Just Down the Road

A Harmony Novel, Book 4

By: Jodi Thomas

Narrated by: Julia Gibson

Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Jodi Thomas captures listeners' hearts with her sweet tales set in Harmony, Texas. In Just Down the Road, a rowdy night at the bar lands Tinch Turner in the ER under the care of Dr. Addison Spencer, igniting a passion Tinch hasn’t felt since the loss of his wife. Meanwhile, Reagan Truman, grieving her beloved uncle, finds solace in her new Harmony family—and a new baby.

©2012 Jodi Koumalats (P)2012 Recorded Books

Wonderful!!!

Where does Just Down the Road rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

Up at the top! Jodi takes you right into Harmony it is like being there instead on just listening to a story.

What did you like best about this story?

I get so invested in the characters. They are normal and have faults you feel like you have met them and they are now your friends.

Which character ??? as performed by Julia Gibson ??? was your favorite?

I love all of them but I have a real soft spot for the Funeral Director. He looks at himself so practically and he is so sensible then he surprises himself. He makes me laugh and makes me cry. I love his heart and the compassion he has for other people even the dead ones.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I think that a movie would be impossible. They would not be able to portray the depth of the community or the characters in a movie.

Any additional comments?

Can't wait for the next one! I love this series!

Sweet Romance

What did you love best about Just Down the Road?

Good romance that was more believable than most. No graphic sex scenes which is a nice change of pace from what is out there

What was one of the most memorable moments of Just Down the Road?

Liked the way Tinch related to the boy. Was believable in the way a man would relate to a little boy

Which character – as performed by Julia Gibson – was your favorite?

Like Tinch and Dr. Spencer. They were believable people with a past that is something many can relate to

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I looked forward to getting in my car each time and was sorry to see it end

Great story

I enjoyed listening to this story about a man who loses his wife but somehow finds love and family when he least expects it. I enjoyed listening to the rest of the character's lives and how they have matured from the first story in this series. I look forward to listening to more stories in this series. The narrator does an excellent job of expressing all the feelings of the characters in the story.

Heartwarming but too diffuse

Audio narration by Julia Gibson (good!) I didn't read the book, so beware of misspelled names. I haven't read the whole series, selecting only this book because I liked the sound of the plot. Lately I've been trolling for books with children playing strong and credible secondary roles. In this case, a 4-year-old played a strong secondary character, featuring in many scenes. However, he wasn't all that credible, speaking and behaving more like an 8-year-old. (But okay.)

This is heartwarming and slightly suspenseful, with a cast of strong supporting characters set in contemporary small-town Texas. It could be just my cup of tea, but for one thing. The main romance between Tinch and Addison -- and their adoption of the little orphaned boy Jamie -- was too frequently interrupted by other relationships. I couldn't sink my teeth deeply enough into any of the characters:

Tyler Wright, the 45-year-old mortician, and Kate, his affianced army major. Their pregnant young housekeeper, Autumn. Tyler, worrying about Kate. Nicely done. I liked the scene when Tyler took old Jeremiah for a ride through his apple orchard. Poignant. Beautiful.

Reagan Truman, age 21, adopted by old Jeremiah, and Noah McCallan, rodeo star.

Brandon Biggs, aka Biggs (firefighter?) and his tall nurse, Esther.

Beau Yates and Willow. Beau and his friend Border Biggs. Beau and his music. Beau and stuttering and girl crazy.

Every third chapter or so, we would return to the supposed main couple, Tinch Turner and Dr. Addison Spencer, eventually adding little Jamie to the mix. I wanted more time with Tinch, at his ranch. Wanted to see him healing his wounded horses and bonding with Jamie. Falling in love with Addison...

Suspense? Yes, with bad guys, murder, drugs, and millions of dollars.

Women's Fiction? I guess so. But also romance, with three couples making a go of it in the end, and two babies. There are kisses and some love scenes, but it's pretty tame -- fades to black.

A Bit of a Cheesy Read!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I wouldn't say that listening to this book will bring you any particular enlightenment or contribute to the advancement of our species in any way. But . . . .it IS a romance, after all. I got it because of the setting (in the West), combined with the fact that the main character is an ER doctor - but, in the end, it might not have mattered where they lived or what they did. I found it predictable and the characters were somewhat one-dimensional - again, it's a romance and, if that's your bag, go for it!

Could you see Just Down the Road being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

It might have made a good smaltzy series back in the 80's - during the height of "Little House on the Prairie" fame.