This book was one of the best I've read in a long while.

The Roads We Follow is full of redemption, love, family secrets, and something really special. I loved the couple in this book and thought that Micah's character was a refreshing break from the tough-guy love interests I so commonly read (and love). Micah was wise, patient, and such a friendly cinnamon-roll character that I couldn't help but love him. Raegan was just as fun. This book was more than a love story though. It was redeeming, it was enthralling, it was something special (as is the first book in this series).
I loved it very much and I have no doubt, you will too.

The Roads We Follow is a perfect blend of realistically flawed characters, a captivating plot, a budding romance, and an intriguing mystery. Talented author Nicole Deese has written an exquisitely-crafted story of the importance of family, the power of love, and the necessity of following your heart. She deals sensitively with some deep topics as she carefully unfolds the story layer by layer.

It was easy for me to relate to Raegan as she tried to deal with her sisters and their varied personalities and quirks, since I have several sisters myself. Micah was a trooper as he drove the bus for the three sisters and their mother Luella. That would be quite a daunting task for most people, and to do it while trying to solve his own mystery had me rooting for him. I enjoyed the trip across the United States visiting some interesting areas with the Farrow family as they recreate the road trip Luella took with Micah’s mother, Lynn, many years before.

Deese’s stories are always infused with plenty of deep meaning and brimming with wit and charm. This one is a beautifully written tale that takes the reader on a journey of healing, hope, and discovery. I recommend it to those who enjoy clean contemporary Christian fiction.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House through Interviews and Reviews. All opinions are my own.

In THE ROADS WE FOLLOW, NICOLE DEESE gives us an in depth study of family relationships. The novel is beautifully written, with unforgettable characters and a strong Christian message of forgiveness, redemption and following God’s lead rather than doing things in one’s own strength.
Micah Davenport is a therapist who feels betrayed when a DNA test shows he is not Frank Davenport’s son. When the opportunity arises to drive the famous singer Luella Farrow and her three daughters on a two week road trip to some of the places she and his recently deceased mother, Lynn, visited when they were inseparable, he takes it in both hands, wanting to find out if Luella knows who his biological father could be.
Reagan is the youngest Farrow daughter and is tired of being at Adele’s beck and call, always putting Farrow Music Productions, that is close to financial ruin largely due to the underhanded actions of her middle sister Hattie’s ex husband Peter. Reagan is a brilliant writer, having written a novel called The Sisters of Birch Grove, which she is afraid to publish under her own name. Adele sees Reagan’s writing as no more than a hobby…..
Micah shares his mother’s journals with Reagan and they become close, understanding and helping one another. Their mothers shared a history, going from best friends, writing music together and performing together, to not seeing one another for thirty years. The song Crossing Bridges that they wrote together is going viral which is helping Farrow Music. Will this road trip help to heal the fractured Farrow family?……
The characters’ stories are beautifully knit together and the rawness of their emotions, together with their faith in God is very well portrayed.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
I cannot recommend this most enjoyable and inspirational book highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Thank you @netgalley and @bethanyhouse for the opportunity to read this ARC.


📖 The roads we follow
📝 Nicole Deese

3.75⭐️

Road trip
Forced proximity
Dual POV
Family drama
Hidden secrets
Forgiveness

At first glance I loved how cosy the cover looked, it definitely looked like something I'd gravitate towards when buying a book. This was a first Nicole Deese read for me and it won't be the last. As a massive country fan (Luke combs is everything) I really enjoyed the country music vibes to this novel, such a sweet romance. This book is the sequal to the words we lost however can be read as a standalone.
🏕

What do you get when you put four female family members with unique personalities on a tour bus for two weeks? A great novel, that’s what!

This is my first book/series by Nicole Deese and I really loved it. While this is part of a series, it is very much a standalone. I’m a diehard “read the series in order” person, so when I got a copy of this book, I went back and read the first one. It didn’t enhance my enjoyment of this book. I liked the first book, but loved this book even more. I loved the dual POV, Micah and Raegan’s meet cute, and the sentimental journey. Raegan is a great female main character and Micah is who we wish all male main characters were like! Adele, Hattie, and Luella are a perfect blend of family personalities to add to the mix.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions in this review are my own.

I actually enjoyed this book more than the previous one, The Words We Lost, which I found a little depressing. Although the themes of loss and figuring out one's life purpose were similar, the loss did not seem as heavy in this book as it did in the previous one. The characters of Reagan and Micah are captivating as well as the other major characters in the story. The family's brokenness is very real, and the way they find their path to healing feels just right. The complexity of unraveling both Micah's and the Farrow family's mysteries does not become in any way confusing, but lends heightened interest to the narrative. Deese, as usual, goes way beyond the usual romance story and tells a tale full of meaning and depth. This book was one of the best I have read so far in 2024 (and I have read almost 30).

A book full of secrets and strong emotions.
I found it wonderful that this book came with its own therapist. Otherwise I’m not sure I could have understood everything that was going on in this story. Each of these characters has a lot of baggage and each one is withholding information from others.

