Can you go home again? Can you survive secrets and lies and maybe just maybe come through it ok? Can you also have a second chance at romance? These are the questions Nolfi has posed for Darcy, who took off when her father and sister were killed in a tragic accident she feels responsible for. Even more, what will her relationship be with Emerson, her sister's son? There's a lot of tangled family issues here but Darcy works through them. She also finds herself still interested in Michael, who still cares about her. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. This is nicely plotted and well written- a good read.

Christine Nolfi, Author of “The Road She Left Behind” has written a thought-provoking, emotional, captivating, and heartwarming novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction and Women’s Fiction. The timeline for this story is within an eight-year period. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex, complicated, quirky, and dysfunctional.

Darcy Goodridge is finally coming back home after being on the road and in different places for the last eight years. Darcy had been running away after the deaths of her sister and her father. The dysfunctional family dynamics and deep dark secrets were also part of Darcy’s motivation to stay away from home. Now an emergency phone call about Emerson, Darcy’s young nephew has her coming home.

Is it true that there’s no place like home? Darcy is left with an emotional mess to deal with, and other problems. Christine Nolfi has written a story that had me chuckling a few times and also tearful. ( Be warned there are some Kleenex moments)

I would highly recommend this insightful and thought-provoking novel. I appreciate that the author discusses the importance, of family, friendship, forgiveness, second-chances, communication, love and hope.

Another great book by Christine Nolfi. I cannot say enough about this book and the author. Every moment captures your attention and tells a great tale. I could not put this book down. A definite page turner.
Thank you Christine Nolfi for another great book!!!!!

I can always count in Christine Nolfi's books holding my interest. This one was fabulous! What a great book about love, friendship and devotion. I adored it!

#NetGalley #LakeUnion and #Christine Nolfi

Christine Nolfi has done it again, another great story that hits every one of your emotions. This one is about family, secrets, love and love lost, betrayal and forgiveness. The characters are wonderful, I do hope that there will be a sequel to this story.

The Road She Left Behind is the most recent offering from author Christine Nolfi. It is the story of finding one’s way home after loss, harsh words, and family division. Darcy Goodridge has not allowed herself to become close to anyone or to stay in one place longer than a year since the fateful night following the joint funerals of her father, Dr. Jack Goodridge, and her younger sister, Elizabeth. A freak traffic accident took them both on the stormy night they came to assist Darcy with a flat tire and both she and her mother blame Darcy.

Darcy and her mother, Judge Rosalind Goodridge, had never been close. This terrible accident sealed their estrangement, leaving Darcy to wander on her own and her mother to raise Elizabeth’s baby son, Emerson. The precocious nine year old is far more wise than the adults that surround him. Smart and savvy as an outdoorsman, Emerson stages a disappearance with the hopes that family housekeeper Latrice will contact his Aunt Darcy and that she will finally return home. Latrice has not only kept up with Darcy at their annual Christmas conversations, but has also told Emerson all about her. Emerson has detected cues that make him worry for the future and he has decided it is time to unite his family so he is secure in the days that come.

This is an interesting story of the slights and sorrows that follow the remaining Goodridge family members, including the lies and secrets have fueled their estrangement and the apparent feud with the neighboring Varanos family. Although Darcy has vowed to never return to her mother’s home in Ohio, she finds herself there once again with Samson Dray, a young man who has been released from the foster system and has attached himself to her. And although there is a tenuous truce formed between mother and daughter, it takes a life and death matter to start the family healing.

This is a well told and emotional story with rich characters and detailed settings. Ms. Nolfi has once again proven herself as a storyteller. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it.

When I pick up a book by Christine Nolfi I know I’m in for a great ride. She writes southern fiction/women’s fiction like no one else. Her books are always a treat and so worth reading.

The Road She Left Behind is the perfect title for this awesome book. I started it and had such a hard time putting it down. I fell for the characters like they were long lost friends. There were a couple that I didn’t like, Jack, Darcy’s dad. He was a jerk of the worst kind. I also didn’t like Rosalind, Darcy’s mother. I did learn to like her and understand some of why she was the way she was. By the end I came to like her a lot and have lots of respect for her also.

My favorite character was Michael. He seemed to be such a kind and gentle person who loved Darcy with all his heart. Also all of his life. He was the kind of man all women need.

