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The Farewell Tour
It’s 1980, and Lillian Waters is hitting the road for the very last time. Jaded from her years in the music business, perpetually hungover, and diagnosed with career-ending vocal problems, Lillian cobbles together a nationwide farewell tour featuring some old hands from her early days playing honky-tonk bars in Washington State and Nashville, plus a few new ones. She yearns to feel the rush of making live music one more time and bask in the glow of a packed house before she makes the last, and most important, stop on the tour: the farm she left behind at age ten and the sister she is ready to confront about an agonizing childhood betrayal.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 7, 2023
172 people are currently reading
12524 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Clifford
3 books103 followersStephanie Clifford is a Loeb-award winning reporter at the New York Times, where she currently covers Brooklyn courts. She joined the Times in 2008 from Inc. magazine, where she was a senior writer. Stephanie grew up in Seattle and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son and two cats. EVERYBODY RISE is her first book. Visit her website at http://www.stephanieclifford.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
April 28, 2023
Lillian Waters aka “Water Lil” is hitting the road for her final tour as a country musician, her farewell tour. Lillian grew up in the small town of Walla Walla, Washington and had a very intense home life. She was raised in a harsh environment and left when she was just 10 years old. She’s used to being clever, working hard, and doing whatever she needs to to keep moving forward.
Lillian made it big back in the day, when female musicians were starting to rise but had to fight to earn their place as headliners and compete for marketing dollars from the labels. Now, in 1980, after developing voice problems from years of singing, and drinking, Lillian can’t perform how she once could. The farewell tour offers her an opportunity to accept this chapter of her life coming to a close, and to make amends with her past.
The Farewell Tour is definitely a slow burn story with flashbacks to Lillian’s childhood and her earlier adult years, but comes together in the last quarter of the book — 3.5 stars
Lillian made it big back in the day, when female musicians were starting to rise but had to fight to earn their place as headliners and compete for marketing dollars from the labels. Now, in 1980, after developing voice problems from years of singing, and drinking, Lillian can’t perform how she once could. The farewell tour offers her an opportunity to accept this chapter of her life coming to a close, and to make amends with her past.
The Farewell Tour is definitely a slow burn story with flashbacks to Lillian’s childhood and her earlier adult years, but comes together in the last quarter of the book — 3.5 stars
March 7, 2023
THE FAREWELL TOUR by Stephanie Clifford follows the story of Lillian Waters, aka “Water Lil”, a country singer performing her final tour. In the scorching summer of 1980, Lil commences her farewell tour, which will end in full circle to the town she grew up in.
Through two timelines, we follow young Lil in 1924, from Walla Walla, Washington, taking the readers through the Depression, the War, and the rising popularity of country and hillbilly music.
When @librofm offered the audio book, I was quick to jump in, listen, and enjoy the music with original song compositions by the author.
What a delight! Listening to Carrington MacDuffie was truly a wonderful experience for me as a reader, and I was completely immersed in the music, the era, and Lil’s life from its rise and fall, and everything in between. I felt the dust of Bakersfield and the smell of sweat of the people enjoying the music.
The book also talks about the struggles of making it in Nashville, especially as a woman, or a non-white. The depth of the historical accounts and the detail of the time frame really came to me through the character of Kaori who plays for Lilian in the band – and is a child of a Japanese Interment camp in Tule Lake, California.
The Farewell Tour is beautifully written that pulled at my heartstrings, I highly recommend.
Through two timelines, we follow young Lil in 1924, from Walla Walla, Washington, taking the readers through the Depression, the War, and the rising popularity of country and hillbilly music.
When @librofm offered the audio book, I was quick to jump in, listen, and enjoy the music with original song compositions by the author.
What a delight! Listening to Carrington MacDuffie was truly a wonderful experience for me as a reader, and I was completely immersed in the music, the era, and Lil’s life from its rise and fall, and everything in between. I felt the dust of Bakersfield and the smell of sweat of the people enjoying the music.
