The Last of the Honky-Tonk Angels

Lucy Hatch #2

by Marsha Moyer

From Marsha Moyer, the critically acclaimed author of The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch, comes a second novel as rich in atmosphere and heart, as brimming full of colorful, unforgettable small-town characters and incidents as her notable debut.

On a lazy June morning in Mooney -- a wooded patch of sparsely populated northeast Texas -- a shiny red Chrysler sedan pulls up to the home of Lucy Hatch and her live-in beau Ash Farrell, depositing a teenage girl on their doorstep before speeding away. For Ash, town carpenter and musician, the unheralded arrival of his daughter, Denise -- whom he hasn't seen in nearly eight years -- is a major life-altering shock. It's a surprise for Lucy as well, since she's had little reason till now to recall the fourteen-year-old's existence. And the unanticipated intrusion is certain to further complicate Lucy's increasingly complex relationship with Ash, now that she has discovered she is pregnant with his child.

Angry, rebellious, and uncertain -- having been unceremoniously dumped by her mother on the father she barely knows and the stranger who now shares his life -- Denny must somehow find a place where she belongs in a town far tinier than any that has imprisoned her before. But it's not until she picks up Ash's guitar -- and hears the songs that were born in her father's heart -- that Denny and Ash are drawn closer together by the common bond of music. In its haunting strains and true emotions lies hope -- that Denny can finally settle down, that she and Lucy can build a real friendship, that all of them can become, at last, that most rare and precious thing: a family.

But anything that happens in a place as small as Mooney has repercussions for every one of its residents. And when an ugly incident divides the community -- raising specters of suspicion, hatred, and intolerance -- the members of the growing Farrell-Hatch household will be deeply affected as well.

From its rollicking dance halls to its tree-shaded front porches, the world Marsha Moyer creates in The Last of the Honky-tonk Angels draws us inexorably in and makes us feel right at home. A glorious novel of love, family, and forgiveness, it is at once funny and poignant, startling and uplifting, richly imbued with the author's luminous prose and a vitality that reminds us all of how good it is to be alive.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Marsha Moyer was born in Austin and grew up in Bryan/College Station in central Texas. After graduating from Bryan High School, she attended the University of Texas at Austin, and for the next 25 years held a variety of jobs, including those of secretary to two animal scientists in the field of swine management, newsletter editor at the Texas A&M computing center, and assistant to the late chemist Karl Folkers, whose work in the field of coenzyme Q-10 research is world-renowned.

Marsha has written fiction since childhood, and in 1990 was awarded a three-month residency from the Syvenna Foundation for women writers in northeast Texas. Almost a decade later, the East Texas experience came full circle when she began the manuscript which would ultimately yield two novels, The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch and The Last of the Honky-tonk Angels. A portion of the original manuscript was chosen first-place winner in the mainstream division of the Austin Writers’ League manuscript competition in July 2000, and in May 2001, publisher William Morrow purchased, at auction, The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch (published in 2002) and its sequel, The Last of the Honky-tonk Angels (published in 2003). Sales to Random House Australia and Sony Magazines Japan followed.

In 2008 and 2008, Marsha published the third and fourth installments of the Lucy Hatch saga, Heartbreak Town and Return of the Stardust Cowgirl, with Three Rivers Press, an imprint of Crown Publishers.

As of January 2008, Marsha is a once again full-time employee of the State of Texas. She lives with her cat, Smudge, in Austin, where when not at work she enjoys napping, collecting vintage postcards, making beaded jewelry, and watching NASCAR. (Her driver is Tony Stewart.)

Reviews

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a thoroughly enjoyful read, a very pleasant continuation to the story of Lucy Hatch and Ash Farrell.
I'm a big country music fan; I might be biased.
Denny, Ash's daughter is a wonderful addition to the "household". She's so exceptionally wise for her age; at times I wondered if that was possible for a girl of 14 to have this much insightfulness? She was often smarter than her elders.
I'm looking forward to reading the 3rd and 4th book telling the stories of these wonderful characters.

