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Drive: Stories from Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere
A Broadway actress and her family go on a cross-country adventure during the COVID-19 shutdown
Drive follows the pandemic shut-down journey of Come From Away actress Sharon Wheatley and her family from Broadway's sudden closure to when the curtains finally go back up. Along the way, Wheatley thinks back on the humor and grit of her parents and draws strength from those memories in order to confront the challenges of shepherding her family (and pets) through this unprecedented time, while making hilarious memories along the way. Drive is part travelogue, part Little Miss Sunshine, and all Broadway.
Drive follows the pandemic shut-down journey of Come From Away actress Sharon Wheatley and her family from Broadway's sudden closure to when the curtains finally go back up. Along the way, Wheatley thinks back on the humor and grit of her parents and draws strength from those memories in order to confront the challenges of shepherding her family (and pets) through this unprecedented time, while making hilarious memories along the way. Drive is part travelogue, part Little Miss Sunshine, and all Broadway.
242 pages, Paperback
Published February 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 21, 2022
This book hit home for me like no book ever has.
This is the first book about the Covid-19 Pandemic I have read. I was nervous at first. Would this hit too close to home? Would this be a too soon moment? All and all, I am so happy this was the book to break the ice.
Covid-19 has effected us all in different, similar, emotional, aggravating, depression, anxiety inducing ways. Some people have made it through relatively unscathed. Others have been devastated by it. But at the end of the day, we have all had no choice but to be a part of it.
This book felt more personal than I ever could have imagined. Especially from an author I was not familiar with before hand (Now I want to read all of her work). This was the story of two women and their family (fur babies included) taking the RV trip of a life time, during one of the most uncertain times. This was an idea both crazy and exciting. I found myself having FOMO throughout their adventure!
I too went cross country during this pandemic, moving to be with my now spouse (we wanted to rent an RV but our timing was when the prices had doubled, so we didn't get to enjoy the ride with the luxury of a bathroom and fridge). I too had to say good by to a beloved pet, meeting at the back door of the vet to say goodbye. I too know many people have been ill with Covid-19, and lost a few as well. I received this book days after saying goodbye to a close family member who passed from Covid-19, and putting my dog down.
The book had me laughing, and crying. It was such a humble story full of fun and love, as well as tragedy and difficult times. It was nice hearing someone else share their perspective and experience. The world can be burning, but there is still fun to be had and a happy ending to reach.
I find myself grateful to have received a copy of this book as part of the First Reads Giveaways.
This is the first book about the Covid-19 Pandemic I have read. I was nervous at first. Would this hit too close to home? Would this be a too soon moment? All and all, I am so happy this was the book to break the ice.
Covid-19 has effected us all in different, similar, emotional, aggravating, depression, anxiety inducing ways. Some people have made it through relatively unscathed. Others have been devastated by it. But at the end of the day, we have all had no choice but to be a part of it.
This book felt more personal than I ever could have imagined. Especially from an author I was not familiar with before hand (Now I want to read all of her work). This was the story of two women and their family (fur babies included) taking the RV trip of a life time, during one of the most uncertain times. This was an idea both crazy and exciting. I found myself having FOMO throughout their adventure!
I too went cross country during this pandemic, moving to be with my now spouse (we wanted to rent an RV but our timing was when the prices had doubled, so we didn't get to enjoy the ride with the luxury of a bathroom and fridge). I too had to say good by to a beloved pet, meeting at the back door of the vet to say goodbye. I too know many people have been ill with Covid-19, and lost a few as well. I received this book days after saying goodbye to a close family member who passed from Covid-19, and putting my dog down.
The book had me laughing, and crying. It was such a humble story full of fun and love, as well as tragedy and difficult times. It was nice hearing someone else share their perspective and experience. The world can be burning, but there is still fun to be had and a happy ending to reach.
I find myself grateful to have received a copy of this book as part of the First Reads Giveaways.
December 28, 2022
I love travel memoirs and I love Broadway. I watched Come From Away on AppleTV the day it premiered and was fortunate to see the author perform the show live in February 2022. When I saw rumblings of the book on social media, I knew it would be up my alley.
This is a short (~250 page) read and one I easily could have done in one sitting. Instead, I found myself taking my time and savoring these adventures. It’s a great reminder of the out of the box thinking and once in a lifetime experiences that came out of our time social distancing. After all, when else could a Broadway star and her stage manager wife spend 90 days on the road and away from New York?
In a time when most of America was at home trying to figure out zoom and how to make sourdough starters, Wheatley and her wife embark on a cross country RV trip to deliver her younger child to their father in California.