The book also talks about the struggles of making it in Nashville, especially as a woman, or a non-white. The depth of the historical accounts and the detail of the time frame really came to me through the character of Kaori who plays for Lilian in the band – and is a child of a Japanese Interment camp in Tule Lake, California.
The Farewell Tour is beautifully written that pulled at my heartstrings, I highly recommend.
March 4, 2023
When I saw that this was a Libro.fm pick for March I have to say that I got excited. While I did drop my rating of Daisy Jones and The Six when I reread it last year, that book did still stir in me an appreciation of similar books. In the time since I've read a handful of books about musicians, about women trying to climb their way to some semblance of success in the musical world; some that leaned more historical than others and some that were solidly contemporary and they've mostly been a success. So seeing this I was intrigued to pick it up. The fact that we were following a fictional country performer did get me a little excited because it's a genre that so often feels like the punchline of a joke.
Lillian Waters was a delightful character to follow. Not in that she was always likeable, but that the life that she led was interesting to read about.
The narrative is split in dual timelines, with one chronicling Lillian in the present of the book; her on her 1980s farewell tour; the reader getting the why of her setting out to do this and why it was so important for her to end the tour in her hometown of Walla Walla. We also get to see her growing up in Walla Walla, the hardships of her life during the depression, the abuse she suffered growing up and what it was that drove her to music and inspired in her this drive toward making it work in the music industry.
Off the top of my head it's one of the few books where the main character wasn't really a young adult when they got their big break. It's not really the story of a meteoric rise to fame for a woman in her twenties, and while the peak of her fame and when she's going on this farewell tour is probably my biggest issue with the book, it was still refreshing to see this sort of story told to us from that perspective.
The Farewell Tour might not be a perfect book, but it was one I was invested in seeing play out even when the narrative started to sag a little. While it could have been longer, I think that what is really at the heart of this book isn't even so much about Waters and her country career, but the more intimate story of her and her family that is so deeply rooted in her. At the time of writing this, the book isn't out until Tuesday, but once it is released I think you should definitely check it out.
Lillian Waters was a delightful character to follow. Not in that she was always likeable, but that the life that she led was interesting to read about.
The narrative is split in dual timelines, with one chronicling Lillian in the present of the book; her on her 1980s farewell tour; the reader getting the why of her setting out to do this and why it was so important for her to end the tour in her hometown of Walla Walla. We also get to see her growing up in Walla Walla, the hardships of her life during the depression, the abuse she suffered growing up and what it was that drove her to music and inspired in her this drive toward making it work in the music industry.
Off the top of my head it's one of the few books where the main character wasn't really a young adult when they got their big break. It's not really the story of a meteoric rise to fame for a woman in her twenties, and while the peak of her fame and when she's going on this farewell tour is probably my biggest issue with the book, it was still refreshing to see this sort of story told to us from that perspective.
The Farewell Tour might not be a perfect book, but it was one I was invested in seeing play out even when the narrative started to sag a little. While it could have been longer, I think that what is really at the heart of this book isn't even so much about Waters and her country career, but the more intimate story of her and her family that is so deeply rooted in her. At the time of writing this, the book isn't out until Tuesday, but once it is released I think you should definitely check it out.
March 26, 2023
I am so frickin' sick of books that jump between past and present every chapter. I read all the past sections of this book, and now going through the 1980 sections. Just give me a straightforward story, for crying out loud.
Also, the past sections are basically parental abuse, spousal abuse, men in general treating women like shit, literal pedophilia and rape, and all kinds of lovely stuff, so yay for that.
If you must read it, stick to the bits set in 1980. There's nothing but poverty-porn and abuse and awful shit in the past. And even the 1980 bits have this BIZARRE side trip to talk about Japanese internment camps during WWII. Like, yeah, it's an important piece of history but what the hell was it doing tacked onto the third act of this story?
Also, the past sections are basically parental abuse, spousal abuse, men in general treating women like shit, literal pedophilia and rape, and all kinds of lovely stuff, so yay for that.