Great read for observing family dynamics and seeing the beautiful healing power of forgiveness.

Wonderful character development
I felt I knew them personally.

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.

#BookRevew : THE ROADS WE FOLLOW by Nicole Deese

I've enjoyed many books by this author, but this one resonated with me more. This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone. A cross-country road trip with a famous parent isn't a new idea, but the author did well to make it fresh and interesting. I'm glad Luella decided to take her girls on this trip. It's a chance for them to grow closer and rebuild their relationship as sisters. That's clearly one of the legacies Luella wants to leave them.

The complex dynamics between the sisters, Raegan's journey of self-discovery, and Micah's search for his father all intertwined in a compelling way. The pacing was good, keeping me engaged with the characters. The family drama, with its surprising twists, offered both delight and insightful moments. The author's writing style is engaging, and the faith messages were subtly woven throughout the narrative. I highly recommend this book. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

Rating: 5 ⭐
Pub date: 09 April 2024

Thank you Bethany House Publishers and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This story is such a lovely read and I loved experiencing Raegan and Micah join the rest of the Farrow family on their cross-country road trip as they discover their family histories. Raegan's mother Luella is experiencing a resurgence in popularity with a song she once wrote with Micah's mother Lynn Davenport. The two were once inseparable, touring together through the late 70s and 80s but suddenly split ways in 1994. As Micah and the Farrow women retrace the stops of Luella and Lynn's previous trip in the 70s, the family learns how the two mothers began their music career, what caused their infamous split, and learn about what legacy they want to leave behind them.

Wow! I loved this book! Relationships, fame, struggles, secrets, forgiveness, romance, and healing are just some of the themes you'll find in this amazing book from Nicole Deese. I couldn't put it down. I related so closely with several of these characters.

I received an early copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. I was captivated from the get-go and there’s something about Nicole Deese’s writing that draws you in. I loved all of the themes of forgiveness, finding where you belong and reconnecting with your family. This felt authentic to me and I think that’s why it resonated so well. I could feel the complicated family dynamics and sometimes the backwards journey it takes to find balance and a place of peace with loved ones.

The romance was tender and sweet. It’s more instant attraction than I’m generally drawn too but I didn’t have that issue at all here. I felt that connection and that click between Raegan and Micah. I loved that they had the tough conversations, moments to breath, and some good kissing scenes too. This was also dual POV (which y’all know I love) and only added to the story getting Micah’s side and reasoning behind his choices too.

I loved all of the road trip antics. How the journey was up and down and ultimately ended exactly where I hoped it would. I loved all of these characters and watching the relatable nature that is life bring this family together.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: None
Romance: Kisses
Violence: Low
Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of using diet pills/unsafe weight loss, loss of a parent, divorce, depictions of grief, alcohol consumption

✨The Roads We Follow by Nicole Deese✨

“I don’t know how I lived in a world without you before now.” - Micah

This is book #2 in the Fog Harbour Romance series, and it is due to come out next month on April 30th!!! If you loved Ingrid and Joel’s story, you’ll adore Raegan and Micah 🥹

📚About the Book…
This book is set amongst the country music scene, where a surprise resurgence of Raegan’s mother’s, hit song ‘Crossing Bridges’ brings the Fallow family back into the spotlight. With tensions flaring, secrets building up, and relationships near breaking point, can the Farrow women survive a two week road trip across America?

💖What I Loved about this book…
Nicole is the queen of swoony one liners! I mean that first quote at the top of this review - it’s EVERYTHING 🙌🏻

This one’s for you if you love:
🎶 Country music scene
💖 Family Saga
🤐 Secrets
👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Identity quest
🤝 Restored relationships
🚌 Road trips
📕 Diary Entries
✍️ Aspiring authors
✨ Following God given dreams
⚓️ The Words We Lost

If you’ve haven’t already, this is one to add to you TBR pile 📖

Content Warning: cheating/failed marriage and custody battle, and identity quest. Past tense; drug use, eating disorder, post-natal depression, and childhood abuse.

Thank you @netgalley, @nicoledeese and @bethanyhousefiction #bhpfiction for this ARC

I can gauge how much I love a story by how sad I am to say goodbye to the characters when I have finished reading their story. Raegan and I could be good friends! Micah is dreamy (although, I do have to say I was disappointed at the beginning that this wasn’t Chip’s story) I love the depth of each character and the varied ways they approach life and the same situation. I also appreciated the parallel story that adds depth and context to the main story line. Now to wait patiently for the next installment…

I have yet to read a book by Nicole that gets less than 10 stars from me, and this one isn’t any different.

The character development was just amazing. Every character was written with grace and depth.

I absolutely loved the country music vibe. (I didn’t even read the synopsis, so it was a fun surprise. I’ll always say yes to a book with country music themes!) This book had strong family themes, and each sister's love for their mother really showed through this story! I enjoyed reading that they all wanted to honor their mother’s legacy in some way, but they all needed to walk through some forgiveness first.

This story touches on some really deep topics: drug abuse, forgiveness, marital issues, and adoption. Each story was handled with such grace and was written so well.

