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Summary: Three women. Two families torn apart by secrets.

Crushed by guilt over the car accident that killed her father and sister, and torn apart by her mother’s resentment, Darcy Goodridge fled her family estate eight years ago and hasn’t looked back. Now an unexpected phone call threatens to upend what little serenity she’s found. Her nephew, Emerson, who was just a baby when his mother died, has gone missing. Darcy must return home and face her past in order to save him.

Once back in Ohio, Darcy realizes there’s more to Emerson’s disappearance—and to the sudden retirement of her mother, Rosalind—than meets the eye. As she works to make inroads with Rosalind, Darcy begins to unravel a decades-old secret that devastated her family and forced a wedge between her and Michael Varano, the man she left heartbroken when she vanished after the funeral. After carrying the scars of that fateful night for almost a decade, Darcy is determined to find closure, healing, and maybe even love where she lost them all in the first place—right back home where she belongs.

Review

This book was so wonderful for so many reason. This was my first book read by Christine and was very grateful to have had the opportunity to to be introduced to her work. I’m definitely looking forward to her other books. I’m not sure if this book was intended to begin a series but I hope another book can be made to continue.

I love books like this because it reminds you of how short life is and no matter what’s going on, you have time to mend relationships before it’s too late. You just know when you start reading a book that you will love it once you forget time and just keep going. This book was everything that I need right now. Christine truly blesses the reader with a beautifully written story, characters that leave an imprint on your heart and a reminder of the gift of time in life that some forget to cherish.

The Road Left Behind introduces us to the Goodridge family. From the outside, it would appear the ideal family. Prominent, well established with a reputation that was known to all. Behind the scenes told a different narrative. One night changed their family forever. Darcy, plagued with guilt and burdened by the weight of resentment from her mother, left home with no intentions to ever come back. Out of the blue one day she received a call, pleading for her return, she made the choice to face her past and return to the place she’d tried so hard to put past her.

Secrets are revealed, truths are are told and the road to healing gives Darcy a path she’d thought would never happen. Redemption, love, forgiveness paves the way for all roads lead to home is where the heart is.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful book that gives the reader a beautiful story that leaves you feeling good. Every character brings something to the book that fits like a puzzle. No one is perfect. Those imperfections bring substance and depth that allow the characters to grow and embrace their journey. I think you will enjoy this one and recommend you adding to your tbr.