If you must read it, stick to the bits set in 1980. There's nothing but poverty-porn and abuse and awful shit in the past. And even the 1980 bits have this BIZARRE side trip to talk about Japanese internment camps during WWII. Like, yeah, it's an important piece of history but what the hell was it doing tacked onto the third act of this story?
February 26, 2023
The Farewell Tour by Stephanie Clifford. Thanks to the author for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Country music star, Lillian Waters is going on tour one last time due to medical issues. During her last tour she plans to stop at her childhood farm and confront old memories.
I love music fiction books. Being about a country music star, I wasn’t so sure, but I ended up enjoying it. You definitely do not have to be a country music fan to love this one! It’s more about the main character, her life, and how her childhood and fame affected her. It was a slow burn character driven novel, so you’ll want to take your time with it and really get absorbed into the novel. I liked how it went back and forth between timelines to get to know the main character better.
“But here is the thing about music. When you need it, you need it. Like a pill, like a slug of whiskey. There’s no way to moderate it.”
The Farewell Tour comes out 3/7.
Country music star, Lillian Waters is going on tour one last time due to medical issues. During her last tour she plans to stop at her childhood farm and confront old memories.
I love music fiction books. Being about a country music star, I wasn’t so sure, but I ended up enjoying it. You definitely do not have to be a country music fan to love this one! It’s more about the main character, her life, and how her childhood and fame affected her. It was a slow burn character driven novel, so you’ll want to take your time with it and really get absorbed into the novel. I liked how it went back and forth between timelines to get to know the main character better.
“But here is the thing about music. When you need it, you need it. Like a pill, like a slug of whiskey. There’s no way to moderate it.”
The Farewell Tour comes out 3/7.
March 8, 2023
3.5 rounded up.
A great come back/last chance story about an aging musician who has fought hard her whole life to make a place for herself in the country music scene. I really enjoyed this character driven story about Lillian Waters. Told in flashbacks, we get to see how she got to a place of fame, her fall from grace and her farewell tour as health concerns take over her ability to perform. I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator but it was still a very moving story!
A great come back/last chance story about an aging musician who has fought hard her whole life to make a place for herself in the country music scene. I really enjoyed this character driven story about Lillian Waters. Told in flashbacks, we get to see how she got to a place of fame, her fall from grace and her farewell tour as health concerns take over her ability to perform. I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator but it was still a very moving story!
April 26, 2023
Fascinating history and relatable characters (flawed, but still so lovable). I appreciated the slow piecing together of Lillian's backstory and the resulting emotional payoff. Beautiful ending.
July 18, 2025
There’s a lot of history of country music here, particularly the difficulties for women artists trying to break through. The “present” time in this book is 1980 and I don’t think the issues for women in country have changed much since then. It’s all told from the point of view of an aging, difficult, has-been musician whose prime time in the industry is long past. Lillian is an unlikable character much of the time, but slowly, as her backstory is revealed, you come to admire her.
February 10, 2023
The Farewell Tour is the latest novel from Stephanie Clifford and will be published on March 7, 2023. Harper Collins provided an early galley for review.
I'm a music nerd whose favorite decade is the 1980's. So, this book seemed to fall right into my wheelhouse. Turns out, half of the book is indeed set in 1980 while the other half is a bit of a historical novel that follows Lillian as she gets to this point in her life. Still, I found it an intriguing story.
I was not surprised to hear Lillian's tale hitting some familiar story beats; from childhood to relationships to domineering men in the industry, all of the greatest hits are here. These are elements we often see in stories and in songs about women. They are reliable ones because they are so familiar, so easy to get those reactions from the audience. Still, the story is told well with several standout characters among the cast which includes Lillian herself.
I'm a music nerd whose favorite decade is the 1980's. So, this book seemed to fall right into my wheelhouse. Turns out, half of the book is indeed set in 1980 while the other half is a bit of a historical novel that follows Lillian as she gets to this point in her life. Still, I found it an intriguing story.
