This book just goes on and on. It is not believable. I tried to finish it but it was so tedious. Hadley is escaping a bad marriage and Grace has a baby and is clueless as a mother. Taking a hostage was kind of my end all and then to start a romance with him....... ( )

A pleasant read, if a bit unrealistic.

Hadley & Grace, an unlikely duo, with a tag-along family consisting of a baby, an autistic grade-schooler, and a sullen teenager, cross the country in a Trains, Planes, and Automobiles-like adventure, on the run from the FBI, Hadley’s criminal husband Frank, and other local authorities.

The book kept my attention enough to finish it, yet I wasn’t “wow”-ed by the story. One thing I did enjoy, however, to see the personal growth of the characters throughout the novel, in particular Hadley’s daughter Mattie.

If you suspend your disbelief for a time, the ladies’ misadventures are a fun frolic. Perfect for those who enjoy a tale of a couple of gals breaking free from their former selves and deciding just who and what they want to be. And, for those book club lovers, don’t miss the Discussion Questions at the back of the book.

Hadley & Grace is available February 1, 2021, from Lake Union Publishing, in paperback, audio CD, and for Kindle.

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An amazing ride that will fill you with emotions right till the end!

Hadley needs to escape her abusive marriage with Frank Torelli. She decides to flee with her two kids, knowing it might be her only chance. Grace, new mother of baby Miles, desperately wants to put her rough past behind her for good.

As their path cross with each other, their quest for a new start quickly spirals out of control and turns into a terrifying flight for survival. Stronger together than apart, the two find their fates inextricably entwined, and as the danger closes in, each must decide how much she is willing to risk for the other.

This story is told in such a beautiful way! It is narrated in alternating chapters between Hadley and Grace.

Its filled with emotions and the two women are just phenomenal. Their journey is not an easy one but both of them grow in strength and courage as they deal with each situation. It was lovely to see their bond and friendship grow as well.

I loved all the characters with the exception of Frank Torelli. Though the FBI termed them as outlaws, they were heroes in my eyes and I was rooting for them right till the end!

Thank You NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC! ( )

This is your modern day Thelma and Louise story, and you cannot help but love these two moms as they run from the law and the same man who has made both of their lives miserable. One is a new mother with an accidental criminal past, and the other a woman who is fleeing from an abusive husband. You cannot help but cheer for them to get away, as you can tell they are not true criminals, just two free spirited souls trying to survive out on the open road with their kids. I loved reading how the author is a big fan of the original Thelma and Louise (I am a big fan of country singer Pam Tillis, who is good friends with the author of Thelma and Louise. Fun fact, the author based her character Thelma on Pam), and I found myself wanting to country line dance with Grace in the bar (exactly something my best friend and me would do together). There is plenty of drama and sadness mixed into this story, but it was one heck of a fun ride with two women who finally realize they need each other more than they'll ever know. Thank you NetGalley for this fun, unputdownable read. ( )

Author Suzanne Redfearn combined two things she loves- the movie Thelma & Louise and a biography called Have a Home Run Day! (about Skipper Carrillo, whose spirit and love of baseball inspired her fictional character of 8 year-old Skipper) in her new novel, Hadley & Grace.

Grace is a young mom to a baby whose husband Jimmy is away in the military. She is upset to discover that Jimmy's gambling problem has returned, and he cleared out their small bank account. The one thing that may save her is that she closed a big deal for her boss, Frank, who owns parking garages and lots.

Frank promised her a big bonus if she could close the deal, but when she does, he refuses to pay her what she is owed. He knows that Grace has had a hard upbringing and has done time in jail, so he takes advantage of her situation.

Frank's wife Hadley has been hiding the abuse she has been taking from Frank from her 14 year-old daughter Mattie, and eight year-old nephew Skipper, until the day Frank loses his temper in front of the children. Hadley decides that she must leave Frank, but she must be secretive about it.

Hadley and Grace each end up at Frank's office one night, both intending to steal cash that Frank has hidden in his safe. Grace only wants what she is owed, but when they discover both each other and the huge amount of cash Frank has in his safe, the situation changes.

Hadley badly sprains her ankle, and Grace ends up driving her back to her hotel. The women now realize that Frank must be into something seriously illegal to have that much cash on hand and he will want it back.

When Grace takes Hadley to the hospital to take care of her foot, they find FBI agents are looking for them. Reluctantly they team up with three children on the run from both Frank and the FBI agents.

Hadley & Grace is a story of the friendship that develops between two very different women who grow to depend on each other. Being on the run adds a thrilling, tense dimension to the plot, which is very cinematic and I could see as a Lifetime movie. If you are a fan of the NBC series, Good Girls, you'll enjoy this book, where as Hadley says, "one decision leads to the next and then the next, a continual stumbling forward over each past mistake until you find yourself someplace entirely different from where you started or from where you intended to go."

I liked the character development, and the character of Skipper, the young boy who is on the spectrum, is my favorite. He relates everything to baseball, and his beloved Los Angeles Dodgers. Even Frank has one redeeming quality- he is kind to Skipper.

There were a few things I found a little farfetched- the relationship that develops between the FBI agent and Hadley, and when the group goes to a crowded country western restaurant while on the run from the FBI. That was an odd choice, although now that we have all been cooped up almost a year during this pandemic we may be able to better understand that decision.

Overall, Hadley & Grace is a good novel to while away an afternoon, with interesting characters put into a dangerous situation. There is a shock towards the end, and the epilogue is terrific, a satisfying ending to their story.

Thanks to TLC Tours for putting me on Suzanne Redfearn's tour. ( )