ashe reveal dreams abandoned and dreams newly discovered as they explore treasures of Americana.
This book is as good for the heart & soul as taking an actual road trip. In this cross-country journey with a grumpy hero and his sunshine chauffer, L.B. showcases the beauty and wonder to be found in the most unexpected places. It is a testimony to what humanity can accomplish when we look deeper than surface-level. Incredible bonds can be forged when we make time to engage and get to know one another. This one hits the feelings extra hard if you’re a parent. Grab a glass of wine, snag some tissues and cozy up for this charming cross-country romance.
“We are a playlist. One that includes every love song. We’ll be using it as the soundtrack of this continual road trip called life.”
Mae & Tucker have unparalleled chemistry from the first page. Their chemistry is like its own languorous entity that weaves its way throughout the story and sizzles off the page. L.B. guides us on the road trip with playlist songs for chapter headings. The carefully curated playlist sets the tone for Mae and Ashe’s passage and guides the reader along the turbulent journey. I love that L.B.’s characters are delightful, relatable, and complex. Mae and Ashe traveled unique, deep, and fulfilling character arcs that drew me in from the beginning. L.B. writes with such vivid imagery, I was riding the route right along with them. Although Ashe and Mae are on the move, Hauling Ashe reads like L.B.’s signature small-town romance. If you love a growly silver fox and a funny, sweet, mature, relatable heroine, this book is your next best read!
L.B. has masterfully woven the universal language of music and the love language of the written word together to create her best work yet. Hauling Ashe is a beautiful reminder that we all need to slow down and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings, especially in the darkest chapters of our lives.
Gah! I love L.B. Dunbar's writing and I was still unprepared for how spectacular this book would be!
Hauling Ashe is the roadmap and the transportation; it will take you on a marvelous heart-wrenching journey and bring your heart home again. It is an enchanting, heartwarming story that soothes the soul. Hauling Ashe engages your senses like driving with the windows down on a warm spring day. This grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, road trip romance is about finding love after forty and the beauty that comes when you learn to dream again.
Mae is a forty-year-old divorcée ready to embark on a soul-cleansing solo journey across the country. Tucker Ashford is a silver fox widower with an exigent need to make it from Chicago to California in a hurry. Mae and Tucker will charm you and draw you in from the moment they meet. Their earnest insistence to dislike each other creates a great back and forth, complete with hilarious banter. With each stop along Route 66, Mae and Tucker unveil more and more of their pasts and true selves. Mae & Ashe reveal dreams abandoned and dreams newly discovered as they explore treasures of Americana.
This book is as good for the heart & soul as taking an actual road trip. In this cross-country journey with a grumpy hero and his sunshine chauffer, L.B. showcases the beauty and wonder to be found in the most unexpected places. It is a testimony to what humanity can accomplish when we look deeper than surface-level. Incredible bonds can be forged when we make time to engage and get to know one another. This one hits the feelings extra hard if you’re a parent. Grab a glass of wine, snag some tissues and cozy up for this charming cross-country romance.
“We are a playlist. One that includes every love song. We’ll be using it as the soundtrack of this continual road trip called life.”
Mae & Tucker have unparalleled chemistry from the first page. Their chemistry is like its own languorous entity that weaves its way throughout the story and sizzles off the page. L.B. guides us on the road trip with playlist songs for chapter headings. The carefully curated playlist sets the tone for Mae and Ashe’s passage and guides the reader along the turbulent journey. I love that L.B.’s characters are delightful, relatable, and complex. Mae and Ashe traveled unique, deep, and fulfilling character arcs that drew me in from the beginning. L.B. writes with such vivid imagery, I was riding the route right along with them. Although Ashe and Mae are on the move, Hauling Ashe reads like L.B.’s signature small-town romance. If you love a growly silver fox and a funny, sweet, mature, relatable heroine, this book is your next best read!
L.B. has masterfully woven the universal language of music and the love language of the written word together to create her best work yet. Hauling Ashe is a beautiful reminder that we all need to slow down and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings, especially in the darkest chapters of our lives.
January 27, 2022
Hauling Ashe
is the story of two people who regret decisions they made in their past. Mae Fox gave up many of her dreams to: help her husband advance, take care of her two sons, and concentrate, primarily on being a good wife and mother. The only thing she did for herself was start her florist shop; even that she needed help from her in-laws. This was her life until she found out she was a fool in many ways, including catching her husband cheating.
