Where the Road Takes Me

This book is duly beautiful. It tells the story of a girl diagnosed with cancer and how she goes from being invisible to the world to a person who finally learns to let live in. The book emphasizes that true love can conquer all

The story of Chloe and Blake is an emotional rollercoaster and you fine yourself rooting for their relationship. Poor Chloe has put up walls that only true love can tear down. Blake is up for the challenge.

This novel is incredible and there are no words to describe what I'm feels right now .. All of your books are just freakin incredible...please never stop writing b/c I just want to read your books forever!

I would say it out sparks Nicholas Sparks... But that would be grossly unfair to Nicholas Sparks. The characters are one-dimensional; the plot is immature and illogical. The sex feels dirty rather than right for the book. The dialogue is weak. And there are whole long paragraphs of "I told her that...then she told me that... Then I said that..." My eleven-year-old puts more effort into her writing than that. Shame, shame on publishers who push out such junk rather than requiring or assisting the author to write something at least passable. This feels like it was written by a middle-schooler with a rudimentary knowledge of sex, a vast knowledge of after-school specials, and little to no knowledge of real life.

Is there a recovery program for readaholics? I've hit rock-bottom.

I will read just about anything, including books with 'bad' words, inappropriate words, or swear words. Usually they don't bother me. I started this book this morning, what I have posted are pages 2-3. These weren't just your everyday swear words. There were some words that no one should ever hear. But lets get past that. If , as an author, you feel that you can only write conflict with using words like this maybe you should try something else. I get that it was an intense scene but words like that are never called for. If this is in the first 3 pages I'd hate to see what was in the rest of the book. This book got 3.94/5 stars on Goodreads and is tagged YOUNG ADULT. If you're writing a book with words like this then fine, that is your prerogative but don't target young adults. I never actually finished the book, I didn't want to after what I read. She seems to be an accomplished author, maybe not all her books are like this one, maybe her other books are great and appropriate for the age range they are directed. I don't know, but what I do know is I won't be reading another one of her books.

I love the color red. It has something special about it that I have all kinds of stuff that are red. I knew it was special, but in this book? I found out that RED is a color we all shouldn't miss!!! #turnmyworldred

This book is just so... emotional... in a really, really good way.

I was left speechless. When I read this, I needed people to talk to me in order to process... So I think it's just fair to advice y'all that when you read this book, I recommend you prepare emotionally. Know that it's not all hearts and flowers although some parts are kind of like that. This book digs deeper into your soul and will mark you. I promise.

It revolves around a girl named Chloe. She has a really well-guarded heart. She lives to the fullest, but she doesn't want people to be close to her. She doesn't want attachments and she doesn't want any form of relationship. Then comes a guy whom she would want to break all the rules for. Blake is not the typical high school jock. He actually cares and he's so concerned about Chloe. I love how he breaks down each and every one of her defenses. It's a beautiful thing to read!!

This is their story about finding the real kind of love. The love that will never tire out, the love that's patient, the love that's all consuming and the love that will make you want to stay forever.

Of course, this is also a story about taking hold of your future, being the best of what you can be and trusting that the people around you would love you and hold on to you no matter what.

As much as I love the main characters, this book would be less lovable without the other characters. Watch out for Josh, you would love him! I also enjoyed the families!!

*superduperhappysigh*

I love this book. I enjoyed reading this. It felt sooooo good to have so many emotions all in one book! Happiness, sadness, frustration, crying-out moments, laugh-out-loud moments and many, many, many more!!! It also has so many life lessons that y'all should look into!

Arrggghh!! It's so hard to not put spoilers!! Haha! This is always my dilemma when it comes to Jay McLean's books. There are just sooooo many things that I liked, but can't actually say.

*breathes*

Just know that when you read this, it will mark your soul. You bet your ass it'll be in red ink! ❤❤❤

Where the Road Takes Me follows Blake and Not Abby (Chloe). Blake is the high school star, with the girlfriend and the status. But there is more to him than meets the eye, he has a lot hidden underneath what people actually see. Then there is Chloe, she wants to be invisible. She has spent her life doing this, she doesn’t want people to care about her or see her.

