If wishes were horses...

3.5 Stars"She came closer to the bike and saw a battered Texas license plate along with a dog-eared bumper sticker that covered part of the worn leather seat. The print had faded, but she could still make out the words.GAS, GRASS, OR ASS. NOBODY RIDES FOR FREE."The Great Escape is a book that is trying just a little too hard in my opinion. It has all the ingredients for an entertaining romp, but it never quite manages to pull it off. It is the story of Lucy and Panda. Lucy is running from the constraints of living her life in the media spotlight. Panda is struggling with a traumatic past that he can't forget or move on from. Lucy imposes herself on Panda and is hiding out in his run down house. Their feelings for each other grow but Panda is incapable of commitment and Lucy needs it."Bree told herself to get up off the step and do something - anything - other than smoke, stare at Myra's beehives, and think about those long summers when she and Star ran back and forth like wild things from this cottage to the house. But she didn't have a lot of bright thoughts to choose from. Her shattered marriage? Nope. Her empty bank account? Definitely not. As for her self esteem ... how could she think about something that didn't exist?"The best thing about this book is the secondary story of Bree and Mike. I love stories about women who find themselves in difficult circumstances, and with grit and determination are able make a better life for themselves. The Great Escape is very good fluff. It's a long way from SEP's best work, but it's still a nice way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.