Lily Holt arrives back home to Glens Crossing to help her 13-year-old son Riley understand that he needs to take responsibility of his own actions. He was expelled from his school in Chicago for taking drugs and blowing up a toilet. Soon after arriving in Glens Crossing, Riley gets into trouble and is ordered to take a job to pay for the resulting damages. Peter, Riley’s dad and Lily’s ex-husband, is in rehab for his alcohol addiction. Peter’s parents take it upon themselves to bail their son and grandson out of any problems that they create.
Lily is horrified to find out that Riley will be working for her first love Clay. Peter, Lily, her brother Luke, and Clay became fast friends after an accident occurred on the Fourth of July, the year Lily was eleven. As time went on Lily and Clay fell in love and planned to be married, but Clay did not return after leaving to tell his father about his impending marriage. Peter stepped in to heal Lily’s heart; they married and moved away. Clay cannot believe that Lily is back in town. To top things off, he has to deal with a troublesome teen, child of his first love and his best friend. Clay wonders if he can put his heartbreak aside and work with Riley.
I enjoyed The Road Home very much. Lily and Clay are wonderful characters, who are still drawn to each other. Susan Crandall writes a tale of love, heartbreak, and overcoming life’s obstacles. The storyline has enough twists, turns, and love scenes to surprise readers and keep them interested. The characters pull you into the story and stay with you long after the last page is read.