The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die.

After her mother's suicide, fifteen year-old Lane Roanoke came to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin, Allegra, on their vast estate in rural Kansas. Lane knew little of her mother's mysterious family, but she quickly embraced life as one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls. But when she discovered the dark truth at the heart of the family, she ran fast and far away.

Eleven years later, Lane is adrift in Los Angeles when her grandfather calls to tell her Allegra has gone missing. Did she run too? Or something worse? Unable to resist his pleas, Lane returns to help search, and to ease her guilt at having left Allegra behind. Her homecoming may mean a second chance with the boyfriend whose heart she broke that long ago summer. But it also means facing the devastating secret that made her flee, one she may not be strong enough to run from again.

As it weaves between Lane's first Roanoke summer and her return, The Roanoke Girls shocks and tantalizes, twisting its way through revelation after mesmerizing revelation, exploring the secrets families keep and the fierce and terrible love that both binds them together and rips them apart. @goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

This book is horribly sad and nasty!



Lane's mom commits suicide and she gets shipped off to live with her grandparents in a little town. Lane has a cousin living with them as well, her name is Allegra. She's crazy as all get out but there are reasons.

Grandpa is a very nice man to the girls. Gran, she's just there so it seems. Their house keeper, Sharon isn't too friendly. Their field hand (whatever you want to call him) Charlie lives in a little apartment on the property. They all know the secrets. Some nasty secrets!

Some Roanoke girls run away never to be heard from again, some die, one died as a baby. It's not good to be a Roanoke girl. Lane leaves when she's 16 but tells them she's leaving. She gets married, gets divorced and its messed up the whole time.

Then,

She gets a call from grandpa asking her to come home because Allegra is missing. She doesn't want to but she wants to try to find her cousin.

Lane reunites with some old friends. Tommy, who was in love with Allegra but she wasn't in love with him, is now married and the town sheriff.

Cooper, who she had a relationship with when she was a child now owns his fathers garage and Lane finds she still has some feelings for him. There is some baggage with the past. I had no idea how much, it's pretty sad, but there was a good ending for those two.

The book tells the story of then and now. It also tells the story of other Roanoke girls. It's not too confusing with the then and now but with all of the girls I got a little confused with who was who. All of that doesn't matter in the end, you get the real story and it's nasty!

Lane
Allegra
Lillian
Jane
Sophia
Eleanor
Penelope
Camilla
Emmeline

I probably left some out but it doesn't really matter, it's that messed up.

Even though this book is beyond messed up I still liked it. The book kept me on my toes even though I had a feeling of what was going on, just ewww.

I can't even believe all of this was allowed to happen!



I mean how could all of this just happen. They just let it happen, most of them, and went on about life like it was just another day. Most felt like there was nothing wrong with it, but I think maybe since some of them were young and never loved they just didn't know any better.

Anyway, that's all I'm saying. If you want to read a book with some messed up family with some suspense and ewww moments, then you have your book =)

*I received a print copy of the book through BloggingForBooks*

GOODREADS REVIEW: