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. 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, TX back to her hometown of Fruiton, AL, 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.
Industry Reviews
"[Rose Mae's] journey pulses with fierce determination."--People (a "Great Escapes" pick)
"A sizzling chunk of Southern Gothic."--Gina Webb, The Altanta Journal-Constitution
"Backseat Saints will pull you in and won't let you out until the last page. Raw, tangy and funny, it is an enthralling peek into the secret sorority of mistreated women. Follow the journey of one courageous, witty woman who decides, I'm not going to take this anymore. I love reading about smart, flawed and ultimately wise women, like Rose Mae. "--Kathryn Stockett, #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE HELP
"BACKSEAT SAINTS is an unputdownable story about love, survival, and shedding the past. Rose Mae Lolly is tough, passionate, funny, and fierce, one hell of a heroine to guide us through one hell of an adventure. Any time Joshilyn Jackson is in the driver's seat, I'm along for the ride."--Michelle Richmond, New York Times bestselling author of THE YEAR OF FOG
"From the moment I began reading, I could not put this book down. Rose Mae is an enduring character with a fierce and unstoppable spirit. This is a beautifully written story about an important subject. Pass the word."--Brunonia Barry, New York Times bestselling author of THE LACE READER and THE MAP OF TRUE PLACES
"Joshilyn Jackson dives into darker, deeper water in BACKSEAT SAINTS-- with all her readers firmly in tow. As always, a riveting read."--Lee Smith, New York Times bestselling author of THE LAST GIRLS
"Readers everywhere will rejoice to be back in the land of gods in Alabama. BACKSEAT SAINTS is a heart-thrilling, can't-stop-reading book about the unique and unforgettable Rose Mae Lolley. I loved this novel."--Michael Lee West, author of MERMAIDS IN THE BASEMENT
"The arrival of a Joshilyn Jackson novel feels like the first perfect day in a favorite season and BACKSEAT SAINTS is no exception."--Laura Lippman, author of LIFE SENTENCES
