A pleasant read, if a bit unrealistic.

Hadley & Grace, an unlikely duo, with a tag-along family consisting of a baby, an autistic grade-schooler, and a sullen teenager, cross the country in a Trains, Planes, and Automobiles-like adventure, on the run from the FBI, Hadley’s criminal husband Frank, and other local authorities.

The book kept my attention enough to finish it, yet I wasn’t “wow”-ed by the story. One thing I did enjoy, however, to see the personal growth of the characters throughout the novel, in particular Hadley’s daughter Mattie.

If you suspend your disbelief for a time, the ladies’ misadventures are a fun frolic. Perfect for those who enjoy a tale of a couple of gals breaking free from their former selves and deciding just who and what they want to be. And, for those book club lovers, don’t miss the Discussion Questions at the back of the book.

Hadley & Grace is available February 1, 2021, from Lake Union Publishing, in paperback, audio CD, and for Kindle.

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Loved this book! The story of two women and three kids on the run from the law. with lots of money. I could not put it down, I had to keep on reading chapter after chapter. Fantastic ending. I could envision this being made into a movie. Lots of action!

This book is being billed as a "Thelma and Louise" story. It does have two women on the run, but it is very different than the movie. After the set up, you have to root for Hadley and Grace and the kids. This book is well passed and a really good and memorable story. My only real criticism of this is that there are some situations that could add humor to this dramatic book and without a little humor injected, it feels like a missed opportunity.

This isn't my first book to read by Suzanne Redfearn and it won't be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy.

I loved this book! A story about having the opportunity to start over, and what really makes a family.

What a fabulous read!

Thoroughly enjoyed this. It is a similar storyline to Thelma and Louise which is even referenced in the story, but its also completely different characters and back story. Very well written and I absolutely loved the main characters.

Highly recommended and well deserves the 5 stars.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley.

Required Mention Of Thelma And Louise Meets Fast And Furious. Redfearn blatantly admits that she set out to do a "modern" retelling of Thelma and Louise and to honor a guy she met at her restaurant. Here, she did both exceedingly well. (Well, I never knew the real Skipper, but the fictionalized version of him is a great character.) But where so many reviewers focus on the Thelma and Louise aspect or the kid aspect, allow this childfree dude to bring in another aspect no other review I've seen has: This book is *also* exceedingly similar to the Fast and Furious franchise, with its emphasis on the family you create and doing the right thing by them while running from law enforcement agents who may or may not understand what is really going on - or care. Yes, Hadley and Grace could be seen as the Thelma and Louise that Redfearn blatantly set out to emulate. But they can also be seen as Dom and Brian, just trying to make bad situations right. Great light adventure story and a great way to begin a new year. Very much recommended.

A really fun story which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The characters and their relationships build throughout along with the story along a series of small non-decided actions and errors. This was a great fun read perfect for a holiday or a bit of escapism.

It seems like fate when Hadley and Grace meet for the first time.. or is it something more than that?

Hadley and Grace both desperately need a fresh start in their lives and when their paths cross it is at once destined and unnerving.

This was a fast-paced thrill ride that I couldn't put down! I think this is definitely one of those "escapist" type novels. Definitely a quick read.

This is a modern day Thelma & Louise! Lots of laughs, a few good tears. I enjoyed reading this book. Some parts were kind of slow, but overall a really great read!!

Needing to escape her abusive marriage, Hadley flees with her two kids, knowing it might be her only chance. A woman who can’t even kill a spider, Hadley soon finds herself pushed to the limits as she fights to protect her family.

Grace, new mother of baby Miles, desperately wants to put her rough past behind her for good, but she finds it impossible when her path crosses with Hadley’s, and her quest for a new start quickly spirals out of control and turns into a terrifying flight for survival.

Stronger together than apart, the two find their fates inextricably entwined, and as the danger closes in, each must decide how much she is willing to risk for the other.

A powerful story of self-discovery, Hadley and Grace is the heart-racing tale of two women facing insurmountable odds, racing to stay one step ahead of the trouble that is chasing them, and discovering new kinds of love and family along the way.

Hadley and Grace achieved exactly what it set out to: present a modern spin of Thelma and Louise. I adored the careful character development as well as the action-packed plot. Albeit far-fetched yet predictable in some respects, this read was quite an enticing piece of women's fiction.. I truly empathized with the characters which is a cornerstone piece for myself as a reader. I hope this author continues to focus on this in future novels and possibly take more risks in future plot development. The heavy inspiration of Thelma and Louise was great to get the author to this point; now I would like to see more innovation and originality come to light.