The author has the great ability to write as she speaks (or so I imagine). There is no flowery language or insane metaphors. Just a mom and a wife, in a global pandemic, trying to take it day by day. There are side stories and short tangents, but all relevant to the main story. While the story takes place in summer 2020, you’ll also be transported to 9/11, the author’s childhood and another cross country roadtrip that followed her divorce. Wheatley paints a great picture of her experience without sugar coating it- you’ll hear about the frustrations, the arguments and the front yard therapy sessions just as much as the time they spent in National Parks and KOAs meeting both animals and humans.
The ONLY criticism I had, (and clearly it was not enough to lower my rating) was that the ending felt rushed. The book was published in March 2022 with the ending of the book taking place December 2021-January 2022. While so much of the book focuses on the 90 days on the road, the last chapter or so crams over a year's worth of time. I am not sure how much it added to the story other than it satisfies the nosy rosies like me who want to know everything about everyone.
If you are a Broadway fan, a travel memoir enthusiast or somewhere in the distant future hoping for insight on how Americans handled the first wave of Covid-19, I definitely recommend this book.
This is a short (~250 page) read and one I easily could have done in one sitting. Instead, I found myself taking my time and savoring these adventures. It’s a great reminder of the out of the box thinking and once in a lifetime experiences that came out of our time social distancing. After all, when else could a Broadway star and her stage manager wife spend 90 days on the road and away from New York?
In a time when most of America was at home trying to figure out zoom and how to make sourdough starters, Wheatley and her wife embark on a cross country RV trip to deliver her younger child to their father in California.
The author has the great ability to write as she speaks (or so I imagine). There is no flowery language or insane metaphors. Just a mom and a wife, in a global pandemic, trying to take it day by day. There are side stories and short tangents, but all relevant to the main story. While the story takes place in summer 2020, you’ll also be transported to 9/11, the author’s childhood and another cross country roadtrip that followed her divorce. Wheatley paints a great picture of her experience without sugar coating it- you’ll hear about the frustrations, the arguments and the front yard therapy sessions just as much as the time they spent in National Parks and KOAs meeting both animals and humans.
The ONLY criticism I had, (and clearly it was not enough to lower my rating) was that the ending felt rushed. The book was published in March 2022 with the ending of the book taking place December 2021-January 2022. While so much of the book focuses on the 90 days on the road, the last chapter or so crams over a year's worth of time. I am not sure how much it added to the story other than it satisfies the nosy rosies like me who want to know everything about everyone.
If you are a Broadway fan, a travel memoir enthusiast or somewhere in the distant future hoping for insight on how Americans handled the first wave of Covid-19, I definitely recommend this book.
April 10, 2022
What a pleasant surprise! Drive: Stories From Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere takes place during the pandemic when COVID shut down Broadway and just about everything else. It is an uplifting story of how one family made the best of a bad situation. Rather than hunkering down at home, the Wheatley family rents an RV and undertakes the adventure of a lifetime. The more I read the better I liked it. Every character is likeable and loveable and I rooted for them when they were sad or scared and celebrated all of the joy they found in nature, friendship, and family. Drive reminds us of what makes America great; when the going gets tough and all that. It almost makes me want to take my own cross country adventure and that's high praise from this Westin girl and I will definitely get tickets to Come From Away the next time I am in New York. Thanks to River Grove Books and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy for my enjoyment and review.
April 9, 2022
What a pleasant surprise! Drive: Stories From Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere takes place during the pandemic when COVID shut down Broadway and just about everything else. It is an uplifting story of how one family made the best of a bad situation. Rather than hunkering down at home, the Wheatley family rents an RV and undertakes the adventure of a lifetime.
The more I read the better I liked it. Every character is likeable and loveable and I rooted for them when they were sad or scared and celebrated all of the joy they found in nature, friendship, and family.
Drive reminds us of what makes America great; when the going gets tough and all that. It almost makes me want to take my own cross country adventure and that's high praise from this Westin girl and I will definitely get tickets to Come From Away the next time I am in New York.
Thanks to River Grove Books and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy for my enjoyment and review. Drive is available now from your favorite bookstore or library.
The more I read the better I liked it. Every character is likeable and loveable and I rooted for them when they were sad or scared and celebrated all of the joy they found in nature, friendship, and family.
Drive reminds us of what makes America great; when the going gets tough and all that. It almost makes me want to take my own cross country adventure and that's high praise from this Westin girl and I will definitely get tickets to Come From Away the next time I am in New York.
Thanks to River Grove Books and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy for my enjoyment and review. Drive is available now from your favorite bookstore or library.
June 23, 2023
I just loved this entire thing. More detailed review to come (hopefully) when I'm more coherent. Just read it, it's beautiful
October 22, 2025
I've been looking forward to reading this book for as long as I've known of its existence (aka whenever Sharon announced it on Instagram). I saw Come From Away in early previews back in 2017 and have been following Sharon ever since. As someone who was aspiring to work on Broadway when the pandemic hit, this subject matter is very close to my heart. Sharon has a talent for weaving the past with the present in a way that makes you understand her, her dreams and her fears. This was someone who made the best of a bad situation and had the adventure of a lifetime because of it. It really goes to show that sometimes, life really is what you make it. I highly recommend this book as a tribute to the resilience of human kind during Covid. [Special shoutout to the picture on page 213 - I'm in the very back of that photo somewhere!]
May 7, 2022
Full disclosure - I won this book as part of a Goodreads Giveaway for Kindle and this review is my own unfiltered opinion.
There’s a refreshing quality about reading a personal account of someone else’s pandemic experience, where they felt the same fear as you did; where their moods were just has swingy as yours; and where despite everything positive that was able to be found in that darkness you still just wanted to get back to something you loved doing. Broadway performer Sharon Wheatley takes the reader on her journey of the pandemic - from Broadway shutdown, to an RV journey with her wife, kids, and cluster of furry friends across America, to her show’s reopening.
Wheatley doesn’t shy away from the emotional or hard parts. She shares what she feared, how her anxiety at times would only get worse by talking about it so she held everything in. But it’s not all doom and gloom, she finds a way to bring heartfelt moments to the center of each piece of the tale she is telling.
She doesn’t just focus on the pandemic either. She pulls in stories from across her lifetime, predominately with her parents. By doing so she almost creates a sense she is working thru the grief of their loss, by tying stories of her past with them into her current adventures.
It’s an easy, quick read that allows you to safe load into Wheatley’s RV and join in on her journey safely from your couch. While the adventurer in me would love to hear more about the stops and sights of her journey, it is still an easy nonfiction read that can tug at your emotions at times.
There’s a refreshing quality about reading a personal account of someone else’s pandemic experience, where they felt the same fear as you did; where their moods were just has swingy as yours; and where despite everything positive that was able to be found in that darkness you still just wanted to get back to something you loved doing. Broadway performer Sharon Wheatley takes the reader on her journey of the pandemic - from Broadway shutdown, to an RV journey with her wife, kids, and cluster of furry friends across America, to her show’s reopening.
Wheatley doesn’t shy away from the emotional or hard parts. She shares what she feared, how her anxiety at times would only get worse by talking about it so she held everything in. But it’s not all doom and gloom, she finds a way to bring heartfelt moments to the center of each piece of the tale she is telling.
She doesn’t just focus on the pandemic either. She pulls in stories from across her lifetime, predominately with her parents. By doing so she almost creates a sense she is working thru the grief of their loss, by tying stories of her past with them into her current adventures.
It’s an easy, quick read that allows you to safe load into Wheatley’s RV and join in on her journey safely from your couch. While the adventurer in me would love to hear more about the stops and sights of her journey, it is still an easy nonfiction read that can tug at your emotions at times.
February 18, 2022
In DRIVE, by Sharon Wheatley, COVID-19 upends Broadway actress Sharon Wheatley's life and she escapes New York City and ends up on a cross-country adventure with her family, their animals, and all of their stuff jammed into an RV. Throughout all of the ups and downs of her journey, Sharon finds the strength to keep going using the lessons she has learned from her parents, her partner, and her own inner resilience she seemed to have forgotten she had. In the end, she makes it out of the pandemic to perform on Broadway again and back to a place and a life she treasured and missed more than she ever thought she would.
Wheatley has such a wonderfully conversational style of writing, like the reader is hearing stories over a drink at a bar. At the same time, almost unnoticed, is how that book is organized to maximize enjoyment, Without feeling artificial or forced, the book swings between humor and somber reflections with a certain balance that mirrors life. At moments, the reader is laughing along with the story and thinking everything will be fine in the end and at other moments the reader is caught up in Wheatley's despair and how unlikely it feels that things will ever get better. Everyone has had these wild emotional swings over the last couple of years, so there is a comfort to read about someone else going through it and how they came out happy in the end.
Having a family and being a theater artist myself, DRIVE was more than just a well written, entertaining book for me to read, it was a beacon of hope that the theater world, just like everything else, will eventually return to normal.
