Different Dress

Rating:
Summary: Realistic Romance and an Entertaining Look at Life on Tour
Review: Different Dress follows Kip Galvin, seventh grade math teacher and singer-songwriter as she embarks on a summer tour as country pop diva Lacey Leigh Jaxon's opening act. On the tour she meets Jaime Esperanza, assistant production manager and sometimes musician, and the two become good friends. For Kip the friendship turns into deeper feelings. Unfortunately for her, Jaime still carries a torch for Lacey Leigh.

Lori Lake made the whole going on tour experience very understandable and engrossing. From the technical problems encountered by the set-up crew to Kip's pre-performance jitters to the descriptions of the different parts of the country they passed through-it all worked together to make you feel like you really were part of a band on tour.

But the best thing about Lori Lake's Different Dress was practically every peripheral character in the story came across as a real person. I loved getting to know not only Kip and Jaime but also the musicians and techs who were part of the tour. Kip and Jamie in particular were so likeable it made you want to meet them in a coffee house and just hang out.

The romance between Kip and Jamie was played out with such sweet realism. It was nice to see two people become friends first and then gradually fall into love rather than have them caught up in a frantic, sexually charged obsession from their first meeting.

If you're looking for a well-written story that will keep you interested and entertained until the very last page, pick up a copy of Different Dress.

Rating:
Summary: They Rock, They Roll, It's Full of Heart 'n' Soul
Review: I wanted to be the first to write a review for this one, but no such luck. Others have beat me to it. But let me add to the accolades. This is Lori L. Lake's best book yet. It's totally movie-worthy, and I don't say that lightly. Someday somebody should pick up her novels and turn them into screenplays so I can film them. This is drama and heartache and humor and all sorts of truths about life and love wrapped up in one rollicking ride.

This was a totally satisfying read. I did not want it to end. The way Lake spun out her plot and characters and and made me love Kip and Jaime was nothing short of masterful. With each new book she only gets better and better. I can't speak highly enough of her writing. Bring on a new one. Soon.

Rating:
Summary: a romance for readers who don't like romances
Review: Kip is a teacher by day and folksinger by night who is asked to join the tour of diva Lacey Leigh Jackson. She falls in love with Jamie, the tour electrician, but Jamie is hung up on Lacey Leigh.

This is an intriguing romance because Jamie and Kip are genuinely likeable people and the reader will root for them as they make their cross-country musical journey. But there's so much more to the story than that. There's Wes, the exasperated tour manager, Eric, the cool-headed boss, Buck and Drew, the band mates that inspire Kip's career, Emma, Jamie's lifelong friend, and Mary, Kip's giddy friend back home in Minneapolis. Each of these characters round out the story and give it dimension.

Rating:
Summary: A Different Dress, but the Same Talented Writing We Love
Review: Lori Lake's new novel is best read obsessively -- I managed to read it in one long day, carrying it about as I tried to do other things, then surrenduring to the narrative and just reading for hours. What's so mesmerizing about the novel, I think, is that it brews up a potent love story mixed with just enough realism to engage the reader's hopes on behalf of the characters -- what a fine line to walk, and Lori has done it very well. Also enjoyed the fact that the main characters were older women (not the usual 20-somethings searching for love - nothing wrong with that at all, except it's been done and done), and the extremely subtle portrayal of lesbians who are clearly "out", but face that continual tension about when and how to reveal themselves to new people in their lives. This novel WORKS in so many ways.....another literary victory for Lori Lake! Thank you!

Rating:
Summary: Lori Lake has succeeded again!
Review: Rather than reiterate what other reviewers have already said, I've decided to focus on what made this book stand out from the many other lesbian books available in the market now.

Lori Lake has succeeded again in writing another wonderful story with engaging characters as well as an interesting plot! Her successful blending of setting, characters, and plot works so well (IMHO) because of the details. In the hands of a less experienced, less perceptive writer, extraneous details can bog down a story; however, in the skillful hand of a talented writer like Lori, those details turn a flat story three-dimensional.

Using clean and articulate prose, Lori wrote the perfect amount of details to allow me to picture in my mind's eye exactly what she was describing. I didn't stumble over any passages, nor did I have to reread certain paragraphs or sections to understand what was going on. The author included a balanced mix of dialogue and narration, too (with realistic, non-forced conversations).

Lori was able to balance just enough tech-speak with nontech-speak to make the story very realistic without getting muddled in jargon. She worked in all the very interesting aspects of behind-the-scenes concert production and was kind enough to leave out the tediousness that is probably commonplace with a set-it-up-and-take-it-down business.

