The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi is a
story of going home, confronting the past and finding forgiveness for others as
well as oneself. Darcy Goodridge has been on the run. For the last eight years,
she has moved from town to town, from job to job, She left her home in Ohio,
vowing never to return. She was crushed by guilt over the accidental deaths of
her father and younger sister and the constant battling with her mother, Darcy
left, never looking back. Until one fateful phone call finds her fighting the
urge to return. With the urge of her young friend, 18-year old Samson Dray, she
finds herself on the road back home. Once she’s there, she learns that her
8-year-old nephew, Emerson, is missing and her mother, Honorable Rosalind
Goodridge, is as imposing as ever. After Emerson returns home, Darcy becomes a
part of her nephew’s life, she begins to piece together the events which led to
Emerson to “run away.” Darcy begins to tear down the walls her mother so
expertly put up around her and discovers her secrets as deep family secrets
that led to the horrible accident. Determined to find closure and healing,
Darcy may even find love and a place to belong.
The Road She Left Behind is a non-stop dramatic story
of family secrets, misplaced guilt, teenage rebellion and lost love. While the
family secrets revealed weren’t too shocking, I would say almost common,
however, I was gripped by the interaction between Darcy and Rosalind. A mother
and daughter who have been at odds from day one and Darcy never really knew why
and, now as an adult, Darcy demands answers and “no” is not acceptable. It was
a hard book to put down as I was eager to discover the family secrets and see
everyone come together as a true family in ways they hadn’t before. Throughout
the book, I wasn’t sure if I liked Darcy, Rosalind or any of the major
characters. Each had their flaws, made their mistakes and said some hurtful
statements in their anger or hurt. It’s what made the characters relatable as I
could imagine knowing and interacting with these individuals. However, by the
end, I smiled as they began to interact like a normal family and cried as they
began their healing. I recommend The Road She Left Behind as a story of
forgiveness, redemption and finding your home.
The Road She Left
Behind
is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook
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