In all honestly, I was not sure when I embarked upon this reading experience. All I was certain of is that I am a James Patterson fan and a lifetime Dolly Parton fan as well. I am elated to report that it was a delightful and surprisingly enriching reading experience for me! This duet was masterfully crafted and the delivery of a high quality, engaging and enriching, fully encompassing reading experience was phenomenal. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would, because I fully believe there is something here for everyone! I loved this oh, so much!!

I enjoyed this Patterson and Dolly novel. Storyline was okay. Did like having the full songs at the end of the novel. It'll be fun to hear Dolly sing them on the album that's releasing when the book does. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #RunRoseRun #DollyParton

As a huge lover and fan of Dolly Parton, I was excited to read this book even though thriller is not my usual genre. It literally pains me that I can’t give it five stars and did not love it. In all honesty, I just didn’t like AnnieLee. I understand in some sense why she acted the way she did but she really was almost insufferable and she was definitely more ungrateful than I would have thought. I could kind of see where the thriller/mystery part was going and honestly I wish that had been a bigger part of the story and they went more into detail about her past as it’s more prominent today than most people realize.

Either way, I would still recommend if you are a Dolly fan or a fan of country music or even Nashville. Lots of insight into the business.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw that this book was written by James Patterson, who is a go to for me, and Dolly Parton, I knew I had to read this one. This book is definitely going to be a number one hit, so Dolly will be on the book list as well as the music list for having number ones to her name now.

This story follows AnnieLee Keyes as she embarks on her journey to become an aspiring singer. AnnieLee has escaped her abusive past and is now determined to make something of herself. You will enjoy reading this heart wrenching story and following along with her as she tries to make something of herself, You can definitely feel Dolly Parton's presence in the writing of this story. I couldn't help but read some parts in her voice as well, Very well written and enjoyable.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the authors and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. You do not want to miss out on this great read!

A partnership between two of my favorites -- mystery author and country music artist -- created a book that is simply divine. Every page was sprinkled with Ms. Parton's charm, humor, and southern hospitality. I saw her through Ruthanna's colorful descriptions, sassy wit, and dialogue. I laughed heartily when Ruthanna said "she looked like a disco ball in the Cat's Paw Club's light." Ms. Parton said something similar when describing her opening outfit at the CMAs this year. Mr. Patterson delivered with his usual paging turning mystique that kept me reading late into the night. This book was a delight to read, and I hope there will be future P & P collaborations.

So this is just a Dolly Parton appreciation review because is there honestly anything Dolly can’t do?!? She is an absolute treasure and I don’t know what we ever did to deserve her.

This book is just so much fun!! I used to be a huge fan of the show Nashville (which is hilarious since I typically hate country music) and this book reminds me so much of the show!! It has very similar vibes and some of these book characters are reminiscent of a few of my favs from the show. If you were also a fan, definitely pick up this book!

I also did this book on audio which I HIGHLY recommend. It has a full cast and Dolly voices one of the characters and I swear I smiled every time her character popped up!

So. Is this book groundbreaking? No. But did I have a lot of fun listening to it and just really enjoy every minute spent with it? Yes, yes I did.

It’s a fun, fairly light little mystery. And I swear the highlight of my Saturday, this past weekend, was when I drove home and could finish this book. It’s definitely one I’ll be revisiting in the future!

If you’re also a Dolly fan, definitely pick this one up! I especially recommend the audio!! And Dolly also just released a new album of the songs featured in this book so that’s a fun little bonus!

Thank you to NetGalley, Little Brown Co, Libro.fm & Hachette Audio for allowing me to read/listen to this in exchange for an honest review! It was an absolute delight!!

I've never read any James Patterson, but I am a huge Dolly fan, so I was so excited to get the ARC for this book. The book reads like a country song, which is fitting, I guess. In fact, there are lyrics scattered throughout the book, but it was interesting that the lyrics on their own weren't meaningful, even though I felt that we were supposed to think they were.
I liked the book, but I didn't love the book. I did enjoy the behind-the-scenes view of Nashville that Parton no doubt added to the story. I also liked the relationships between AnnieLee, Ruthanna, and Ethan. However, AnnieLee bothered me. I can't say why without giving away some important bits of the story, but I will say that the "I've got a secret and no one can ever know" trope is getting really old and tired. A little honesty, which ironically she keeps saying she is trying to show the world, would have saved her a lot of heartaches. Of course, then it wouldn't be a country song/book! I also felt it was a bit long and drawn out, but the use of short chapters helped the pacing.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for the ARC.