Blake literally bumps into Chloe and they turn each other’s worlds upside down. A night run for Blake to become numb leads to a path he didn’t know he wanted to follow and a night to escape for Chloe leads to questions she didn’t know she wanted to ask. Blake wants to know more, for him something changes. “Something changed. A switch. If felt like someone had taken away the gray dullness behind my eyes and splashed color into them.”

Chloe has a pain she is carrying, it’s a huge burden for her. But it makes her appreciate life and not take all the same things for granted. Chloe leads a somewhat isolate life, she wants to be invisible, she has an uncertain future and doesn’t want people to hurt because of her. What she doesn’t realise is that people love her, it’s hard for them not too. She has a family behind her and makes some life changing friends along the way. “She never takes anything for granted. But she does it alone, and it’s sad, because she’s so easy to love.”

The friendship between Chloe and Blake become much more, it becomes their go to. It doesn’t matter who much she pushed him away he pulls her back. He won’t leave her even if she wants him to. Chloe is the person that brings happiness and light into people’s lives whether she knows it or not. The way she bring Blake and his mum together, when she helps out Josh with Tommy, the way she is with her siblings. Chloe has a big impact on all those around her, but “because one day, sooner than later, I’d be gone. And I’d leave them all behind.”

Throwing away anything else around them to get the most of the time they have together Blake and Chloe go on a trip, they spend their time together. Both wanting more but Chloe won’t give in and Blake can’t walk away. “You wanna know why I can’t decide? Because I can’t think of my future without you in it.” “It’s just moments like this-you make me not want to miss out on anything. You make me want to live forever, Blake.”

This book was a phenomenal read, it was such a rollercoaster of emotions. I laughed, I cried, I got annoyed on both of their behalf, I got so completely wrapped up and drawn into this book. The pain in this book becomes real. I want red letter days.

“Maybe she was my kryptonite.”
“Blake Hunter – he was my change.”

I went into this book without reading the blurb or really knowing much about it. Mostly because I just didn't need to know because when someone offers you the chance to read a new book by Jay McLean, you don't question it, you just say yes and thank the heavens for giving you the chance.
That being said, this fire-trucking book was amazing and awesome and everything you'd expect from a Jay McLean story. You know, it gave me all the feels and I butterflying LOVED it.
Jay writes stories that make me wish that I could go back to being a teen/young adult. Which is sort of amazing since I hated everything about that time period of my life. She writes the best kind of book boyfriends, though I feel like I'm breaking all kinds of laws for falling in love with them.
I won't go in to too many details about the actual story because I think that this is just one of those books you need to experience completely on your own. As with all of Jay's books, you'll find yourself laughing, crying and getting pissed off all at the same time. There are a lot of symbols in this book, so be sure to keep an eye out for them. They are what really make this story special.
That being said, I do think that the ending felt a tad rushed and might have enjoyed it more if the road trip had been longer. I'm going to say, I may have actually liked to have seen it broken off into another book. Like had this book taken place during and before the road trip and the next book taking place after. Also, I'm hoping that we will get a story about Josh. I fell in love with him as hard as I fell for Blake.

*I received an ARC from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review

Where The Road Takes Me by Jay McLean was breathtakingly beautiful. I am just in awe on how much I loved this book. Honestly, I will never look at red pens the same again. I want to experience an infinity of red-letter days and paint the world in red. Ms. McLean completely spellbinded me with her beautiful, heartfelt, touching, and emotional storytelling. This book was so raw that I am experiencing every range of emotions right now. A book that makes you FEEL and leaves you raw is a book that you will remember and Where The Road Takes Me is a book that will stay with me. It is a story that took my heart, broke my heart, tore it into pieces, and then slowly taped it back together.

I honestly don’t want to say much in this review because this book needs to be experienced. Where The Road Takes Me is a story that makes you really reflect on your life. We all know that life is not perfect. It is not black and white. Life is about choices. And sometimes there are things in life we can’t control like sickness and death. But in life the one red ink that everyone tries to attain is LOVE. A love that is so pure, honest, and real. A love that gives you HOPE. A love that HEALS. A love worth experiencing. A love that is unforgettable. And the best kind of love is a LOVE that is UNEXPECTED. Ms. McLean takes her readers on a journey of friendship, healing, forgiveness, love and life. So if you are looking for a book that will make you FEEL then this book is for you. This is not your typical romance story..This is a story of finding LOVE, HOPE, and LIVING. A story that reminds us WE ALL NEED RED-LETTER DAYS!!!!

Reviewed by Michelle of Four Chicks Flipping Pages

“Sometimes the wrong path can lead us to the right road.”

Where the Road Takes Me is the journey of two complete strangers that meet for a reason. Both Blake and Chloe are kind of stumbling through life; Blake is hiding behind a façade and Chloe is just hiding, full stop. Chloe's walls are built so high, she’s so desperately trying to be invisible, that she cannot see how it effects the people around her and that’s quite heartbreaking. She has her reasons for wanting to go un-noticed but eventually, with Blake’s persistence-

“Blake Hunter – he was my change.”

Jay has the ability of making all of her characters spring to life, she writes them in a way that is realistic, fun and perfectly flawed, not just the main characters but all of them. (I fell in love with Josh! Wow! Now, if only he had his own book…)

Chloe’s impact on the lives around her is nothing short of breathtaking. This story shows how one life can make a difference. Blake has more than his fair share of life-altering moments, too. He is an amazing young man.

What I love in this story so full of tragedy, is there are beautiful moments of hope and inspiration, with a good healthy dose of humour that I have come to expect from this author.

Be warned, this is an emotional journey that will have you crying tears of sorrow one second, and then howling with laughter the next. You really need to experience this book for yourself, it sure packs a punch.

Five Red Letter Day Stars from me!

If you are looking for a beautifully written, heart felt book, this is it! I felt every word written on these pages. I laughed, I cried (boy, did I cry!), and I fell in love with these two amazing characters. There are certain books that stay with you long after you have read the last word, and this is one of them. I love when books leave me with special, little, unique gems. After reading this, I will forever remember red letter days and look at inspirational magnets in a whole new light.

Chloe was your average high school senior but you wouldn't have noticed her. She liked to remain invisible so that no one could get close to her. She thought if no one noticed her, if no one cared about her, then no one would notice or care when she left. With no plans for the future other than hitting the open road, she lived her life in the moment. She didn't worry about where the road would take her or what lied ahead. What Chloe hadn't expected was that one night everything would change, and one boy would be that change.

"I'd never questioned the way I thought about my life. But Blake, he made me question it. He made me want to change it. To change my outlook. And to change myself. But I couldn't. And I wouldn't." ~Chloe

Blake was the boy that every girl wanted and every boy wanted to be. He was handsome, was his high school's star athlete, and was dating the hottest girl on campus. Despite all that he had; he wasn't happy. Torn between being the person everyone expected him to be and being the person he wanted to be, he struggled with finding his place in the world. That was until he met Chloe, and everything that he had ever wanted and needed...was right in front of him.

"In the past four years that we'd been in the same place almost every day, I had never noticed her. Not even a little bit. And to me - it felt like there were four years of her life I needed to know about. Four years of not paying attention to make up for. But it wasn't just that. Deep down, I knew she was the only person in the entire world I wanted to notice me." ~Blake

I truly loved this book. There were so many amazing parts that just made me feel. Where The Road Takes Me is one of those books that you beg all your friends to read so that you can share thoughts and relive it all over again. Blake and Chloe's journey will steal your heart and make you a forever fan of author Jay McLean.

"Sometimes the wrong path can lead us to the right road. And toward the greatest thing that will ever happen to us." ~Chloe

♥ Review By Lys

5 Stars Pave This Road

Chloe and Blake/Hunter…One girl who would want it all...One boy that seemingly had it.
Strangers to one another yet so vital to each other’s lives for the future.

One night, Fate puts the two on a path to physical collision. Everything they thought they knew they wanted, well, it isn’t quite so clear now.

This a book with young adults. This is a coming of age story of two characters based on the bravery to take a chance, the acceptance of life and its curveballs, and the trust to believe in someone or something. This is a true love story developed through “Red Letter Days, and “Unexpected Phenomenals.”

I myself fell in love. I read about Chloe and Blake who were so openly fresh and naïve to the future. They developed a friendship and found solid ground while enveloped in a cast of friends and family with constant support and strength.

But at the heart of this tale, the basic question is clear. How much is enough? Can a boy love a girl enough to want her to stay? To live? Can a girl find enough strength in a boy to want a future? Well, the answers to the questions are found on the road that Jay McLean paved.

As a reader I was blown away and fully invested. As a reviewer I admit that I could gripe quite a bit especially at the lightning quick connection of two high schoolers. OR maybe the closed off downer consistency of Chloe. I could even say the ending came too fast and too pretty.

However, I WILL NOT GRIPE. This book worked for me. I saw the pure beauty in the story from start to finish and I LOVED it. I suppose I am a sucker for a good boy who loves big. I looked past the eighteen year old love story and opened my heart to everything this tale offered. Perhaps I respect the message that if you had just 1 day or 1000 more, live life to the fullest. Do not back down. Do not waist a moment. Fight for Love. Fight for Life.

With profound quotes and age appropriate intimacy I found Blake Hunter was also my unexpected phenomenal, so thank you Jay McLean for another story to hang my heart on!

Where The Road Takes Me started off great but the further along I read the more downhill it went especially when Chloe finally went on the road things just went south for me real quick. At first I thought okay this looks like something I will rate a four star...then soon it became a three star and by the time she was on the road and her actions it was all just very frustrating.

The story revolves around Blake and Chloe. Blake is a popular jock who can't decide between going to Duke on a basketball scholarship or joining the military. Chloe on the other hand is the complete opposite of everything Blake is. She purposely tries to stay invisible. Apparently she does a great job at it because Blake and her have been going to the same school for years and even have a class together and he never noticed her. Chloe has some serious issues with attachment. She doesn't want anyone to get close to her or love her and she has her own reasons on why.

Blake's character was interesting, he was working through his own issues between deciding on his future and he had some parental issues. The whole time I was actually waiting for the confrontation between him and his dad which never really came, I was really hoping to see him stand up to his dad. As far as Chloe and him goes I found it a little unbelievable how quickly he fell for Chloe it was just a little too unrealistic and it got to a point where because of Chloe's actions I actually felt sorry for him. In a way I feel like he went from one girlfriend who treated him like crap to another and ugh...this is the part that made me not love him completely, there was the case of him cheating on his girlfriend several times with Chloe before he finally broke it off with her but I guess we were supposed to be okay with it since his girlfriend was a bitch? I personally think it still didn't make it okay he should have just broken up with her before anything physical happened with Chloe.

Now on to Chloe, at first I liked her she seemed like she was mature and knew exactly what she wanted even though it was a little twisted but it was her choice and she owned it and I could respect that but the more I got to know her I just found her to be a walking contradiction. She says she doesn't want anyone getting close to her "the road" is her thing to get away from everyone etc but within mere seconds she accepts Blake going on it with her and I was just a little dumbfounded it made no sense, it went against everything we were led to believe about her and her reasons for leaving. And the way she was with her foster family if you don't want anyone to love you the last thing you should be doing is building a bond with the kids and the foster parents in the home.

Overall the book was an okay read for me, I haven't read anything else by this author but even though I didn't have the best of luck with this one I do plan on checking out her More Than series since I've heard good things about it.

I swear, Jay Mclean writes the best books ever. She gave me Logan Matthews and now Blake Hunter.

Where the Road Takes Me was a non-stop, I-could-not-put-down, book! I ate up every word! Chloe and Blake were two the most perfect characters. They were so real, honest and just all-around good characters.

Chloe and Blake meet unexpectedly and their attraction was immediate, but they didn't think they would ever run into each other again. They spent one night (as friends) and it completely changed their lives. Chloe keeps everyone at a distant. She's lost a lot and keeping a wall up, means that she won't hurt anyone while she's on her journey, "The Road" after graduation.

While Blake is getting ready to graduate too, his plans are up in the air. His home life is empty--his father expects him to follow the family footsteps of serving his country. While his heart is playing college basketball. He's conflicted because he wants to do what's right.

The friendship between these two blossom over the school year. No matter how hard Chloe tried to push Blake away; Blake wouldn't give up. He knew there was something there to hold to with her.

Where the Road Takes Me takes you on an awesome journey of how young love can turn into forever love. These two faced many obstacles, but they never let what life threw at them get in the way. There were plenty of sweet romantic moments and plenty of laughs between Blake, Chloe and even Josh (hint--Josh needs a book!)

