“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.”

Contemporary women’s fiction is a genre that I haven’t been into for a long time, I normally reach for all the mysteries and thrillers. However, something about this synopsis grabbed me and so, I jumped, and I am so happy that I did. The one thing that was not revealed by the synopsis was the relationships in this book that turn you into a sideline cheerleader, hoping that everything plays out just right for everyone.

This book also made me feel all the emotions. I was on the edge of my seat in parts, sad in others, elated in others and feeling the love still in other parts. I also found myself giggling out loud on a regular basis thanks to a certain couple of characters who added so much flavor and color to this book.

If I had one thing that hung me up from giving 5 stars, it would be that I found it jumped in some places. Never enough for me to get lost, but enough for me to sort of stumble and go “oh, we’re talking about what now?”

Overall, this book was a great, light read and I would definitely look for this author again!

Darcy has never been close to her mom Rosalind. After an accident takes the lives of Darcy's dad and sister, Darcy leaves home. 8 years later Darcy returns home. She brings with her Samson who is like her little brother. Rosalind her mother is not happy to see her but her 8 year old nephew Emerson is. As they learn to be together again, lots of family secrets come to the surface. This is an amazing story of family, love, and forgiveness. The characters are so real and multi layered you are laughing and crying with them. If you like stories with amazing characters and a wonderful story then this book is for you! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Christine Nolfi for providing a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

(From Netgalley)
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.

This story is pure sweetness. It is obvious that veteran author, Christine Nolfi, understands how to artfully weave the human condition into a comforting bundle of stories that readers actually care about until the end. In The Road She Left Behind, readers follow Darcy’s journey back to Ohio when her nephew turns up missing. The story begins in Charleston with a host of minor characters that jump off the page, including best friend and lovely companion, Samson, who easily lives up to his Biblical name. This alone promises characters so rich, it would read like a movie script. Darcy is strong and sensible with her intelligence outweighing any stubborn actions that could destroy her logic. Her thoughts are a bit jumbled after the tragedy she endures before the novel begins (losing her sister and father) and this makes her seem like she is just another woman running away from her problems. Then she is forced home. In her hometown and childhood home, Darcy opens up and becomes one of the most compassionate characters in fiction. Her mother, Rosalind, plays the ultimate “mommy dearest” villain with words that cut the readers as well as the characters she slings them towards. My favorite character was Emerson, Darcy’s bright 8-year-old nephew, who is a real child character with quick and natural dialogue.

Aligning with the enjoyable characters, the plot rolls along quickly without having to add to much action. Although the ending includes just enough drama to wake up the characters, it is not needed throughout the entire novel because the characters are so well-developed readers can easily fall into their lives and care about what is happening to them. It was refreshing to read a story that did not need to pull out all of the stops to get readers to delve into the world Nolfi created. It was a simple and sweet view of how pasts and secrets can build a personal prison for everyone involved. The secrets were not earth-shattering but fit in the story well without it feeling like a forced shock just to keep readers guessing. This novel also includes a sort of dual plot with Rosalind’s neighbor creating a devastating twist that brings things into perspective.

Overall, I rate this novel 5/5 stars for the sensitive and enduring stories that draw readers into the domestic lives of people that have redeeming qualities and true-to-nature flaws. It was refreshing and engaging. The best part about this novel is the way it sticks with readers long after the last page has been turned.

This novel's publication date is June 11, 2019.

The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi portrays two families ripped apart by tragedy and deeply buried secrets of the past. This book depicts a beautiful and touching story filled with strong themes of forgiveness, love, and betrayal between family and friends. The story revolves around Darcy who returns back home to Ohio after many years away to face the guilt of her past and find the closure she has been seeking. You can always count on Christine Nolfi to write books and develop characters that everyone can relate to in some way.

Christine Nolfi masterfully tells the story of Darcy and Rosalind and their losses through life. The mother and daughter attempt to navigate a new way of communicating in this standalone book. This is a book about finding yourself in the least likely place. It also touches on a little-known, but impactful disease that was very personal to me. It brought up the topic, and gave it some detail, but not too much (which was good. It's a very confusing ailment). While it discussed some of the possible treatments, I appreciated that it did not beautify the terrible disease, nor did it get into the nitty gritty details. The book discusses as much as was necessary to propel the story along. I loved the Sweet Lake series, but I enjoyed this book even more. I hope she continues to write similar books. While there were elements of predictability, there were also surprises along the way. It was the perfect brain break I needed between graduate school semesters.