Thank you to Greenleaf Book Group, Sharon Wheatley, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Wheatley has such a wonderfully conversational style of writing, like the reader is hearing stories over a drink at a bar. At the same time, almost unnoticed, is how that book is organized to maximize enjoyment, Without feeling artificial or forced, the book swings between humor and somber reflections with a certain balance that mirrors life. At moments, the reader is laughing along with the story and thinking everything will be fine in the end and at other moments the reader is caught up in Wheatley's despair and how unlikely it feels that things will ever get better. Everyone has had these wild emotional swings over the last couple of years, so there is a comfort to read about someone else going through it and how they came out happy in the end.
Having a family and being a theater artist myself, DRIVE was more than just a well written, entertaining book for me to read, it was a beacon of hope that the theater world, just like everything else, will eventually return to normal.
Thank you to Greenleaf Book Group, Sharon Wheatley, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
November 22, 2022
I liked the writing style. It's as if the author is sitting next to you telling her story, without a filter. The writing style is informal, like she's your friend telling you about this time in her life. I remember a lot of the events on broadway early on, I was at the half full house on March 11-and I remember Sharon Wheatley coming out onstage to do the donations speech for BCEFA. That was the day before the shutdown. I like the flow of the story very much-expertly intertwining past and near-present events, you get a full picture of the author's life during the pandemic times. I learned a lot I didn't know about the events surrounding that time that I didn't know as an outsider. The author gives a lot of herself to the story, sharing a lot of vulnerability that, again, makes the reader feel as if they are speaking to a friend in the moment, not just reading a story. Overall a great read that I couldn't put down, and already want to read again. So fantastic. Moving and funny and a story of perseverance during a super difficult time for everyone, it's a story I think everyone needs to read-because if its highly personal and deeply insightful look into how one family handled the stresses of the pandemic on the broadway community. Highly recommend.
October 27, 2022
I really enjoyed this quick memoir. It flows nicely between the RV journey and stories about life that got the author to this place...
That said, the reason I'm not given it a higher rating is that I had a nagging feeling the entire time I was reading that rules in place at the time were being broken. We were told to stay home in the first months of Covid. The underlying theme of the book is her family and her traveling during those times... I literally didn't even drive a mile down the road for months because of all the what ifs... so many what ifs... like what if I'd get a flat tire and have to be in contact with another human. Or what if I'd been in an accident and first responders had to come save me when they were already spread thin. And that accident led to a hospital stay in an overcrowded ER. I had a hard time at the time with this and this really brought that back up for me.
I mean I knew the general idea of the book when I won it through a Goodreads giveaway, but I guess I didn't realize I'd have such a hard time getting past my anger about that time in general, remembering watching people on Instagram living life while I, being a rule follower, stayed home.
I otherwise really enjoyed this and it's fun to get a little glimpse at the life of a Broadway actor!
That said, the reason I'm not given it a higher rating is that I had a nagging feeling the entire time I was reading that rules in place at the time were being broken. We were told to stay home in the first months of Covid. The underlying theme of the book is her family and her traveling during those times... I literally didn't even drive a mile down the road for months because of all the what ifs... so many what ifs... like what if I'd get a flat tire and have to be in contact with another human. Or what if I'd been in an accident and first responders had to come save me when they were already spread thin. And that accident led to a hospital stay in an overcrowded ER. I had a hard time at the time with this and this really brought that back up for me.
I mean I knew the general idea of the book when I won it through a Goodreads giveaway, but I guess I didn't realize I'd have such a hard time getting past my anger about that time in general, remembering watching people on Instagram living life while I, being a rule follower, stayed home.
I otherwise really enjoyed this and it's fun to get a little glimpse at the life of a Broadway actor!
June 26, 2022
Not what I expected for a book about traveling around the country in an RV. Lot of backstory, 10% travel. Oh well, I won a free Kindle copy from Goodreads.
June 25, 2022
5 ⭐️
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Thank you so much to NetGalley, Greenleaf Book Group, and River Grove Books for the e-ARC of this book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Let me start off by saying I'm a huge fan of Sharon as an actress and I absolutely loved her first book, but it's been a long time since her last book, Til The Fat Girl Sings: From an Overweight Nobody to a Broadway Somebody-A Memoir, was published in 2006 and this one was very different, felt more mature, and was very refreshing in comparison.
In her sophomore work, Drive, Wheatley recounts the adventure she went on in an RV during the early months of the Pandemic in 2020 along with her wife, kids, and pets. This is a big change from a Broadway actress used to the hustle and bustle of 8-show-weeks in Manhattan as well as a big change from the person she was when she published her first book 16 years ago. She chronicles the adventure of navigating the country while avoiding Covid-19 and keeping her family sane while also trying to have a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Peppered with stories from the road, background on her parents, and what it took to get her to this point, Drive is a testament to making even the bleakest of times into an experience that will help you grow in ways you never expected. Also, in line with the Broadway show she's known for originating a role in, the kindness of the people you meet along the way.
Wheatley describes this books as "part travelogue, part Little Miss Sunshine, and all Broadway" which is spot-on. I personally wish she'd leaned into the Broadway part a little more with the reopening of Broadway/return to work for both her and her wife Martha as well as the process of making the professional filmed version of Come From Away, but I totally understand that this was more about the personal side of the pandemic for her. Hearing about the fun parts of traveling with an RV through the country when she'd never done anything like that before was so thrilling and I almost forgot at times that it wasn't a well-constructed narrative and was actually reality. Wheatley has a very strong voice in her narration and it follows through the story seamlessly even when she has to jump back in time to give context. I truly felt her frustrations and her celebrations as she described them! And I'd love to hear this in her own voice as an audiobook.
Overall, I loved this little book. It was such a great read and I would happily pick up another one of her stories in a heartbeat. And I can't wait until I can see her on stage again!
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Thank you so much to NetGalley, Greenleaf Book Group, and River Grove Books for the e-ARC of this book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Let me start off by saying I'm a huge fan of Sharon as an actress and I absolutely loved her first book, but it's been a long time since her last book, Til The Fat Girl Sings: From an Overweight Nobody to a Broadway Somebody-A Memoir, was published in 2006 and this one was very different, felt more mature, and was very refreshing in comparison.
In her sophomore work, Drive, Wheatley recounts the adventure she went on in an RV during the early months of the Pandemic in 2020 along with her wife, kids, and pets. This is a big change from a Broadway actress used to the hustle and bustle of 8-show-weeks in Manhattan as well as a big change from the person she was when she published her first book 16 years ago. She chronicles the adventure of navigating the country while avoiding Covid-19 and keeping her family sane while also trying to have a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Peppered with stories from the road, background on her parents, and what it took to get her to this point, Drive is a testament to making even the bleakest of times into an experience that will help you grow in ways you never expected. Also, in line with the Broadway show she's known for originating a role in, the kindness of the people you meet along the way.
Wheatley describes this books as "part travelogue, part Little Miss Sunshine, and all Broadway" which is spot-on. I personally wish she'd leaned into the Broadway part a little more with the reopening of Broadway/return to work for both her and her wife Martha as well as the process of making the professional filmed version of Come From Away, but I totally understand that this was more about the personal side of the pandemic for her. Hearing about the fun parts of traveling with an RV through the country when she'd never done anything like that before was so thrilling and I almost forgot at times that it wasn't a well-constructed narrative and was actually reality. Wheatley has a very strong voice in her narration and it follows through the story seamlessly even when she has to jump back in time to give context. I truly felt her frustrations and her celebrations as she described them! And I'd love to hear this in her own voice as an audiobook.
Overall, I loved this little book. It was such a great read and I would happily pick up another one of her stories in a heartbeat. And I can't wait until I can see her on stage again!
October 18, 2022
As someone new to the camping way of life, and by that I mean a couple long weekends here and there. I’ve found this book witty and knowledgeable. I feel like Sharon Wheatleys core audience is women like her, like me. Women who don’t know a whole hell of a lot about camping but consider ourselves adventurers. I enjoyed learning some new camping vocabulary like “moochdocking” & “stinky slinky”. Even for the most novice of campers they are pretty self explanatory. She had me laughing out loud, cheering for her and her family and even shedding a few tears. Good travel memoirs are few and far between and I’m not sure why because everyone has at least one vacation story. My very favorite part of this book is the fact that’s it’s author, a Broadway actress, literally took the road less traveled. This is how she and her family escaped the heavily infested NYC during the pandemics beginning. For her wife if was a dream come true. For Sharon it was more a sci-fi nightmare, but she put on her big girl panties and gave it a go! They found a way to safely navigate the pandemic and not be locked inside. I love that! We need more of that! So often we steer clear of things bc we’ve never done them before or we are afraid to even try. I love seeing people take this life by the horns and get as much adventure out of it as they can!
February 26, 2022
In this half-memoir, half travelogue, Sharon Wheatley tells the story of the time she and her family rented a RV and traveled around the USA during the summer of 2020. She takes us the reader along for her cross country trip, to KOAs and national parks.. In short digressions, she tells readers how she landed her role in Come From Away and stories about her parents from her childhood until their passing.
Wheatley's style is familiar and warm, even when the story she tells is somber. She invites readers into her family life, her writing reading like one would talk to a friend. The passages on her family, most notably those about her parents, are emotional and heartfelt. She does not shy away from the struggles she had during the pandemic, but such moments are countered with moments of beauty and joy from her travels and the relationships she holds. As someone who loves camping, I enjoyed reading the story of someone setting off to go camping for the first time and all of the things learned along the way.
