Lone Star: A Novel

Written by Paullina Simons

Narrated by Lauren Saunders

From the bestselling, acclaimed author of Tully and The Bronze Horseman comes the unforgettable love story between a college-bound young woman and a traveling troubadour on his way to war—a moving, compelling novel of love lost and found set against the stunning backdrop of Eastern Europe.

Chloe is just weeks away from heading off to college and starting a new life far from her home in Maine when she embarks on a great European adventure with her boyfriend and two best friends. Their destination is Barcelona, but first they must detour through the historic cities of Eastern Europe to keep an old family promise.

Here, in this fledgling post-Communist world, Chloe meets a charming American vagabond named Johnny, who carries a guitar, an easy smile—and a lifetime of secrets. From Treblinka to Trieste, from Karnikava to Krakow, from Vilnius to Venice, the unlikely band of friends and lovers traverse the old world on a train trip that becomes a treacherous journey into Europe’s and Johnny’s darkest past—a journey that jeopardizes Chloe’s plans for the future and all she ever thought she wanted.

But the lifelong bonds Chloe and her friends share are about to be put to the ultimate test—and whether or not they reach Barcelona, they can only be certain that their lives will never be the same again.

A sweeping, beautiful tale that mesmerizes and enchants, Lone Star will linger long in the memory once the final page is turned.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Nov 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9780062437631

Paullina Simons

Paullina Simons is the author of Tully and The Bronze Horseman, as well as ten other beloved novels, a memoir, a cookbook, and two children’s books. Born in Leningrad, Russia, Paullina immigrated to the United States when she was ten, and now lives in New York with her husband and an alarming number of her once-independent children.

Reviews for Lone Star

[amme_mr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read all of Paullina Simons' books. I have been a very big fan of her writing. I was less intriguied by this book than some of her previous books. Previous books I would not have been able to put down to finish. I went a period of about a month where I did not read, or read very little of this book. I also read another book whilst still reading this book (something that I very very rarely do). I liked the concept of the story, although by the end, you don't like the main character very much at all. The things that you want to happen, do eventually happen, but it takes a very long time for it to occur, and your left feeling like the main character is very flawed and a little bit dense. It wouldn't be the first of her books that I would recommend. If you have read her other books, you would find the ending a little bit poetic (as it links some of her other books at the very end in a surprising way) but not necessarily enough to warrant going out of the way to read this one.