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Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
Unfolding over decades, G.W. McCullough’s Texas Loophole takes readers on the reflective journey of Toni (Antonia Liat Wexler). The story is told from her point of view through her childhood and teenage years into her mid-40s, trying to balance her home life in NYC with the rural life she grew to love during the summers of her youth, where she made the most pivotal connection of her life with her Uncle Dale. As a young girl, and through most of her childhood, Dale is her favorite person, a gentle and grounding presence in a world from which she often feels disconnected. She is mostly a people pleaser as a child, but by her teens, she begins to rebel, experimenting with alcohol and marijuana. A traumatic event in early adulthood seems to have shaped her in lasting ways. Over time, she learns to accept herself in moments of joy and challenge, until she is fully present, and ultimately ends up with the life she had somewhat subconsciously wanted all along.
I found Texas Loophole by G.W. McCullough to be a very authentic story about a girl’s journey to learn to be comfortable in her skin. I loved and appreciated all the pop culture references, including going to the movies to see Star Wars and Kramer vs. Kramer, wearing acid-wash jeans, or having the big red lips pin on her jean jacket. Some moments are also so relatable, such as describing having to wear an itchy set of pajamas that rubbed her sunburn, keeping her awake at night. I laughed out loud when Toni described herself this way because I also have very pale skin. Interspersed with the events of her life are cultural references, such as going to see Alien, listening to the Rumours album by Fleetwood Mac, or applying Bonne Bell lip gloss, which bring the reader into the moments with her. Somewhere along the way, her feelings toward her Uncle Dale shift from innocent affection to something deeper. This may be uncomfortable for some readers, but it’s handled with emotional nuance, restraint, and maturity. It’s undoubtedly a unique coming-of-age story, full of humor, heartbreak, and the messy, beautiful reality of growing up and finding your place, even if that place is unexpected.
