Cover Image: The Road She Left Behind

The Road She Left Behind

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Member Reviews

There’s a saying you can never go home again. Is that really true? Well, Darcy Goodridge is about to find out. She ran away eight years ago when her father and sister died in a horrible car accident and has never considering coming home. She never felt truly loved or wanted by her mother in the first place, and the resentment after the accident was more than she could bear. So she left her mother and her infant nephew, and the man she loved, behind and began a transient life, never really making any deep connections and moving on every year because she couldn’t stand the thought of losing any more. But now her nephew has run away and she must go home to try and find him, and to see if there is anything left of the life she escaped.

What a wonderful, superbly told story this is. The people feel so real, you can imagine you are right there with them. So many secrets, such heartbreak. So many misunderstandings. Isn’t it time for it all to stop? But can it?

This is a book with a marvelous, compelling cast of characters, all with a backstory and tale to tell. So true to life. Even the unlikable folks have redeeming qualities, and your favorites have some flaws. And Darcy’s young friend Samson is a precious treat. As the story unfolds you learn more and more about the role everyone has played in this tragedy with long roots. Many surprises that you won’t see coming.

Thank you, author Christine Nolfi for writing this beautiful story and thank you, NetGalley for the privilege of reading and reviewing an advance copy of The Road She Left Behind. It makes you laugh and it makes you cry but ultimately it leaves you smiling because you feel so fulfilled and satisfied

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The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi is the work of a skilled storyteller. It is the story of the reuniting and rebuilding of family and friendship after tragedy. It is coming to terms with the past while dealing with heartbreak and healing.

The story touched me in so many ways. I could relate to the characters, their feelings, their anger, and their sense of loss. To recount the story would not do the characters and the book justice.

I highly recommend that you read this book. It is, as I said, a well written and an engaging story.

Thank you #Netgalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for approving my request. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

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This author made me fall in love with the characters so much that I was sad when it ended. This is such a beautiful and touching story, I was hooked from the beginning. 4/5

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Christine Nolfi has done it again! This story had me crying and laughing out loud as the story unfolds. We all have had to chose which path to follow. The death of Darcy's sister and father had her changing paths each year. Finally she takes the path home. Here she comes to grips with her past and the destruction of those around her, including her mother, nephew, and an old boyfriend. Once facts are faced we all are able to hope and love wins. You will not be able to put this book down until the last page is turned.

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Christine Nolfi tears at every heartstring in this delicious novel about second chances, coming home, love, guilt and secrets. If any of those are your cup of tea, run, don't walk (seriously) to read this book!

The characters and descriptions are so very well done that I found myself wanting to sink into the story and read slower so that the end wouldn't sneak up on me so quickly. I could see the characters in my mind and touch and smell the settings described so well.

If I haven't convinced you yet that this is the story for you, the characters of Samson and Emerson will. They are bigger than life examples of all that is touching, heartwarming and different in the lives of children vs the lives of adults. These characters retain a wonderful innocence in spite of the hurdles they've faced. I wanted both of them in my life almost as soon as I met them.

Do yourself or someone you care for a favor and read The Road She Left Behind. If you don't feel like picking up the phone and mending a fence or two when it's over, I'd be very surprised.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC at my request. My thoughts in this review are my own and freely given.

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Darcy Goodridge left Chagrin Falls, Ohio eight years ago after a tragic accident that resulted in the deaths of both her sister, Elizabeth and her father, Dr. Jack. Darcy hasn't spoken to her mother, Rosalind, in all that time, but, Darcy is now needed at home after her nephew, Emerson, goes missing. What is the real reason behind Emerson's disappearance?

The family dynamic is well-written, true to life and relatable. My favorite characters were Emerson, who's 8 going on 30 one minute and a typical 8-year old the next, and Samson, the 18-year old Darcy befriends and brings home to Ohio. Samson's quiet, calm nature was the perfect balance to the chaotic, tumultous relationship between Darcy and Rosalind.

After reading Nolfi's Sweet Lake series, I was excited to read The Road She Left Behind, and it didn't disappoint. All of the elements I enjoy in a book were present...family drama, a second chance at love and a setting that was familiar to me.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.

