This was a good audiobook. Dolly Parton actually reads as one of the characters. A young, scappy, girl finds her way to Nashville from a secretive, and scary past. She is befriended and discovered by Ruthanna Ryder ( a country legend) in Nashville. There is a little mystery and soundtrack to accompany it. Recommend this one to every country lover out there.

Written collaboratively by the bestselling author in the world and one of music most beloved entertainers, Run Rose Run is a contemporary thriller about a singer-songwriter, AnnieLee, on the rise and on the run and determined to do whatever it takes to survive. Nashville is where she’s come to claim her destiny. It’s also where the darkness she’s fled might find her. There, she encounters ruthless, predatory agents and managers, but she is also taken under the wing of one of the successful artists in country music. Dolly Parton wrote and recorded twelve songs to complement the book.

You have to say one thing about James Patterson. He is prolific! According to his website, he has written 318 books (all written in pencil): adult novels, picture books, middle grade and young adult fiction, comic books, graphic novels, and bookshots (longish short stories). He has had 73 #1 bestsellers and sold 325 million copies. Many are collaborations with other writers. He hires a published writer and gives them a detailed 60-80-page outline. Then begins an intense back-and-forth. Now he is teaming up with celebrities. Bill Clinton in 2018 and now Dolly Parton. He’s also a marketing genius, which, I guess, makes sense, understanding that he started out in advertising.

Run, Rose, Run is a sweet, rags-to-riches fairytale full of kitschy Dollyisms such as, “Ugly as a box of armpits.” And although the plot was silly and predictable, it was highly entertaining. Like most of Patterson’s work, Run, Rose, Run, isn’t stylistic, it is just a great story. That is his sweet spot. I was enamored with the inside scoop on the music industry and the loveable characters.

Incidentally, James Patterson’s first book was rejected by 31 publishers, which gives me hope my bestseller is yet to come. I supplemented reading the books with audio, well narrated by a cast of characters, although Dolly’s voice sounded off. I wish she had sung the song lyrics rather than AnnieLee's character speaking them. 4 stars.

Published Date: March 2022
Genre: Thriller
Read-Alikes: Your Killin’ Heart by Peggy O’Neal Peden, XO: A Kathryn Dance Novel by Jeffery Deaver, What are the Chances by Kenny Rogers,

I was not really anticipating reading this book but really enjoyed it. It was definitely not the typical James Patterson book but really reminded me a lot of Dolly Parton's autobiography. A young singer/songwriter, Annie Lee, arrives in Nashville to be discovered. She works her way into singing at a local bar that just happens to be owned by superstar. One of Ruthanna's backup musicians hears Annie Lee sing, and offers to help her by introducing her to the superstar. Things begin to fall into place for Annie Lee, except that someone is trying to hurt her. She refuses to tell the truth about her past, until she can no longer run from it anymore. The story was a feel good one for me because I am a huge Dolly Parton fan and grew up listening to her songs.

I really enjoyed this and I knew I would! This is actually my first book I’ve read from James. Patterson actually and it did not disappoint. I love that it was written with Dolly Parton. I read this so quickly. I enjoyed the characters, the pace of the book and the ending was great! Definitely recommend.

A story of a young musician trying to escape her troubled past. She is a star, but also on the run. What a combination of JamesPatterson and Dolly Parton! Set in Nashville with a character you will be routing for.

I like both Dolly Parton and James Patterson, but I could not picture collaboration between them. I read this book more out of curiosity than anything else. It was surprisingly good. The character development was a bit slow - it took the first couple of chapters for me to warm up to them. Once I did, however, I was totally invested. I stayed up past my bedtime reading.
I understand that the music from the book is now available and am eager to listen to it. The audio version includes Dolly reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC. The opinions are my own.

I was so beyond thrilled to receive this ARC, I could not wait to read this!
I am counting down the days until I can buy this book and recommend it to EVERYone, along with buying the Album that correlates with this book!!!
*update* - I bought the album...WONDERful music!!! I am a true fan of Dolly (and James isnt bad neither) - but Dolly was my reason for reading this book!!

