Night Road - Kristin Hannah ★★★★

The most recent novel my book club selected to read was Night Road by Kristin Hannah. I believe this was a good choice because it gave depth to our discussion. Night Road had each member of our group feel some sort of emotion that they wouldn't normally feel when reading a book...my members, most parents (some new, some old), said it touched close to home.

Lexi bounces from one foster home to another until her druggie mother "straightens up" for a brief period, then falls off the wagon only for Lexi to be put right back into the system. Lexi's mother ends up overdosing and is offered the chance to stay with an aunt she never knew she had. Lexi accepts.

Zach has it all. Nice house, popular, football star. Mia, his twin sister shines in the limelight of her brother. Jude, the mother of the twins hopes for the best for her children. She wants them to succeed but protects them to the fullest.

Freshman year of high school, Lexi becomes friends with Mia. Jude does not like it because she does not want Mia to get hurt by another girl that is only friends with her to get close to Zach.  Three years later, Mia and Lexi are best friends. Soon enough Zach and Lexi fall in love and the three of them(Mia, Zach and Lexi), are inseparable.

One night before graduation there is a terrible accident that brings Jude's world crashing down. Her worse fears are brought to the surface and there is nothing she can do to make it right. The novel then goes over the next six years of their lives with all the ups and downs. Its worth a read for both teenagers and parents.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. Hannah narrates the novel through different characters rather than having one main character tell the entire story.  For this novel, I believe this tactic worked only because it gives you the prospectives from all different sides. Me, not being a mother could not understand some things but when it was Jude narrating, I understood a little better. This novel made my mad at times...made me sad at times...and when you have a novel that can make you "feel" while reading it....its worth reading.  Lifetime movie? I see it happening.

The only reason why I did not give it five stars, would be the same reasoning the rest of my book club members had. Hannah did an excellent job giving detailed information on character growth, but towards the end of the book it lacked the detail.  There were chapters and chapters leading up to a pivotal point, and once we got there....the book just ended. It just seemed rushed.