(34)Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Kristin Hannah became a staple in book clubs across America with Firefly Lane. Even though I had been reading her books since her days as a Romance novelist, it was Firefly Lane that was the book that put her on the radar of American Readers. Night Road is above and beyond anything Kristin Hannah has ever written before and will solidify her place in personal libraries all across the world.

Night Road is the story of Lexi and the twins, Zach and Mia. Lexi had an extremely rough life. She was born to a drug addicted mother and never knew her father. She bounced around from foster home to foster home until a distant Aunt stepped forward to provide Lexi with a home. Mia is the akward twin sister of the town golden boy, Zach. They are the only children of a prominent Island family. Their dad is a doctor and their control freak mom, Jude, stays at home to make sure that their every need is met.

It is on their first day of high school that Lexi and Mia meet and become best friends. They are inseparable, almost attached at the hip. The whole Farraday family has welcomed Lexi and made her a part of their family. Flash forward to their Senior year. Zach and Lexi start dating, causing a little friction in the family at first, but in the end the whole family approves of their relationship. Then an unspeakable tragedy happens on one Summer night, a tragedy with dire consequences that changes everything. For both Lexi and the Farraday family. Will the splintered family ever become whole again? Will they continue to accept Lexi as one of their own? Or did their relationship die on that tragic Summer night?

Night Road was an incredibly emotional read for me. I sobbed like a baby through the entire second half of the book. There is a pivotal moment, you will know it when you get there, that changes everything - from that moment on - my eyes leaked like sieves. Night Road is a book about love, acceptance, and most of all forgiveness. I truly think that Night Road is Kristin Hannah's best work yet. Her character development was solid and visible, especially with Jude. I am giving it a "Best of" tag because it has been a while since I have cried that hard at anything, let alone a book. An author who can evoke that much emotion with their words deserves to be labeled "Best of".

Night Road goes on sale Tuesday at bookstores all across the nation .
Wingnut said...

Charlotte, are you sick of me coming to let you know that I once again think you are the best when it comes to book recommendations? I hope not!

I LOVED this book and agree with you that it will likely stand out as one of the best I'll read this year. I held back the tears after that pivotal but by the last 50-100 pages or so, my eyes leaked like seives too.

Espana said...

This was my first Krisitn Hannah book I loved it! The story grabbed you from the first few pages. I loved how real the characters were. If you have ever dealt with any kind of loss or tragedy, you will be able to identify or sympatize with this book. I laughed, I cried, and felt the love that came back to them.

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