Queen of the Road by Doreen Orion kept me in stitches for the entire trip. Getting into the skin of a forty-something woman with a great sense of humor would lighten anyone's day. Queen of the Road offered some spiritual meat also as the cross country bus trip explores the marriage and growth of two psychologists who are polar opposites, a project nerd who helps people at all costs to himself and a Long Island Princess who helps insurance companies while working out of her bedroom and perfecting her shopping abilities.

Doreen's husband is calm, quiet (if not behind the wheel of a bus) and sneaky. The way he tricked Doreen into the first date by pretending to have a group event with a hunky friend was hilarious and set the tone for the entire story. I enjoyed the frequent effects of Doreen's choice to take physics for non-majors, such as when she tried to manually shut the bus door (at 60 mph) that repeatedly flew open on the highway.

Despite the unusual setting, so many situations were so true to life and helped me find the humor in my own life. I also occasionally get insulted by my GPS and feel it is way too bossy, and get upset when my husband listens to her instead of to me. I have most certainly ignored my dog sitting on a forbidden chair because I feel guilty about leaving her. I have had many of the same project nerd observations when my husband has chosen to fix something himself that I think should be fixed instead with a check to someone who knows what they are doing. I love the 2 strikes and you’re a dimwit rule, since we all need the chance to screw everything up once.

As the bus rolls down the highway barely squeaking under passes, bus-phobic Doreen learns to trust others, especially those who measure the bridge clearance. The camaraderie of dog lovers and campers shines through this saga, showing how indoor isolation with your possessions may not be the true path to happiness. Throughout the trip, it becomes clear that project nerd's way of always looking to be helpful may not just reflect low self-esteem; it may be what makes you a better person. It also seems possible that togetherness in close quarters may actually help marriage.

Another bonus: Doreen joined our book club, and proved she was as witty off the page as on it. It was a fantastic discussion.