This book deserves more than 5 stars, it deserves a Grammy!! Fantastically written and entertaining. Parton has a new “duet” partner. I’ve seen interviews and documentaries about Dolly and I could really “hear” her voice in this book. Kudos & I hope Patterson & Parton team up again!

I adore Dolly Parton and the wonderful person she is. This story read just like her, entertaining, fun and wild! Thank you @NetGalley@LittleBrownandCompany@RunRoseRun

3.5 stars
I haven't read a James Patterson book in years but I remember them being pretty graphic/filled with murder and whatnot. So that may be one reason why this book disappointed me. Of course I love Dolly Parton and pictured and "heard" her as the character of RuthAnna. A lot of things with AnnieLee's story didn't make sense though. Why couldn't she tell anyone what had happened to her (until the end)? Why didn't the people who beat her up just kidnap her? The book felt long and slow and then everything happened in the end.

If there was anything (or anyone) who could make me break my lifelong streak of never having read a James Patterson book, it would, of course, be Dolly Parton. Fortunately, Run, Rose, Run was a very entertaining and enjoyable way to break this streak. I listened to the audio of this and highly recommend it- I do think that the full cast audio including Dolly herself and Kelsea Ballerini as the main character really made the reading experience significantly better and more entertaining. There's a definite mystery/thriller element, but if you come for the "making it in Nashville" story I don't think you'll be disappointed. I'm looking forward to checking out Dolly's companion album of songs in the book!

What a perfect collaboration! I loved this book so much. The perfect thriller that was so readable, I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the realistic look into the world of country music in Nashville. This one is sure to be a hit!

When you’re from Nashville, and THE Dolly Parton writes a book with THE James Patterson, it’s an instant must-read.

Everything about the persona AnnieLee Keyes has created for herself is a lie. Except the way she can sing. But will it be enough to save her? And even if it is, will anyone trust her again?

Packed with danger and suspense, Run, Rose, Run takes readers on a thrilling ride through the darker side of Nashville’s glittering music scene, and I loved every minute of it! (Also, if you don’t read Ruthanna in Dolly’s voice, well, you’re just not reading it right.)

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

Country music mystery

I thoroughly enjoyed this very readable mystery from Patterson and Parton with seemingly insider details of Nashville, the trials of female artists, fame and family violence. Obviously this is not literary fiction but it is worth your time and money.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time limited e-arc via netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

3.5 stars Run, Rose, Run is about AnnieLee Keyes, an up-and-coming country music singer fleeing from something terrible in her past. AnnieLee Keyes is fortunate enough to be mentored by retired country superstar Ruthanna Ryder. Ruthanna is my favorite part of the story and has many things in common with her creator, Dolly Parton. She overcomes adversity to become one of Nashville's top female stars and is strong, independent, and talented, but also kind and giving. I also like AnnieLee’s potential love interest, singer-songwriter Ethan Blake. Ethan is a genuinely good guy who doesn’t give up on AnnieLee, even when she gives him plenty of reasons to do so. As much as I liked Ruthanna and Ethan, I didn’t fully warm up to AnnieLee. She continues to make rash and sometimes dangerous decisions throughout the book and it got old for me.

I think the key to best enjoy this book is setting your expectations. I went into it thinking it was going to be an intense thriller, but it isn't. The story has suspenseful elements because of the undisclosed threats to AnnieLee. However, it's more of an insider's look at the country music industry shown through the character of Ruthanna, AnnieLee, and Ethan with a little mystery and romance added in. Even though it wasn’t what I expected, I'm glad I had the chance to read this fun book and I hope to hear Dolly’s new album which features songs from the novel.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Little, Brown and Company. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Run, Rose, Run was a really enjoyable, fast pace thriller about a woman who would do anything to make her country singer aspirations come true! I loved all the song writing and lyrics and wished I could hear the real songs!

AnnieLee Keyes arrives in Nashville with nothing but the clothes on her back, running from a life she is desperate to leave behind. Her beautiful voice and fiery spirit catches the attention of Ruthanna Ryder - one of country’s most famous artists. As well as a handsome singer named Ethan Blake. These two become her support system as she tries to make it big! When all of their secrets begin to unravel and AnnieLee dangerous past catches up to them, it will test all of their relationships.

Thanks to #NetGalley, Dolly Parton and James Patterson, and Little, Brown and Company for the eARC of #RunRoseRun in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this story! I’m a huge fan of Patterson’s work but this one was very different from anything I’m use to with him. The story was amazing and I couldn’t wait to find out how things would end! Great read!

