In a Cream Packard

Throckmorton Family #1

by Edward R. Hackemer

~ In A Cream Packard ~ is romantic historical fiction 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 in a roadside diner 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. The reader will go along on an adventurous ride heading south on the Hillbilly Highway.
This is book #1 of the Throckmorton Family Novels. Like the other books, it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story. There are family secrets and little mysteries in each tale that are revealed in the subsequent books. "In A Cream Packard" tells of the roadtrip romance that sets an ever-changing family story in motion.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Mystery, Chick Lit

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Edward R Hackemer lived in Western New York for 55 years before retiring from government service and moving to North Georgia; roughly halfway between Atlanta & North Carolina.
His college education was abbreviated by induction into the US Army in 1968. Ed's civilian employment history runs from paperboy, dishwasher, paper mill laborer, laboratory technician, warehouseman, and over-the-road truck driver. His life experience includes military, federal and county public service in addition to nearly countless trans-Atlantic trips. Ed earned an honorable discharge from the US Army, spent time overseas, and remains happily married. He met his wife in Europe, and upon relocation to the United States she became a proud, naturalized American citizen.
(What a nice word naturalized is! Although it sounds organic and environmentally friendly, his wife isn't green. She's a blonde.)
Ed is currently enjoying retirement with his natural wife, son, daughter in-law, and two grand daughters.
Occasionally, he may be found in the company of his Lenovo Chromebook out on the patio or at his desk plunking out sentences on an HP Pavilion.

Facebook1:
https://www.facebook.com/EdwardHackemer
Facebook2:
https://www.facebook.com/edward.r.hac...
Blogspot:
https://inacreampackard.blogspot.com

~ the Past can be Tense.
but the Future is Perfect. ~

Life is grand. Remember. That's important.
Wishing you all good reads ....

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

 
This is #1 in the Throckmorton Family series. I had initially read #6Sangria Sunsets gifted by the author, and he sent the series for me to read. So, from the onset, I was familiar (to some extent) with a few of the characters, or those mentioned in passing.This book centers on Alexander "Alex" Throckmorton, son of Nick and Nora Throckmorton. His mother has died, leaving her estate to him, and he must travel up to Wisconsin to handle the legal matters from the home he has made in Florida. On the drive up his car dies and he buys a brand new Packard Patrician 400, and meets a waitress Annie who he falls instantly in love with. The attraction is not one-sided, and a whirlwind romance ensues. They end up getting married a week later, and make the drive back to Florida along the famous "Hillbilly Highway", U.S. RT. 23, from Michigan to Florida. The book is set in 1954, before the modern highway infrastructure existed, so there was much passing through towns to get to a final destination. On the way to their new home, the newlyweds make a couple of detours to investigate some mysterious things inherited from Alex's mother found in a safe deposit box regarding his father, who was reported killed in the line of duty overseas after WWII. In some ways, the answers they discover lead to even more questions. They also encounter small town crooked cops and judicial system, wrongly spending time in jail. I liked this first installment in the Throckmorton series and getting to know Alex and Annie.... I look forward to continuing the journey in #2. I received this book in exchange for an honest review-- thank you!

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is #1 in the Throckmorton Family series. I had initially read #6 Sangria Sunsets gifted by the author, and he sent the series for me to read. So, from the onset, I was familiar (to some extent) with a few of the characters, or those mentioned in passing.
This book centers on Alexander "Alex" Throckmorton, son of Nick and Nora Throckmorton. His mother has died, leaving her estate to him, and he must travel up to Wisconsin to handle the legal matters from the home he has made in Florida. On the drive up his car dies and he buys a brand new Packard Patrician 400, and meets a waitress Annie who he falls instantly in love with. The attraction is not one-sided, and a whirlwind romance ensues. They end up getting married a week later, and make the drive back to Florida along the famous "Hillbilly Highway", U.S. RT. 23, from Michigan to Florida. The book is set in 1954, before the modern highway infrastructure existed, so there was much passing through towns to get to a final destination.
On the way to their new home, the newlyweds make a couple of detours to investigate some mysterious things inherited from Alex's mother found in a safe deposit box regarding his father, who was reported killed in the line of duty overseas after WWII. In some ways, the answers they discover lead to even more questions. They also encounter small town crooked cops and judicial system, wrongly spending time in jail. I liked this first installment in the Throckmorton series and getting to know Alex and Annie.... I look forward to continuing the journey in #2.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review-- thank you!