Nicole Deese is such a fantastic writer. I’ll read every single book she comes out with.

Stunning! Such a beautiful rollercoaster of emotions.

A cross-country road trip with her celebrity mother and her sisters should be relaxing, but Raegan is too preoccupied trying to keep the peace, figuring out how to save her family from public scandal, and falling for the handsome bus driver.

Micah has his reasons for volunteering to drive the bus for his mother's old partner and her daughters, but once he meets the beautiful Raegan, now has even more reasons he wants to be there.

As both Micah and Raegan struggle with secrets from the past and present and trusting those around them, they must learn to rely on each other to find a way forward, even if it means taking a path they never expected to follow.

What to love:
Road trip
Forced proximity
Dual POV
Family drama
Hidden secrets
Fishing
The jump seat
The super sweet romance!!
Yurts
Dynamic characters
Reconciliation and forgiveness

This book was just magical! Raegan and Micah were so raw and relatable - their struggles and challenges - and I felt drawn to them. This book is insightful into complicated family dynamics and watching the characters learn and grown and love gave me all the feels and definitely a few tears.

And oh, their cute romance!! That initial attraction that turned into so much more after hours of time spent together on the road, and that fishing scene will live in my head rent free for a long time. There was so much growth for both of them and I love how they encouraged and brought out the best in each other.

This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone! They are connected by a side character named Chip, an editor at Fog Harbor books who, can I just say, really needs his own story. (Hint, hint...)

This story touched my heart and spoke to my soul, and I wish I could give it more than the 5 stars I am limited to. It certainly deserves much more than that!

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

Three daughters start off on a road trip on the way to a music festival with their legendary country music star mom, along with their driver, the son of their mother's one-time singing partner. Along the way they discover family secrets and learn to reconcile their own needs with those of their family.

I know better. I told myself it was a horrible idea to read this at work and out in public. Nicole Deese’s books ALWAYS make me cry, so I knew better.

What to say about TRWF…well, first of all, it’s epic. Like mind blowing epic. I feel as if I’ve been on a road trip with these incredible characters. I saw what they saw, felt what they felt—and they felt a LOT!

Nicole Deese has the uncanny ability to peer into the deepest recesses of the human heart, to slowly and gently peel back the layers we hide behind, to perfectly capture the ebb and flow of relationships in a broken and fallen world…

…and to make it seem so effortless. Which I know it’s not.

Effortless and magical. That’s how I would describe reading a Deese novel. Coming from a family much like the Farrows (just without the fame!) I can say with confidence that you won’t find a more authentic voice in contemporary fiction.

My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy. My review is honest and has not been solicited.

#TheRoadsWeFollw #NetGalley

This book is a sequel to The Words We Lost. It can be read as a stand-alone. I loved both books, and they are worth reading again.
The Roads we Follow was such a tender story. When you feel lost in a celebrity family and feel taken advantage of, it is hard to find your own place. Raegan is the youngest of three daughters and feels like her older sister cares about the family business and wants Raegan to give up her dreams. A family road trip across several states becomes harder as tensions rise, and secrets are kept. 1I thought this book was well written, and I loved the family dynamics. Nicole Deese has bec ome and author I watch for, I love how she writes.

"Life's too short to be questioning what you're doing with your time every day."

Nicole Deese has again penned a masterpiece. Set against the backdrop of a broiling family drama and layers of secrets buried beneath hurt and years past, Raegan and Micah's fresh and honest first person voices are perfect complements and guides for this journey of healing and reconciliation. Their voices are sometimes funny and flirty, oftentimes thought-provoking and contemplative, and always tender, lyrical and poignant. Raegan and her writer's brain was fun to follow around while Micah and his counselor's heart was quite lovely to behold. Raegan's famous mother and her two older sisters were a great combo of personalities. Forgiveness was at the heart of this story and it was rewarding to see all the characters finally see their own worth and potential.

Raegan and Micah are unforgettable characters. It was also nice to see Chip and Allie from the first book have cameo appearances here (maybe the next book will be about them?). If you enjoy contemporary romance with depth and soul, this book is for you.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House via Interviews & Reviews and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

“Freedom and peace work in tandem. And you won’t experience either until you’re finally willing to be transparent with yourself and others.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
No Spice!
Release Date: April 30th

This was the sweetest contemporary romance, and the first Christian one that I have ever read! This story was emotional and deep, and all the characters were so real and complex. A lot was going on here but it came together so beautifully in the end and you cannot help but fall in love with this family.

I LIVED for the romance in this one. Micah was 😍😍 and I want a relationship like his and Reagan’s. Ugh they were so cute and sweet. And their romance was so natural and realistic, and centred on Christ!

This was such a sweet easy story to follow and I definitely want to read more of Nicole’s books in the future. There were so many good lines, and I loved how she explores the themes of family, grief, and loss. It honestly gave me some Sarah Adams vibes which made me love it more.

Save this one on your TBR for April because you will definitely want to read it!

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the ARC!!