Graceland

by Nancy Crochiere

People-pleasing Hope Robinson can’t seem to please anyone lately--not her slogan-spewing boss, not her pink-haired teenage daughter, and especially not her mother, the flamboyant soap-star, Olivia Grant. Olivia loves Elvis more than Jesus, and now that she’s on oxygen, she insists Hope take her on a final trip to Graceland. Unfortunately, that’s the one place Hope can’t go. Eighteen years earlier, pregnant and distraught, Hope fled Tennessee with a secret agreement: to never reveal her baby’s father and never return to Memphis.

Olivia, though, has never learned the word no. After she wrangles Hope’s impulsive daughter, Dylan, to drive her from Boston to Memphis with the promise of meeting her mystery father, Hope has no choice but to chase after them. She must stop them before they ambush Dylan’s father, exposing Hope’s lies, breaking the NDA, and igniting a political and media firestorm.

Along the road to Memphis, as the women encounter former soap actors, free-range ferrets, and a trio of Elvis-impersonating frat boys, everyone’s long-held secrets begin to unravel. In order to become the family they long to be, Hope, Olivia, and Dylan must face hard truths about themselves and one another on the bumpy road to acceptance, forgiveness, and ultimately, grace.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Family, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Book Club

400 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 2023

About the author

Nancy Crochiere’s debut novel, GRACELAND, is a humorous and heartwarming story of a single mom forced to chase her Elvis-obsessed mother and pink-haired teenaged daughter to Memphis to stop them from revealing her long-held secret. It was published by Avon/HarperCollins on May 30, 2023.

For thirteen years, Nancy Crochiere chronicled the ups and downs of family life—including her obsession with George Clooney—in her humorous newspaper column, “The Mother Load.” In 2024, she published a collection of those columns that was a finalist for Foreword Reviews’ Book of the Year in humor and the Independent Publishers of New England 2014 Book Award.

A graduate of Middlebury College, Nancy earned a master’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Minnesota and is an alumna of GrubStreet’s Novel Incubator program. She worked for many years as a development editor for various educational publishers while also writing essays for The Boston Globe, Writer’s Digest, and WBUR’s Cognoscenti blog. With her two daughters now grown, she lives north of Boston with her husband, a lawyer and marathoner, and a few house plants that could use more attention.

In her spare time, Nancy acts as an “extra” in feature films and TV shows. You can see her as the distraught mother-of-the-bride in the opening moments of Love, Weddings, and Other Disasters, or catch her staring unapologetically at Bradley Cooper’s backside in Joy.

Reviews

[Melissa Wood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Astonishing. As in it was astonishing that I made it to the end.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

What a beautiful debut from Nancy Crochiere! I actually kept getting Graceland confused with A Thousand Miles to Graceland by Kristen Mei Chase, but now that I have read both, I can tell you this is the better of the 2 novels, at least IMO. While Chase's novel was a surprisingly heavy read, this had more of a lighthearted feel while still covering more serious issues and topics. I have really been enjoying multigenerational storylines lately, and I loved Olivia's sass, Dylan's passion for what she believes is right, and Hope's sometimes misplaced desire to please people. The Elvis aspect of the book was super fun and done in a very unique and (sometimes) laugh-out-loud way that both surprised and delighted me.

Family drama, secrets, romance, and more are what you will find in the pages of this book, and it was especially good on audio. There is a full cast made up of Bernadette Dunne, Courtney Patterson & Hayden Bishop, and they made these characters SHINE. I can definitely tell Crochiere has written before, and it didn't surprise me when I saw that she had a newspaper column for 13 years. Graceland brought Memphis to life for me, and I loved following along on Olivia, Dylan, and Hope's journey both together and separately. There are plenty of shenanigans along the way, but there is also so much warmth filling these pages, and you can't help but fall in love with the characters. I can't wait to see what this author will write next, and whatever it is I am here for it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet and captivating story of three generations of women--an elderly actress, her daughter, and her teenaged granddaughter, and an unauthorized trip to Memphis to see Graceland one more time. The characters are easy to connect with, and secrets are revealed as the plot unfolds.

