Synopses & Reviews
One October night, when Jensen Reilly is sixteen, she and her high school sweetheart, Ryder, are involved in a horrible accident that kills her brother, Will. Ever since then Jensen has been running—from her past, from the Connecticut shoreline home she loved, to boarding school and then out west, where she dropped out of college to elope with her professor, a charismatic artist who takes her further from the unbearable secret that weighs her down.
But when Jensen's lovable father, Sterling, is diagnosed with a brain tumor, she returns to her childhood home for her first extended visit in thirteen years, and the memories of her old life come flooding back—as do the people she's tried to escape. Torn between the life she's created in Sante Fe with her free-spirited husband, Nic, and the realization that it is time to face her past, Jensen must make a terrifying decision that threatens to change her life forever.
Set against the steamy background of a New England summer and filled with the intensity of first love, Night Blindness is about risk and redemption, the sanctity of unbreakable friendships, and the ways we are hunted down by what we try to escape. Told with heart and humor and the sort of plot destined to keep readers turning pages late at night, this remarkable debut marks the start of a talented career for Susan Strecker.
Review
"Susan Strecker writes with unflinching honesty about the dynamics of a family in crisis, and the fallout of a single rash act. In her beautifully rendered debut novel, she proves that while there are no easy answers, there can be forgiveness and redemption. This is rewarding, up-all-night reading at its best." -Susan Wiggs, #1
New York Times bestselling author
"Susan Strecker's debut, Night Blindness, is engrossing, fast-paced, and filled with layers of emotion as Jensen Reilly finds unconditional love in the aftermath of more than a decade of complex grief and secrets. Strecker's honesty about family relationships, and her expert hand at revealing what befalls the Reilly family, had me turning the pages late into the night. Night Blindness is a powerful story of loss and renewal." -Amy Sue Nathan, author of The Glass Wives
"A beautiful debut filled with perfectly drawn characters, the visceral feel of a New England summer, and a long-buried family secret. I loved every page." -Kristin Harmel, internationally bestselling author of The Sweetness of Forgetting
"An achingly atmospheric novel redolent of the time-blurred past even as it crackles with jealousy, regret, and unresolved passion in the present. Its Streckers storytelling gift to make us love all her characters for their flaws as much as despite them, shading their mistakes with love and forgiveness and weaving a more than satisfying resolution. I cant wait to see what Strecker writes next." -Sophie Littlefield, bestselling author of Garden of Stones
“Debut novelist Strecker presents an impressive story filled with moving characters and the raw emotions they go through…a powerful beginning and characters who are easy to connect with.” -Library Journal
“As Jensen struggles to deal with her fathers illness, she also has to confront her feelings for Ryder and guilt over Will…the characters will pull you in.” -Booklist
“A tragic accident has far-reaching consequences for an illustrious family…Strecker builds fine portraits.” -Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
In an instant everything changed forever...
A future as bright as the stars above the Connecticut shore lay before Jensen Reilly and her high school sweetheart, Ryder, until the terrible events of an October night left Jensen running from her family and her first love. Over the years that followed, Jensen buried her painful past. Now married to a charismatic artist, she has created a new life far away from the unbearable secret of that night.
When Jensen's father, Sterling, is diagnosed with a brain tumor, she returns to her childhood home for the first time in thirteen years, and the memories of her old life come flooding back, along with the people she's tried to escape. Torn between her life in Santa Fe with her free-spirited husband, Nic, and the realization that it is time to face her past, Jensen must make a terrifying decision that threatens to change her life again this time forever.
An emotionally thrilling debut set during a New England summer, Susan Strecker's Night Blindness is a compelling novel about the choices we make, the sanctity of friendship, and the power of love.
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Synopsis
A future as bright as the stars above the Connecticut shore lay before Jensen Reilly and her high school sweetheart, Ryder, until the terrible events of an October night left Jensen running from her family and her first love. Over the years that followed, Jensen buried her painful past, and now, married to a charismatic artist, she has created a new life far away from the unbearable secret of that night.
When Jensens father, Sterling, is diagnosed with a brain tumor, she returns to her childhood home for the first time in thirteen years, and the memories of her old life come flooding back along with the people shes tried to escape. Torn between her life in Santa Fe with her free-spirited husband, Nic, and the realization that it is time to face her past, Jensen must make a terrifying decision that threatens to change her life again—this time forever.
An emotionally thrilling debut set during a New England summer, Susan Strecker's Night Blindness is a compelling novel about the choices we make, the sanctity of friendship, and the power of love.
About the Author
SUSAN STRECKER holds a B.A. from Drew University and a Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State University. She practiced in the field of adolescent drug and alcohol addiction. For ten years she ran a multi-venue motorsports park in Florida, taking over the business after her father's death. In 2008 she sold it to be home with her family and began writing. Strecker resides in Essex, Connecticut, with her husband and two children. Night Blindness is her first novel.