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

The saga of Lucy Hatch and Ash Farrell continues. This installment introduces us to Denise (or Denny as she prefers to be called), who is Ash's fourteen year old daughter. Marlene, Ash's ex-wife drops Denny off at Ash's house early one morning unexpectedly. She then takes off for Chicago without further ado. I loved the thoughts that go through Denny's head as she and her dad try to re-establish a relationship.

This series is such fun to read and has so many delightful characters in the little town of Mooney, Texas. Whether we're two-stepping to the Ash's country music or cooking up a big pot of greens from Aunt Dove's garden or watching another sparring match between Ash and Lucy, this series has won over my heart. It's a dang good story that continues to grow with each new installment.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It continues just a couple of weeks after Moyer's first book The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch. Lucy and Ash are still hot and heavy - lovin' and fightin' when Ash's fourteen-year-old daughter is dumped on them. This book alternates points of view between Lucy and Denny.

The townspeople are a great bonus and I was surprised that even in this small East Texas town, racial ugliness would raise its head.

I'll be waiting a couple of months to read the next book in this series Heartbreak Town.

This series MUST be read in order!!!


2011 - NL Book Crawl - Texas
2011 - NL Color my Pallette - Chocolate Truffle

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I really enjoy all the characters in this series. They can be frustrating and sometimes infuriating but it just makes me love them more. I really enjoyed that with this book we also got Denny’s(ash’s daughter) point of view and not just Lucy’s. It was a great continuation of the first book. I can’t wait to start book three.

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking up right where we left off in The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch, this book introduces Ash's 14 year old daughter. Told from Lucy and Denny's POV. Ash and Lucy are fiery which leads to a lot heat and misunderstandings. We start to get more in depth details from the secondary characters to flesh out the story. I love this series from start to finish. Next up Heartbreak Town.

[Jonesy952 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about a young widow who is falling in love with a man back in her hometown just months after losing her husband, with whom she was not truly in love. His young daughter from a previous marriage arrives on the doorstep and they must learn to live with and love her.

[Jill Nieters · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my absolute favorite books I've read. Funny, profound, deep, familiar. Loved the characters. The music. The setting. Will reread this one in the future.

[Suzi Tripp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took me forever to finish this easy read because it just wasn’t compelling enough. It was alright, just alright though.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucy Hatch is in love with Ash Farrell. That is not in dispute. What is in dispute is what to do with Denise "Denny" Farrell, Ash's 12 year-old daughter, who has just been unceremoniously dropped-off at her dad's front steps by her mother, who is on her way to Chicago and some sort of "job opportunity". I am thinking that this might have not been so bad, except Lucy Hatch just found out she and Ash are going to have a baby, and they are not set up for a baby, much less a 12 year-old girl.
The people in this book are always looking for something--Lucy is looking to make Ash happy, Ash is looking to make Lucy happy, both Ash and Lucy want to make Denny happy. None of them realize that the others are all trying to do the same thing that they are doing. Only when they realize that it's love, and nothing else, that makes a family do they each begin to heal and become the family unit that each has been wanting their whole life.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of the series--#2 of the Lucy Hatch books. Lucy is still tentatively moving forward in life, but her space is shared now by Denny, her 15 year old stepdaughter. I like continuing Lucy's story & narritive, but I especially enjoy Denny's young, fresh perspective.

Pluses: Denny's narrative, curiousity, new perspective on her father & soon-to-be stepmom, getting to know a bit more of Ash's heritage and going more in-depth with already loved characters.

Minuses: Slap-dash plot, trying to hold together too many lines at once and failing on some of the deeper levels (less race relations, more music & personal histories would have been my preference).