This is a fun escape of a novel that will make you smile.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Kelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!! What a cute, fun, family adventure. Graceland is about three women, grandmother, mother, and daughter; all on a journey to find out the truth. Dylan wants to meet her father, Hope isn't looking forward to going back to Memphis, and Olivia just wants to visit her favorite place, Graceland. I loved the dynamic of daughter, mother and grandmother. Kept me guessing the whole time but also such a heartfelt story. I am so glad I was able to read this and look forward to reading more by Nancy Crochiere.

[Terri Wino · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-1/2 stars

I'm torn on this one. I was really looking forward to it; it sounded like it would be a humorous story with fun characters. My problem began when I didn't like any of the main characters. Olivia seemed like a cold, mean-spirited b*tch, Dylan was an obnoxious, entitled brat, and Hope was mousy doormat who never stood up for herself. At the onset, the only character I really enjoyed was Jordan.

I struggled with almost the entire first half of the book, but somewhere along the way, I found myself totally invested in what was going to happen for everyone in this book. That, to me, is a sign of a good writer. Despite my initial dislike of the characters, I wanted things to work out for everyone and couldn't wait to see how things turned out.

After a cliché beginning to the story with Hope, Aaron, and misunderstandings that could have been avoided with one damn simple conversation, I thought for sure the rest of the book would be a disappointment. Thankfully, I was wrong about that. Although it wasn't the story I was expecting, it did turn out to be an interesting one. One that will definitely have me check out this author's next book.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia Grant is still a soap-star diva, though it’s been years since she acted. Now, tethered to her oxygen tank, she insists on one more visit to Graceland. But her daughter, Hope, fled Memphis years ago and promised never to return. So, Olivia co-opts Hope’s daughter Dylan, newly licensed and with a second-hand bright pink VW Beetle, for the road trip. Once Hope realizes what has happened, she convinces her cousin, George (a cross-dresser whose alter-ego is Jordan) to drive her from Boston to Memphis to find the octogenarian and teen.

This was a fun read with over-the-top characters dealing with drama mostly of their own making. I liked the road trip aspect the best, though their various antics once they all arrive in Memphis also kept the plot moving along nicely. (Loved the scenes with the Elvis impersonators!)

While I saw the truth far ahead of the characters, I still enjoyed watching them discover it for themselves. And I like that Crochiere did NOT give us a HEA ending neatly tied up with a bow. Life, after all, IS messy.

[Alia G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was given to me as an early copy from a friend who is a bookseller, and it was amazing! The book alternates perspectives between a former Hollywood star, Elvis obsessed grandmother, her reserved daughter, and the rebellious teenage granddaughter. Each of the characters has a complicated and detailed mind which the author richly explores throughout the novel. Overall an amazing read!! I would recommend this book to practically anyone as it can suit many different reading preferences.

[Brittany H · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Elvis fan and someone who has been to Memphis/Graceland a few times, this is such a fun book. Although you don’t need to have either in common to enjoy this novel. I appreciated the accurate details of Memphis and Elvis’ life that enhanced the story. The plot was humorously chaotic at times but added to the entertaining drama. This book has the POV of the grandmother, mother & daughter. I always enjoy the different insights of the characters to bring the story together.

[Jillian Hartline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I cannot wait to sell! I loved the relationships between mother, daughter, granddaughter and cross-dressing cousin/uncle! They were all flawed and yet that’s what made them real. The road trip where all the things go wrong is such a fun trope. Definitely gonna be a great beach rec this summer.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read 5%. Quit for unexpected content.

OF NOTE:
Daughter Dylan has chained herself outside of a bakery to protest that it won’t make wedding cakes for gay couples.
Dylan belongs to a Gender-Sexuality Alliance group.
Also mentions her friend Emma and Emma’s girlfriend.

[Mandy (Bookishlove85) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This book….was kind of a hot mess. Lol it’s shelved as Romance but def is more women’s fiction with a mention of romance. We follow three women’s POVs and their relationships past and present. The amount of miscommunication and crappy family members in this book is unreal. I actually felt bad for Hope having to deal with her mom and teenage daughter the way she did. It had its moments but overall it wasn’t what I was hoping for and kinda was just ready for it to be over.