[Johann Laesecke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been old enough in the 1950s to be aware of the times - not to mention being an old car addict - I thoroughly enjoyed this tale. It evoked the feeling of the 50s, which was in general a kinder gentler time when people were more like Alex and Annie. After WWII and the Korean War there was a great expansion in manufacturing to catch up with the pent-up demand for goods, and brand names held an importance to people that might seem incredible to younger generations. Yes, your automobile brand and the cigarette brand you smoked did identify your status in the burgeoning consumer society of the day. Those advertising "Mad Men" really existed and did their jobs well. Today's younger crowd might tend to scorn the old attitudes but I'm here to tell you that's just the way it was and the author captured it perfectly. Alex and Annie's honeymoon travels brought back many a fond memory of the mid 1950s. Although I did not travel the Hillbilly Highway until later in life, I had the good fortune to cross the country on Route 66 several times in the 1950s, and travel was just as Mr. Hackemer describes it. I used to write down the words to the Burma Shave signs. And having spent a few years in Northern Wisconsin I am very familiar with their words and phrases doncha know? And every time Annie said "okey dokey" I had to smile at the memory of how some of my family and friends talked. Yes there were bad things too, as Alex and Annie find out. So get yourself a bottle of pop and settle in to for a pleasant trip back in time.
P.S. - I love Packards but I've never owned one.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In A Cream Packard" reminds me of an old black and white classic movie. It's a sweet, relaxed, leisurely, Sunday drive kind of read. You won't find any shoot-outs, car chases, x-rated or erotic scenes, or curse words here. But you will find a story which gets in your blood and makes you want to keep reading. It's almost magical how the author has managed this feat.

Since this is the first book in a series, the author has laid the foundation for future stories by his world/era building. The characters could have been deeper, but are still interesting enough to follow their journey to the end of the book. "Cream Packard" may not have loads of excitement and violence, but that's not to say that it is without event - our protagonists run into situations, a variety of colorful characters, locales and mysteries which keep the book interesting and easy to follow.

Overall, a great book which I highly enjoyed.
I'll definitely read the rest of this series and any future works by this author.
Copy of novel was provided by author for purposes of an honest review. Thank you Edward Hackemer!

[Mkittysamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome journey because I could relate to the tiny details in Wisconsin life and traveling to Florida. What a happy whirlwind romance! There is a mystery and a lot of cool cars (I googled each one so I'd know what they looked like).

More to come, it's late and I stayed up wanting to see Alex and Annie make it to Florida , get out of trouble in Georgia, and unravel a family military mystery.

Re-read 1-28-2016
I have gotten the 4th and 5th books and wanted to go back to the beginning to where it all started..with Alex, Annie, Beth and Bobbie!! So straight edge,cute, romantic and adorable!! Even though we find out later that family history repeats itself.. This book Is just a joy and a journey of love!! As we get to know more Throckmortens.. Well they weren't all as well mannered and behaved as Alex! I love the historical details and love getting lost in the decades that Edward re-creates! He has come a long way as an author and this book is the most romantic and innocent!!




I recieved a copy to review from the author, all opinions are my own.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In A Cream Packard is a memory refresher for those of us of a certain age. Mr. Hackemer starts his tale of post World War II America with love at first sight for Alex and Maryann. The two weeks of the book move Maryann and Alex from meeting to marriage, a courtship made in heaven, as they travel from Wisconsin to Florida. There's a sense of authenticity throughout the book in describing things such as the Burma shave sayings along the old highways, tvs with limited shows, car radios with limited reception, service station service, the clothes and the sayings.
Each brief chapter of the book refers to a song title from that period. I enjoyed the songs with their singers references and was happy to realize that they were all familiar. In fact reading the novel took less time than singing the songs and remembering when I had heard them from childhood.
I look forward to reading more about the Throckmorton adventures.
I received In A Cream Packard from goodreads.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 4 out of 5]

A romance, and after a week Alex and Anne were married, leaving on their honeymoon in a cream Packard. With each chapter the author interjects a song from the 50's; so as your are reading the song fits in with the story. I liked how the author brought out different brand names that were made in the USA. Alex and Anne experienced many adventures on their way to Florida, where Alex had a farm. Alex had just received an inheritance from his mothers estate. With that a few mysterys too. This was a fun book to read. I received this Free book from the author for my honest review. The story continues in the next book. "The Katydid Effect"

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely little romance novel, but its so much more than that. Mr Hackemer has a gift in transporting you back in time and making you live the story, not just read it. I read these novels out of order, starting with 3, 4 and 5, then back to one. I already downloaded #2 to get started on straight away. I am thoroughly enjoying the Throckmorton family and especially the historical accuracy. This particular book named songs from the period as the name of each chapter, but not without relevance.