Emerson, Darcy’s nephew was one smart kid. His look at things was so refreshing. He is one smart kid too. He was a very kind child and had a way of making everyone fall in love with him. I certainly did.

Samson, Darcy’s young friend who insisted on coming back home with her. He was recently aged out of the foster system and looked up to Darcy completely. He would tell her like it was at times too. He was a great kid and didn’t take his friendship with Darcy lightly. He would stand up to anyone for her. I really did like him. He was someone that you would love to know for sure. Smart, kind and loving.. Samson is on his way to a great life.

Tippi and Nella are the next door neighbors and Nella was Rosalind’s best friend until a betrayal ended that. Nella, Michael’s mother, lived a life of guilt and would give anything to turn back time and do things differently. Tippi, Nella’s mother and Michael’s grandmother was a feisty woman who loved flirting and playing poker. She loved to cook and cause a bit of mischief when she would.

Darcy.... She was the strong young woman this whole story is about. She’s way stronger than she thinks and has lived her life in so much pain and guilt for the last eight years. She blames herself for her dad and sister dying. She feels like it is completely her fault and her mother didn’t help with that at all. Blaming one child for what another does is not fair. It’s a total shame for any mother to do so. Darcy’s coming back home made more wonderful things happen than she could have ever dreamed possible.

This book is so good. It will make you laugh, cry, think, hold your breath, cringe in parts, scream, laugh again and cry lots of tears. It’s so well written and will definitely tug at your heartstrings. It’s one that you won’t want to put down until the end and then you’ll want more. I highly recommend this book to everyone I know who loves reading.

I have to thank #NetGalley and #Lake Union publishers for this copy of a wonderful book for my honest review..

It’s another huge 5 stars from me. You can’t go wrong with a Christine Nolfi book.

I have never read any books by this author but am glad I got this one because I am now adding her to my list of authors. I love the story about family because it is something I believe in. When Darcy leaves home after her sister and father die in an accident she feels responsible for, things were never the same.

She was supposed to take care of her sister's son, Emerson, but instead that responsibility fell to her mother. When Emerson runs away, Darcy returns home to help find him and becomes entangled in the family secrets, and a love lost 8 years before.


This book kept me turning the page and was a great read. It wont be released until June 11 so thanks to #netgalley I received an ARC. I will definitely be reading more of Nolfi's books.

Real. Raw. Thought Provoking. This is a tale of secrets destroying lives - and the redemptive power of seeing people as they truly are. The backstories are tragic and understandable in a very real way. The actual story of the book even moreso. Maybe not a beach read unless you want to get sunburned - once you get in to the meat of the story, you're not going to want to put it down long enough to apply sun screen or even leave the room if at all possible. Very much recommended.

Thanks so much to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley and the author, Christine Nolfi, for the early read of this book. It was a pleasure reading and reviewing this book.

This book follows very strong women, one who ran from her past, and then had to come back to her hometown and face it. In life, I know we all feel that there are times that we just wish we hadn't done something, and that it would just go away, but in this book Darcy has to come face to face with her past, and the unfortunate things that she did.

This book deals with grieving, family, loss, letting go, and forgiveness, all in one brilliant book. I would suggest that my friends and family all read this one.

I will be adding this author to my favorites list.

Nolfi always brings real life to her characters. She draws you quickly into the storyline and keeps you there. the troubled relationships that have scarred Darcy's entire life are more profound secret. The characters are endearing and the plot engaging to the very end.

Beautifully written book about dealing with guilt, love and second chances. My first book of Christine Nolfi, but will definitely not be my last. Her writing style pulls you in from the start and makes you feel like you are part of the story. Loved this wonderful book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is wonderful filled with memorable and unique characters
Well told, very compelling, there are some sad moments and others that made me laugh.
A well told tale about family, loss and love

