I bought this book primarily for 2 reasons - it was on sale and I thought it was fiction. (I frequently buy books and if I like them, then I give them to my husband to read- and it sounded like something he might like. I grew up with a dad who bought and sold used cars as a small side business and I have always liked cars.) I was surprised to learn it was not fiction, but I was interested so I began reading it. It took a little getting into but then I couldn't put it down. I loved the relationship between the Dallas and Ted and Ted's family, and Ted's persistence in not giving up. My husband has been in men's Bible studies/small groups for about 20 years and I just thought this would be such a great book for a small group. When he started to read it he also seemed to take a little time to get into it, but as he did he also loved it, and we have about 10 friends we would like to give it too. Highly recommend!!!!!

I bought this book because God has moved me to a new location to work with a group of recovering drug addicts and alcoholics for the first time in my life. I had no background, training, or experience in this, and I had no idea this was coming until two months before it happened. However, this year God has taught me that when you tell Him to use you any way He wants - and you truly mean it - you had better get out of the way because He is going to do exactly that!

This year I have come to truly love a dozen men with a past unlike anything I have ever even imagined. They have become family in a very real sense. While I am not involved in counselling them or going through any "12 step" program, I am very involved in their lives and just loving them.

From what I read about this book, I thought it sounded like what my husband and I were doing here among these men. Well, we are not building a car - but we are eating with them every week, fishing with them, etc. So I was interested in the book.

It was not quite what I was expecting. For one thing the writer was not as different from Dallas as I am from the men with whom I am working: he related to Dallas a lot more often than I would have expected. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing - just not what I was expecting. In fact it might have been a good thing (I have been there, I understand, you can get past this) if the author did not seem to still be struggling with so many of the same issues. I wish he had been a little stronger. However, he WAS able to help Dallas, and at times Dallas was able to help him. (And the author was not having issues with addictions - just problems common to many of us trying to grow up in this world.)

I loved the idea of two guys restoring an old car - there is just something about guys and cars. And it was great that Dallas had something to offer to the relationship that made him shine - that gave him the opportunity to contribute and be the one with the answers. And yeah - sometimes the wife and family really will take a backseat to the situation. So it was a real life, believable account of one man mentoring another and both being better for it.

Yes, it is worth the read. I even bought extra copies to share, and I think they will be great gifts!