I was not surprised to hear Lillian's tale hitting some familiar story beats; from childhood to relationships to domineering men in the industry, all of the greatest hits are here. These are elements we often see in stories and in songs about women. They are reliable ones because they are so familiar, so easy to get those reactions from the audience. Still, the story is told well with several standout characters among the cast which includes Lillian herself.
March 31, 2023
2.5 stars. I quite enjoyed Stephanie's debut novel, and had the pleasure of hosting her on book tour. Alas, her latest is not my cup of tea.
The main character is wildly unsympathetic, and the setting in the world of country music was deeply disinteresting to me. Your mileage may vary.
The writing, for the most part, is fine. Stephanie has her craft down. That said, while there is both cleverness and satisfaction in the novel's end, there was also a feel of contrivance. Things were just a bit too neat. In the end, this was kind of a loser for me. Country music lovers will be sure to enjoy it more.
The main character is wildly unsympathetic, and the setting in the world of country music was deeply disinteresting to me. Your mileage may vary.
The writing, for the most part, is fine. Stephanie has her craft down. That said, while there is both cleverness and satisfaction in the novel's end, there was also a feel of contrivance. Things were just a bit too neat. In the end, this was kind of a loser for me. Country music lovers will be sure to enjoy it more.
August 8, 2023
This book opens in the 1980s. Lillian Waters, a washed-up, hard-talking country music star, is on her final tour, but she's been diagnosed with vocal polyps, ending her career. She knows this is her last stop to sing on the road and play in Washington State, her hometown. In alternating chapters, you see Lillian growing up in Walla Walla, Washington, and the country music scene in Tacoma, Washington, California, and Nashville. This book is for people who love music, but there's so much about dealing with trauma and visiting the past.
Even though this story is about how a woman builds a career in the male-dominated world of the country music industry, you don't have to love country music to fall in love with the book. It's the story of a musician trying to make her way into the world of country music. She moves from being a nobody to being exploited. Then how she eventually grabs success and fame but then loses it again. This story shows us that survival can be a constant struggle.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
Even though this story is about how a woman builds a career in the male-dominated world of the country music industry, you don't have to love country music to fall in love with the book. It's the story of a musician trying to make her way into the world of country music. She moves from being a nobody to being exploited. Then how she eventually grabs success and fame but then loses it again. This story shows us that survival can be a constant struggle.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
March 14, 2023
I listened to the audio version of this one and loved it. Sorta Daisy Jones vibes but instead country music from the 60s to 80s. This historical fiction novel explores the life of “Water Lil” a country artist making her farewell tour. Her life has seen a lot of struggles from a dysfunctional childhood, to an abusive marriage to addiction to trying to make it as a female artist in a male-dominated industry.
It tackles some pretty heavy topics from abuse to addiction, but it does it in a way that feels relatable and honest.
It was a little slow here and there but the author brings it all together in the last 1/3 of the book. So be patient with this slow burn of a story because it was worth it to me.
It tackles some pretty heavy topics from abuse to addiction, but it does it in a way that feels relatable and honest.
It was a little slow here and there but the author brings it all together in the last 1/3 of the book. So be patient with this slow burn of a story because it was worth it to me.
January 23, 2023
A very entertaining read. Would recommend if you can handle a slow burn story.
March 16, 2023
Every once in a while, there’s a character who imbeds their story onto your soul; Lillian Waters in one such woman.
This was an ARC.
This was an ARC.
June 26, 2023
This book was recommended to me I believe for both my love of the 80s (everything about decade) and country music. It took me a bit to get into the story and gave up once. I'm so glad I went back though - this is in my top ten this year thus far!
The characters, the music, the back stories, everything!! I loved it!!🥰
The characters, the music, the back stories, everything!! I loved it!!🥰
October 8, 2023
I loved the slow unfolding of Lillian's backstory interspersed with her present. A surprising reveal near the end & a satisfying ending.
