Review: In A Cream Packard by Edward Hackemer

~ In A Cream Packard ~ is a romantic tale laced with nostalgia, automobiles, and music from the golden age of rock and roll. Maryanne Dahl, a 21 year old redhead from Appleton, Wisconsin and Alexander Throckmorton, a 26 year old Navy veteran from Detroit, Michigan are the main characters. This romantic adventure recounts a road trip taken in the late spring of 1954 traveling south on US Route 23, the fabled two-lane highway that runs from Mackinaw City, Michigan to Jacksonville, Florida. The journey starts when two people meet by chance and ends after they confirm their love, endure misfortune, and unlock mystery. The sights, sounds, and elements of the way of life that drove America's love affair with the automobile and two-lane blacktop are presented as nostalgic romance. It is life before the Eisenhower Interstate System. Enjoy the ride heading south on the Hillbilly Highway.

I received this book to give an honest review. 3.5 rating

So being as this out of my normal genre of reading I figured I could give it a try. Honestly I didn't quite enjoy it as I wanted to. 

The characters seemed one-dimensional if that makes sense. There seemed to not really be a lot of character building up. You have Annie who works in a diner than she ends up meeting Alexander (Alex) and it is love at first sight which I thought was really cute. But then it seemed a bit rushed on the relationship. I mean it was 'oh I am in love I believe, let's get married.' Umm what? There was not really any dates or anything. But maybe that is what the author wanted to do. I did enjoy how Alex called Annie 'Annie girl' it seemed every time he called her that I would say it in my head with a southern twang as that is how I thought it should be done. 

Pretty much with In A Cream Packard you are following the lives of Annie and Alex as they go on a journey back to Florida. They meet interesting characters thorough out their journey and Alex goes on a quest to get answers to the things he found in a safe deposit box. The plot is a slow one, not very fast pace, no action. Which in a way was nice for me to just slow it down and read. I wasn't in a rush feeling to finish the book in a night because I was so anxious to see what would happen next.  I would like to read book two because I want to know if Alex will get the answers to his past with his father. 

This is a book that is set in the 50's so you do have to get use to the wording or at least I know I did.

Edward Hackemer lived in Western New York for 55 years before retiring and moving to North Georgia. His life experience includes nearly countless trans-Atlantic trips to Europe; employment history runs from paperboy to truck driver to the US Government Service. He spent several years overseas, is a veteran of the US Army, and happily married since 1968. He met his wife in Norway, and she was naturalized after they relocated to the United States. He is currently enjoying retirement with his wife, son, daughter (in-law), and two (grand) daughters.
During the writing of 'A Bridge To Cross', 'In A Cream Packard' and 'The Katydid Effect' the author drew not only from personal memories, but steeped himself in period music and culture: 1927 through 1967 rock and roll, blues, jazz, movies (silent & talkies!), television, and popular music as well as extensive research into contemporary retail products, services and prices. The novels are historically correct to the timeline of each of the Throckmorton family novels, with passing reference to relevant news and sports. Factoids, locations and trivia within the books were carefully verified and time authenticated. To fill an informational void created by the 'Packard' and 'Katydid' stories, in January 2014 he finished the prequel to them, 'A Bridge To Cross', which is set during the Roaring Twenties.
The author hopes that readers will enjoy the stories as much as he enjoyed writing them.
Life is grand. Remember. That's important.