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Darcy Goodridge has spent the past eight years of her life running away from her family and life. She doesn't spend more than one year in any job or town. She has no close friends. She doesn't keep in contact with her family. When she left Ohio after the tragic accident that claimed her younger sister and father's lives, she cut off all ties. Yes, she had promised her sister that she would take care of her nephew if anything happened, but she knew her mother -- a well-respected judge, would never allow that to happen. Darcy is packed and ready to leave South Carolina in her rear view mirror and head to New Jersey for a new job placement, when she receives a phone call from her mother's housekeeper and her surrogate mother, Latrice, telling her that her eight-year-old nephew Emerson has run away from home. Darcy is prepared to ignore this call for help until the one friend she's made in eight years, an eighteen-year-old former foster child, talks her into returning home with him in tow. Needless to say, the last thing Darcy's mother expects to see on her doorstep is Darcy, much less Darcy accompanied by an eighteen-year-old, Black male, dread wearing former foster child. Fortunately, Samson has a way about him and is able to worm his way into Latrice's good graces and even strikes up a tentative relationship with Darcy's mother Rosalind. Emerson is found safe and without harm, but his return home leads to a bombshell that will rock the Goodridge family. For someone that has spent years running away from the past, Darcy now must confront it and deal with all of the fallout. That fallout includes her mother's declining health, revelations about her father and adored sister, and facing the love she left behind all those years ago. Is it possible to return home and mend the bridges we thought we burnt down?

I'm always excited when I hear about a new Christine Nolfi story. Her stories incorporate lots of realistic family drama often dealing with highly dysfunctional contemporary situations (some resolved, some not), multigenerational friendships, secrets, and romance. Needless to say, I jumped for joy (figuratively) when I received notice that I was going to be able to read and review The Road She Left Behind. I was eager to read this book in one sitting, but had to deal with a weather-induced migraine and then taking my mother out for her weekly grocery shopping. I liked all of the characters in The Road She Left Behind including the curmudgeonly and strict Rosalind Goodridge, Darcy's mother. The eight-year-old Emerson and eighteen-year-old Samson provided some great comic relief at times, but I could emotionally relate to both of these guys. Emerson was struggling to be mature because that's what his grandmother expected, whereas Samson was rather immature and naive for his age, but could come out with these amazingly prescient statements due to his observational skills. Samson had never been in a true family setting and expected a wealthy family to be happy. He was quite shocked to learn that Darcy's family was anything but happy despite their wealth and privilege. Darcy and Michael's friendship is gradually rebuilt as well as their romance. Yes, there's a lot going on in The Road She Left Behind, but if I told you everything you wouldn't need to read the book. If you've ever read anything by Ms. Nolfi, then I don't have to tell you to get a copy of this book as soon as possible but I will anyway. If you've never read anything by Ms. Nolfi, then The Road She Left Behind might be a good book to start with, especially if you enjoy stories with family angst, drama, and romance. For now, I'm eagerly awaiting my purchased copy of The Road She Left Behind to download on the release day and I plan on spending the very next weekend leisurely rereading this book, hopefully without interruptions.

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I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I know I can pick up a book written by Christine Nolfi and be in for a treat. She writes women fiction like no one else.
I loved this book from the first sentence! Her writing is vivid and moving, and captures your heart. The plot leaves you guessing until the end.
Her characters...Such a mixed bag of wonderful people who made me laugh, cry, get mad, and sigh with joy. They kept you dying to know who was going to do what next!!
The feelings I got while reading this wonderful story were magical ..such is the gift of a wonderful author named Christine Nolfi
I'm proud to give this wonderful story a 5 star rating

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Darcy is holding on to tremendous guild after a car accident claimed the lives of her father and sister 8 years ago.
Added to that was her mother's resentment, so she fled to attempt to avoid the heartache. Now, she receives a call that her nephew Emerson is missing and she needs to return home to help. Reluctantly she does return to Ohio.
This ultimately is a story revolving around family secrets, betrayal ,forgiveness and courage to face your past. It was a very heartwarming story about Darcy attempting to repair the broken relationships she left behind and to start on the path of healing.
Thanks to Christine Nolfi, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this great book!

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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.

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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.

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This was one of my very favorite reads.
The message in this story is so heartwarming.
I loved the plot with the twists and turns and the melding of then and now.
The characters were so compelling that you could identify with their feelings.
I could hardly put it down until I finished it.
This book shows why Christine Nolfi is such an amazing writer.

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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!!!!!

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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!

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#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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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