The Roads We Follow By Nicole Deese

The Roads We Follow

by Nicole Reese

Publisher: Bethany House

Series: A Fog Harbor Romance

ISBN: 9780764241192

IF you don't have an auto-buy author, may I present to you, Nicole Deese! She should be at the top of your list! She invited me to be on her launch team, and I accepted wholeheartedly! This series has been exceptional! She sent me her book for review!

Summary:

A cross-country road trip. A secretive box of journals. An unforgettable summer romance.

As the youngest daughter of a country music legend, Raegan Farrow longs to establish an identity away from the spotlight and publish her small-town romances under a pen name. But after her dream is dashed when she won't exploit her mother's fame to further her own career, she hears a rumor from a reliable source regarding a tell-all being written about the Farrow family. Making matters worse, the unknown author has gone to great lengths to remain anonymous until publication.

Raegan chooses to keep the tell-all a secret from her scandal-leery sisters as they embark on a two-week cross-country road trip at their mother's request and makes it her mission to expose the identity of the author behind the unsanctioned biography. But all is complicated when she discovers their hired bus driver, Micah Davenport, has a hidden agenda of his own--one involving both of their mothers and an old box of journals. As they rely on each other to find the answers they seek, the surprising revelations they unearth will lead them down an unexpected road of love and reconciliation.

My Review:

You ever have a book you know you're going to love just because of all of the other ones you've read by an author and STILL end up being blown away? Yea, that happened to me once again with The Roads We Follow! There are so many layers and dynamics throughout it that it'll be difficult for me to wrap it all up with a neat bow.

The story is told from two perspectives: Raegan and Micah. Their families have a history together; one that is bittersweet. Raegan's famous country singing mama surprises her 3 daughters by pretty much forcing them on a road trip. Micah becomes their bus driver after connecting with Luella, the matriarch of the family.

Raegan wants to have an identity apart from the family business, but her older sister, Adele, runs a tight ship and there's no straying. Middle sister, Hattie, who Raegan is charged with keeping an eye on, is in a downward spiral. Micah has recently learned a bit of family history which is his impetus for ending up behind the wheel of their bus. Little do they know that this road trip and Micah are going to have a profound, lifelong impact on all of them.

Man, this was such a roller coaster ride of emotions. From Raegan learning about a tell-all that puts her mother, father, and family business in a terrible light, to Micah's secret, Hattie's shattered world, Adele's need for control, and Luella trying to keep her family together, we're along for the ride!

Secrets have a way of destroying families and ruining friendships, even when done with good intentions. Lack of communication can do the same thing. Both are evidenced in this story. What I loved about Raegan and Micah is that even though they just meet, there's an innate sense of trust. While their budding friendship hits a few bumps in the road, I enjoyed watching them grow as people and becoming better versions of themselves while they're together. They work as a team and it's a joy to read.

The author has this beautiful gift of drawing the reader into the heart of the story - for each character. You can see the perspectives of each person and have empathy towards them. Well, except for one person - who we'd all like to give the "what for"!

And it's so clear that the Lord is the centerpiece of this story. His healing, forgiveness, and making all things new are evident throughout. I'm incredibly grateful for stories like this. It's not forced or thrown in here and there. It's woven in so naturally throughout.

While I can't wait for book three, I'm just happy to rest in the satisfaction of getting to know the characters in this story and wonder how they're all doing now!

About the Author:

Nicole Deese (nicoledeese.com) is a Christy and Carol Award-winning, bestselling author of hope-filled, humorous, and heartfelt contemporary romance novels. When she's not sorting out character arcs and story plots of her own, she can usually be found listening to an audiobook and multitasking at least four different chores at once. She's a hoarder of sparkling water, a lover of long walks and even longer talks with friends, and a seeker of fun and adventure at all times. She lives in small-town Idaho with her happily-ever-after hubby, two freakishly tall teenage sons, and one princess daughter with the heart of a warrior.