The Road Before Us Review

About the Book

 How far would you go to fix the mistakes you've made and regain the trust you lost? For Jade Jessup, the answer is 2,448 miles. Once one of Chicago's significant financial advisors, Jade lost her credibility when her fiancé (and coworker) stole millions of dollars from their clients in a Ponzi scheme. Now she's agreed to help one of them--an aging 1960s Hollywood starlet named Berenice "Benny" Alderidge--seek financial restoration.

Jade sets off along Route 66 with Benny and her handsome adult foster son, Bridger, who is filming a documentary retracing the 1956 trip that started the love story between Benny and her recently deceased husband, Paul. Listening to Benny recount her story draws Jade into memories of her own darker association with Route 66, when she was kidnapped as a child by a man the media labeled a monster--but she remembers only as daddy.

Together, all three of these pilgrims will learn about family, forgiveness, and what it means to live free of the past. But not before Jade faces a second staggering betrayal that changes everything. (Goodreads)

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My Thoughts

I really enjoy this author's writing so I was excited to read this story. This is the perfect summertime read! I am ready for a road trip and itching to travel after finishing the last page. The characters are well developed and truly delightful. Jade, Benny, and Bridger are a very colorful cast and each very different from the other. There is a lot of growth especially by Jade and so many heartfelt chapters. Bridger keeps things lively and his story is special in itself. The journey is an absolute joy and you really get the feel of not only Route 66 in present day but also flashbacks to the past when Benny was young and traveled it for the first time. There is some romance but it isn't the main point of the story and I thought it was written in a way that didn't overshadow the other parts of the book. 

If you are wanting to go on a virtual road trip this is the book for you! It is full of heart and fun and holds some great life lessons especially on forgiveness. 

Four Stars. 

"I received this book from Revell for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."

With Every Memory

 

 

 

 About the Book

Is the Life She Can't Remember One She'd Rather Forget?

One year after her family was in a tragic car accident that killed her teenage son, Lori Mendenhall returns home with a traumatic brain injury that has stolen the last eight years of memories from her. She is shocked to find that the life she was leading before the accident is unrecognizable. Her once-loving husband, Michael, is a distant workaholic she isn't sure she can trust and her once-bubbly daughter, Avery, has spent the last year hidden away in her room.

For Avery, life stopped when she lost her twin. Now, if she wants to graduate high school, she'll have to accept help from Xander Dixon, her brother's best friend and the boy who relentlessly teased her for years. And if Lori wants to reconnect with her husband, she'll have to grapple with information her brain is trying to keep secret. With every memory that returns, she can't help but wonder if the life she can't remember is one she'd rather forget. (Baker Book House)

 

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My Thoughts

Oh my GOODNESS. This story. To be honest I wasn't sure what to expect so I didn't have the best expectations when I started to read this book. Much to my complete delight, I had to read this story in one sitting. I couldn't put it down and I love all the hard nitty gritty and beautiful things that fill the pages. I adore the characters because they are broken and struggling and real. The story flips from Lori's point of view to her daughter Avery and her point of view. I thought this was well written and unique as I really appreciated both plot lines. There are difficult topics dealt with throughout the book but it really shouldn't be a reason not to read this story. There isn't anything descriptive and it is really more of a story on forgiveness and trust and love. There were many chapters that spoke to my heart because I could see myself in Avery so many times. I also know the setting quite well and that is always a fun bonus. There comes a point in life when you are slogging through all of the muck that you have to make a choice. You can continue down the destructive and/or the seemingly enjoyable path or you can do the hard work and trust again. Love again. Have real hope again. I saw this in all of the characters in this story. The ending will surprise you in many ways. I loved this book and it is one of my favorites of the year. 

 

Five stars! 

 

" I received this book from Revell for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."