The beginning made me gasp...
then back in time to 11 months earlier...
I could not stop reading, book sucked me in- I was breathless and must keep reading

Dolly, you must write more books!!

Dolly, you are gift to this world
your talent amazes me
You inspire me, thank you

An interesting author collaboration here, with Dolly Parton joining James Patterson, resulting in an unusual NON-murder mystery! A young singer/songwriter, AnnieLee, arrives in Nashville to seek her fortune. She charms her way into singing at a local dive bar that just happens to be owned by superstar Ruthanna. One of Ruthanna's employees, Ethan, hears AnnieLee sing, and offers to help. The wheels begin to turn for AnnieLee, except that someone is trying to harm her. She refuses to speak about her past, so her new friends are unable to help her. The story moves quickly, in typical Patterson fashion, until the somewhat belief-stretching, but satisfying, ending. The book includes lyrics to songs written by Dolly Parton and used throughout the story. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an ARC.

I was given an ARC of Run, Rose, Run in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am a lifelong Dolly Parton fan and when I heard about this book I knew I had to read it. This is my first James Patterson book.
Run,Rose,Run was a story full of suspense. It keeps you guessing until the end. Mystery sprinkled with some love, country music and second chances.
Once you start this book it will be hard to put it down. Also, listening to the CD that Dolly made to go along with the book will only enhance the readers experience.

Run, Rose, Run was awesome, quick read! Once the story took off I was glued to my kindle! I literally wasn’t able to do anything else but read until the very end…. I needed to know!!!

Dolly Patron and James Patterson are an amazing writing team! I really hope they team up again!

This was a fun quick read by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. The beginning had a very slow character development for me. It took about one third of the book for me to truly invest in the characters and be drawn into the story. However, once the story truly took off, I was unable to put this book down. I found myself reading late into the night. There were some heart pounding scenes where I actually had to put it down to be able to take a deep breath. Overall, I enjoyed this work.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book although I was skeptical at first! Great character range and it kept me interested right up until the very end. Go read it!

Run, Rose, Run by James Patterson maintained an undercurrent of mystery while telling a great story. It was both fun and serious. Dolly Parton's input in this book was evident in the facts about the music industry.

"The demons of the past were the hardest to slay."

At first glance, bestselling author James Patterson and country music superstar Dolly Parton make for an odd couple. Patterson has written countless bestselling novels that have thrilled readers for years. That being said, most people probably wouldn't recognize the author walking down the street. On the other hand, Parton is one of the most recognizable stars to grace the radio waves and screen for the past several decades. Her signature style, songs, and voice have made her a household name. It's safe to say that this pair is about as different as you can get. But consider for a moment that both of these creative masterminds share a lifelong passion for promoting child literacy and are both seasoned storytellers in their respective mediums. The pairing begins to make more sense. Their co-authored effort Run Rose Run combines elements of their sensibilities into a book that you'll be hard-pressed to stop reading.

AnnieLee Keyes is hitchhiking her way across the country to live out her dreams. She's not exactly sure of the details, but her mission is clear. AnnieLee wants to become the biggest star in country music. As she arrives in Nashville, she's momentarily halted by her own lack of preparation. AnnieLee has no money and no guitar to play on. Still, she's determined to make her break here. She wanders into a rundown bar, convinces the bartender to lend her a guitar, and plays her first set in the city. Her talent is undeniable. In that first set, AnnieLee catches the eye of session musician Ethan Blake. It just so happens that Ethan plays with the recently retired country music legend, Ruthanna Ryder.

Ruthanna's days of touring and producing albums are long behind her. By going out while she was on top, she's left her fans wanting more. It seems as if her manager is calling her every day to try to convince her to put on a reunion concert. Still, Ruthanna sticks to her guns. She's more content spending time in her basement studio toying with new material that she swears will never be released to the public. When her guitar player Ethan mentions a new talent that she just has to hear, she's hesitant to waste her time. New singers are a dime a dozen. Ethan persists, and Ruthanna concedes. When she hears AnnieLee sing for the first time, two things are clear. One, AnnieLee is beautiful and has a natural talent that is undeniable. Two, this town will spit her out so quickly that she'll wish she never opened her pretty little mouth to sing.