Definitely one of my favorite books so far this year.
This book has it all and clicks so perfectly. From the characters to the plot to the atmosphere. I loved every single character, even the high and mighty grumpy Grand Dame. Darcy comes home after eight years because her nephew has gone missing. She’s carrying a heavy weight on her shoulders feeling guilt for things that happened in the past. Her mother blames her, too. I loved the relationships, past and present, and the stories that went along with them. Anyone who has ever watched General Hospital, the eight year old nephew has the personality of Spencer Cassidine. I loved it! A lot of revelations and healing take place in this book. Highly recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

Christine Nolfi has a way of taking a problem such as the family strife in this story and making it something to which anyone can relate. The Road She Left Behind brought me into the life of Darcy and how her past shaped and guided the different directions she chose. This was a story that wouldn’t let me leave and left me wanting more at the end. I cheered and I cried as I read. Sometimes I did both at the same time.
This is another must read story by a very talented author.

I was a BETA reader and really enjoyed the early version of this book. Last night, I read an ARC of the final book and am thoroughly impressed! This is a story about love, family, mistakes, forgiveness, and hope. It is beautifully written and I highly recommend it!

The Road She Left Behind is full of complex characters, emotions, and secrets. After an eight year absence, Darcy comes home and faces all that she was running from. I was drawn into her life immediately and was wanting more at the end. I hope that we readers will get another book to see what happens next. Another great book by Christine Nolfi.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. This is my honest review.

Another intriguing novel by Christine Nolfi. Set in beautiful Northeast Ohio, Nolfi shares the tale of a daughter made to feel less than others and used as a pawn by her parents to justify their own bad decisions and wrongful actions. Through the friendship of a foster care graduate and devotion of a longtime family employee, Darcy Goodridge finds the courage to return where she has never felt truly loved or wanted. In forcing herself to face her mother's wrath, Darcy begins to forge a relationship with her young nephew and rekindle a romance with the boy nextdoor. She also starts to question and accept that her sister wasn't as perfect as she always let herself believe and that her parents' marriage was unhealthy for the entire family in ways that lead to events which burdened her heart and soul. In finally questioning the life she convinced herself she deserved, Darcy finally finds herself on the road to a life she is entitled to embrace.

"We've all got a star in the heavens. one made special just for us."
This novel portrays love, family, friendship, heartache and a lot of guilt.
The main character, Darcy returns to Ohio to find her eight year old nephew, Emerson. She also will find herself in this process after feeling lost for years.
Messages have been missed, misconstrued and hidden deep under the carpet over the years.
The Goodridge family need to iron them out before time runs out.
A wonderful story with characters I will not forget anytime soon.
These people are so real that you feel as though they are friends.
If I have to pick a favorite, it would be Emerson. A young boy with insight, sensitivity and a heart filled with love looking for his star!
A delightful novel as are all of Christine Nolfi's books!

I seem to be in the minority of readers on this one and that may be due to the genre. This was much more of a romance novel than I expected, the "secrets" were too obvious to me to early in the story and I found the ending too predictable as well. Unfortunately this one wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

The Road She Left Behind is a beautifully told story of complicated family dynamics. A perfect summer read!
Darcy left home years ago and never staying in one place long enough to form attachments. When a family emergency calls her home she must face the grief she has been running from.
Once again Christine Nolfi creates an endearing cast of characters, including Darcy’s harsh/overbearing mother, her cheeky nephew and her childhood best friend. As the story unfolds Darcy uncovers some long kept family secrets and finds a stronger version of herself who is worthy of love.

This is my first read by this author. I loved the writing from the off. The Goodridge family are damaged by tragedy and secrets. This damage has seeped into all aspects of family life. When little Emerson goes missing Darcy Goodridge returns home to face the past.
Darcy’s mother doesn’t want to know her and she has to face the boy whose love she still remembers.
Darcy hopes to improve family life and relationships by unpicking the tragic night of long ago.
As the book progresses we see the effects of time on forgiveness and personal healing. I really felt part of the story and loved it all. I was so sorry when this ended and would recommend it.

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.

The Road She Left Behind, was an excellent book. Each character I was so connected too. A book of lessons of love, humanity: forgiveness, healing, and letting go, I felt myself smiling quite a bit as well felt a tear I had to wipe away. All of the characters were people I wish I knew.


Thank you, NetGalley for the advance copy for a review.

Really enjoyed this. Refreshing read, great job. Full review on the blog coming shortly. . Really great job!