[Jo Notary]

329p ~ 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. It is a ride on the Hillbilly Highway. Edward R Hackemer, ~ In a Cream Packard ~ 2013

[Debra Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought In A Cream Colored Packard was a delightful story! Edward Hackemer gives us a nostalgic glimpse into the sights and sounds of the 1950's in this novel.
Alex Throckmorton walks into Annie Dahl's life on the night of May 29, 1954 and changes the course of their lives from that moment on. The next two weeks will be a whirlwind of romance for them both. They will marry and travel in a Packard car from Wisconsin to Florida to begin their married life. What a wonderful trip it will be.
This book put a smile on my face and a song in my heart! There is a selection of 1950's music that Hackemer has put together on a CD available for purchase. It is very well done!! The songs correlate with the chapter titles.
This is only the first of the "Throckmorton Family Novels". The first four have been written and number five is in the works. I can't wait to read them all!

[Lorrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book chronicles the lives of a young couple in the 1950s as they meet in Wisconsin, quickly fall in love and get married, and move to Florida. It's a little slow up until they marry, then the story gets pretty interesting as the gentleman's father passes away and leaves him a lot of cash and other miscellaneous items in a safe deposit box in Detroit. They do some investigative work on their own as they use what is in the safe deposit box to acquire details about his father, who had died in the war. The long trip from Wisconsin to Florida takes the reader through 1950s America and is ripe with Americana and nostalgia.

[Edward Hackemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads asks the author for a review of their work.
So, in compliance with the suggestion,
here it is:
(Of course, it's a biased review)
I wrote it then read it.
Lots of times.
Then I read it again.
This is book #1 in the Throckmorton Family Novels. Although it's part of a series, this and the other titles can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories. However, in each successive book and with the passage of time (just as it happens in each of our lives) little surprises and family secrets are revealed.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. First of all, it's set in the Midwest. Awesome, I'm from Wisconsin. It's a love story, sweet, but not too sappy or graphic, which makes it even better. It's a quick read. The language isn't complicated, but it gets the point across. I'd recommend it for anyone over 16 that likes romance.

Oh and I won it through this site and the author, or the shipper, sent it with a really awesome "soundtrack". It went straight on my ipod and it's great for car shows. :)

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun. An enjoyable story!

[Sharon Heaverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I must say that I received #3 and #4 from the author and decided that I wanted to start reading from the beginning. I purchased the ebooks. This is one of them.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I was born in 1952 in Erie PA and I identified with so much in the book. Not the I remember all of these things from experience, but from my parents' stories.

Edward Hackemer has a unique style of writing. I can't explain it, but I felt it. One thing that I loved was that the author uses brand names of items when writing of them. This brought back so many memories because so many of them were just familiar to the time period.

A brief synopsis of In a Cream Packard will tell you that Alex Throckmorton traveled to Wisconsin from his home in Florida because of his mother's death and a need to get things done. He meets Maryanne "Annie" Dahl when he stops in a diner for a meal. They are married just 1 week later and the book tells their story of the travels from Wisconsin to Florida.

I certainly will recommend this book to others. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and I will be following the author to read more of his books.

[Sophie Dufort · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars

A review copy was provided by the author in return for an honest review. I read this book over the weekend, and I must admit that I don’t know what to make of it. The writing is pleasant and attractive, without being truly strong. It does hold, however, an undeniable appeal. Some people become authors because they have an innate ability to write fluidly and to draw the reader in with the power of their words. But there are so many other criteria that turn a book into a good read, and this particular novel seems to lack quite a few.

In a few words, ‘In A Cream Packard’ is the story of a newlywed couple who make their way across the country to their home in Florida. The book starts with the description of how the couple met, fell in love and got married. That takes about half the book, while the rest compiles their journey.

I would push it far too much if I said that their journey is an adventure. There was simply nothing that made my heart jump in excitement, no dramatic twist or turn. The entire atmosphere was so relaxed, I felt all along that I was watching a black and white movie. One that at the time of its release probably got some hearts pumping, but that makes us roll our eyes nowadays, as we wonder what on earth made it so dramatic back then in the viewers’ eyes.

I had a hard time deciding the proper audience for this novel. Clearly, it will not appeal to young people, not even to women in their 50s. I could probably imagine a granny reading this book and marveling at the sweet, yet ordinary love story.