**********************PROBABLY CONTAINS SPOILERS**************************

There was one aspect I didn't like in the beginning that I thought Blake should have fixed and that was he did have a girlfriend and was all attracted to Chloe, I just wanted him to fix that, once it was fixed I enjoyed the book. Blake's thoughts are strange, "so, for six days Hannah had frozen me out, and I didn't notice. For six hours, Chloe did the same, and it felt like my life was over." Obviously the boy is a tad dramatic. Blake isn't shy about showing his attraction to Chloe, "it's okay," I told her. "You'd just be a distraction anyway. Go. Leave." She chuckled and walked away. I stared at her a**. "Holy s***," I mumbled." As you can tell or maybe not the book to me was full of raw emotion I'm not sure if any of the quotes I chose will represent that or not, and it's told in dual point of views. I enjoyed the fun times Chloe and Blake had especially in the hairdressers when Blake was explaining why he needed the haircut, "my girlfriend likes to tug on my hair when we...you know? I'm thinking it needs to be cut back a lot. She's startin' to hurt me." I really loved this book, once the characters got things in place and got their acts together it was a great read I fell in love with Blake's friend Josh so I'm hoping there will be a book in the works for him.

I will start with this...you MUST read this book! It was AMAZING! I could not put it down!

This was my first book by this author, but it certainly won't be my last. The words gripped me from page one and I was hooked, reading until late into the night to finish it before I went to sleep. If you're looking for a book with ALL the feels, this is it. You've got romance, tragedy, some teen angst, travel, sports, illness, recovery, I could go on and on. It's been quite a while since I've read a novel with SO many facets. And I love when the author can get you just as interested in the secondary characters as you are the primary. Imagine my delight when I learned there is a spin off book featuring the secondary character I loved the most! (Can't WAIT to read it and it's sequel!)

The main character has moments where you might be annoyed with her, but you'll also probably grudgingly see why she is the way that she is...and when she finally sees how wrong she's been, oh what emotions! The male lead is by far my favorite character in the book. Blake is one of those guys that just grabs your heart and makes you wish that every guy was like him. He's understanding, compassionate, loves kids, he's loyal...I just love this character so much (add him to the book boyfriend file!)

If you're a fan of this author, or authors like Colleen Hoover, Jenny Han or Sarah Dessen, you're sure to enjoy this book. I'm only disappointed that I've waited so long before trying her out.

We meet high school seniors Blake and Chloe (Not Abby LOL!) when Chloe is trying to forget and Blake's trying to remain numb in the ways that make sense to them. Chloe was a hard nut for me to crack. She was so aloof and closed off. She's a foster kid, yet she's had a great foster home and parents. Blake's home life is loveless. Blake takes an instant liking to the elusive Chloe, however I was SERIOUSLY turned off by the fact he had a so-called girlfriend. Don't be that guy, Blake! Chloe's made her life plan to hit The Road as soon as she graduates, but she never expected Blake to barrel his way into her life and be a plus one. I sometimes had a hard time with their relationship. On one hand, I had to remember they were ONLY 18 and that made up for their sometimes immature behavior. But only being 18, they had FAR more leniency that I ever had at that age. I'm one that can kind of go with the flow and look past reality to not overthink a romance book. I agree with many others the first half of this book was a bit immature, but the second half really hit me in the heart. I mean, come on! Who didn't get teary-eyed about Red-Letter Days? Or the fifteen brothers helping Blake carry the weight? The ending, HEA and epilogue was just the heartfelt sweet I needed. I longed to see these two fall in love and was rooting for them.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Blake Hunter.

Holy Fire Truck this book was amazing. I love books like this. The ones that you have no preconceived ideas about. I wasn't familiar with this author, but you can bet that I will be reading more of her work in the future.

I'd categorise this as a young adult novel and for me to enjoy it as much as I did, is a testament to Jay McLeans writing skill. From start to finish I couldn't put this book down. It was truly a beautiful love story with lots of twists and turns. Some I guessed and some that took me by complete surprise.

I fell in love with Blake from the start. I don't think there are many book boyfriends quite as perfect as him. And then there was Chloe. Now whilst I wanted to shake some sense into her a lot of the time, I really could sympathise with the reasons why she built such a strong emotional barrier. I also especially loved the dynamics of Blake, Chloe and their friend Josh.

There were some laugh out loud moments in this book and that definitely helped balance things with the more somber times.

I really can't recommend this book enough.