In all, I would recommend this book for fans of Broadway theatre or for anyone looking for a heartfelt book in these tough times.
Thank you Netgalley and Greenleaf Book Group for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Wheatley's style is familiar and warm, even when the story she tells is somber. She invites readers into her family life, her writing reading like one would talk to a friend. The passages on her family, most notably those about her parents, are emotional and heartfelt. She does not shy away from the struggles she had during the pandemic, but such moments are countered with moments of beauty and joy from her travels and the relationships she holds. As someone who loves camping, I enjoyed reading the story of someone setting off to go camping for the first time and all of the things learned along the way.
In all, I would recommend this book for fans of Broadway theatre or for anyone looking for a heartfelt book in these tough times.
Thank you Netgalley and Greenleaf Book Group for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
May 29, 2022
This book is a great insight to how the Covid-19 pandemic affected not only the author's life, but those around her. I think her story is very relatable to most people getting through this pandemic, even though not a Broadway actress (although now I have more of a desire to go experience these Broadway shows). She writes in a way that you can remember feeling what she did, and her loved ones, no matter what walk of life you are on.
It was great that she took us on her cross-country RV trip! I too had FOMO (fear of missing out), but for like most people, this was an everyday occurrence about life itself, family etc. Her's related a lot to the cross-country journey, yet double fold for life itself.
A great read. I almost want to say refreshing, but it comes from a place where I feel more normal about the roller-coaster I was on during the pandemic, along with my family and friends. It also blends in the normal roller-coaster of life we all find ourselves on throughout life, with family, loss etc. Put them together and hang on for the ride!
This book was won in a GoodReads giveaway, but in no way does that affect my rate/review of the book. It's great to find these books that normally don't get recommended from a lot of people until it's been out a while.
It was great that she took us on her cross-country RV trip! I too had FOMO (fear of missing out), but for like most people, this was an everyday occurrence about life itself, family etc. Her's related a lot to the cross-country journey, yet double fold for life itself.
A great read. I almost want to say refreshing, but it comes from a place where I feel more normal about the roller-coaster I was on during the pandemic, along with my family and friends. It also blends in the normal roller-coaster of life we all find ourselves on throughout life, with family, loss etc. Put them together and hang on for the ride!
This book was won in a GoodReads giveaway, but in no way does that affect my rate/review of the book. It's great to find these books that normally don't get recommended from a lot of people until it's been out a while.
March 13, 2022
I recently returned from New York, my first visit to the city and Broadway since before the pandemic and this book was the perfect companion for that trip! As a fan of Broadway, and Come From Away being one of my favorite musicals, I could not wait to get my hands on this book after seeing Ms. Wheatley share it on Twitter. It did not disappoint and I enjoyed everything about it! The writing was perfect and felt almost like author was sitting next to you telling their story. The first hand account of how the Covid-19 pandemic affected those working on Broadway was very insightful and it was encouraging to see how she turned such a horrible world-wide event into an adventure for her family. Flashbacks are weaved throughout the story of the cross-country journey and many of these I found to be very relatable; dealing with family, starting over in life, and even loss (of both family and our fur babies). Just like Come From Away tells the story of hope in the shadow of a major tragedy, this book gives a hopeful message that we can come out of the pandemic stronger if we choose the right attitude.
August 29, 2022
Eh... I did enjoy this, but it's much more a story about a Broadway performer struggling with the pandemic and mourning her mother than an RV trip. If that's what you're looking for, then great, but if you're looking for a travel memoir, this isn't really that. I also didn't find Sharon particularly likeable. I mean, who unabashedly writes about intentionally being a brat (her word) to your spouse because they are going back to work without you? Eww. Not even an ounce of self-reflection in that. I also take issue with the complete lack of explanation around how we got from Chapter 1 to Chapter 2. In Chapter 1, she's married to a man with two kids. Without transition, by the time we get to Chapter 2, she's married to a woman. Wait. What?!? Just...a small amount of transition is necessary here. Her storytelling got a bit confusing, using the names of new characters without introducing them or explaining their relationship. The writing isn't bad, it just has a few issues that I would have expected an editor to have cleared up.
November 15, 2022
What do you do when a pandemic shuts down Broadway, which is your work and your passion? Well, you pack up your animals, your spouse and your children and head out in a Cruise America RV to see the USA.