Run, Rose, Run is just as charming as everything else connected to musician/actress/philanthropist Dolly Parton. Though it’s mostly a character study about three different personalities making their way through the Nashville scene than a thriller, the suspense element adds a nice bit of variety to the proceedings. It’s a fun, quick read in spite of its length – a page-turner with brief chapters.

AnnieLee Keyes wants to make it big as a country music singer.  She has natural talent and big dreams, and when she meets the handsome Ethan Blake at a small club and sings her way into the spotlight, it seems that good things are ahead of her.  The bars get better even though she’s sleeping in a park every night. Even though she’s haunted by nightmares involving the mysterious Rose.

Ruthanna Ryder is a rich and famous country star who’s exhausted by the old grind and the glitter of life in Nashville.  She’s in the middle of retiring, but that doesn’t mean she wants to stop writing songs. After Ethan – who happens to be one of her session players – convinces her to come to the small Tennessee club where AnnieLee is playing, their lives change forever.  She takes an interest in AnnieLee, and the superstar and the homeless up-and-comer become friends.

As AnnieLee’s rocket-ride to fame intensifies, she and Ethan get closer while Ruthanna provides AnnieLee with the building blocks toward becoming famous while finding herself inspired to create more music.  But all three of our protagonists are hiding major secrets, and in AnnieLee’s case, those secrets come in the form of a threat that might snuff out her life before she attains the fame she’s been seeking.

Run, Rose, Run is a fun little ride through one girl’s journey to the top.  It’s a classic Cinderella rise, which means some nuance and subtlety (and a sense of reality) is lost in the process.  The book’s not afraid to point out the goo beneath the glitter of the Nashville scene, but it should have thrown a few more obstacles in AnnieLee’s way.  And yet that didn’t stop me from enjoying every second of this spirited trip.

I loved Ruthanna, her big personality and wisecracking sense of humor.  AnnieLee is more vulnerable but has grit and determination. The relationship between the two women is fabulous and worth the price of the book; I enjoyed every makeover, songwriting session and pep talk.  It’s a much more interesting relationship than the one between Ethan and AnnieLee, but their burgeoning romance is also quite sweet (when he makes her a guitar after she had to pawn her own, one cannot avoid being touched by the moment).

The mysteries themselves are properly suspenseful and well-seeded, but again not the true focal point of the book.  You will be shocked, root for our heroes, and hope for them to find safety.

Run, Rose, Run was a pretty good time.  Fans of Parton and women’s fiction with thriller and mystery elements will be better served by the tome versus those looking for more Patterson’s usual offerings.

Note: This book contains references to sexual assault.

Buy it at: Amazon, Audible or your local independent retailer
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James Patterson has co-written a variety of chart-topping books, and Dolly Parton has been successful with so many undertakings during her career. Put the two together, and you have the makings of a mystery novel with the suspense that only a veteran writer can provide, along with the sweetness and genuineness of one of country music's best-loved entertainers.

From the opening scenes, the writer can imagine a younger Dolly on the way to Nashville seeking her big break. The character possesses the same innocence mixed with intelligence and the instinct for survival. Throw in some unsavory characters to add interest and the story takes the reader on a twisty road filled with action and excitement.

The book holds the reader's interest from beginning to end. You can't help but root for the heroine to succeed. I wouldn't be surprised if this story becomes a movie or a series.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and Net Galley for the ARC of this book.

I use to read everything that James Patterson wrote. Eventually I learned he is only as good as his co-authors, which vary greatly. But if you add a name like Dolly Parton to the cover I’m going to pick it up. AnnieLee Keyes comes to Nashville wanting to become a famous country singer. She has sung and written songs all her life. Her talent wins out landing her opportunities to perform in local bars. Ruthanna is a famous singer, successful for decades and is retired. She sees AnnieLee 's natural talent and takes under her wing. She helps her avoid some of the more shady aspects of the music business. Of course there needs to be a little menacing that comes from AnnieLee’s past. This is a Patterson novel after all.

The story's focus is on a singer breaking into the music business in Nashville. AnnieLee is a spunky, prideful and talented but she finds it hard to know who to trust. There is always the fear of what they want in return. I’m envisioning Dolly as laying out the ideas or framework for AnnieLee and her path to stardom. The suspense thriller part is much less of a focus. It does explain the singers background and her need for self reliance. I liked the two females and body guard/love interest Ethan. Patterson is usually a real page turner for me but I found I could set this down easily. It is a good music story and I will be excited to hear Dolly perform the songs that she has written to go with the novel. But as a suspense thriller it is never intense. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.