There were a couple of elements that kept bothering me all along, and I hope that the author will consider reviewing them in his future writings. The most bothersome is the fact that the author kept jumping from one character’s mind to another. Very few writers ever managed to do so without becoming annoying. It is an art that is very difficult to master, and more often than not it is a double-edged sword. The other thing that was distracting was the excessive description of things and places that had no importance whatsoever in the book. I must admit that Edward described them beautifully, but it was truly unnecessary. They distracted me so much from the main story, that I felt awfully frustrated and began to skip entire paragraphs.

On the bright side, this book is laid-back and relaxing, and it can be a great read for someone who wants to experience the atmosphere of the 50s. Don’t expect a lot of romance in it though, there’s nothing steamy or intense.

As much as I find that this novel may never attract a wide audience, I appreciate the writing, the authenticity of the time period described therein, its classic, chaste romanticism and its resemblance to old, peaceful movies that we all need every now and then to take our mind away from a life that looks too much like a fast train.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a Cream Packard is a sweet story of love at first sight. It creates a vivid snapshot of the life of a young person the 1950s. While this attention to detail "sets the stage" so to speak, at times it creates an aurora of nostalgia that is in conflict with the relaxed way the of the story unfolds. Although it was easy to read, I found a lot of the dialogue to be unnatural and awkward, perhaps due to the tendency of the characters to use each other's names excessively in conversation.

Though the book held my interest, the plot was a a little anticlimactic. I did not know there were sequels to the book until I came to GoodReads to write a review, and now find myself wanting to read the them to see if the discovery in the end of In a Cream Packard is explored further and if Annie and Alex's whirlwind engagement ends in "happily ever after".

I appreciated the humanity of the story of Alex's father. It told of a man who was a war hero, but not a saint. I think this is an aspect often lost in stories of veterans, especially when it comes to the World Wars. It tells of a man who was challenged and changed by the experience of being away from his family during war, without vilifying him or telling of dramatic events. Despite the fact we never meet him, I found him to be one of the most believable characters in the story.

I would like to thank Mr. Hackemer for giving me the opportunity to read this charming story.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Cream Packard is a charming story set in the Post WWII years when America was expanding and booming. Covering the brief time period of May 25th through June 9th in 1954, the reader is witness to the sweet whirlwind romance between Alex and Annie. Alex, home from the war, has traveled to Wisconsin to settle his mother's estate. By sheer luck, he stops in at a local diner where he meets and falls in love with a small town girl. Set to the music of the era, each brief chapter evokes a different song. Together, these two set off across a country as full of life and possibilities as they are. In a Cream Packard does a great job of bringing to life the optimism and opportunities of that era. I can picture them now, driving down the highway with the windows open, the radio playing and the breeze blowing over their smiling faces as they plan their future together.

Thank you to Edward R. Hackemer for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Amy Bartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished In A Cream Packard last night.....I was not pleased with the ending.....I want more!! I want to continue the journey with Annie and Alex. A beautiful story about love at first sight, new beginnings, and a little mystery along the way. I fell in love with the innocence of Annie, and intrigued with the adventure she begins with her new husband Alex. This was not my typical book, but it was a great read. The book is well written, and descriptive, which is good since it is set before I was born. I could envision the characters, and their surroundings. I want to know what happens next......

[cagla tastemur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly this isn't a genre for my age or I like these books. Mr. Hackemer ask me to review his book on Bookblog.ning.com and I accept it,don't ask me why :) Since I know how to read english I read and translate to my mom. More like this is her interest. I read her in 2 month! It was really slow but she like to read like that anyway so I didn't complain her. To me this book was like watching documentary channel.For my mom she not much a fan of love stories (wonder why) but I can tell she loves the book by looking at her face.

[Susie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this ride in Mr. Hackemer's "In A Cream Packard"! Such a visual effect, this lovely story of Annie and her Throckmorton, who the Fates, or the Father, guided to a certain diner, where Annie worked as a waitress, when her hero was just in the right frame of mind to fall in love! Get settled in and tune in to the 1950s as you read this novel, which is akin really to experiencing a movie...

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in a goodreads giveaway.

 In reading this it was fun to think about life during that time frame and how times were different from today. 
 As far as the romance part of book it felt as if someone was just saying what the characters thought or felt so I wasn't able to get caught up in their romance. It was kinda boring.
 

[Theat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well for a little one from the 70's this was a fascinating trip back in time. I can't tell you how many times I ended up online looking stuff up - admittedly women's fashions :)
It is a light and delightful read, I highly recommend it

See full review below

https://gszengarden.wixsite.com/mylit...

[Renate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice story of love at first sight(!) and the way things were in the 1950s. Reading this book brought me back to a kinder, gentler time. An enjoyable journey.

[Char Ipacs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice Americana story I related to the timeline interesting story of a journey of new beginnings