Backseat Saints

By: Joshilyn Jackson

Narrated by: Joshilyn Jackson

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Rose Mae Lolley is a fierce and dirty girl, long-suppressed under flowery skirts and bow-trimmed ballet flats. As "Mrs. Ro Grandee", she's trapped in a marriage that's thick with love and sick with abuse. Her true self has been bound in the chains of marital bliss in rural Texas, letting "Ro" make eggs, iron shirts, and take her punches. She seems doomed to spend the rest of her life battered outside by her husband and inside by her former self, until fate throws her in the path of an airport gypsy - one who shares her past and knows her future. The tarot cards foretell that Rose's beautiful, abusive husband is going to kill her. Unless she kills him first.

Hot-blooded Rose Mae escapes from under Ro's perky compliance and emerges with a gun and a plan to beat the hand she's been dealt. Following messages that her long-missing mother has left hidden for her in graffiti and behind paintings, Rose and her dog Gretel set out from Amarillo, Texas, back to her hometown of Fruiton, Alabama, and then on to California, unearthing a host of family secrets as she goes. Running for her life, she realizes that she must face her past in order to overcome her fate---death by marriage---and become a girl who is strong enough to save herself from the one who loves her best.

Backseat Saints will dazzle listeners with a fresh and heartwrenching portrayal of the lengths a mother will go to right the wrongs she's created, and how far a daughter will go to escape the demands of forgiveness. With the seed of a minor character from her popular best-seller Gods in Alabama, Jackson has built a whole new story full of her trademark sly wit, endearingly off-kilter characters, and utterly riveting plot twists.

©2010 Joshilyn Jackson (P)2010 Hachette

Not Gods in Alabama good, but good...

I was going to start off being angry that this author decided to narrator her own books. BUT... I will say that I went on to listen to Between Georgia sometime after this book and I think she did a much better job. Maybe the problem was that I listened to Gods in Alabama, then immediately listened to BackSeat Saints because the main character here was introduced in Gods in Alabama. I think I was expecting too much (and the narrator of Gods in Alabama is tough competition). This was a good story and I am glad I downloaded it, but it was really hard to like the main character. She was a victim of domestic violence her whole life, so you want to root for her and be on her side, but she has such a crappy attitude and personality that often I found myself not liking her and not rooting for her. Either way, the story was well thought out and worth a credit. If you loved Gods in Alabama, do not expect to be as satisfied with this story. Go ahead and give Between Georgia a shot too (I think that story is a lot better than this one)...

Expectations vs reality

A thought invoking Joshilyn Jackson novel. Not what I expected a traumatic storyline. Very dramatic at some points and others seem to drag on. Not my absolute favorite Jackson novel but well written. I don’t find myself feeling bad for the main character. Even though *spoiler alert* I should feel bad for her I end up feeling more like she kind of deserves this. Because after all she’s made her choice. The almost multiple personality disorder of the main character also felt a bit like whiplash, which isn’t a feeling that brings me as a reader back to the book. I really only finished it because I enjoy this author but it’s nothing like any of her other novels. Give it a shot but don’t say you weren’t warned.

Great Book

Although at times it’s difficult to listen to the very real terror and violence that Ro endures, it’s equally amazing to see her strength and resolve to battle thru to her discover who she is. The complex storylines seemed unrelated then were so compelling as as they came together and mystery’s were unveiled. Character development was excellent giving clear visuals of all the players.

I think the author did a great job with the narration owning her words!!

Short and Sweet Review

Great characters, surprise conclusion, outstanding plotting, and a tremendously enjoyable reading by the author. You cannot loose with this one. Or her other books. Go ahead, buy one.

Another good one by Jackson

This was my third book of Joshilyn Jackson's to listen to. I enjoyed it as much as the other ones. Her southern chick-lit stories are entertaining. Jackson does a good job as the narrator too.
If you are wondering which of Jackson's books you should listen to, I would say starting with the best 1. Gods in Alabama 2. Backseat Saints 3. The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. I have just started A Grown-up Kind of Pretty. So far, it is as good as the others.

Not my Favorite Joshilyn Jackson Book

I read this book immediately after Gods in Alabama (Rose Mae in this book was a minor character in Gods) - and I give a lot of credit to the author for showing us how different one story can be based on someone's perspective. The Rose Mae in Gods in Alabama was NOT the same person in this book, yet she IS the same person. Without spoiling the story - we got to revisit two specific scenes from Gods and see them from a whole new perspective. Kudos to the author for that.

I *adored* Gods in Alabama and Grown Up Kind of Pretty. Those stories incorporated many characters and kept moving between characters to weave a story together. This book concentrated on one character (Rose Mae Lolly) - and a good percentage of the book is Rose living in her own head. She's as flawed (if not more) as the characters in Joshilyn's other books - fleeing her life as Rose Mae to be "Ro", then someone else completely -- and in the course of one paragraph, she will be Rose Mae one sentence, then Ro another, then some else another ... I get that she is trying to find out who she is, however this style of writing did not do it for me.

I was bored at some points during the book, but kept listening to see how the story tied together. In the end, I missed the depth that her other books had - this book, although deep in the development of one character, left me wanting for more layers with more characters.

Go girl

Pretty girls in ballet flats playing house can have surprising strength. Not to be dismissed. Fun sassy read.

Got hooked!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Wasn't sure at first . Not so interested in Catholic saints. BUT...the story got good...real good. Wonderful story telling...the narrator with a southern accent just added perfect color!! (It was the author..loved that!)

Great job...great read...very important topic! Hurray!!

Exellent book

Would you listen to Backseat Saints again? Why?

I could not stop listening to this audiobook. The author's voice and story were enticing and challenging.

Tantalizing

Joshilyn Jackson rocks. Suspense, romance, and real characters. I like how she describes the characters thoughts & feelings in such detail- I like to feel like I know the characters. Really enjoyed this listen- I found myself trying to find more 'chores' to do so I could listen. Hated to see it end!