Darcy has been carrying around guilt over a car accident that killed her father and sister.
Relationship with her mother has been torn apart.
An unexpected phone call has her returning to her family home.
A story of two families torn apart by tragedy and past buried secrets.
A heartwarming story with love, forgiveness, betrayal, grief and how to move forward instead of running away.
I loved the book!

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing and Christine Nolfi for the opportunity to read this book.

Christine Nolfi has done it again! The Road She Left Behind is another book by Nolfi that I just couldn't put down. I loved how the story unfolded, learning about Darcy's difficult past along the way. It was cool to see Darcy bring Sampson with her on her journey back to her family. I could feel the struggles that Darcy had with her difficult mother while forming a trusting relationship with her nephew, Emerson. The characters were well-written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I highly recommend this book!

I received an ARC from NetGalley..

This is my first time reading anything by Christine Nolfi, and it will not be my last. I appreciated how the relationships matured through the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read 'The Road She Left Behind'. This was an easy and enjoyable read with strong characters. Christine Nolfi clearly portrayed a family in disarray and I particularly loved Emerson and his mature-beyond-years voice which echoed his grandmother's. Although a little predictable, it is a feel-good book and worth reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
This book makes a great book to snuggle up in front of the fire with a glass of wine or relax on the beach and read.
It held my interest from the very first page. It didn't make me laugh and it didn't make me cry but it didn't want to let me put it down either.

Right from the beginning we’re told there are deep dark secrets concerning the death of the sister, the death of the father, the family split and the best friend split with the next door neighbor. Whew! And then for chapter after chapter we’re given hints about these deep dark secrets which are increasingly magnified with grudges!

Starting about the middle of the book the guilt and anger and grudges the characters have held for 20 years (in some cases), just magically disappear and by the ending everyone lives happily ever after. A modern day fairy tale.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Darcy hasn't been home in ages. Guilt has kept her away. But then she gets a call and knows she must heed it. She must go back and face her demons. Once she does, she finds both love and redemption. And gets to know her nephew. Plus she and her mother do away with their feud. A great women's fiction read. All about family and forgiving others as well as ourselves. Great read!

I’ve read (and loved) several of Christine Nolfi's books and this book was no different! She has a gift for creating truly special characters that you don’t want to let go of at the end of the book (seriously, I was so sad when the book ended – I wanted more!!) While I enjoyed all of the characters, I especially loved Emerson and Samson – Emerson is an 8 year old boy who is mature WAY beyond his years, taking dental floss with him when he escapes to the woods on an impromptu solo camping trip. Samson is an 18 year old young man who appears much younger than he is, but he’s a devoted friend to Darcy, even when she tries to push him away as she tries to continue her nomadic way of life.

I thought Nolfi did a great job unfolding the story and slowly revealing why Darcy has lived the way she has for the past 8 years, revealing enough to pique your curiosity and keep you reading on. Once I started, this book was hard to put down!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley, and Christine Nolfi for providing a copy for review.

I was given an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

When tragedy hits you either stand and fight or you run from the hurt pain and guilty. Darcy ran from her home leaving her critical mother, loving house keeper, the love of her life Michael, and the new baby boy Emerson, her sister Elizabeth had just weeks before her death. Darcy never stays anywhere longer than a year.

It is a family emergency, Emerson is missing that finally brings Darcy home. Will Darcy be able to finally build a relationship with her mother? Will Darcy get a second chance at love? Is it too later for Darcy to be there for her nephew Emerson like she promised her sister?

I enjoyed this story because the characters were believable. The events and reactions were in align with human nature. There was not a magically wand to fix the issues that have torn them apart.

I have read several books by Christine Nolfi and this one does not disappoint. Darcy has never been close to her mom Rosalind. after an accident takes the lives of Darcy's dad and sister, Darcy leaves home and after eight years she is asked to come home to help find her nephew who is missing.

There is a lot of rich development of each character and misunderstandings that are cleared up. I really enjoyed Emerson, the nephew. Darcy was able to heal the relationship with her mother. And she was able to reconnect with her childhood best friend who was hurt when she left town. This story is about healing and getting past childhood hurt. The writing was very good, and I found no errors I recommend reading this book. Thanks net galley for letting me read it.

Full of strong, heartfelt emotions, this story grabbed me from the beginning. Regret over past mistakes has caused lives to be changed for two families. I could feel the pain of decisions made long ago. I could feel the love still there among the hurt and sadness. My tissue box was close by while I read the story. A great read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required.

I had the pleasure of receiving an e-book ARC of The Road She Left Behind in exchange for my honest review. I finished the book last night and I have to say, I absolutely loved it. Christine Nolfi has written a tender and compelling family drama that easily drew me in. The story centers around Darcy, who has been estranged from her mother, nephew, and an old flame in Ohio since a tragic accident there changed the terrain of her family 8 years prior to the book's opening. In that season of estrangement, she's moved around the country working temp jobs for a year each before moving on. She doesn't form attachments in any of these cities- until she lands in Charleston, SC, and meets a young man, Sampson, who recently aged out of the foster care system and thinks of her as a big sister. When circumstances beckon her back to Ohio, she must face her past head-on, and in doing so, finds that running from her problems hasn't made anything better, and she still has personal demons to face in order to embrace the life she wants with the people she's always loved.

Darcy is a delightful protagonist. She's been beaten down,(mostly by her own sense of guilt) but possesses a resiliency that, I think, even surprises her at times. When she realizes that she's needed back in Ohio, she goes even though it's the last place she wants to be. She faces her critical mother head-on and builds a relationship with the nephew she hasn't seen since he was a baby. She opens up to her former boyfriend and discovers the power of forgiveness- from others and also from herself.

