A compelling  love story that's beautifully writes about love and loss. 

After 27 years apart, Kara and Harry find each other again. So much has transpired since high school, and most of it is not water under a bridge. Family is difficult and healing is a long road. Can they make their second chance work? 

All the characters in this book were well written. The romance, was central and well built-up. The villains, if you can call them that, all had reasonable  reactions to the situations they were in. The son and granddaughter were a fun reprieve to all the angst the other characters gave off. 

A good read, will try and find the others in the series. 

This book was sent by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own. 

Luanna

• Provided by NetGalley •

I love angsty reads and all but this one just didn’t cut it out for me. I mean maybe I was expecting too much? I think it’s me more than the author. 

The book was VERY VERY well-written and the author has somebody magical skills but I just couldn’t get over the fact that no villain of this book was held accountable and punished for their crimes.

A solid 3 star just because I loved how this author writes!!!

A tear jerker and emotional roller-coaster

Phew! I have to say honestly that I spent most of my time crying while reading this one. Not sure why it touched me on such a deep emotional level. It was totally heartbreaking for me. Full of anger, resentment, hurt and plagued by 'what ifs'.
I felt instant connection with Kara, she's such a great character, full of love, ready and willing to forgive but struggling to forget. But everyone deserves second chance, so would she be willing to give one and to take her life in her hands and be finally happy with what she can have? We are not always granted the second chances, and sometimes it is just too late to take back harsh words or to try to mend broken relationships. But what's done is done and people need to look forward and find a way how to be happy and be there for the others. For me this story is about the rejection, hurt, shows journey back to the family and about many second chances that not many of us is granted.
This is my first book of this author and I really enjoyed the writing style. For sure I will read the rest in the series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

This is one of those books that, based on my own personal life experiences, I probably should have avoided rather than chosen to review. The story starts out with our heroine Kara at an art show, where she runs into the man who took her virginity 27 years ago. He is also the same man who left her that night, and never came back for her or the son they created. The rest of the book is their story and how they managed to put the pieces back together after betrayal. 

Having been the daughter of an absentee dad, I felt like this was a bit unrealistic. You're going to show up in my life after 27 years and I'm just gonna hug you and call you dad like nothing ever happened? Nope. You abandon me on the night you took my virginity and never once tried to look back and not only do I forgive you but marry you in a matter of months? Nope. I'm all for a happily ever after, but this was a bit too sickly sweet, even for my tastes. 

It was a quick, easy read, and I can see it being popular with some of the older ladies in our library that don't like a whole lot of smut in their romance. I, however, won't be reading the rest of the series.

Great book about second chances, and trying to forgive the damage caused by parents.
Loved all the character's especially Harry and Phil they were the blue that held the plot together,could not put the book down,highly recommended.

Interesting story that deviated from the typical second chance romance/secret child trope. I would have liked more of the story after she agreed to finally be all in for the relationship, but overall a good read!

This is the first book I've read from this author and I'm so glad I did. I absolutely loved this book. It was an emotionally, heart wrenching story. Anyone can relate to this story at one point or another. I know I did. I'm definitely adding to my collection.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 20%.  Very predictable though it stated off with a great story line and promise.  This is one of six in a series.

Enjoyed this book. Kept me interested all the way through. Would recommend to a fellow reader.  Love the cover.

The story of Harrison and Kara has real promise. High school crushes share one night that carries a ripple effect through their adult lives. I feel like there were just too many elements that were rushed into a resolution. That said, there is a lot heart in this book. There were moments when I laughed out loud, moments that made my heart overflow, and moments of real truth.

DNF @ 34%

I’ve been holding off on this one for a while because I wasn’t sure how I’d like the plotline. It started off great with a lot of promise, but came increasingly more cringy and predictable. It’s the first in a 6-part series, which I know I won’t be completing, so I decided to not finish this one. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Pink Sand Press and Marci Bolden for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Rating at 34%—2/5 stars.

The Road Leads Back by Marci Bolden was an emotional romance about second chances. Kara and Harry shared one unforgettable night, but family interference changed the course of what could have been their life. Even so, Kara powered on and managed to have a successful career and raise her son. When Harry sees her again decades later, he wants a chance to get to know the son he never knew about and spend time with Kara as well. Can they forgive those who hurt them in the past and find a new future together or is it too late? A sweet second chance romance with all the feels. 

Happy reading!

An emotional story about finding your place in life when it seems that all you see around you is rejection. Kara considers herself a strong capable woman. She did what she had to do in order to raise her child to the best of her ability. What she did though might come across to some as flighty and sometimes irresponsible...especially to her now grown son.  She constantly runs in order to find herself because she has trouble believing that anyone can want the quirkly person she is. Some things can't be taken back and some circumstances must be faced in order to grow, to face a future that you deserve. Harry may or may not be that future, but he will do everything in his power to allow Kara to be the person she needs to be. I loved the story because the child is now grown, so the dynamics of the usual surprise baby story certainly change and evolve. Anyone who has a rocky relationship with their parents and their past will definitely see parts of themselves in this story...as I did. I look forward to more Stonehill stories in my future.