August 19, 2024
lovedddd!! got me sooo emotional and everything with the story and a lot of the quotes, it felt real in the way daisy jones and the six felt real where i kept forgetting she wasn’t a real singer or person, like it was real for me! i enjoyed it way more than i thought i would and can’t quit thinking abt it
October 5, 2023
This one had some endearing characters and a lot to like. There were many plot points, and it felt like a lot of ground was covered, not only with Lil's life but also in history. We saw rural life during the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor and America's jump into World War II, as well as the life of a female singer in the 1950s-70s. I really enjoyed learning more about the music industry from the 1940s pretty much to the 1980s. I liked each character, and the ending was bitter sweet. Nothing super remarkable or groundbreaking going on, but I could see this story appealing to anyone who enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six or anyone who just wants a good ole fashioned story with some good characters.
May 25, 2023
Title:
The Farewell Tour
Author: Stephanie Clifford
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: March 7, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Absorbing • Musical • Redemptive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
It’s 1980, and Lillian Waters is hitting the road for the very last time.
Jaded from her years in the music business, perpetually hungover, and diagnosed with career-ending vocal problems, Lillian cobbles together a nationwide farewell tour featuring some old hands from her early days playing honky-tonk bars in Washington State and Nashville. a few new ones. She yearns to feel the rush of making live music one more time and bask in the glow of a packed house before she makes the last, and most important, stop on the the farm she left behind at age ten and the sister she is finally ready to confront about an agonizing betrayal in their childhood.
When she reaches her Washington hometown for her very last show, though, she’ll undergo a reckoning with the past that forces her to reconsider her entire life story. The Farewell Tour asks us to consider how much of our past we can ever leave behind.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was immediately intrigued by this novel because of the country music aspect. I initially thought it this was going to be a light, fun time. But this book has a lot of depth and deals with many serious topics.
The Farewell Tour is a come back story about Lillian Waters, a country music singer who decides to set out on her final tour despite having fallen from her glory years. Told through alternating timelines - flashbacks to her past and present day- this story has lots of extensive historical detail of the era, which took me by surprise yet was one of my favourite aspects. I enjoyed learning more about the evolution of country music and a behind the scenes look at the music business. Lillian certainly wasn't always likeable, nonetheless I was rooting for her to find peace with her past and ride off into the sunset. Her friendship with Charlie was another strong pillar in this novel. I was glad she had him in her corner from despite their rocky journey.
Additionally, I really appreciated the musical aspect (the audio is great as it contains musical excerpts). There's quite a bit of social commentary on racism and sexism within the country music industry. The plot touches on the struggles of female artists making it in Nashville, which is something that mirrors reality for so many female singers in a male dominated genre to this day. Additionally, it tackles the discrimination faced by people of colour within the industry, which I thought was really well done.
This story had a lot more emotional depth than I had been anticipating, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised as I'd been expecting something a little more surface level and light. The plot also took a turn I never saw coming, and to me that just made the book so much more powerful.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who like an older MC
• country music fans
⚠️ CW: mental illness, addiction, alcohol, alcoholism, drug use, drug abuse, PTSD, child abuse, confinement, abandonment, grief, death, child death, sibling death, sexism, rape, sexual assault, misogyny, racism, sexual content, sexual harassment, domestic abuse
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"But here is the thing about music. When you need it, you need it. Like a pill, like a slug of whiskey. There’s no way to moderate it."
"But there's always another choice."
Author: Stephanie Clifford
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: March 7, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Absorbing • Musical • Redemptive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
It’s 1980, and Lillian Waters is hitting the road for the very last time.
Jaded from her years in the music business, perpetually hungover, and diagnosed with career-ending vocal problems, Lillian cobbles together a nationwide farewell tour featuring some old hands from her early days playing honky-tonk bars in Washington State and Nashville. a few new ones. She yearns to feel the rush of making live music one more time and bask in the glow of a packed house before she makes the last, and most important, stop on the the farm she left behind at age ten and the sister she is finally ready to confront about an agonizing betrayal in their childhood.
When she reaches her Washington hometown for her very last show, though, she’ll undergo a reckoning with the past that forces her to reconsider her entire life story. The Farewell Tour asks us to consider how much of our past we can ever leave behind.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was immediately intrigued by this novel because of the country music aspect. I initially thought it this was going to be a light, fun time. But this book has a lot of depth and deals with many serious topics.
