In this exciting story Anne Mateer takes us for the spin of our lives when she introduces us to Alyce Benson. Alyce is a spunky young woman who loves nothing better than to race around in her Packard Runabout, and very few people know just how fast she likes to go.

Alyce tries so hard to be the conventional young girl her mother desires her to be but even as child Alyce just could not be like that. She has too much energy and enthusiasm for life and that has gotten her in trouble more than one time. Like the Sunday when John and Ava McConnell missionaries to the Gold Coast in Africa speak at her church. After seeing the pictures and hearing the stories of some of the children the McConnell's have been helping Alyce just knows there has to be some way she can help the McConnell's bless these children. So without any forethought of the consequences, Alyce jumps up and pledges $3000.00 to their cause and to make matters worse she challenges the church to match her donation. Even though Alyce means well and her heart is in the right place there is a small hitch in her plans, she has no money but she is sure she can get it from her dad.

When Alyce finally gets up the nerve to ask her dad for the money she is shocked beyond belief when he emphatically says NO! Even though his mother is a Christian and has tried through the years to be a good witness to him, he has never seen the need to come to Christ. What will Alyce do now? How can she possibly come up with that kind of money on her own?

Trying to forget her money problems for a while Alyce makes her way to the garage to go for a spin. When Alyce gets there and sees her father's mechanic, Webster Little working on a racecar, she gets excited and she persuades Webster to let her take it out on the dirt track. Webster has been Alyce's confidante for quite a while, and he knows how much she enjoys driving and how fast she likes to go. If only there was a way Alyce could actually drive in a race, she just might win and the prize money would go a long ways to paying off that pledge. Can Alyce and Webster pull it off? Can Alyce finally fulfill her lifelong dream of driving as fast as she pleases and fulfill her pledge too?

When Anne first sent me her book I thought WOW this sounds like a great story, a female racecar driver in the early nineteen hundreds. I was not disappointed at all, there was excitement from the get-go, and I adored Alyce and her love for the Lord. All-in-all this story was wonderfully exciting and it had me sitting in the car revving up right along with Alyce, cheering her on!

I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Alyce Benson is as impulsive and impetuous as they come. Raised in a family of means in 1916, she is accustomed to getting things taken care of, with money never being an object. But when she offers to donate three thousand dollars to the missionary work in Africa, she gets in way over her head. Thinking her father will just give her the money, she is in for a disappointment when her father refuses to give to her cause.

Left up the creek with no paddle, she tries to get creative on raising the money herself. Having a secret love of fast automobiles, she comes up with an idea of a lifetime. Her father's mechanic, Webster, tells her that her father's company is sponsoring a car he's been working on in upcoming races across the country. The winner can take home up to five thousand dollars in prize money.

But money slips through her fingers as she sees needs in the community she can't ignore. She turns to Webster to help her safeguard the money, but then things come up about him that make her question her judgement to trust him. Will she be able to keep her word and have the money ready for the missionary couple who so desperately need it? Or will she loose everything even as she tries to salvage her promise and the man she has come to love?

Mateer as always, gives a spectacular novel that can't be rivaled. The characters are alive and vibrant, the story line refreshing and humorous at times. But the absolute best part about her novels is the fact that she makes you feel like the story is your own. You forget that you are in the present day as you, (for just a moment) pretend it is you who is behind the wheel driving madly for the finish line. I can promise you an adventure if you read this novel, and I know you will enjoy every bit as much as I did.

This was such an enjoyable read about trusting in the Lord and not placing your will and plans before His, and loving people for who they are.

I haven't read many books set in this time period, and I really enjoyed it! The automobile theme was pretty interesting. I'd have to say I liked this one even more than "A Home for My Heart", which I really enjoyed as well. (The two books are both in the same time period, but the setting, and social class are pretty much opposite those in Home for My Heart.)

The plot really kept me guessing! I was stressing right along with Alyce over her money situation- I had NO idea what she was going to do! I really enjoyed watching the heroine's faith grow throughout the story; I enjoyed her spunky, joyful personality, and he zeal for the Lord! Alyce's relationship with her Grandmother, and then her developed relationship with her mom, were both really sweet.

Webster was a sweet, but mysterious, hero. (When he was first introduced in the story I immediately thought of David Moscow - when he played David, from Disney's Newsies - and it was crazy how accurately he fit the author's description! At least for me.)

Lawrence Trotter. **Minor spoiler** As with most villains, I could tell from the very beginning something was wrong and I shouldn't like him. Oh how right that instinct was! >:{ He was so deceitful and heartless! He made me so mad (and also kind of frustrated with Alyce for not seeing through his facade of goodness from the beginning!)

I am really looking forward to reading Wings of a Dream, and any other works Anne Mateer writes in the future!

Alyce Benson is as impulsive and impetuous as they come. Raised in a family of means in 1916, she is accustomed to getting things taken care of, with money never being an object. But when she offers to donate three thousand dollars to the missionary work in Africa, she gets in way over her head. Thinking her father will just give her the money, she is in for a disappointment when her father refuses to give to her cause.

Left up the creek with no paddle, she tries to get creative on raising the money herself. Having a secret love of fast automobiles, she comes up with an idea of a lifetime. Her father's mechanic, Webster, tells her that her father's company is sponsoring a car he's been working on in upcoming races across the country. The winner can take home up to five thousand dollars in prize money.

But money slips through her fingers as she sees needs in the community she can't ignore. She turns to Webster to help her safeguard the money, but then things come up about him that make her question her judgement to trust him. Will she be able to keep her word and have the money ready for the missionary couple who so desperately need it? Or will she loose everything even as she tries to salvage her promise and the man she has come to love?

Mateer as always, gives a spectacular novel that can't be rivaled. The characters are alive and vibrant, the story line refreshing and humorous at times. But the absolute best part about her novels is the fact that she makes you feel like the story is your own. You forget that you are in the present day as you, (for just a moment) pretend it is you who is behind the wheel driving madly for the finish line. I can promise you an adventure if you read this novel, and I know you will enjoy every bit as much as I did.

I recently finished reading At Every Turn by Anne Mateer. What an awesome book! The story is so well written and holds you during the whole ride! I love the use of first person in Anne's novels. I feel as if the characters are truly real, and we are having a wonderful experience together. The characters in this novel are very well done. I have to say, Alyce is a gem. This lady is the embodiment of the modern woman. So strong, and yet so weak- very down to earth. I love her development, spiritually and emotionally, as a person. The plot is also very riveting. I will never think that racing is a cushy sport! So very exciting and suspenseful! Anne Mateer is definitely on my authors-to-watch list! The whole journey with these characters is brimming with adventure that will hold you with every turn of the page. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.