[Tina Bledsoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fun easy to read book. I also liked the fact that it had no sex scenes.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A multigenerational road trip family drama full of secrets and the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters. Former film star actress, Olivia has a last wish to visit Graceland but when she asks her daughter to drive her is surprised by her refusal. Instead, her granddaughter Dylan helps her break out of the care home and fulfil her wish.

Along the way secrets come to light in this big-hearted story with a great cast of secondary characters. I liked but didn't love this one and enjoyed the audio narration by a full cast. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. Recommended for fans of books like A thousand miles to Graceland by Kristen Mei Chase.

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on the description of Graceland, I was expecting a funny road trip adventure that would be the perfect in-between read. Instead it was a silly yet depressing read with none of the sparkle or warmheartedness promised by the cover quote (note to self: always ignore author cover quotes).

I wasn’t expecting the very dark reason behind the road trip for the eldest character Olivia or the very flippant attitude about it. There was a particular line about a famous actor that was appalling in how disrespectful it was.

While there were certainly funny moments in the book, the three women characters were so poorly written and unlikable that I found myself cringing more than laughing.
-Grandma Olivia the former soap star - selfish & melodramatic made fun of everyone and everything
-Mom Hope - clueless people pleaser who isn’t as cool as her mom or daughter
-Daughter Dylan - lots of teenage angst, thinks she’s going to change the world through slashing tires and throwing cupcakes at cops.

There’s a fourth character George/Jordan, Hope’s cousin and best friend who is a cross-dresser. Jordan tags along for the ride and puts some equilibrium in the characters’ personalities. She’s the most likable character but she is not fully developed. I felt like the author was trying to check the LGBTQ+ box with this character and with Dylan being a trans activist and some of the educational messaging around these classifications…but she almost does a disservice by making Jordan such a minor character.

The plot is full of coincidences and near misses, silly situations, and inexplicable encounters.

Dylan’s quick transformation at the end made me particularly mad, suggesting once her dad was in the picture she was able to be a normal, well-adjusted girl without pink hair and more of a life plan.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Graceland follows Hope Robinson as she joins her mother, Olivia, and her daughter, Dylan, on a trip to Memphis to visit Graceland -- and to find Dylan's mysterious birth father, whose identity Hope has kept secret for her entire life.

This was a fun and heartfelt story with an interesting three-woman cast. I loved their depth and their complicated interpersonal dynamics, and I loved the journey they went on in the story. It was also a fast-paced read, light and easy to tackle in most parts, without sacrificing too much of the character and conflict depth that a novel like this has to have. Overall, I'd definitely recommend it as a quick and entertaining summer read, especially for both Elvis fans and the daughters and granddaughters of Elvis fans.

[Kim McGee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars
Grandma Olivia wants to see Graceland before she dies (no she is not dying) so she talks her granddaughter Dylan into driving her by dangling a big carrot - the identity of Dylan's dad and where he is living. This is the same dad that Dylan's mom, Hope has told her is dead. Hope agreed to stay away from Memphis but now with her mom and daughter on the lam she has no choice but to leave her crazy busy work and chase after them. Multi generational family drama with a cast of colorful characters, a Thelma and Louise roadtrip to the south in a VW bug that is falling apart and plenty of politics and drama along the way as well as Elvis mania. This will be a fun summer read. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Jenna (readinginjennaland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family adventure filled with drama and secrets. So many secrets. Hope Robinson has been lying to herself and her daughter. Her daughter Dylan has been asking questions about her Dad. Hope hasn't told anyone the truth. Her mother a famous soap actress has plans and wants to go on a road trip to Graceland.

Dylan is trying to figure out who she is. Olivia and Dylan leave on the road trip without telling Hope. Hope enlists her cousin George/Jordan a crossdresser. Jordan is probably my favorite character. She's basically the only honest one. I enjoyed this book. Trying to figure out all the lies and the adventure the family endures.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was so much to love about this book! A good road trip always makes for an entertaining read especially when grandmother/granddaughter bonding takes place. I really enjoyed the unique characters and hearing parts of the story from various points of view worked well. Part of the book took place in Memphis, which was my home away from home for all the years that I worked for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I loved reading about so many familiar Memphis landmarks. Even if you don't have a connection to Memphis though the setting would still make for a fun read. This family drama gave me all the feels and I absolutely loved it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t help falling in love with this hair-raising road trip to Graceland! I was hooked on page one of this big hearted laugh out loud debut. Secrets, unexpected turns, and a mother-daughter-grandmother trio show that sometimes the right way can’t be found on any map.