While stardom and life on the road would never tempt me, I still found the characters' lives and interests very compelling. I really liked the main characters, Jamie and Kip. Kip's the kind of keeping-it-real person who I could call a friend. Despite a recent heartbreak, she still has a balanced life and a positive outlook. Jamie's character was kind and compassionate, and you can't help but like her, too. I also enjoyed the slow, realistic progression of their relationship. I'm so tired of stories where the two characters fall madly in bed after their first date.

Overall, Different Dress is a great read! No wonder I've heard and read such wonderful things about it. Lori Lake's writing keeps getting better with every book. I hope that she continues to be inspired by the muse.

Rating:
Summary: Lori Lake has succeeded again!
Review: Rather than reiterate what other reviewers have already said, I've decided to focus on what made this book stand out from the many other lesbian books available in the market now.

Lori Lake has succeeded again in writing another wonderful story with engaging characters as well as an interesting plot! Her successful blending of setting, characters, and plot works so well (IMHO) because of the details. In the hands of a less experienced, less perceptive writer, extraneous details can bog down a story; however, in the skillful hand of a talented writer like Lori, those details turn a flat story three-dimensional.

Using clean and articulate prose, Lori wrote the perfect amount of details to allow me to picture in my mind's eye exactly what she was describing. I didn't stumble over any passages, nor did I have to reread certain paragraphs or sections to understand what was going on. The author included a balanced mix of dialogue and narration, too (with realistic, non-forced conversations).

Lori was able to balance just enough tech-speak with nontech-speak to make the story very realistic without getting muddled in jargon. She worked in all the very interesting aspects of behind-the-scenes concert production and was kind enough to leave out the tediousness that is probably commonplace with a set-it-up-and-take-it-down business.

While stardom and life on the road would never tempt me, I still found the characters' lives and interests very compelling. I really liked the main characters, Jamie and Kip. Kip's the kind of keeping-it-real person who I could call a friend. Despite a recent heartbreak, she still has a balanced life and a positive outlook. Jamie's character was kind and compassionate, and you can't help but like her, too. I also enjoyed the slow, realistic progression of their relationship. I'm so tired of stories where the two characters fall madly in bed after their first date.

Overall, Different Dress is a great read! No wonder I've heard and read such wonderful things about it. Lori Lake's writing keeps getting better with every book. I hope that she continues to be inspired by the muse.

Rating:
Summary: Storytelling at its best
Review: Some books have a magic that draws readers effortlessly into their world. DIFFERENT DRESS is one such book. Lori L. Lake has fashioned a tale peopled by characters that we recognize-not because they are clichéd, but because we've all known people who fall for someone that isn't good for them, who make bad decisions and miss golden opportunities, and who generally would lead much smoother lives, if they would just listen to our excellent advice. Some might describe DIFFERENT DRESS as a romantic triangle because Kip, the teacher/singer who joins a country music show partway through a summer tour, falls for Jamie, the roadie/electrician, who loves the star of the show, Lacey Leigh, an unstable, shallow and deeply troubled woman who is incapable of loving anything but her next drink. But in Lake's skilled hands, this basic set-up takes unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader riveted.

Lake never takes the easy way out, and the reader is guaranteed an engrossing, involving ride, peopled not only with two strong, engaging leads, but also with an entire cast of fully realized supporting characters. Even the smallest roles are filled by well-rounded people, most of whom we'd like to know in real life, some of which we would avoid like the plague. Lake doesn't spare her characters, never glossing over mistakes made, and flaws inherent, even in her two heroines. We question how Kip could ever have been so thoroughly taken in by her callous ex-lover. We wonder how Jamie could be so oblivious to Kip's love and Lacey Leigh's self absorption. And though it is tempting to dismiss Lacey Leigh as the villainess of the piece, she is much more than that. Reluctantly, we have to concede that she is a product of her own abysmal background, and that while all too fallibly human, she actually has a far rougher row to hoe in the long run.

When you conclude the final page, you'll bid all these vivid characters a wistful farewell-that is, if you don't immediately go back to the beginning and start reading all over again for the pure pleasure of it. If you want to be reminded of the power of a story to transport you; if you want to be enchanted by characters that could be lifted from your own life; if you want to place your imagination in the expert hands of a born storyteller, then lay your hands on a copy of DIFFERENT DRESS as quickly as possible.