This wonderfully witty and thoughtful memoir shines a light into how many of us felt during the pandemic (or anytime life goes completely off the tracks). Ms. Wheatley does a wonderful job taking us along for the adventure, being very candid and vulnerable about their experiences wandering in an RV across America, stopping at National Parks, friends' driveways, and more. I appreciated the vulnerability of this book as this is one experience we definitely all shared together, though in different ways. Ms. Wheatley helps you see that even when roadblocks, detours, and, well life happens, there is beauty, laughter, or growth to be found.
Quick, easy and enjoyable read! Highly recommend.
By the way, check out Goodreads Giveaways as that is how I got this book!
This wonderfully witty and thoughtful memoir shines a light into how many of us felt during the pandemic (or anytime life goes completely off the tracks). Ms. Wheatley does a wonderful job taking us along for the adventure, being very candid and vulnerable about their experiences wandering in an RV across America, stopping at National Parks, friends' driveways, and more. I appreciated the vulnerability of this book as this is one experience we definitely all shared together, though in different ways. Ms. Wheatley helps you see that even when roadblocks, detours, and, well life happens, there is beauty, laughter, or growth to be found.
Quick, easy and enjoyable read! Highly recommend.
By the way, check out Goodreads Giveaways as that is how I got this book!
October 9, 2022
I really, really enjoyed this book. I’ve been a huge fan of COME FROM AWAY since Broadway previews, have seen the show multiple times, and as a result, became a fan of Sharon Wheatley and have been following her on social media for years.
I watched with hilarity as she and Martha posted their across country adventures on Instagram, so I was thrilled to get an inside look at their whole trip.
But along with travel adventures, she seamlessly blends a memoir of her whole life. I laughed a lot and even shed a few tears— one chapter hit me so hard in the feels that I cried on the subway and my walk home from the train (Love in the Margins— when you get to that chapter, you’ll know).
I wasn’t sure how well I would handle reading a book about the pandemic since my own experience was so traumatizing, but just like my hesitancy with seeing a musical about 9/11, I’m really glad I did.
I watched with hilarity as she and Martha posted their across country adventures on Instagram, so I was thrilled to get an inside look at their whole trip.
But along with travel adventures, she seamlessly blends a memoir of her whole life. I laughed a lot and even shed a few tears— one chapter hit me so hard in the feels that I cried on the subway and my walk home from the train (Love in the Margins— when you get to that chapter, you’ll know).
I wasn’t sure how well I would handle reading a book about the pandemic since my own experience was so traumatizing, but just like my hesitancy with seeing a musical about 9/11, I’m really glad I did.
August 16, 2022
I won this book via a Goodreads giveaway. It initially appealed to me because I LOVE road trips, and “take an RV trip” has been on my bucket list since high school. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much time to read in the last year (thank you, grad school), so this book has been sitting on my kindle for too long. That said, in this case, procrastination paid off. I had the chance to see Come From Away in June and absolutely loved it. By the time I sat down to read this book, I’d totally forgotten about the connection to CFA. Now that I’ve seen CFA, I think it gave an added layer to reading this book. I would’ve enjoyed it anyway but having that connection certainly helped.
Thank you to the author and publisher for selecting me as a giveaway winner.
Thank you to the author and publisher for selecting me as a giveaway winner.
March 24, 2023
Disclaimer: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
This book is an incredibly fun ride. It's 2020 and the early stages of the pandemic. Sharon, her partner, Martha, her 12-year old child, two dogs and two cats pile into a 30-foot motor home and set out across America. Broadway is closed, Tobi needs to be dropped off with their father for the summer, And Sharon and Martha are at loose ends. What better time to discover the country? Besides a travelogue/memoir, it's a wonderful tribute to her parents.
The book is funny (raucous sometimes), sweet and filled with love. If you have ever thought of renting a motor home and explore the country a la The Dunphys, this book can serve as a user's manual. You may have second thoughts.... I'm in love with this entire family!
This book is an incredibly fun ride. It's 2020 and the early stages of the pandemic. Sharon, her partner, Martha, her 12-year old child, two dogs and two cats pile into a 30-foot motor home and set out across America. Broadway is closed, Tobi needs to be dropped off with their father for the summer, And Sharon and Martha are at loose ends. What better time to discover the country? Besides a travelogue/memoir, it's a wonderful tribute to her parents.
The book is funny (raucous sometimes), sweet and filled with love. If you have ever thought of renting a motor home and explore the country a la The Dunphys, this book can serve as a user's manual. You may have second thoughts.... I'm in love with this entire family!
January 14, 2024
This is hardly an unbiased review, because I will happily read anything written by any Come From Away cast member. Add in that this particular cast member is from Cincinnati, the place where I live, and that Ms. Wheatley did a local book signing right after the book published and happily gave me some behind-the-character info when I asked about one of her less-fleshed-out characters in the show... well. I read through this book so fast I'm just happy it didn't catch fire.