Looking back isn't always easy and for Darcy Goodridge it isn't anything she wants or plans to do. The past is too difficult to contemplate and, even worse, thinking about going back to an angry and unloving mother Darcy prefers to never have anything to do with again, is not an option. There's too much heartache and pain to ever want to return. "If you're going to roam the earth like the prodigal daughter, there are details you'll miss." This is where the story takes a turn and Darcy is faced with the decision of having to meet her past head on.
This story took me along the difficult journey Darcy has to maneuver through. I felt myself digging in with her to find the right path to do what was necessary and what was right. It's a story of finding forgiveness, not only for others but for herself. That can be the most difficult kind of forgiveness to accept.
The characters in this book are exceptional and so likeable. Well for the most part! There's always the one or two that have to "grow" on you. I especially fell in love with Darcy's young nephew, Emerson. He's a very independent little boy and is in tune with his surroundings and environment. He's not one anyone can put things past. Then there's Samson, the young foster system product who just wants to be loved and accepted. He's so wise in his young years and a true friend to Darcy. He says, "I feel sorry for you. My childhood was bad-all the moving around from one foster home to the next. Your childhood was lousy too."
The characters are woven in throughout this story in a way that made me feel I knew them in a personal way. Each one is tied to the others so that I was able to connect the relationships as the story progressed. There is suspense, some mystery, tensions that spill over, heartache, friendships both tentative and bonded. There are laugh-out-loud passages and others that break your heart. Then there is the story of Darcy and Michael....this in itself had me turning the pages! "Granted, no one sensible reignited a romance that had ended badly the first time. But forever was a long time."
Ms. Nolfi crafted a wonderful book that has healing, love, forgiveness and hope if there is a heart to open up for them to come into.
I am so grateful to Lake Union, Ms. Nolfi and Netgalley for the wonderful honor of reading this book. It's a five star novel for me. Thank you!
I enjoyed this book so very much.

Thank you to the author & publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of The Road She Left Behind. Very grateful ! There is nothing better to me than a really good book, and even that does not being to describe how beautiful this book is. This book has it all, tragedy, sadness, family, love, heartbreak and even hope. You will fall in love with each and every character in this book ! This book is the latest and greatest by the fabulous Christine Nolfi. You need to read this book !

Sometimes you need to stop running and go back and face your past.
Darcy fled her home eight years ago and has never looked back nor stopped running.
Now she's on the road back to confront what she left behind at home.
We get the impression that there are many secrets in Darcy's life. Slowly as the story unfolds we start to discover them as they are revealed.
I found the first few chapters a bit slow going until Darcy returned to her childhood home. Then, for me, the story picked up pace and I was drawn into the complex relationships surrounding Darcy.
An eclectic blend of characters populate the pages of this book and add so much value to the atmosphere of the book.
Its a very true representation of some families - that so often it takes something awful happening either to totally destroy them or repair them or both.
The story also exposes the other side of the mother/daughter relationship - the brittle, fragile, complex one that no-one really wants to talk about, preferring to focus on the easier, happier, uncomplicated one..
It also shines a light on the darker side of what we at times perceive as a "perfect marriage".
The last few chapters were very dramatic and fast-flowing and their events tied up everything perfectly.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Darcy leaves home after an accident that caused the deaths of her dad and sister thinking that it was her fault. Living with the guilt of losing her only sister and leaving her nephew without a mother, she moves every year so she does not get too close to people. She receives a phone call from her mother's housekeeper informing her that her 8 year old nephew, who she promised her sister that she would raise if anything happens to her, she heads home to her mom and her boyfriend that she left with no explanation to find her nephew. Her mother, Rosalind, is not accepting of her daughter and is really rude and unwelcoming to Darcy. This book was a decent read. It was slow in parts and you could figure out the happily ever after.

This book is about redemption, second chances and finding lost love. The characters bring the story to life and provide understanding to who they once were.

Christine Nolfi has hit another one out of the ballpark. A beautiful story of family hurts, fears and denials all coming to light and finding redemption and forgiveness as Darcy returns home to Ohio after running away eight years before. Endearing characters tell a story of hope and love as Darcy discovers family and so much more. I'm thinking a sequel is in order, the characters are too vivid to reside in only one book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Christine Nolfi for sharing this beautiful ARC with me!

In order to not share any spoilers, I will share that this book is one that will prevent you from accomplishing any housework, so be prepared to hunker down in your favorite reading spot with your largest glass of sweet tea and dive right in and unravel the secrets and tragedy that have molded the broken Goodridge family for years....

When you leave that way you can never come home...but sometimes, going home is exactly where you have to go to face the pain that you've been running from.

You won't be disappointed!