Rating:
Summary: Storytelling at its best
Review: Some books have a magic that draws readers effortlessly into their world. DIFFERENT DRESS is one such book. Lori L. Lake has fashioned a tale peopled by characters that we recognize-not because they are clichéd, but because we've all known people who fall for someone that isn't good for them, who make bad decisions and miss golden opportunities, and who generally would lead much smoother lives, if they would just listen to our excellent advice. Some might describe DIFFERENT DRESS as a romantic triangle because Kip, the teacher/singer who joins a country music show partway through a summer tour, falls for Jamie, the roadie/electrician, who loves the star of the show, Lacey Leigh, an unstable, shallow and deeply troubled woman who is incapable of loving anything but her next drink. But in Lake's skilled hands, this basic set-up takes unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader riveted.

Lake never takes the easy way out, and the reader is guaranteed an engrossing, involving ride, peopled not only with two strong, engaging leads, but also with an entire cast of fully realized supporting characters. Even the smallest roles are filled by well-rounded people, most of whom we'd like to know in real life, some of which we would avoid like the plague. Lake doesn't spare her characters, never glossing over mistakes made, and flaws inherent, even in her two heroines. We question how Kip could ever have been so thoroughly taken in by her callous ex-lover. We wonder how Jamie could be so oblivious to Kip's love and Lacey Leigh's self absorption. And though it is tempting to dismiss Lacey Leigh as the villainess of the piece, she is much more than that. Reluctantly, we have to concede that she is a product of her own abysmal background, and that while all too fallibly human, she actually has a far rougher row to hoe in the long run.

When you conclude the final page, you'll bid all these vivid characters a wistful farewell-that is, if you don't immediately go back to the beginning and start reading all over again for the pure pleasure of it. If you want to be reminded of the power of a story to transport you; if you want to be enchanted by characters that could be lifted from your own life; if you want to place your imagination in the expert hands of a born storyteller, then lay your hands on a copy of DIFFERENT DRESS as quickly as possible.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing! Action-packed! A Great Book!
Review: The author of such great books as Gun Shy, Under The Gun, Have Gun We'll Travel, Ricochet in Time and Stepping Out: Short Stories introduces readers to two new favorite characters to take to heart.

Kip Galvin, school teacher, songwriter and singer is asked to join the summer tour of popular singer Lacey Leigh Jaxon, It seems Lacey Leigh has, once again, run off another opening act. Assigned the task of picking her up at the airport, is Jaime Esperanza, electrician extraordinaire who handles and oversees several aspects of the tour, one of which is Lacey Leigh when she's `under the weather.'

As Kip spends more time on the tour, she begins to form questions: Exactly what does Lacey's being `under the weather' mean? And why are so many of her opening acts quitting? As the tour progresses, Kip is `adopted' by members of Lacey's band who surprise Kip one night on stage by playing back-up on one of her songs. When Lacey objects to this and throws a fit, Kip literally scolds Lacey as if she were a small child, shocking both Lacey and the people around her.

As Jaime and Kip begin spending a lot of their down time together, they form an easy friendship. As time passes, Kip realizes her feelings towards Jaime are changing and she is completely blind-sided when Jaime, who has a history with Lacey, "dumps" her and goes running when Lacey calls. When Lacey's "under the weather' condition surfaces as a serious drinking problem, more questions arise. How will this affect the tour? The band? The fans? Even Lacey herself? Will it take Lacey all the way down to rock bottom? What happens to Jaime if it does? Could Kip and Jaime's friendship survive the fall? And which of them would give all they have for ONE true chance at love?

Lori L. Lake is an extremely talented writer who once again snares the reader with skilled telling of an extremely entertaining, event-filled, decidedly well-written tale of a journey by three women as they experience life, love, heartbreak, drama and adventure in the behind the scenes action of touring, and the complicated world of country music.


Rating:
Summary: Had to read while driving & flying...I could NOT put it down
Review: This was Lori's BEST book to date. I loved each of the other's but I could not put Different Dress down. I loved following the 'band' around on the road. I enjoyed the skipping from Kim to Jamie and looked forward to what each new chapter would bring. I loved the details of the touring bus and could relate from long distance travels in a motor home. The jamming on the bus between shows sounded like a blast - I wish I could have been there.

The characters were so loveable that they could have been my friends, except Lacey. I started this book before a travel engagement. The book went everywhere with me and I only stopped reading when the light turned green, when it was time to leave the plane and again when I could not keep my eyes open a second longer after a very long day.

I am already looking forward to Lori's next book and sad that this story is over. Thanks Lori for another awesome read!