An incredibly emotional read. What started out as two different stories ended on a collision of two people needing to decide if they have the will to live. I was decimated by this book. I had such queasy feeling as I read about John and Shelly’s back stories. They both had been through some horrible things as children and were still stuck with those memories. After a tragic accident they both have to travel the ‘dark road’. This book was very relatable for me. I, too, have had to come to terms with my childhood in order to move on. I felt all kinds of emotions throughout this book. At one part of the book, I was sobbing freely. I know this was filled with triggers for me but I am glad I followed through with the read. I am forever changed by this book.

Thank you net galley and Kathleen Rhodes for providing a copy of this book for an honest review. At first I was unsure what to think of this one. But after a few chapters I did get into it and was guessing what would happen next. I found myself asking is this person alive or dead. The lines all moved with each other but in the end it all made sense. Great read and kept me guessing until the very end.

Shelley is dealing with her past and trying to move on but she's really struggling. John is going through his own traumas and their two lives become entwined when a tragedy occurs on a dark road. Trapped in a dark place between life and death they each have things to face but is there an escape.

Wow this was so dark and not quite what i expected yet I did enjoy it. THe plot follows three different arcs, Shelley, John and a shorter arc featuring Paul. The story is quite fast paced with short chapters so it does jump POV quite a bit yet it was easy to follow. John's part is shorter and i would have liked a little more if I'm honest. The ending was very good with an air of sadness and hope that did fit the story. A very good read.

If you are looking for a book that will take you on an emotional journey, definitely pick this one up.

This book ended with a bang!
Honestly, for the first 65-70% of this book, I really struggled. I was having a hard time following Shelly and John’s story. I ended up truly loving Shelly and the struggle she had throughout the story.
I really enjoyed the drama within Paul and Miranda’s POVs and would’ve loved more depth to them.
Ultimately, the storyline was a different topic and I enjoy that!
I look forward to more from Rhodes.

Intense and creative I loved this book. It was giving "The Cell" vibes but im the best way. I loved how you couldn't really trust anyone and everyone had a motive to do what they were doing. I want to read this again once I have a copy on my shelf because this book cover is gorgeous. The characters were really well thought out and i love when I can learn as much as I can about the people in the story.

The Dark Road - an absolutely intense and dynamic journey into the psyche, the metaphysical, and the psychological mind that will challenge even your own self understanding.
Pick up a copy this Fall!

Wow. I'm not sure what I expected in this psychological thriller but this was not it. In a good way! A strong and charged thriller for a debut author. I would label it a "metaphysical psychological thriller" if there is such a thing.

This gritty insight into the mind of those struggling with mental instability is so incredibly rich with descriptions that you'll be absolutely sucked into a bizarrely different world. At times you'll be extremely uncomfortable, battling with your own memories of a troubled past as the characters develop and we learn about theirs. You will be challenged to understand what is real or possible.

There are so many important messages and lessons on life here, and the author paints the details so intensely for you. At times the descriptions would start to ramble or feel drawn out, and the repetitive nature of the journey that Shelley, the main character, is on seemed to drag at points; however, the connections between strangers were well put together.
This book takes the psychological and metaphysical and binds them together for an intense novel that bridges the ideas of a 'nondenominational' purgatory and our philosophies of near death experiences.
It's incredibly different from the usual psychological thriller and you need to be ready for that.
A tough read at times, both emotionally and to follow, but it is still very much well worth the journey into your own mind and healing.

I will round this up and call it 4 stars, for bringing me something so different from the usual!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved the setting of this novel. Not only is it a very sentimental place that's dear to my heart but it adds a dark element to the story. The characters are relatable, even in their personal darkness.

I was intrigued by this story. There were a few dull parts where the pace crawled and the plot did not move forward, but overall it was a decent read. My main gripe with this novel is the head hopping. Chapters need to be labeled by their POV character and that needs to remain consistent from the start of the chapter to the end. No hopping from Paul's perspective then to Shelly's. It's nauseating and confusing. And it's the best way to turn away readers no matter how good the rest of the book is.

Genuinely creepy and dark, almost atmospheric - lines of reality blurred, memories hiding, and truths left behind only to work their way through the haze. Betrayal by loved ones, betrayal of your own mind, all heading to a collision. Gripping and unique, a must for psychological mystery fans.

Very dark opening to this story, plumets you into nightmares, horror, fear and menace as we meet Shelly, at her psychiatry session recounting her terrifying nightmares. The dark theme continues as we become aware of the tensions her hidden past is creating in her marriage, personal and work life. Then it moves on to jilted John, sad and low when he returns to an empty apartment and a "Dear John" letter. Both depressing underachievers, limited by the darkness and damage of their past, they are then thrown together in a tragic colliding of the two lives and stories.
Dark and deeply unsettling from the outset, this story is really a journey into the limits and damage hidden in our own minds and subconscious and seeking answers to questions that we try and bury in the recesses of our minds. Uncomfortable and challenging reading.

This book was great. It feels like maybe it is a little ong winded about half way through but I pushed through and really enjoyed the story .