Fly Away

By: Kristin Hannah

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

The number one New York Times best-selling author returns to the characters in Firefly Lane in her next blockbuster novel, Fly Away. Once, a long time ago, I walked down a night-darkened road called Firefly Lane, all alone, on the worst night of my life, and I found a kindred spirit. That was our beginning. More than 30 years ago. TullyandKate. You and me against the world. Best friends forever.

But stories end, don't they? You lose the people you love and you have to find a way to go on...Tully Hart has always been larger than life, a woman fueled by big dreams and driven by memories of a painful past. She thinks she can overcome anything until her best friend, Kate Ryan, dies. Tully tries to fulfill her deathbed promise to Kate - to be there for Kate's children - but Tully knows nothing about family or motherhood or taking care of people. Sixteen-year-old Marah Ryan is devastated by her mother's death. Her father, Johnny, strives to hold the family together, but even with his best efforts, Marah becomes unreachable in her grief. Nothing and no one seems to matter to her...until she falls in love with a young man who makes her smile again and leads her into his dangerous, shadowy world.

Dorothy Hart - the woman who once called herself Cloud - is at the center of Tully's tragic past. She repeatedly abandoned her daughter, Tully, as a child, but now she comes back, drawn to her daughter's side at a time when Tully is most alone. At long last, Dorothy must face her darkest fear: Only by revealing the ugly secrets of her past can she hope to become the mother her daughter needs.

A single, tragic choice and a middle-of-the-night phone call will bring these women together and set them on a poignant, powerful journey of redemption. Each has lost her way, and they will need each one another - and maybe a miracle - to transform their lives.

An emotionally complex, heart-wrenching novel about love, motherhood, loss, and new beginnings, Fly Away reminds us that where there is life, there is hope, and where there is love, there is forgiveness.

Told with her trademark powerful storytelling and illuminating prose, Kristin Hannah reveals why she is one of the most beloved writers of our day. Includes a Reading Group Guide Read by Kristin Hannah

©2013 Kristin Hannah (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Love! You'll want to listen Firefly Lane again!

The story picks up four years from where Firefly Lane ended, with more depth and insight into the characters and the reasons they are who they've become. Tully (and even Kate) are still present but it also branches into those who were minor players in the last novel, so it keeps the listener engaged.

For a sequel, it has the strength of its own story line, similar to Jennifer Weiners "Certain Girls" was to "Good in Bed".
This book is worth a credit, one of Kristin Hannah's best!

Loved it!

Any additional comments?

I fell in love with FireFly Lane, so this book was exactly what I was hoping for. It was a nice closure to everything that was left hanging in the first one. I cried like a baby for about 80% of it, but it was because it was very good. My only negative comment is that some of the transitions from one character to another weren't very clear. I would have to back up the story a minute or so once I understood they had changed characters, so I could refocus.

Wrenching & Joyous Tears streamed many times

Having read FIREFLY LANE first, I was invested in FLY AWAY but didn’t realize just how cathartic it would be especially having lost 15 people within the past 18 months-including both my mother & dad. It’s hard to imagine anyone not being touched by the many facets of Kate & Tully’s continued stories. This book reiterated something a person said to me during the immediate grieving period: “Some of the best conversations I ever had with my parents were after they were dead.” There are + &- interpretations of that but for me, it gave me permission to go right on having what had been phone conversations but now they are in the same room.

Beautiful and heart wrenching story

I’ve read a lot of the reviews that people left here, many of them saying how depressing this book is. I did not find that to be the case at all. Anyone who knows how difficult it is to be human - to suffer loss, drug abuse, addiction, heartbreak - will appreciate this book. Hannah does a wonderful job of bringing to light all the difficult intricacies and complexities that come with human relationships. I definitely shed some tears but they were the good kind, the kind that come when a writer is able to use words to set the truth free and allows a reader to flex that empathetic muscle we all have. I loved this book even more so than Firefly Lane. Somehow the characters were more human to me in how flawed they all are. And Cloud’s story, while heartbreaking, is ultimately a story of love and redemption. I highly recommend this book.

Another Good Read

It took a while to get going but in the end it was definitely worth the read and the performance was great...

Great read

I really enjoyed this book, especially the different perspectives. I can't wait to read the follow up books.

What a beautiful follow up to Tully and Kates story

There are some negative reviews here and while I agree that this is not a stand alone, this was a beautifully written follow up that adequately describes some of the many ways that grief affects all of the loved ones, and the healing journey to not just grief, but years of generational trauma.

Love this book

Just loved the follow up story to Firefly Lane, loved the characters! It answers all questions!

Fantastic

I watched Firefly Lane series and hated to see it end. Found book 2 and decided to listen to the audio of Fly Away. I cried and cried in the beginning. Beautifully written and I enjoyed very much.

Another Great novel

This was heartbreaking and heartwarming Thank you Kristin Hannah I have read almost all of your books and find your stories true to life and thoroughly compelling