Lacie Logan is just another Delta raised beauty until her attempts at a movie career fail and leave her working as a professional escort in Las Vegas. She doesn’t like it, but what's a girl to do? Then, during an unexpected thunderstorm, she walks into a coffee shop and is suddenly back in April 1956. When she meets Elvis Presley, she’s sure she must be dreaming but when their chance encounter becomes a full-blown romance, she realizes that she has the chance to both win the King of Rock and Roll’s heart and change history
Excerpt
Las Vegas 1956 She did not remember the place but it must have been here before, with its red vinyl booths, Formica-topped counter with eight stools, and waitresses with bouffant hair backcombed high. They wore pale green nylon uniform dresses with white aprons tied around their waist into a bow. Each had a small white crown-style hat perched on her head. This place looked authentic, she thought, dripping just inside the door. Vegas did retro well.
Because of the heavy rain, the place was all but empty. Two lone men sat at opposite ends of the counter. One stirred coffee in a thick white china cup on a saucer decorated with a dark green ring. The other picked at a piece of pie.
Behind her, the door opened with a rush and rain sprayed in, enough to make her jump forward. She tottered on her heels and almost fell over.
“Oh!” she cried just as a pair of strong hands caught her and put her upright.
“I am sorry, ma’am.” The voice sounded familiar, a deep voice touched with the richness of the South, dark and sweet as chocolate. “Are you all right?”
She was soaked, had only a few dollars in her purse, and was miles from the cheap motel she called home, but she tried to smile. “Oh, I’m o-”
Lacie’s voice stuck in her throat like a bite of peanut butter sandwich as she turned, because the hands staying her fall belonged to Elvis Presley. A young Elvis. She looked into his familiar face, stared into his blue eyes, and gazed up at his combed-back light brown hair. There was no doubt--it was Elvis Presley.
Her body shook; she could not control it and she trembled, chills taking over. He was young, the King, alive. In person, he was far more handsome than any photograph or album shot portrayed. Those full lips looked as ripe and sweet as plump strawberries and his face, almost but not quite heart shaped, combined a sensual wickedness with an innocence that summoned up the familiar look of a boy from back home. He was taller than she was, by a fair bit, and dressed in simple jeans, a jacket, and a button-down cloth shirt. However, this could not be real; it was impossible. Elvis got old, grew fat, and died too young more than thirty years ago. Maybe she hit her head out in the nasty weather or maybe this was a dream. Gosh, she thought, with growing horror, what if she had died, been hit by a car or struck by lightning. Something was askew, somewhere, because what she saw had to be fantasy.
“Hey, now, take it easy,” Elvis said, putting one arm around her waist. “Everything is all right. Come on, sit down, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee.”
Professional Reviews
Manic Readers Four and A Half Stars
Review:
Linda Mae Logan grew up in Greenville, Mississippi. She goes by the name Lacie and now lives in Las Vegas. She works as an escort.
She wonders what it would be like back in the 1950s in Sin City. She bets it was a hip place back then. Lacie has her gran-nanna to thank for her love of the 50s and Elvis Pressley. Her gran-nanna would tell her stories of the king and play his music. Lacis goes out on a date that ends up in disaster. Lucky for Lacie her evening ends on a high note, when she is transported back to 1920 and meets Elvis in person. As if meeting the king was not enough, soon Lacie and Elvis strike up a romantic relationship. Will Lacie wake up to realize this is all a dream or will she get her happy ending?
Long Live the King by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy is a fun, nostalgic, blast from the past! I was captivated by this story. I loved young Elvis. The way he talked and treated Linda (she went by Linda in the past). He was a true gentleman. This book made me think of who I would want to see from the past if I had the chance. Since, I have a love of reading, I would want to go back in time and meet William Shakespeare.
Linda and Elvis made a cute couple. Although, I must admit in the beginning, I did not believe this relationship. Just because, Elvis could have had any woman and he falls right away for Linda. This story was so realistic down to details it was like I was transported to the 1950s with Linda and could picture Vegas as it was back then. This is a fun book. I would suggest reading it.