The Farewell Tour is a come back story about Lillian Waters, a country music singer who decides to set out on her final tour despite having fallen from her glory years. Told through alternating timelines - flashbacks to her past and present day- this story has lots of extensive historical detail of the era, which took me by surprise yet was one of my favourite aspects. I enjoyed learning more about the evolution of country music and a behind the scenes look at the music business. Lillian certainly wasn't always likeable, nonetheless I was rooting for her to find peace with her past and ride off into the sunset. Her friendship with Charlie was another strong pillar in this novel. I was glad she had him in her corner from despite their rocky journey.
Additionally, I really appreciated the musical aspect (the audio is great as it contains musical excerpts). There's quite a bit of social commentary on racism and sexism within the country music industry. The plot touches on the struggles of female artists making it in Nashville, which is something that mirrors reality for so many female singers in a male dominated genre to this day. Additionally, it tackles the discrimination faced by people of colour within the industry, which I thought was really well done.
This story had a lot more emotional depth than I had been anticipating, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised as I'd been expecting something a little more surface level and light. The plot also took a turn I never saw coming, and to me that just made the book so much more powerful.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who like an older MC
• country music fans
⚠️ CW: mental illness, addiction, alcohol, alcoholism, drug use, drug abuse, PTSD, child abuse, confinement, abandonment, grief, death, child death, sibling death, sexism, rape, sexual assault, misogyny, racism, sexual content, sexual harassment, domestic abuse
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"But here is the thing about music. When you need it, you need it. Like a pill, like a slug of whiskey. There’s no way to moderate it."
"But there's always another choice."
April 3, 2023
3.75 rounded up
This is about a famous country music star embarking on her last tour. It has flashbacks to her childhood and rise in the industry. Swipe for goodreads synopsis. It starts in the 20s and ends in the 80s and is set in rural Washington and Nashville. Thank you to @netgalley & @harperbooks for the earc.
Sometimes the language/writing is confusing of what’s actually going on as it hints to something a lot until actually revealing it in the end. I don’t think that was totally necessary. I did think one of the twists was surprising and good but the other could have been mentioned earlier.
I’d describe this as NASHVILLE meets THE GREAT ALONE meets DAISY JONES. I also thought that there were great lyrics for the songs which were very impressive.
⚠️: addiction/alcohol abuse, child abuse, statutory rape, racism, domestic violence, child rape
This is about a famous country music star embarking on her last tour. It has flashbacks to her childhood and rise in the industry. Swipe for goodreads synopsis. It starts in the 20s and ends in the 80s and is set in rural Washington and Nashville. Thank you to @netgalley & @harperbooks for the earc.
Sometimes the language/writing is confusing of what’s actually going on as it hints to something a lot until actually revealing it in the end. I don’t think that was totally necessary. I did think one of the twists was surprising and good but the other could have been mentioned earlier.
I’d describe this as NASHVILLE meets THE GREAT ALONE meets DAISY JONES. I also thought that there were great lyrics for the songs which were very impressive.
⚠️: addiction/alcohol abuse, child abuse, statutory rape, racism, domestic violence, child rape
March 31, 2023
The farewell tour was a good book. Upon seeing the plot of the book I was looking forward to reading it but once I started reading it. I found out that I wasn’t in the mood for reading it now.
March 29, 2023
This did not end up being the book I expected. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I think the plot and character development could have been more cohesive.
July 25, 2023
Mini Review: I found this novel slow at first and I put it down a few times, but I'm really glad I picked it back up. THE FAREWELL TOUR offers the country music version of a Daisy Jones, using the life of a Loretta Lynn-esque character to tell the story of what it was like for a woman breaking through in the country music scene. Stephanie Clifford elevates her story by taking her country icon Lillian Waters (and her readers) not just to Nashville, but across the country. Her rooting of the novel not in Nashville, but in the Pacific Northwest gives the novel great dimension. As we get to the heart-wrenching end of the tour (in terms of both Lillian's career and her ability to put her demons to rest), readers will learn that the engaging title is a wry nod to how we, as we age, move past both our legacies and the traumatic moments that form them.
