Carole's Monday: The road to Delano

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Author: John DeSimone
Title: The Road to Delano
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: ebook
Pages: 320 
Expected publication: March 10th 2020 
Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)



Jack Duncan is a high school senior whose dream is to play baseball in college and beyond―as far away from Delano as possible. He longs to escape the political turmoil surrounding the labor struggles of the striking fieldworkers that infests his small ag town. Ever since his father, a grape grower, died under suspicious circumstances ten years earlier, he’s had to be the sole emotional support of his mother, who has kept secrets from him about his father’s involvement in the ongoing labor strife.

With their property on the verge of a tax sale, Jack drives an old combine into town to sell it so he and his mother don’t become homeless. On the road, an old friend of his father’s shows up and hands him the police report indicating Jack’s father was murdered. Jack is compelled to dig deep to discover the entire truth, which throws him into the heart of the corruption endemic in the Central Valley. Everything he has dreamed of is at stake if he can’t control his impulse for revenge.

While Jack’s girlfriend, the intelligent and articulate Ella, warns him not to so anything to jeopardize their plans of moving to L.A., after graduation, Jack turns to his best friend, Adrian, a star player on the team, to help to save his mother’s land. When Jack’s efforts to rescue a stolen piece of farm equipment leaves Adrian―the son of a boycotting fieldworker who works closely with Cesar Chavez―in a catastrophic situation, Jack must bail his friend out of his dilemma before it ruins his future prospects. Jack uses his wits, his acumen at card playing, and his boldness to raise the money to spring his friend, who has been transformed by his jail experience.


I was intrigued by this the moment I seen the cover and read the blurb. I had to get my hands on this one!

The story follows Jack years after his father died. Jack is a High Schooler who wants to play baseball in college and maybe even go pro. He wants to escape the political turmoil surrounding his town but he is the only thing his mother has left. But secrets are about to come to life and change everything and possibly ruin everything. 

This was pretty intense at times. I felt for Jack and Adrian. I felt for all the poor people who just want basic worker rights. They are human for goodness sake! Not sure even why this is an issue. Sighs people can really suck. 

There is a lot of drama going on and I was hooked. I had to find out what was going to happen. I had a bad feeling something BAD was going to happen to one of the characters we loved. I did worry for them, but Jack is smart and I had faith in him. Honestly, I would want him on my side.

There were a few spots that seemed to drag on a bit for me. Like speed bumps. But once you get past those few spots, I was flying again and not wanting to put it down. 

OoooOOOooo that ending! SOBS. I will not say, but it came out of left field for me. It was good and the twist got me, but then it just ended. I WANT MORE!!!!!!! 

Overall, I was hooked to this story. I simply just wanted everyone to be happy and all the silly political drama to end. Just give the people their basic human rights! I worried for our characters, but Jack is smart and I had faith in him. The ending was shocking. I'll give this 3 stars overall. Worth the read for sure!