Traveling the country in an RV is so not my jam, but the stories from Ms. Wheatley's life and her journey to Broadway and ultimately (at the time of publication) to Come From Away are exactly the kind of thing I cannot get enough of. Love love love this book and how much she was willing to share with us.
Traveling the country in an RV is so not my jam, but the stories from Ms. Wheatley's life and her journey to Broadway and ultimately (at the time of publication) to Come From Away are exactly the kind of thing I cannot get enough of. Love love love this book and how much she was willing to share with us.
April 28, 2022
this was my first pandemic book - meaning it was written during the pandemic and because of the pandemic. And it was a ton of fun. Wheatley has a wonderful, smart, funny voice and her wife Martha and kids are delightful characters. I fell in love with the whole family and relished every page. Broadway buffs will especially like this book as you get an inside peek into the industry and how the pandemic affected it. I'm ready to rent an RV now. Great read!
And bonus! i forgot to mention I WON this book on a goodreads giveaway! Now I can't say I never win them and I'll waste hours entering more giveaways.
And bonus! i forgot to mention I WON this book on a goodreads giveaway! Now I can't say I never win them and I'll waste hours entering more giveaways.
June 20, 2022
This is one of two books I recently finished in which the pandemic plays a part. This is a wonderfully written memoir/travelogue written about the journey that the author takes cross country with her family in an RV during the pandemic. This method of travel is chosen to avoid air travel and hotels during the pandemic, to safely get her youngest to the other coast for summer visit with their father. Felt totally connected to them as they experience a different way of life on the road. Great read! I am very appreciative of this Goodreads giveaway!!
April 21, 2022
Everyone has a pandemic story, but Sharon’s story as a Broadway actor (forced from the stage in lockdown) is a great one. Add on a cross country adventure in a recreational vehicle and this story is charming and humorous. The extra benefit for those of us who have also considered doing such a track is that Sharon gets tons of tips for cross country travel in an RV. Another great book by Sharon Wheatley!
June 10, 2022
*I won a free Kindle copy via a Goodreads Giveaway. The opinions are my own.
Although this is a "covid" book, Sharon Wheatley has such a positive and refreshing take on her and her family's experiences that I was able to fully enjoy the read even when it hit a little too close to home. My favorite quote from the book was "If you are somewhere in the middle of nowhere, don't doubt. Drive." Such a wonderful reminder to all of us to keep going even through the hard times.
Although this is a "covid" book, Sharon Wheatley has such a positive and refreshing take on her and her family's experiences that I was able to fully enjoy the read even when it hit a little too close to home. My favorite quote from the book was "If you are somewhere in the middle of nowhere, don't doubt. Drive." Such a wonderful reminder to all of us to keep going even through the hard times.
July 12, 2022
This book is good!! Broadway actress Sharon Wheatley tells the story of the RV trip she took with her family during the COVID shutdown, and includes stories from earlier points in time that connect in some way to the RV trip or to the show that Wheatley stars in now and at the time of the shutdown, Come From Away. This books is beautifully written, it had me laughing out loud and feeling so many different emotions. By the end, I felt like I knew Sharon Wheatley and that we would be friends.
August 9, 2022
Not Really About An RV Trip
This was more of a story about a woman trying to find herself with the help of her kids, her partner, her friends and her pets. The beginning kind of rambles on until she finally gets to the rv part.
There were a couple interesting things I learned and I live full time in a van.
I wasn’t so much interested in her personal life. I wanted more RV adventures.
This was more of a story about a woman trying to find herself with the help of her kids, her partner, her friends and her pets. The beginning kind of rambles on until she finally gets to the rv part.
There were a couple interesting things I learned and I live full time in a van.
I wasn’t so much interested in her personal life. I wanted more RV adventures.
March 17, 2022
Great story by one of my favorite cast members from the hit musical Come From Away. It really sums up the craziness of covid and how broadway members felt. Fun story to follow, and I loved getting to know about how she was born and raised in Cincinnati, just like me! I love how it all ties in with her current show.
April 24, 2022
Avoiding covid
When the Broadway lights were out due to the pandemic, two lady veterans of Broadway theater, decided to rent an RV and have an adventure driving across the country. They enjoyed visiting with friends and camping and some of our country's famous and less widely known parks. They had fun and some anxious moments as well. This is an enjoyable read.
When the Broadway lights were out due to the pandemic, two lady veterans of Broadway theater, decided to rent an RV and have an adventure driving across the country. They enjoyed visiting with friends and camping and some of our country's famous and less widely known parks. They had fun and some anxious moments as well. This is an enjoyable read.
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