This book pulled on my heart so much!!! I have teared up a few times reading before, but I seriously ugly cried reading this. A beautiful second chance romance with some real deep past to overcome. This book is so well written, I could feel the emotions of Kara and Harrison as if I were them. I cant wait to read the next book!!

Almost 30 years ago, dorky Harry Canton left artsy Kara Martinson after one night of fumbling sex. Twenty-seven years later, he shows up at her art show and discovers he has both a son and a young granddaughter with Down’s Syndrome. Bolden, in the first book of her Stonehill Series, has written an emotionally-wrenching story of betrayal, forgiveness, and a love that can’t be denied. Kara, after a lifetime of running from commitment and the fear of abandonment, has to find the strength to face the past and forgive not just her parents, but herself so that she can embrace the future. It is impossible to read Bolden’s depiction of the incredible damage that parents can do when they put their own selfish needs ahead of their children’s without wanting to crawl into the pages and throttle them. Regrettably, this second-chance romance relies on too many plot devices that stretch plausibility. Kara never outgrows her penchant for running away, Harry pushes too hard and fast for a commitment, son Phil instantly embraces a relationship with Harry and freely criticizes Kara for his nomadic upbringing, and Harry’s mother and Kara’s father refuse to take full responsibility for their cruelty towards their children. As a result, the book is frustrating and somewhat underwhelming. Not the best of the genre, but it will find its audience.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Pink Sand Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I need to start off by saying this is my first book by this author. I was a little hesitant at first due to the little bit older ages of the characters then I am used to. But that truly did not impact the story at all.  Yes, it was a bit odd at first to be talking about there son... who was 26.... that awkwardness didn't last long though.
This is a true love story that had me feeling all sorts of emotions. Mad.... sad... happy... nervous... I had to cheat and read the last few pages of the book to make sure I wouldn't be disappointed in the end!
I highly recommend this one!

This was a first time read of Marci Bolden work for me. I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved The Road Leads Back. I must confess I didn't even read the blurb fully before choosing to read this one. This is a fabulous second chance romance that you feel in your heart and soul. Kara is so strong for everything she went through. You will find out what when you read. She is an amazing mom and grandma. But she is a runner too. Harry is amazing. I love how you can feel his love for Kara from the start. He grounds her and how he takes all the changes in his life is wonderful. He will melt your heart. You feel for him in so many ways for all the lost time he had with Kara and Phil. When reading The Road Leads Back you get everything from heartache to heart filling love and healing. The changes in Kara and Harry throughout are wonderful. This second chance romance is one that should be read. I really couldn't put it down.

**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
This book was definitely different than most second chance books I have read.  There is almost 30 years between the accidental pregnancy and the reunification.  
Although the story was a good one, the characters were very familiar.  Kara suffered quite a lot for her pregnancy.  She was kicked out of her home, turned away by the  fathers' family, and had to find her own way with no assistance.  Harry is kept in the dark but 30 years seems a bit extreme.  The "re-meet" was a bit cliché and made me think of an old Heart song.  
I was a bit put off by the immaturity of the adults in this book.  Yes they were dealing with things that happened when they were teens but really?

5 Stars! A debut novel that has an absolutely heart wrenching story!

At their high school graduation, Kara and Harry act on the attraction between them. When Kara finds out she`s pregnant, her parents kick her out and tell her that she`s not to come back. So when she goes to Harry`s house, she finds out he left for college ... but Harry`s mom sends to to a place for unwed mothers and tells her that when Harry is done school, he`ll come for her. After waiting 5 years, Kara realizes that Harry is not coming for them. Over 20 years later, Kara is having a gallery opening and who walks in ... Harry. When Harry finds out he has a son and granddaughter, he wants all 3 of them to move back home with him. Will Phil finally have the father he always wanted? Will Kara stop running and face her fears? Will Harry have the family he has always dreamed of?

This story is so different and I just loved it! First of all, it's about an older couple with a second chance. And then the couple's son Phil and granddaughter Jessica play a big part in the book ... it's about the whole family dynamic. My heart just broke for the teenage Kara and all the heartache she went through just to live day to day. At first I wanted to kick her son in the a$$ ... he was so mean to her, but he redeemed himself when he finally came around and realized that it wasn't just all about him and that all the bad things actually happened to his mother. I felt sorry for Harry because all he wanted was a family of his own and it was his own mother that stole that from him. I highly recommend this book, but make sure you have a box of tissues beside you ... cause you'll need them!

I received an early copy courtesy of Pink Sand Press through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

The Road Leads Back is a second chance, secret baby romance that took twenty-eight years to happen. In fact, that's one of my favorite things about this book - these characters are approaching fifty when they get their second chance at love, and contrary to what many think, they're not much better at traversing that path than anyone else. This story is emotional on so many levels with so much past hurt between Kara and Harry and their families, some of which only comes to light in the present. For a lot of the book, this pair seems to take two steps back for every one step forward, which made it an exercise in frustration at times, but life is so often that way, and frustrated or not, I was completely wrapped up in this family. In the end, the romance is sweet and eventually hopeful, but it's more than just another romance. This is a story about how deeply past hurts can run, especially when they're at the hands of those we trust the most, and the long, winding road back to finally letting go and moving on.