Tucker Ashe put his life on hold too. He had dreams of being a rock star. He loved music; both performing and writing it. Then his grandfather called him home with a life changing request that he felt obligated to honor. Now a widower, he has a successful business that he sinks every hour of the day into. What is this man hiding that makes him so angry? That is only one of the many questions that Mae wants to know.
I can relate to Dunbar’s stories. She is writing about an over forty crowd. There are many things within Hauling Ashe with which I can share and understand. I appreciate the characters and their decisions. I understand why they keep a part of their thoughts and dreams hidden from others. I can feel their pain and joy.
Hauling Ashe has everything I love in a romance including the road trip. There is a “meet cute” that sets the tone for an enemies to lovers romance. Mae is down in the dumps and rethinking her life decisions. She is on the road literally (Route 66) to rediscover herself. She wants to experience Route 66 as it was before the big freeways bypassed all the quirky little towns and sights. Her family is concerned because she is taking this trip alone, so her sister finagles her into taking Tucker Ashe with her.
Ashe needs to get to California for his daughter’s wedding and father of the bride obligations, but he doesn’t fly. His car service cancels at the last minute which puts him in the situation that he must accept this ride with Mae who he doesn’t like from the start. As unacceptable as this is to Ashe and Mae, he can’t let his daughter down.
From the tension and anger in the beginning to the point where they begin to understand each other to the romance is a beautiful journey. I love how they gradually reveal their secrets and see the heart and soul of each other as they travel Route 66. Ashe wants to get where he’s going, and Mae wants to stop at the many historic locations along the way. She doesn’t bend often, and Ashe begins to see the benefits of the trip. I love remembering some of our family trips across country on Route 66. I recognize many of her stops, even though I was a young girl as I traveled this historical route.
Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Hauling Ashe. I loved both main characters and their journey in the car, and their reflections on the decisions made in the past. I highly recommend this series.
Review posted on Badass Bloggettes
Tucker Ashe put his life on hold too. He had dreams of being a rock star. He loved music; both performing and writing it. Then his grandfather called him home with a life changing request that he felt obligated to honor. Now a widower, he has a successful business that he sinks every hour of the day into. What is this man hiding that makes him so angry? That is only one of the many questions that Mae wants to know.
I can relate to Dunbar’s stories. She is writing about an over forty crowd. There are many things within Hauling Ashe with which I can share and understand. I appreciate the characters and their decisions. I understand why they keep a part of their thoughts and dreams hidden from others. I can feel their pain and joy.
Hauling Ashe has everything I love in a romance including the road trip. There is a “meet cute” that sets the tone for an enemies to lovers romance. Mae is down in the dumps and rethinking her life decisions. She is on the road literally (Route 66) to rediscover herself. She wants to experience Route 66 as it was before the big freeways bypassed all the quirky little towns and sights. Her family is concerned because she is taking this trip alone, so her sister finagles her into taking Tucker Ashe with her.
Ashe needs to get to California for his daughter’s wedding and father of the bride obligations, but he doesn’t fly. His car service cancels at the last minute which puts him in the situation that he must accept this ride with Mae who he doesn’t like from the start. As unacceptable as this is to Ashe and Mae, he can’t let his daughter down.
From the tension and anger in the beginning to the point where they begin to understand each other to the romance is a beautiful journey. I love how they gradually reveal their secrets and see the heart and soul of each other as they travel Route 66. Ashe wants to get where he’s going, and Mae wants to stop at the many historic locations along the way. She doesn’t bend often, and Ashe begins to see the benefits of the trip. I love remembering some of our family trips across country on Route 66. I recognize many of her stops, even though I was a young girl as I traveled this historical route.
Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Hauling Ashe. I loved both main characters and their journey in the car, and their reflections on the decisions made in the past. I highly recommend this series.
Review posted on Badass Bloggettes
February 1, 2022
So I was intrigued by this book just from reading the blurb. Then I realized that this is the sister of Garrett Fox from Wine & Dine and I knew I had to read this story since I loved that one so much! This story can absolutely be read as a stand alone, although like I said, I loved the book about her brother. Mae is getting ready to set off on a cross country trip to not only forget about her past but to remember exactly who she was and is. A way for her to look to the new future she has. She never planned on any passengers and she certainly never planned on her sister's grumpy boss. Tucker needs to get from Chicago to California and thinks it's the least Mae can do after ruining his suit. But he didn't understand what being confined in a car with a ray of sunshine would mean. Nor did he plan on how listening to her off key singing would make him feel. Or watching her smile for photo's in front of tourist attractions. Could this be a second chance for both of them?
