When you sit down to read NIGHT ROAD by Kristin Hannah you might wish to have a box of tissues nearby. I quickly became absorbed in the story of Alexa "Lexi" Baill and her journey through the system.
As a young child Lexi was in and out of foster care as her mother made many attempts at being clean and sober. Lexi always knew she was different from other kids, and tried hard to guard her feelings until she finally had a family member come forward to claim her, and give her the life that every child should have...one in a loving, rich (not always money mind you, but compassion and caring) family.
As Lexi starts high school with a new family, she's not sure where she fits into the social structure of Pine Island. However Lexi isn't the only one who doesn't quite fit in Pine Island. Neither does Mia Farraday, the twin sister of one of the most popular boys in school. Lexi and Mia end up bonding and becoming as close as sisters. The Farraday family takes Lexi in and treats her almost like their own until one horrid night close to graduation when everything changes. The tragedy that strikes affects everyone in a most profound way. It's really hard to say without spoilers who might be most affected, but I can say that no one is left unchanged.
Throughout NIGHT ROAD, Ms. Hannah takes readers on an emotional journey. As you read, you see Lexi and Mia both come into being their own person, and gaining confidence to move forward in life. You also get a glimpse into the struggles between the economic classes. With deft skill, Ms. Hannah has the reader taking this journey without ever once thinking it was pushing the boundaries of real life. Night Road might be a bit of a tough emotional journey, but at the end I believe readers will embrace the path taken.
Jude Farraday is a happily married, stay-at-home mom who puts everyoneβs needs above her own. Her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill enters their lives, no one is more supportive than Jude. A former foster child with a dark past, Lexi quickly becomes Miaβs best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. But senior year of high school brings unexpected dangers and one night, Judeβs worst fears are confirmed: there is an accident. In an instant, her idyllic life is shattered and her close-knit community is torn apart. Peopleβand Judeβdemand justice, and when the finger of blame is pointed, it lands solely on eighteen-year-old Lexi Baill. In a heartbeat, their love for each other will be shattered, the family broken. Lexi gives up everything that matters to herβthe boy she loves, her place in the family, the best friend she ever hadβwhile Jude loses even more.
When Lexi returns, older and wiser, she demands a reckoning. Long buried feelings will rise again, and Jude will finally have to face the woman she has become. She must decide whether to remain broken or try to forgive both Lexiβ¦and herself.
Night Road is a vivid, emotionally complex novel that raises profound questions about motherhood, loss, identity, and forgiveness. It is an exquisite, heartbreaking novel that speaks to women everywhere about the things that matter most.
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