The story is very much about Darcy, but each of the characters are compelling. You'll find yourself wanting to spend more time with Latrice, Michael, Tippi, Sampson, Nella, Emerson, and, yes, even Rosalind by the time you reach the last page. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy family dramas that aren't too, too heavy, that have a touch of romance, and a whole lot of self-discovery. The book will be released on June 11, so go put it on your wish list now!

This is another wonderful book written by Christine Nolfi that deals with some complicated family dynamics and shows how important love is in pulling things back together in order to move forward. The characters all seem so real and you are pulled into the story right to the end.

Christine Nolfi has penned a beautiful story here, dealing with family, secrets, loss, discovery and forgiveness.
I was swept into the life of Darcy Goodridge straight away, intrigued by why this woman was on the run from her past, her old life, for the last eight years.
Over the first few chapters, the story unfolded and we were introduced to characters who you fell in love with. Samson, the ray of sunshine who attaches himself to Darcy, despite her not wanting reminders of any pasts she has forgone, Rosalind, Darcy's mother, a scary character, who is full of misconceptions. Emerson, the nephew she left behind - but who is crying out for a mother's love, and Michael. Darcy's childhood best friend who she had to leave behind - twice.
A wonderful tale filled with twists and turns, and secrets that prove you shouldn't really hide things you think you know... because they may just not be the truth...
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christine Nolfi has done it again. The book was wonderful, filled with memorable and unique characters. Even the ones we aren't supposed to like were wonderful. We follow the journey of Darcy, who is living a transient and lonely life. Her one friend, Samson, was such a delightful character. Together they go to Darcy's family estate and encounter the wrath of Rosalind, Darcy's pretty horrible mother. As Darcy gets closer to her mother she unravels some family secrets and connects with her old boyfriend. Michael's family is Italian, and his nonna Tippi is a trip. Cavorting around in her mourning black, I was reminded of the old mamarellas in the Italian neighborhoods who wore black outfits from the day their husbands died. Tippi had a thing for poker and old men, and she really added a level of humor. Well told, very compelling, there are some tragic moments and some made me laugh out loud. Some parts gave me goosebumps. and choked me up...all the feelings you want to get from a book! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well told tale about family, loss, love and endless possibilities. Kind of like finding your own North star. xoxoxo Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

Sometimes the first few chapters of a book can start slow and it takes some time to get into it, but Nolfi did a great job getting me interested in The Road She Left Behind right from the start. From the first chapter, I was wanting to know what happened and why Darcy was running away from her past.

The story revolves around a very dysfunctional family littered with tragedy and heartache. Without giving away much there's a lot of broken hearts, guilt, death, and deception throughout. Most of the book left me wondering what would happen next, but as it got toward the end I started figuring out the puzzle and it became predictable. Not to say it wasn't a good book. I did enjoy it, but I wanted a little more emotion and wanted more of the relationship between Darcy and Michael.

Overall, I would recommend this book for those who like reading women's fiction. It was an enjoyable story about a family and their family drama which I'm sure everyone can relate to. While some label it as a mystery novel, I didn't feel that it belonged in that category.

Darcy Goodridge fled her family home in Ohio after a terrible accident claimed the life of her father and her younger sister eight years ago. Since then, Darcy has been a wanderer moving from city to city and changing jobs every year since she left. As Darcy is getting ready to move again and change jobs again, she gets a phone call from her mother’s housekeeper that changes Darcy’s plans and her future forever. Though Darcy and her mother Rosalind have many issues, as well as Rosalind’s issues with many people in the town, especially the next door neighbors the Varano’s, secrets kept will come to light, healing and forgiveness will start to mend these broken people.

With beautifully developed characters, a wonderful storyline and plenty of very realistic and emotional twists and turns Christine Nolfi has done it again with a story that will leave you wanting more and praying there is a sequel to this book. Ms. Nolfi’s writing style and character development is second to none!

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down but then again I didn’t want it to end. The emotions and feelings within the story was so easy to identify with that you felt maybe is was part of your own life story being written within the pages. I highly recommend anyone who is a fan of Women’s Fiction to definitely check out any all books written by Christine Nolfi, you will not be disappointed!

I received this book through NetGalley for a fair an honest review. Above is that review.

This was a wonderful book and I highly recommend it. I went through so many emotions while reading it. It is about grief, family secrets, lost love, and hope. I loved all of the unique characters and wish I could know them more.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved “The Road She Left Behind” by Christine Nolfi. I did not want to put this book down once I started reading. This is a heartwarming story of guilt, secrets, family, betrayal, resentment and forgiveness. The characters are relatable and well defined. Each character has their own unique personality. I laughed and cried and chuckled out loud, and did not want this book to end. The descriptions made you feel like you were there living with the characters, you could smell the turkey cooking, taste the cookies, feel the rain on your face Nolfi is a gifted writer, I am so glad I read this book. You will be touched by all the emotions in this book. It is wonderfully written and a delight to read. I highly recommend this novel to readers that enjoy Women’s Fiction. Christine Nolfi is a must read author.

Family secrets - who doesn’t have them? I enjoyed this book and was intrigued by the relationships both within, and outwith, the immediate family. Some very touching moments that felt well observed by the author and would resonate with any reader who has experienced a family split or tragedy. In particular the growing realisation and understanding of the role played by Latice in all their lives seemed pivotal within the book as she takes on the role as ‘mother figure’ to Emerson and, to some degree, Darcy. Interesting to observe how secrets can be carried as guilt for so many years and how changing priorities and honesty can change everything. Read and enjoy this book...it won’t leave you with a heavy heart.