I love how this author puts together romance for people over 40. Life doesn't end just because you hit 40, and most romance books are not geared towards older characters. And if they are-they aren't usually accurate. This author seems to not only understand this fact, but she embraces it and I love that!
Mae and Tucker both have different points of view on how to handle the adversities that life has thrown them. Mae tends to be upbeat and just a genuinely happy person. Tucker is definitely grumpy and aloof although he loves his daughter to the point he will do anything to be there for her wedding. Including dealing with the perpetually upbeat Mae. And I loved that about him. Mae, honestly, has thoughts that I think all of us over 40 have thought about. I know I don't look the same as I did-which in turn makes me not feel the same as I do. I have major insecurities with my looks compared to pre-kids. And I honestly love that this was put forth in a way that I could relate to. But I also love that Tucker, once he figures out that he actually likes Mae, doesn't see the "flaws" that she see's. He only see's a beautiful, happy soul. This is definitely a story that will suck you in and keep you reading. My only drawback, and honestly I really feel like this is my personal preference, no one can possibly be as happy and always upbeat as much as she is. And part of the time I thought Tucker was just a giant butthead that I wanted to smack. But honestly, that just seemed to be due to how they handled the things have happened to them. So I get it, while parts of it got on my nerves LOL! On a whole though, I definitely enjoyed most of this story and I would definitely read it again!
I love how this author puts together romance for people over 40. Life doesn't end just because you hit 40, and most romance books are not geared towards older characters. And if they are-they aren't usually accurate. This author seems to not only understand this fact, but she embraces it and I love that!
Mae and Tucker both have different points of view on how to handle the adversities that life has thrown them. Mae tends to be upbeat and just a genuinely happy person. Tucker is definitely grumpy and aloof although he loves his daughter to the point he will do anything to be there for her wedding. Including dealing with the perpetually upbeat Mae. And I loved that about him. Mae, honestly, has thoughts that I think all of us over 40 have thought about. I know I don't look the same as I did-which in turn makes me not feel the same as I do. I have major insecurities with my looks compared to pre-kids. And I honestly love that this was put forth in a way that I could relate to. But I also love that Tucker, once he figures out that he actually likes Mae, doesn't see the "flaws" that she see's. He only see's a beautiful, happy soul. This is definitely a story that will suck you in and keep you reading. My only drawback, and honestly I really feel like this is my personal preference, no one can possibly be as happy and always upbeat as much as she is. And part of the time I thought Tucker was just a giant butthead that I wanted to smack. But honestly, that just seemed to be due to how they handled the things have happened to them. So I get it, while parts of it got on my nerves LOL! On a whole though, I definitely enjoyed most of this story and I would definitely read it again!
January 28, 2022
Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️
Let me take a moment to note how much the ideas in L.B. Dunbar’s newest story, Hauling Ashe, resonate so deeply through my own life experience. Overall, I enjoyed reading Hauling Ashe in all of its enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, road tripping, slow-burn ways. Dunbar has infused it with a goodness that you cannot help but enjoy it, even though (here’s my criticism) some of her hero, Tucker’s, and heroine, Mae’s, journey felt manipulative. That word seems heavy, but it best suits the falling action portion of Dunbar’s book when Tucker and Mae cannot accept a future together. I honestly thought that there was inconsistency during that portion as Tucker knows he wants a forever with Mae and Mae wants the same, but they have to push and pull for several chapters before this is resolved. My only criticism is that I thought they could have rectified that sooner. The pacing feels off on that.
All of that aside, Dunbar hit a bruise in me, the one that exists in people of middle age. When you are the ages of Tucker, Mae, and myself, you are left with the time to consider where better or different choices might have saved you heartache and loss. However, as Dunbar so beautifully writes within the pages of her book, those choices are a portion of your life, and you have more opportunities to make different ones for yourself. On their literal road trip or journey, Dunbar provides Tucker and Mae the opportunity to undertake a figurative journey, one that allows them, together, to heal from past traumas. As they journey together, they infuse each other with the strength to face their past, so they can find a future together. There is such beauty in that message especially as, by the end of this book, they find exactly what they are looking for, and you cannot help but think that the future is a place of peace for both of them. This is where I connected with these characters, and I love that Dunbar takes on these heavy themes for an older crowd and wraps it in a steamy, slow-burn romance.
You don’t have to be middle age, however, to fully appreciate L.B. Dunbar’s Hauling Ashe. You simply need to be a human who has made choices in your life that have taken you down a different path. Loaded with twists and turns that mirror those of Route 66, this story will capture you and leave you feeling at peace.
