night road

Night Road, by Kristin Hannah


I received an advanced readers' edition of this book, and I COULD NOT put it down!! It was very hard to stop reading in order to function as a normal human. (Go to bed, go to work, etc.) I found myself sitting at my desk, wonder what Lexi was doing while I was there working....


From the publisher: For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children’s needs above her own, and it shows—her twins, Mia and Zach—are bright and happy teenagers.  When Lexi Baill moves into their small, close knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude.  Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia’s best friend.  Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. 
  

Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for college and out of harm’s way.  It has always been easy-- until senior year of high school.  Suddenly she is at a loss.  Nothing feels safe anymore; every time her kids leave the house, she worries about them. 

On a hot summer’s night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives.  In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything.  In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget…or the courage to forgive.

Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, NIGHT ROAD raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness.  It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope.  This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love.

Half way through the book I found that I needed to keep my box of Kleenex handy. As sad as I was, I wanted to know more. I wanted to know how Lexi was going to keep going, and what was going to happen to the Farraday family. 

I really love how the author was able to make the characters so real. I felt like I was friends with all of them, that I knew all about their lives, just from what I was able to read. I have read one other book by this author, Firefly Lane, and I think I'm going to have to add her other novels to my list!