[Robin Anderson-Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story! Would highly recommend!

[Brianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would be an okay book if any of the characters were likable

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did it keep my interest? 4. Is mid September considered a summer read? It is for me

Did I enjoy the topic? 4. Another old person on a quest. I hope I have quests when I reach my 80s. I should probably start having them now, I guess.
Fun read and even though some of the sentimental parts were a little forced, I bought them

Was the dialogue realistic? 3.5. The old lady and the teenagers motivations were nicely drawn. The mother’s lie was better defined and believable than most summer reads. That said, there were a couple of conversations that were interrupted just before it would smooth things over. In real life I don’t ever remember having an important conversation interrupted to the point where a miscommunication spirals out of control. It always seems to happen in summer reads, especially around romance

Would I recommend to Jen (smart, discerning reader)? 3. My standard score for Jennie on summer reads. I never see her reading them

Would I have recommended to my Mom (read for entertainment)? 4. Sure. Mom might like the old lady who may have slept with Elvis

Quality of narrator? 5. Three narrators for the three generations of main characters. They all fit excellently

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this from a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Hope Robinson is doing her best to raise her teenage daughter, Dylan, despite Dylan's recent acts of rebellion. Hope's mother, Olivia, was a beloved villain on a long-running soap opera, often absent from Hope's life. Recent health problems have brought Olivia to Boston to be closer to Hope and Dylan, convinced her days are numbered. Olivia bribes Dylan to drive to Memphis to visit Graceland and reminiscence on her moment with Elvis. Hope is frantic to catch up with them, afraid a secret from her past could destroy her relationship with Dylan.
All this leads to a fun, witty Thelma and Louise style adventure that also encompassed the themes of finding forgiveness, self-acceptance, and the importance of honesty.
The novel is a fun ride and a great debut.

[Khris Sellin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good road trip! And road trip stories. And this one is chock full of family dysfunction, family secrets, and Elvis (but of course). Three generations of women head to Memphis, but each on their own journey.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was funny, sweet, and suprising in wonderful ways. Each time I thought I knew what would happen next, it took a turn I had not expected. I am eagerly waiting for the next novel from Nancy Crochiere!

[Ema · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cute little book! I appreciate the author doing majority of her Memphis research without living in the city! She got most everything right of the area!

[⋆｡°✩Kara✮ ⋆ ˚｡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! Full of suspense and drama that was incredibly entertaining and hilarious. You get the grandmother, mother, and daughter’s pov which helped the pace fly by. I grew up loving Elvis, and visited the Peabody/Graceland on a trip with my nana and mother so this felt wildly familiar, in the best way.

These characters all definitely had their faults. I didn’t feel a deep fondness for any of them per say, but I enjoyed their story. A lot of the mystery in the story was very predictable, but I think that was a given with the lightheartedness feel it was giving.

Would definitely recommend if you’re an Elvis fan or just want a fun read!

[Emily Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Nancy Crochiere’s hilarious and beautifully written debut, Graceland, about a single mom who is forced to chase her Elvis-obsessed mother and pink-haired teenage daughter from Boston to Memphis to stop them from uncovering a long-held secret. It made me laugh out loud and moved me as these three strong women raced toward an unexpected destination: self-acceptance, forgiveness, and grace. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this warm, witty novel about mothers and daughters and all the messy wonderful stuff in between.

Read my interview with Nancy here: https://www.deaddarlings.com/meet-nan...

[emma m · Rating 4 out of 5]

i enjoyed it

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a really great story about family dynamics, and it’s just really great how no one is perfect. I loved the end result, where you realize everyone is doing their best, and that’s okay.

There’s a storyline about a cross dressing person that’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. It’s clearly been well researched and is a teaching moment without being preachy. You learn to love this character exactly how they are, and it’s just so thoughtfully done. Anyone who isn’t sure how to support someone they love (or just wants to be better at it) should read and get to know George and Jordan.