The Road Before Us
by Janine Rosche
How far would you go to fix the mistakes you’ve made and regain the trust you lost? For Jade Jessup, the answer is 2,448 miles. Once one of Chicago’s significant financial advisors, Jade lost her credibility when her fiancé (and coworker) stole millions of dollars from their clients in a Ponzi scheme. Now she’s agreed to help one of them–an aging 1960s Hollywood starlet named Berenice “Benny” Alderidge–seek financial restoration.
Jade sets off along Route 66 with Benny and her handsome adult foster son, Bridger, who is filming a documentary retracing the 1956 trip that started the love story between Benny and her recently deceased husband, Paul. Listening to Benny recount her story draws Jade into memories of her own darker association with Route 66, when she was kidnapped as a child by a man the media labeled a monster–but she remembers only as daddy.
Together, all three of these pilgrims will learn about family, forgiveness, and what it means to live free of the past. But not before Jade faces a second staggering betrayal that changes everything.
My Review
Reading this took me on quite a ride! In the absolutely best possible way….it took me a bit to get into the story, but then I got hooked….and found myself reading until way too late into the night.
I’ve always been intrigued by the whole Route 66 journey, and would love to travel that highway sometime. Seeing a book about this, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it.
But…much more than just a story about a road trip, Janine Rosche has given us an incredible read with so many various topics intertwined. Included are some really hard things to read about. It definitely gives lots of food for thought.
What I really liked about this story though is the amazing characters.
Jade is such an enigma. Her life story is revealed slowly, and I only grew to love her more, the more I read about her. All she really wants to do is right all the things she’s wronged in her life.
And then there’s Benny.
Could there be a more sweet and kind elderly lady?! I just want to meet her!
And we can’t forget Bridger. He’s the one I understood the least. But he has such good intentions, and all he wants to do is help Benny, because of all she’s done for him.
I enjoyed reading the different timelines, and I especially liked the 1956 one, and seeing Paul and Berenice/Benny in their younger days. Understanding who they were and why they did what they did.
If you are looking for an enjoyable read with lots of deeper things mixed in, you won’t want to miss this story!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
All-of-a-kind Mom 