Review: Redemption Lane by Rachel Blaufeld

Sometimes the past bleeds into the future.

Bess, a wild party girl running from herself, literally falls victim to her demons when she collapses in the most unexpected of places.
Lane, a tightly wound, up-and-coming CEO who can’t seem to stop enabling his brother, doesn’t know what hit him when Bess falls at his feet and into his life.

It was a night she doesn’t remember, and one he can’t forget.

4 Stars!

 

Review by Jen Hagen

 

Five years ago Bess was living the party life complete with alcohol and drugs.  A life-changing experience forced her to leave that lifestyle behind.    Now she adheres to a regimented schedule in order to keep herself balanced.  No extra time means no extra time to think about ways she could be filling the emptiness in her life.   She has been clean for 5 years and does not want any temptations to lead her into that lifestyle again.  She is happy living in a secluded cabin with her dog, working as a waitress, and attending nightly meetings with her sponsor, AJ. 

AJ has been there for Bess since the moment she walked out of the rehab center.   He knows what it is like to battle an addiction and come out on the other side as a winner.   He is a successful 30-year-old construction contractor and has recently decided that he needs to act upon his infatuation with Bess.  He feels that she is ready to take the next step in their friendship.  Bess just so happens to begin feeling that she is alone in the world and maybe being with AJ is something that she should allow herself. 

Lane is the identical twin brother to Jake.  Lane and Jake’s parents died in a car accident when they were 9 years old.  Lane feels a boatload of resentment towards Jake for always having to clean up his messes.  It was because of Jake’s mess that Lane continuously replays a day in his head and feels like he should have done more.   Lane has coated himself with a suit of armor (a business suit) and maintains a playboy lifestyle jetting off to his business meetings and takeovers.  It is on one of his business ventures where he meets Bess.  He is instantly pulled towards Bess, and Lane has a certain way about him that lets him get whatever he wants, even if it takes time.

Both AJ and Lane are wonderful men.  One wears his heart on his sleeve, and the other feels he is not worthy of anybody owning his heart.  One man will fall victim to a broken heart while the other will have Bess trying to unravel the meaning of the darkness overshadowing his eyes.  Will she be able to handle the truth once it is suddenly unveiled? 

This was an enjoyable read.  The story spans over a year, and I liked the slow development, continual healing, and growth of character.  I knew there was more to the underlying story and I was thrown for a loop when it came full circle…there’s always 9 degrees of separation between you and somebody else in this world.  Another character will be featured in the next installment, and I hope more of this twist will be addressed as the story concluded without delving more into it.     

But rather than stay and help the needy college coed, Lane decides to teach his brother a long overdue lesson––a decision that later comes back to haunt him and only adds fury to the transgressions of his past he is already fleeing from.
Years later, Bess and Lane meet again. She doesn’t know him, and he doesn’t share that he knows what happened on that ill-fated night when she almost died. After all, he has a web of complicated lies from his own youth to protect.

Both are seeking salvation in the arms of others and ignoring the truth—that the only road to redemption lies in confronting your past.

When the past and present collide, is there any chance at redemption?