Firefly Lane

I just finished listening to Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. This book is about a friendship that spans over 3 decades.

Tully Hart learned early to count only on herself. Her mother, Cloud, a pot smoking hippie, left her with her grandmother and took off. When she is a freshman she is invited to a high school party by the most popular guy. When she gets to the party, the guy gets her drunk and rapes her. Tully walks home and in the dark sees Kate Mularkey, the girl who lives across the street from her grandmother. Kate consoles Tully and promises to keep the rape a secret. They become inseparable. When Tully's grandmother dies and her mother refuses to take her, the Mularkeys take her in. Tully and Kate go to the same college and major in journalism.

Tully is driven. Determined to get the job she wants, she chases it, but sometimes at the expense of a real relationship. Men fall in love with her, but she never lets them get close. Kate has graduated with her degree, but it was really Tully's dream, not hers. She really just wants to find her true love and be a wife and mom. Through it all, they stay best friends. Their friendship is tested and at one point seems to finally have suffered its last insult.

This book took me back to when I was young and the friends I made. I found myself reminiscing about the times we had. It was set from the mid 60's to the 2000's, so I found myself also reliving the things that had been going on in that era. It was a real tearjerker too, though, which I was not prepared for. I would listen to this as I feel asleep and I was bawling like a baby. Needless to say, didn't get to sleep that night! I normally stay away from all things sad... "The Notebook"? Never saw it. Will not watch "Marley and Me" or "The Curious Case" either. I don't volunteer myself for a box-o-Kleenex-fest. I did however come away from this book uplifted, not depressed. That says a lot.

I loved this one and give it a 5 out of 5.