Ratings12
Average rating3.7
Set on Pine Island, Night Road is the story of three teenagers: Lexi, Mia and her twin brother Zach. Lexi's childhood was spent watching her alcoholic mother slowly poison herself to death. When she turns fourteen, Lexi's Aunt Eva takes her in to live with her in her caravon on a trailer park. Mia and Zach Farraday, on the other hand, had an idyllic childhood with everything they could possible want from an adoring and doting mother. The twins meet Lexi on their first day of high school. Lexi, sweet-natured and gentle, finds a soul mate in Mia and they become best friends. Lexi falls in love with Zach the moment she first sets eyes on him but she never imagines that he'd ever look at her in any way other than as his beloved twin's best friend. But it turns out that Zach is absolutely crazy about Lexi, he just doesn't want to jeapardize her relationship with Mia.Life changes for them all on a fateful summer's night following their graduation party. Zach's the designated driver, but both he and Mia had had far too much too drink. Lexi decides that she is sober enough to drive. It turns out to be a decision that she will regret for the rest of her life...
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I decided to read this for a prompt for a book about a difficult topic for a challenge I'm doing. It had drink driving, accidentally killing your best friend, going to prison and finding out you're pregnant, giving your baby to your boyfriend thinking she'd have a great life and then when released finding out her life isn't that great. So many lives hurt from one night. So glad that it all worked out in the end though.
As a huge fan of Kristin's Hannah's more recent novels, I decided to read this one from her backlist. While I did not love this as much as some others, it was a good book. This story involves several serious topics woven together in one tragic tale. It is a very emotional book.
The storyline centers around one young woman and the family of her best friend. Lexi has had a difficult childhood in foster care. Luckily, she is taken in by her aunt when is fourteen, and she befriends a shy girl named Mia. They become best friends, and Mia's family “adopts” Lexi as one of their own. Lexi then forms a relationship with Mia's twin brother, Zach, which further connects her to the family. However, when a error in judgment leads to an accident that impacts their lives forever, the bonds between Lexi and Mia's family are shattered. The story takes the reader on a journey that will reveal whether those bonds of love can be reformed.
The story is told from two perspectives, Lexi's and Jude's. Jude is Mia's and Zach's mother, and she is overprotective of her children. Her chapters reveal a woman who loves her family intensely, but seeks to control them and her surroundings. That control is fragile, and she struggles when cracks begin to form. Lexi's presence in their lives threatens some of Jude's control. Lexi's chapters reveal a young woman seeking acceptance and love. She has a strong sense of morals and fairness, which leads her to make some faulty choices to “protect” others.
At times, the plot feels a bit overdone. There are so many serious topics pulled into the storyline. I was able to predict where certain parts of the storyline were headed because of the use of these common topics. It is like I had read the story before. Even so, it affected me. I pulled at my heartstrings many times.
Overall, the book is good, and I enjoyed reading it. Is it groundbreaking and original? No. Will it suck you in and make you cry? Yes. I would recommend it to fans of Kristin Hannah. Just don't expect it to be like her recent historical fictions books.