* * * *
Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get
lost.
Four teens across the country have only one thing in
common: a girl named Leila. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red
car at the moment they need someone the most.
Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila.
And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during
Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important
truth—sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the
only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.
This one has been burning a hole on my bookshelf for
the last two years before I finally got to it. You know how sometimes you just need
to be at the right place and time for something? This is one of those
instances. I think I was finally ready to lose myself in this charming and
adventurous story that delivers remarkable insight in the unlikeliest of ways.
There are just some people that come into our lives and
however brief their stay is, their impact on us is everlasting. Such is the
case when Leila befriends these four individuals, on separate stops, during her epic roadtrip to
see the Northern Lights. Each of their encounters are from the strangers' point of view. In Leila, each of them finds a confidant, a person who
champions them, a cohort in mischief and a good listener. She is what they need
at THAT very moment in their lives. While Leila is like a miracle angel to
them, she remains a mystery until her story is explored in the last few
chapters of the book.
I was amazed by the ease with which Leila managed to
immerse herself into her new friends’ worlds and get along with them. She’s so incredibly personable and trusting.
She has this way about her that puts them at ease that they trust her
implicitly. I could picture each person in each town she said goodbye to,
scratching their heads wondering, “did that really just happen?” Every one of
them she comes in contact with is at a crossroads in their lives. By
the time this carefree stranger is on the road again, her new friends see
things with greater clarity.
As engrossing as their individual stories are, it’s Leila’s
at the end that’s the most intriguing. She’s still searching and waiting for a connection
to something she desperately wants to find again. I won’t say anything further - just that she may tug at your heartstrings a little. Her sweetness and
optimism remains, she’s just changed.
Reading Let’s Get Lost gave me a sense of wanderlust. It was enchanted by every one of their stories and realized that I was able to connect with them on a certain level. Through
Leila and her new friends, I also got to participate in some hi-jinx fun and enjoy their
camaraderie. All the critical praise that's been heaped upon it is well-deserved. It’s such a rewarding story; I hope you’ll give it a try!
~ Bel