Let me take a moment to note how much the ideas in L.B. Dunbar’s newest story, Hauling Ashe, resonate so deeply through my own life experience. Overall, I enjoyed reading Hauling Ashe in all of its enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, road tripping, slow-burn ways. Dunbar has infused it with a goodness that you cannot help but enjoy it, even though (here’s my criticism) some of her hero, Tucker’s, and heroine, Mae’s, journey felt manipulative. That word seems heavy, but it best suits the falling action portion of Dunbar’s book when Tucker and Mae cannot accept a future together. I honestly thought that there was inconsistency during that portion as Tucker knows he wants a forever with Mae and Mae wants the same, but they have to push and pull for several chapters before this is resolved. My only criticism is that I thought they could have rectified that sooner. The pacing feels off on that.
All of that aside, Dunbar hit a bruise in me, the one that exists in people of middle age. When you are the ages of Tucker, Mae, and myself, you are left with the time to consider where better or different choices might have saved you heartache and loss. However, as Dunbar so beautifully writes within the pages of her book, those choices are a portion of your life, and you have more opportunities to make different ones for yourself. On their literal road trip or journey, Dunbar provides Tucker and Mae the opportunity to undertake a figurative journey, one that allows them, together, to heal from past traumas. As they journey together, they infuse each other with the strength to face their past, so they can find a future together. There is such beauty in that message especially as, by the end of this book, they find exactly what they are looking for, and you cannot help but think that the future is a place of peace for both of them. This is where I connected with these characters, and I love that Dunbar takes on these heavy themes for an older crowd and wraps it in a steamy, slow-burn romance.
You don’t have to be middle age, however, to fully appreciate L.B. Dunbar’s Hauling Ashe. You simply need to be a human who has made choices in your life that have taken you down a different path. Loaded with twists and turns that mirror those of Route 66, this story will capture you and leave you feeling at peace.
January 28, 2022
LB Dunbar you have done it again with the right book at the right time.
I am a traveler at heart and have been home bound like all of us over the last months. I NEEDED AN ADVENTURE! You gave it to me with this heart warming quirky road-tripping live out loud book.
If you haven’t gotten this book please get it! If you have already bought the book buy it for your friends! It is a wonderful adventure.
I love you LB Dunbar you done done it again! Thank you!
Life might be a highway but the last thing this grumpy silver fox expected was a cross-country road trip with a ray of sunshine.
“My sister is driving to California. She could give you a ride.”
“What?” Tucker Ashe and I say in unison.
Mae Fox
Surely, my older sister has lost her mind. There is no way I’m driving her insufferable – albeit sexy silver fox – boss two thousand miles. This is my spirit trip. The Mother Road is intended to help me reclaim myself. Letting go of my past, I’m only looking forward to the path ahead of me.
But my gaze keeps wandering to the rearview mirror, wondering what secrets my grouchy passenger keeps and how that silver scruff might feel blazing a trail on hidden parts of me.
+ + +
Tucker Ashe
Driving me from Chicago to California might be the least this ray of sunshine can do after ruining my new suit. However, being confined with her for seven days in a car named Louie is the last thing I need. Because I don’t want to think about kissing those lips singing off key or the way she beams every time we stop for a photo-op along Route 66.
And I definitely shouldn’t consider asking her to pull over and join me in the backseat for a bit on this crazy journey where memories haunt and every mile hints at a second chance.
+ + +
Join Mae and Tucker on a road trip where an eclectic soundtrack and unusual highlights along the most iconic road in the U.S. bring together two souls in need of a second chance at revving their engines, recharging their batteries, and rebuilding their dreams.
From L.B. Dunbar comes a new series of feisty vixens and the sexy silver foxes they attract.
I am a traveler at heart and have been home bound like all of us over the last months. I NEEDED AN ADVENTURE! You gave it to me with this heart warming quirky road-tripping live out loud book.
If you haven’t gotten this book please get it! If you have already bought the book buy it for your friends! It is a wonderful adventure.
I love you LB Dunbar you done done it again! Thank you!
Life might be a highway but the last thing this grumpy silver fox expected was a cross-country road trip with a ray of sunshine.
“My sister is driving to California. She could give you a ride.”
“What?” Tucker Ashe and I say in unison.
Mae Fox
Surely, my older sister has lost her mind. There is no way I’m driving her insufferable – albeit sexy silver fox – boss two thousand miles. This is my spirit trip. The Mother Road is intended to help me reclaim myself. Letting go of my past, I’m only looking forward to the path ahead of me.