My favorite.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful author! ! !
I love the descriptions of nature. Give me those sunny blue skys and the dark blue-purple of night with stars peaking out. Reminds me of summers long ago.
This story set in small town (where everyone knows your business, often before you do) Northeast Texas is fast paced and full of the wisdom of an old Aunt - Dove, a fourteen (almost fifteen) teenager and the adults she lives with. The story blooms with the interpretation of Denny, Lucy and their take on many family and small town events. The exploration of the feeling of these two is remarkable and full of fun, music and angst.
I plan on following the next two

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still don't know what I think about this series. I'm pretty sure I'm going to read the next one, because this ended where I wish it would have started, but there are a lot of things about it that I don't like. It is way too drawn out and I get bored of it after only a few pages. I had to put the book down and go back to it many times. I still enjoy the character of Ash and still don't like Lucy.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lovely, really. I spent a lot of time being very worried about everyone, and my goodness but there were a lot of plot points to work out, but, oh, gardens, and holding hands, and old burned-down churches, and Ash Farrell, who's still sexy as hell, even when he's being an asshole. Now we need one from his point of view!

[Sue Ann Colvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of the series. Books like these fly in the face of the standard advice to novelists not to have too many characters. Moyer not only creates an ensemble of personalities, she treats them all as the complicated human beings that they are and allows us to see them and love them as Lucy does.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I didn't enjoy this much, "The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch" introduced you to the characters and story line. This sequel had Lucy and Ash crabbier and crazier, though I did like the Denny character that was introduced. Aunt Dove still great. But as far as story goes, it just didn't capture me.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dancing to the Moon was an intimate, warm read with likeable characters solidly grounded in a small country town. Its an easy read that lets you meander alongside peeking in the windows of the lives of Lucy, Ash, Denny and a variety of other charcters.
Its been a long time since I read the first in this series but Dancing to the Moon can easily stand alone. Delightful.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second book regarding Lucy Hatch as much as the first. Again towards the end, it kind of lost something, but at this point by the second novel in this series, I truly can say I've fallen in love with the characters. I will probably continue to read stories about Lucy Hatch, just to check up on her and see how's she's doing.

[Vicki Mollenauer]

I loved this book and had no idea when I started it that it would be as good as it actually was. I thought some light reading after my last book was in order, but this goes beyond light reading. I totally enjoyed it from beginning to end and still can't stop thinking about the characters, especially Denny.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The continuing saga of Lucy and Ash, now with a few more characters thrown in for spice and added adventure! This is a great continuation of Lucy's struggle to find her feet on solid ground and make her way in this life. I'm moving on to the next one (Heartbreak Town) with high hopes for another great book!

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book very much. It is very easy to read and enjoy. the characters were well developed and seemed like they just walked off the page. They were very realistic. the plot was good and I enjoyed the two different points of view: Denny, a 15 year old girl who had not seen her father for 8 years and Lucy, a 33 year old widow involved with Denny's father.

[Chloe Lockhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was ok, but nothing special. I found it dragged on in the second half, but I was invested enough to read through until the end.

I didn't realise though that this book is part of a series, so I might have had a higher opinion if I had read the first book to understand the characters more.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the follow up to The Last of the Honkey Tonk Angels. It is a good second book in this series, even though it still has the annoying people in the diner. The book also has the addition of Ash's daughter Denny, who ends up being a great addition to the story.

[Melody Loomis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book and really loved it, then realized it was actually a sequel to another book, so I read that one after. I think I enjoyed the first book better, but this one was very good too! I bought it at a book sale and have since reread it.

[Marilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Urp. Not a usual reader of chick lit, I can still appreciate a painting of the star-crossed lovers. But don't give me plot lines that are this unrealistic. The ONLY thing that I enjoyed was the music related scenes as I know it to be true that music can bring people together.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently this is a sequel, so I'm excited to find the first one. I thought this was a great and romantic story with a likeable heroine and, for the most part, characters too.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel to the Lucy/Ash books. None of them were quite as good as the first, so I gave it 4 stars. Still a barn burner!

[juanmonique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with other reviewers... #1 was the best, but I liked this one too.

[Megantyll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in the series

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love this book!!! The characters are the greatest! I want to live in a one horse town with them.