Run Rose Run sees Dolly Parton and James Patterson come together to tell a story that mixes melodrama and thrills. Parton's voice clearly contributed to the details about breaking into the music industry and trying to maintain a career. She also wrote 12 new songs for a few of the characters and released an accompanying album under the same title. Listening to the songs certainly helps to bring the story to life. For Patterson's part, his signature short chapters and the inclusion of a few secrets being harbored by the main characters help to keep the pages turning. For most of the book, the story plays out like an episode of the hit TV show Nashville. The inclusion of some more typical thriller elements was a bit jarring at first, but ultimately made sense once every character's secrets came to light. I devoured this novel in a few hours, and suspect other readers will do the same.

I love Dolly Parton and, it has been awhile, but I have read a few James Patterson books in the past. I was very excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. I’d say it even exceeded my expectations. Pure entertainment through and through. AnnieLee Keyes is running from a very bad situation. She makes it to Nashville and instantly gets noticed. She meets some good and helpful people. People that help her when her dark past catches up with her. While some (many?) parts were a bit unbelievable, the characters were great and diverse.
As an educator, I’d LOVE to take this book and have students find the parallels to Dolly Parton’s real life.
Highly recommend for a fun and fast paced novel.

***huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

“Run Rose Run” is a highly entertaining piece of commercial fiction; I read it in one sitting, I kind of devoured it. Listening along to the audiobook while reading, narrated by Dolly herself and singer Kelsea Ballerini was a fascinating reading experience. It just felt like I was watching a movie played out on screen, and I can’t wait to see Dolly physically play the role of Ruthanna, I know that will happen one day soon! She was born for a role like this; you definitely see her input throughout the whole book, it reads like something that Dolly would tell the story of, a young woman on the run, who wants to be a singer songwriter in Nashville who is mentored by the semi retired queen of country music......

It’s fluff. But it’s very very fun fluff. As a huge Dolly fan, it really satisfied me!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

3 Stars

I love Dolly Parton and used to love Patterson more than I do now so I was hoping that this would be a 5 star read for me. Unfortunately it was not.

I found it to be a predictable but fun read although I did have a little trouble getting through the first few chapters..

AnnieLee has been writing songs and singing for as long as she can remember. She’s leaving Texas, broke, and heading to Nashville. She’s leaving behind some darkness that may catch up to her in the end.

Some of her luck comes a bit too easy, but I guess some people are in the right place at the right time. Timing is everything.

I love Dolly Parton. I don't love James Patterson. I knew I had to read this and now Reese and Hello Sunshine have bought the rights! OMG! This was one book I had to read. This was actually a very engaging story, with a strong influence from Dolly. There's a 12 song album of song that Dolly has written just for the book and I cannot wait to hear it.

I was up until very late reading until the very end. And I am not sorry about it all. This book will appeal to more than the regular James Patterson readers which makes me really happy.

Our main character is young AnnieLee Keyes, a singer with a big dream and a big voice. She arrives in Nashville to become a star, and to escape her past. She arrives with a small backpack and the determination to succeed. The music business is not for the weak and she makes some strong connections and friends with a legend of the country music scene who sees her potential. She is finally getting everything she has ever wanted, but she is tired of looking over her shoulder all the time. Her secrets are always there are are threatening to destroy her.

Bravo James and Dolly.

I adore James Patterson and really enjoyed this "country" take on his usual novels. You can clearly see the Dolly Parton character in this story and it's a very quick-paced but homey read. It does not have quite as much "action" as a typical Patterson novel may have, but I didn't miss it at all. Recommend (and I just heard that TV/movie rights were already secured!).

As someone who loves reading James Patterson books, I was really excited when this came out. However, the plot just fell short for me due to the country music take on things. An alright book, but more Dolly Parton than James Patterson.