I honestly went into this book with no expectations, and I have to say what draw me primarily to the story was that it involved children. I probably wouldn't have decided to read it if it was just a book about two women running away and hiding from law enforcement. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It was a very engaging, unpredictable, and emotional story. The main characters are Hadley and Grace. Hadley is a trophy wife in an abusive marriage and knows she has to leave her husband for the sake of the children. However, not everything goes as planned when she goes to her husband Frank's office to search for money she can use to start a new life. Grace is a young woman with a baby and is down on her luck after being cheated by her boss, she feels desperate and decides to go after what he owes her. In their normal lives these two women wouldn't cross each other's paths, but because of circumstances they do.

I didn't expect to connect and care so much about the characters. Grace and Hadley are the opposite of each other, and this definitely resulted in some conflict between them. However, the more time they spent together the more they started caring about the other. Hadley's daughter Mattie and nephew Skipper were amazing, and they were definitely my favorite characters in this book. Especially Skipper was such a beautiful young boy who I just couldn't help but care for. Grace struggles with her baby Miles and doesn't know how to handle him at times, but I loved seeing her grow and learn from Hadley. They both taught each other very important life lessons, and I enjoyed seeing them grow into such great characters. I didn't know how this story would end and it really had me on the edge of my seat at times. There were moments when I couldn't contain my tears and my heart broke for these characters. This book had me on an emotional roller coaster and I loved it. This is my first but definitely won't be my last book by this author.

After reading some dark and disturbing books this was just the novel I needed. This was a great story with lots of heart!

Hadley, her daughter Mattie and nephew Skipper have been living a very constrained life. Hadley’s husband Frank is a controlling man who lashes out at Hadley whenever something displeases him. He is cruel and abusive.

Daughter Mattie is having some struggles of her own, she is 14 and at the age when she is trying to decide who she really is, what she wants out of life and how to get along in this dysfunctional family.

Hadley has been raising Skipper since he was very young because her sister couldn’t handle taking care of him. He is a special needs child, age 8, but has some incredible insights into life and ways of dealing with his own inner stresses. Finally Hadley has made a plan to escape this life and her husband. It should have all gone fine.

Grace is a young mothet of a colicky 4 month old. Her husband Jimmy is a great guy, except for his gambling habit. He is currently away and serving in the Army. Once again Grace finds herself almost penniless and decides she needs to flee this marriage and this apartment. Her boss, Frank, has just cheated her out of money that she had been counting on. She wants to get the money that was promised to her. Her plan should have worked.

One night at Frank’s office, both women meet and have the same idea. Though from completely different backgrounds, they have one thing in common, they feel that Frank “owes” them.

What ensues is at first a comedy of errors as the two women and three kids begin their escape together, not really having a solid plan except to get as far away from Frank as possible.

There are so many ups and downs in this book, it was a terrific ride!! I enjoyed watching these two women learn to appreciate each other for who they really are. The relationship between the three children changes into something resembling a family.

“Coincidence is not something Grace believes in and the chances of what happened that night are too infinitesimally small for her to simply write off as happenstance. No, it seems to her that some hidden connectivity existed in that moment that profoundly influenced their lives, intertwining their fates and bringing them to this remarkable place and time.”

It isn’t long before this group is being hunted by everyone from Frank and his henchmen to the FBI and find themselves highlighted on all of the news stations.

I will leave the reader to discover all of the situations that this group finds themselves in. Ride along as they tackle all of the challenges that fate has in store for them.

I can highly recommend this book as a great escape read. You will be rooting for Hadley and Grace but wondering how this could possibly end well? The characters evolve and connect in wonderful ways.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
This novel is set to publish on February 1, 2021

Will post to Amazon upon publication

Get ready for one heck of a wild and crazy ride. I’m glad it was a rainy day so I had an excuse to spend the day reading this book. I couldn’t make myself stop. This is definitely similar to a Thelma and Louise journey only with kids. Fast paced and exciting from one chapter to the next. Great characters and plot. I love everything This author writes and you don’t want to miss this one. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

Hadley and Grace are determined to escape their current living conditions, but when their paths cross unexpectedly, rather than running from their problems, they ultimately put themselves and their children in more danger.

Hadley and Grace must learn to work together if they are going to stay one step ahead of the danger that is following them, and despite the circumstances that brought them together, they develop a bond that has them fighting to remain in one another’s lives.

I really enjoyed this story of strength and self-discovery and loved all of the characters, especially the children. I think what I loved most was how they persevered and fought to stay together while on the run. They might have left their less-than-ideal lives behind, but in the midst of all their troubles, they seemed to have formed their own little family unit. Definitely recommending this one!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3545855281

This modern Thelma and Louise is all very silly and implausible - yet I found myself really enjoying it and couldn't put it down! The two main characters are chalk and cheese which worked really well, and I found myself rooting of both of them. My favourite character was Hadley's nephew who was really sweet.