But my gaze keeps wandering to the rearview mirror, wondering what secrets my grouchy passenger keeps and how that silver scruff might feel blazing a trail on hidden parts of me.
+ + +
Tucker Ashe
Driving me from Chicago to California might be the least this ray of sunshine can do after ruining my new suit. However, being confined with her for seven days in a car named Louie is the last thing I need. Because I don’t want to think about kissing those lips singing off key or the way she beams every time we stop for a photo-op along Route 66.
And I definitely shouldn’t consider asking her to pull over and join me in the backseat for a bit on this crazy journey where memories haunt and every mile hints at a second chance.
+ + +
Join Mae and Tucker on a road trip where an eclectic soundtrack and unusual highlights along the most iconic road in the U.S. bring together two souls in need of a second chance at revving their engines, recharging their batteries, and rebuilding their dreams.
From L.B. Dunbar comes a new series of feisty vixens and the sexy silver foxes they attract.
January 24, 2022
A romance themed around a road trip on Route 66? It could have been kitschy and trite in the hands of a lesser author, but we are talking about a novel written by the incredibly talented L.B. Dunbar.
The book's dedication is "Song Of The Open Road" by Walt Whitman, published in 1856 as part of his epic for the common man, "Leaves Of Grass". The poem alluded to the U.S. westward expansion, and the book's main characters, the over-40 Mae Fox and Tucker Ashford, come together on a trip from Chicago to Los Angeles county. Dunbar also begins each chapter with songs in a playlist.
"Life Is A Highway" although Mae claims "If life was a highway, somewhere along the way I'd gotten a flat tire" - not just one of life's many bumps in the road. She determines to travel the iconic route in the hope of making sense of it all and finding her way forward. Leaving her Michigan home, Mae stops to see her sister (Jane) who lives in the Chicago starting point. Jane doesn't want Mae to go alone, and when the cross-country chauffeured trip her boss (Tucker aka Ashe) planned to get to his daughter's California wedding cancels at the last minute, she puts the two together in Mae's Toyota Prius.
Tucker has sacrificed a lot in his life and lost family members to plane crashes so he's feels trapped into going along with Mae. The book's playlist is also Mae's to which she adds her off-key voice and wrong lyrics. Tucker complains over the phone to his partner (Mach Wright) "...dogs are crying on the side of the road", but it doesn't dim Mae's enthusiasm or her vow to torture him with audio romances.
The journey takes them to California over the course of days and, being together 24/7 for over 2,000 miles, offers a lot of time to learn about each other's life. They've both experienced heartbreak and betrayal and seem unable to move past them. "Bless The Broken Road" will definitely be the theme of their lives when they finally discover how to make their relationship work.
I've never been so thrilled to be an armchair traveler as I was reading "Hauling Ashe", and my engine's primed for Jane and Mach's story in "Merging Wright" after reading the intriguing epilogue.
The book's dedication is "Song Of The Open Road" by Walt Whitman, published in 1856 as part of his epic for the common man, "Leaves Of Grass". The poem alluded to the U.S. westward expansion, and the book's main characters, the over-40 Mae Fox and Tucker Ashford, come together on a trip from Chicago to Los Angeles county. Dunbar also begins each chapter with songs in a playlist.
"Life Is A Highway" although Mae claims "If life was a highway, somewhere along the way I'd gotten a flat tire" - not just one of life's many bumps in the road. She determines to travel the iconic route in the hope of making sense of it all and finding her way forward. Leaving her Michigan home, Mae stops to see her sister (Jane) who lives in the Chicago starting point. Jane doesn't want Mae to go alone, and when the cross-country chauffeured trip her boss (Tucker aka Ashe) planned to get to his daughter's California wedding cancels at the last minute, she puts the two together in Mae's Toyota Prius.
Tucker has sacrificed a lot in his life and lost family members to plane crashes so he's feels trapped into going along with Mae. The book's playlist is also Mae's to which she adds her off-key voice and wrong lyrics. Tucker complains over the phone to his partner (Mach Wright) "...dogs are crying on the side of the road", but it doesn't dim Mae's enthusiasm or her vow to torture him with audio romances.
The journey takes them to California over the course of days and, being together 24/7 for over 2,000 miles, offers a lot of time to learn about each other's life. They've both experienced heartbreak and betrayal and seem unable to move past them. "Bless The Broken Road" will definitely be the theme of their lives when they finally discover how to make their relationship work.
I've never been so thrilled to be an armchair traveler as I was reading "Hauling Ashe", and my engine's primed for Jane and Mach's story in "Merging Wright" after reading the intriguing epilogue.
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