Thank you to Harper Books for my gifted early copy!
Thank you to Harper Books for my gifted early copy!
September 12, 2023
Ooof it’s taken me so long to get through this story. I’m 3/4 through and finally decided to DNF. The present point of view (in the 80s) is way more entertaining than the flashbacks. Lillian’s past is hard, sad, and rash. She makes rash decisions to get what she wants, most of the time involving sexual favors, and in my opinion has no redeeming qualities. I didn’t like her at all. The people around her put up with her for some reason but she literally offers nothing in return.
I was excited about another band book because of Daisy Jones. My oh my was I disappointed. Nothing will compare to Daisy Jones and the Six, and it might be my fault that I tried to compare in the first place. At least Daisy apologized and tried her best to become a better person. She had a redemption story for Pete’s sake!
Here, it was flat, slow, and resembled a tumbleweed passing through a desert. It was almost enough to land me in a reading slump. I bid this book farewell…
I was excited about another band book because of Daisy Jones. My oh my was I disappointed. Nothing will compare to Daisy Jones and the Six, and it might be my fault that I tried to compare in the first place. At least Daisy apologized and tried her best to become a better person. She had a redemption story for Pete’s sake!
Here, it was flat, slow, and resembled a tumbleweed passing through a desert. It was almost enough to land me in a reading slump. I bid this book farewell…
March 8, 2023
While The Farewell Tour was way more in the “historical fiction” vein than I’d originally expected, as a musician and a fan of Americana/Roots music scene, I greatly appreciated the story of a women succeeding in such a male dominated industry.
I did find the side characters a bit hard to cling on to, but Lillian herself was complex and rich. She had grit and determination, but also stubbornness and will. The latter quarter of the book packed the most punch, bringing all that she’d gone through toward a purpose.
I’d like to thank Harper and the author for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! The author has really been so interesting to get to know.
I did find the side characters a bit hard to cling on to, but Lillian herself was complex and rich. She had grit and determination, but also stubbornness and will. The latter quarter of the book packed the most punch, bringing all that she’d gone through toward a purpose.
I’d like to thank Harper and the author for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! The author has really been so interesting to get to know.
November 13, 2023
This was just about the most depressing book I’ve ever read and not at all what I thought I was picking up. This isn’t a lighthearted, feel good redemption story of an aging country artist, but a tedious slog through the horrors of child abuse/pedophilia, poverty, war, and throws in a little bit of racial injustice to boot with the token black and Japanese characters. There is just way too much shoved in here and not enough actual story holding it all together to make this anything but a hard pass from me. I cringed turning every page.
November 7, 2023
I love this book. I love it so much. My country music-loving heart enjoyed every nugget of the real country music scenes in the different regions, and Lillian is a REAL character who you want to root for. I cheered for her the whole time she grew through her trauma, and I aspire to do the same.
I’ve never read a book that mentioned the classic country show “Hee Haw,” and I didn’t expect to get so giddy over it.
I’ve never read a book that mentioned the classic country show “Hee Haw,” and I didn’t expect to get so giddy over it.
November 11, 2022
Famous country music star Lillie Waters is embarking on her final music tour. She’s tired, drinking too much, and her throat is betraying her. As she tours, the book brings us back to her difficult childhood, her start in Nashville, and all that has happened to her from childhood on. Lillie learns who she was as a child and the woman she became. Beautifully and poignantly written.
January 19, 2024
Story was ok. The author did a good job at writing a really unlikable character. The protagonist was really hard to like, in my opinion. At around 65% in, the story finally started to get better. The novel’s cover is misleading because it makes you believe the book will be more entertaining than it actually is.
October 16, 2023
it was all fun and games while the author was forrest gump-ing this woman into country music history (a real highlight was when her song, “so long, jack” starts getting airplay after the JFK assassination) but there’s also like… a lot more SA/trauma than anticipated.
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