A very fun ride that makes for compulsive reading.

Hadley and Grace by Suzanne Redfearn

Ever since reading In an Instant, I have been chomping at the bit to get my mitts on this book! I was as giddy as a schoolgirl when I got my copy! My anticipation was at an all time high… Let me tell you, this book did not disappoint!! I couldn’t put the book down. My husband had to pry my kindle out of my hand to go to bed….. He is lucky I didn’t bite his hand...

Two women, three kids….. What was the connection…. This was the musing of the FBI agent tasked with tracking Hadley and Grace down. I think it literally paints the start to the kaleidoscope of questions I kept asking myself!

Hadley and Grace are two of the most unlikeliest people to be thrown together and hunted down by the FBI. They both have the same idea at the time and end up blowing an FBI case against Hadley’s husband Frank and end up going on the run together!
Hadley is fleeing her abusive husband with her daughter Matty and Nephew, under the guise of returning her nephew to her sister to buy herself some time. Hadley, who is so gentle and kind but totally clueless about who her husband truly is. Grace, who was just about to get fired by Hadley’s husband and decides that after her own husband has yet again blown their money on gambling, that she needs an exit strategy that will keep both her and her one year old son Miles financially secure. Cue the start of the zaniest ride of your life.

I absolutely fell in love with both these women. I found myself identifying and connecting with them both, obviously for different reasons. I especially enjoyed watching Hadley as she broke away from her bubble of naivety and started to find herself. Pulling strength and resilience out her shattered psyche and bringing about some extraordinary brilliance from what seems so hopeless at times. Some of the predicaments they get themselves into, had my heart just pulsing with a fire I thought had long since died in myself. It really made me realize that no situation is ever as dire as it once seemed.

Grace with her tough exterior and heart of gold, made me smile so often my cheeks began to ache. Everything she overcame in her life and the fact she could have parted ways with Hadley at any point and been better off for it, yet still she stayed with her knowing she was putting herself in harm's way. Still she felt a sisterly kinship with a woman who could not be more different from herself. These two mamabears taking a hazardous trip across state lines to protect their kids really endeared me to them both. I’m a roaring mamabear too so I can appreciate everything they did to protect their kids. It really hit every point for me. The excitement and heart pounding to the emotional crushing of their spirits was just a slither of the action waiting for you. I literally laughed and cried. Felt such anger at the injustices of their situation, yet fearful of the outcome if they were apprehended! Even after FBI agent Mark and Hadley’s connection, I never felt confident that they could get caught, be heard and treated fairly. I was actually pretty disgusted at the prejudice Grace was hit with because of her past when really Hadley was the naughty one here.

Skipper was by far my favourite character. I wanted to reach into the pages and pull this delightful boy into my arms and find out what nickname he would have given me. I dare you not to fall in love with his resilience and beautiful outlook of our savage world.


For me, this book ticks all the things that make a book worth reading again. I really enjoyed getting both of their points of view consistently throughout the book. I think that was pure writing genius! I usually don’t enjoy multiple POVs in a book but this was absolutely the right call.

If you are looking for a book that encompasses fierce loyalty, adventure, passion, sacrifice and loss but will make your heart sing in ways you never knew existed then this really should be your next read. Family isn’t always blood tied. Sometimes it’s forged when unlikely people come together for a shared destiny of self discovery into an unknown future and finding love in the strangest of places.

Another 5 star smash hit for this incredibly talented author.

It’s a little reminiscent of Thelma and Louise but good all the same . Just a good escape novel full of twists and turns.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Author Suzanne Redfearn takes readers on a thrilling, heart-pounding road trip in this fantastic book. Hadley & Grace features two women on the run from their lives and their pasts, whose lives intersect and set them on a journey fraught with danger, three kids in tow. As I went along with them on this crazy ride, I was right with them, feeling their fear, their bravery; watching in awe as they became stronger, working together to save their families, resigned to their fate but never giving up. At the beginning of the story, each of them were desperate for a new beginning, looking for a better future for themselves and their children. I loved watching them discover who they were deep down, using their newfound independence and power, but never losing sight that their families were their highest priority. Hadley & Grace is an extraordinary, powerful book of self-discovery, family, survival, and empowerment.

Another masterpiece by suzanne Redfearn. This was a wild ride in the vein of Thelma and Louise. I really enjoyed the dynamic of the characters as well as the storyline itself. A fun read altogether. Full review coming closer to pub date.

This book sounded very promising... two women and their children on the run (reminiscent of Thelma and Louise). I found the characters to be flat and the pace of the story slow. I know most other readers liked this book, so maybe it just didn’t appeal to me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.